Rah Rah Real Green Dorm Room Decorating

Creative Upcycling for Dorm Room Decor

Loads of creative recycle decorating ideas to make a personal statement in the college home away from home. 

How are you going to get there? Here is one fun way to go back to school waiting in an upcycled school bus - bus stop from fastcompany.com 

There's nothing like those years in college!  It sure is fun to decorate your dorm room today with a myriad of designer lines available to coordinate everything from a shower caddy to closet organizers.

But what if you want to show some originality, save some money and be green? Repurpose! Upcycle! Reuse!

Here are some of our favorite "simple to do" repurpose ideas that work perfectly for the dorm room or college apartment. 

Arty T Shirt's Framed

Your Country, City or State in a Frame.  How Great!

 A Bike Rack!

 The new meaning of a book case!  A Hiding bin for more than books

A Patchwork of T-shirts-Warm n Cozy

Creative study nook from www.quoleshnablog.wordpress.com  

Perfect for the musician a guitar case book case from /www.recyclart.org/ 

Let them know what you read with an upcycled books headboard from www.womantribune.com - you could use anything for this, even maps, adds or posters!

Use your old skateboards with  this skateboard book shelf from www.skatestudyhouse.com 

Show where you are from with these license plate bookends from www.funinthemaking.net 

Need a file cabinet?  Make this handy portable file cabinet with a vintage suitcase and always be ready to go from www.poetichome.com

Also from www.poetichome.com  this clever recycled record book end...just heat and bend.  You can make bowls from records , too.

Need a table?  Make one with an old sign or recycled framed print. So simple from www.iamanangelchaser.com  You can use many things for a base. 

Don't overlook that old wooden ladder give it a college life as this upcycled book case from www.southernliving.com 

Sew you need a needle and thread...here's one for the guys made from your treasured matchbox or hot wheel  from www.handmadenews.org  

Perfect for the art student or crafter.  A great way to organize paints, spices or other items.  A soda crate from www.school1 everythingesty.com

Let's not forget memos  and momentos a simple way to make a personalized bulletin board from countryliving.com.  Just choose a fabric to match your room or make a statement.

Want more great dorm ideas?  See our Pinterest DORM Board and our Man Cave Board

© jag www.planetpals.com all rights reserved 

How Important Is Caring For Earth - Let Kids tell Us!

Teachers Help Kids Illustrate How Important Environmental Responsibility Is!

Kids around the world illustrate how important caring for the planet can be.

Canton Elementary School Student Andrew , first grade, drew his rendition of Planetpals Earthman.  

Muzak thought up his own Planetpals Characters....and shared them with us. This creative poster idea was part of an art compitition organized by HRCA mega events, Pakistan. Muaaz Salman and in the first grade received silver medal for this.

Simple ideas by using newsprint and printed type, teach us to plant trees. Drawing by Christie.

Division 1,  K-1st grade student Jonathan R. from Samoset Elementary Manatee County teaches us about water conservation.

Teaching us many things!  This clever poster by first grader Rachel Watson illustrates everything we can foo to help Earth.She won first prize.

There are many more great ideas for Teachers to Teach responsibility at Planetpals.  All Earth all the time!

Changing Seasons Are A Great Time For A Nature Journal

Journals can be a great learning experience all year long

For links to these projects go to Planetpals Pinterest Nature Journal Board

What better learning experience is there than to document nature's splendor, with a nature diary! It's a great project for any age including kids!  Anyone can draw, write, record and photograph what they see.

Any season is a season for Journaling; 

Spring means outdoors for many who have cooped up all winter, like birds and bugs, trees and plants.   Summer is a time for thriving for many plants and animals, caring for their young, plants blooming and harvesting.  As well, Autumn harvests and the storing and shedding of animals and plants.  Winter is time for hibernation and wild weather patterns. Let's face it, all year long nature evolves, the skies not only change through the seasons, but change day and night, as do the tides. 

The changing seasons are a perfect time to think of Journaling.  

Journaling is a wonderful pastime and an educational hobby. With the changing season comes changes in nature. You can track the seasons of trees and flowers.  You can track nature's life cycles like that of a butterfly from and egg to a caterpillar to a full grown butterfly. You can watch animals come out of, or prepare and go into, hibernation.

