Make Your Own Recycle Advent Calendar

Count down to Christmas

During Advent many of our PALS celebrate with Advent calendars. It is great fun and more meaningful to make your own calendar as part of the family tradition...and go a step further by making it GREEN!

Using recycled materials to make the advent calendar leaves it wide open. Anything goes.  Why not use cut up greeting cards, junk mail, magazine ads, jewelry, toy pieces, bottle tops, craft materials and other colorful items to adorn your calendar.  Use small pill bottles or yogurt cups sideways or upside down.  You can even use small wrapped boxes each filled with a goodie.

Check out the samples below and try your hand at a greener holiday season, then each day will be a magical surprise.

Options to the advent calendar: Make a 12 days of Christmas or hanukah calendar.

Be creative and have some fun, these ideas should spark your creativity:

 

This one is lovely with an OLD WORLD feel!  Made from an old type book but easy to make from an old kids book, magazine or book pages. Add a colorful string, yarn or ribbon.  From Renna DaWanda at Nest Goodies

Simple folded magazine ads.  Recycled and strung with clothespins on a line! This is duable in one day.  You could use kids artwork, too.  One way to save it for years. From Flicker 

Simple cones hide treasures. This tabletop Advent Calendar idea is really fun and really cute.   Again use cards, ads or cover in fabrics, adorn with buttons, small toys and baubles? From Woman's Day.  You could also do this with upside down yogurt cups

Made with magazine ads but could be done easily with christmas cards. From Craftastica

Make with recycled food or cereal boxes inside out or recycled paper!  (or you could use paper rolls) Use your own designs. From Maya Made

String them! Very Cute!  Use the other side of recycled card envelopes. Plain or decorated. Don't have enough?  Think ahead and save them for next year. From  Little Notes

Use small boxes (or make them) and add Kids art or greeting cards to adorn them.  Colorful and easy to fill with goodies! from OurHouse

Paper rolls recycled to an advent calendar.  Clever use small gift wrap scraps to wrap them or paint them! from Crafting Coconut

This one is made with license plates,  but think about what you might use in it's place to get the same feel.  How about Signs, circulars or ads? From Etsy

Lots More Christmas Crafts and Ideas!

It's America Recycles Day - Do Your Part Wherever You Are!

Be a Planetpal and practice the R's everyday :)

http://www.planetpals.com/americarecycles.html

The Happiest Recycle Bins In The World!

Recycle Bins That Will Put  Smile on Your face

It's America Recycles Day November 15  and what could be better than for Plnetpals to share recycling bins that put a smile on your face :)

See more recycling bins and learn more about recycling here:
 How The World Recycles
Learn about Recycling

Cloth Napkins Are A Greener Choice (And Did We Say More Creative?)

Napkin Folding Ideas For The Holidays.

If you are eco conscious, cloth napkins can be a better alternative to paper products for the table. Make your table greener and more festive this holiday with folded napkins. Buy them new, or better yet, buy or use an heirloom. 

I love cloth napkins, it's a little like playing house, and I tend to use them even on picnics! The fact that they are green is a plus.  While looking for alternative ways to fold them, I found some great holiday ideas that are colorful and clever to help you make your table setting one that your holiday guests will never forget!

From A Big Slice The Christmas Tree Napkin Fold

How to napkin fold Christmas tree 

From Good Housekeeping The Elf Hat napkin fold (why not a Santa Hat?) 

Elf Hat or Red Santa Hat For Christmas 

The Christmas Bow folded napkin from Tip Junkie can be fun for a dinner party or New Years Eve black tie tablesetting:

Bow tie napkin fold for a dinner party, Father's day or New Years Eve

From  Dobermans By The Sea an Alternative Christmas Tree Idea.  Fold the top down and you have a Hanukkah Dradle Napkin!  

A Christmas Tree-or Tada! Fold this down it makes Dradle for Hanukah.

From Food dot Com another bow Idea.  This one uses a napkin ring. 

Another bow. Perfect for Christmas, holidays, or gift giving event like a birthday

From Random Acts of Mommies A Rosette.  How lovely is this for Valentines or Christmas?  

Perfect Rose for an anniversary or mothers day or just to say ILU!

From Wedding Bells a pointsettia fold

Poinsettia perfect for the holidays

from Video Jug a Heart Folded Napkin 

Say Ilu for Valentines Day or Anniversary

For other folds see the Napkin Folding Guide

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Ten Creative Ways To Give Thanks For Thanksgiving

Make a new tradition

Thanksgiving is a time for traditions, sharing and caring with friends and family. This year find a new way of sharing thanksgivings and start a new tradition of your own.

Here are some clever and creative ideas to inspire you! Use recycled natural materials whenever possible and make your activity greener.

1. An invitation to be Thankful (free downloads)

2. The Thanksgiving Tree (how to)  

3.  Thanksgiving Banner (free download)

4. Be Write On

 

5. Countdown to Thanksgiving Calendar (any number of days-Use the Nov Calendar and start in on the first?) 

6. Thanks Garland (Free Download and how to)

 7. Pass the pumpkin please! Makes a lovely decoration.

 8. Pine Cone Thanks (one of my favorites and use naturaL PINE CONES

9. Thankful Puppets RECYCLE craft using a paper bag

 

10. Grafitti Door Poster

See  Planetpals Thanksgiving Journal and make everything about your Thankgiving greener !  

See Planetpals Pinterest Thanksgiving Board for other ideas 

© judith gorgone www.planetpals.com all rights reserved