Things you can record in a Journal:

Learn to look for patterns in nature such as heart shaped leaves, camouflage or repetitive patterns. Find nests and cocoons, take photos of changing leaves, sprouting flowers and new blossoming plants. Watch gardens grow and the changing seaside.  Learn what different species eat, which ones are endangered,  and learn about the food chain. Collect different kinds of natural species or their parts such as shells or barks from trees. Or simply find the beauty in any natural thing!

Here is a list of additional ideas for a Seasonal Journal:

• Color in Nature
• Art in Nature
• Anatomy and Architecture
• Planted Seedlings
• Budding and Blooming Flowers
• Budding and Blooming Trees
• Birds and Nests
• Bugs and Insects
• Cacoons and Bee Hives
• Hybernation and Habitats
• Otters and Damns
• Breeding and Birth
• Sky and Clouds
• Changing Leaves
• Collecting bark, leaves, insects or shells
• More 

© Judith Gorgone Designs www.gorgone.com

How to document in your Journal:

• Draw
• Paint
• Photograph
• Write Stories
• Write Poems
• Write Haiku
• Describe Objects
• Color Match
• Collect specimens
• Save seeds
• Collect images from magazines
• Decorate

How to make a Scrapbook:

• Buy a notebook or scrapbook
• Use any kind of paper
• Use paper 
• Use cloth
• Recycle papers, scraps and bags
• Recycle cardboard

See many more ideas and download helpers here:

• A Printable Nature Journal for you to download for free.
• Free Nature Discovery Kit to Download
• Our Nature Magazine of additional articles and ideas for you to explore.
• DIY Nature Journal Ideas Pinterest Board
• Our Creative Art Journal Ideas Pinterest Board

Be a Planetpal!  Come up with some natural ideas and recycle ideas you can use in your journal and share it with us!

DIY Beach Sandcastle Kit Even You Can Make

Make your own Sand Castle Kit with Recycle and Household Items! Simple as a Grain of Sand.

Playing in the sand is lots of fun for any age.  So get prepared for that day at the beach.  Make a recycle sandcastle kit!  Pack it up in a plastic bucket or your favorite beach pail.

I came across this infographic from Sandstackers on how to make your own sandcastle. There sure are some good suggestions here:

click to enlarge.

Let's take it a step further! 

You can use many household items for your sandcastle and why not recycle.  You can find items around your kitchen and your garage, too.

Here are some suggestions:

Garage:

• Window Scraper
• Spray Bottles
• Paint Brushes

Kitchen Tools:

• Measuring Cups
• Funnels
• Measuring Spoons
• Food Containers (Square and round)
• Lemon Ballers
• Spatulas and other Cooking Utensils
• Kitchen Scraper

Tips on how to make a lasting sandcastle:

There are plenty of tips out there to make professional grade sandcastles such as this from RedBook Magazine which suggests that you:

"Start with a densely packed mound of sand. To get the best density, build up the mound gradually: Add 6 inches of sand, pack down firmly with your fists, then pour half a bucket of water on top. (You can never add too much water; any excess will just drain out.) Repeat until you've reached your desired height."
Just use your imagination!

Can't wait to see what you create this summer.

Dig It This Summer

A DIY Archeological Dig Can Be Great Fun And A Natural Learning Experience For Any Age.

Great Summer Activity for Kids!

Archeology is a great way to learn about nature and science.  So, why not try an archeological dig this summer at the ocean, park, or in the woods.  It's a perfect beach or camping activity.  It's a natural!

You can put together a simple DIG kit in minutes and organize the dig for one child or a group of children.

For beach finds kids can look for worn beach glass, shells, sand dollars, fish bones, crab shells, seaweed, rocks, driftwood.

For forest or park digs kids can look for bones, rocks, arrowheads, nuts, snail shells, flora and fauna.

A dig can be a fun in the sun natural learning experience for any age

 Learn more 

     Learn how to have an archeology DIG

     Make a DIG kit 

     Make a craft Jar for your finds

     Free Planetpals DIG Download!

Planetpals Beach Puzzle!

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