So life is starting to settle down. I'm working on some web design projects as well as getting some things ready to start my Etsy shop. This afternoon I'm canning pickled asparagus with my mom so that should be fun. I'm also going to blanch and freeze a bunch to put in pasta this winter.

Every Friday I like to wander around the internet and share the prettiness with you...here's what I found today:

1)Masquerade speakers...they look like art hanging on the wall! You can get them done with your own photos. Pretty cool I say.



2)Check out this gorgeous pink teapot by Vessels & Wares on Etsy.



3)Plant Me Pets look like little plastic toys, but you plant them headfirst in the ground and they grow into plants! They're made with bio-degradable latex with seeds inside.



4)fun Cast Iron Twig Skewers from World Market.



5)I didn't think you could make old plastic bottles look this good but when Michelle Brand reuses them they look like a bunch of flowers. (via AT)

Posted by Hanna at 11:18 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Friday Five

Everyone wants their family to live somewhere healthy. But most homes are full of toxic chemicals, made using ill-building practices that harm the earth, and cost a fortune to heat and cool.

Well what if you used the earth as a building material, situated your house for optimal solar heating and it was beautiful.

There are examples of this happening all over the world - here's a sneak peak at a few of my favourites.

This couple Gord and Ann live on Vancouver Island and have started EcoSense, whose philosophy is that a home and all its systems should mimic the beauty and function of the natural world.

I love love love Rammed Earth houses! Hanna, Val and I saw one while wondering around on Salt Spring Island at the begining of May. Terra Firma is a company based on Salt Spring!




Dockside Green is being built here in Victoria, BC. It's a leading design for LEED Neighbourhood. The project is being done in a number of phases, with the first, Synergy completed and ready for moving in Feb '09.





Your house needs paint of course! An eco-house wouldn't use any smelly toxic regular paint - it would use Milk Paint! I just found out about Milk Paint this morning, a woman selling it called about being a vendor in the Green Living Expo this weekend.



Green building makes me happy. I want to be a home designer one day.

Heart!

Posted by Jen at 4:28 PM 0 comments  

Labels: Green Living

Tools Needed
-Contact Paper (like MacTac). I used a frosted glass look. My design used 3/4m.
-Pencil
-Measuring Tape
-Scissors or Craft Knife
-Window Cleaner
-Credit Card

1) Find a boring window. Look how boring my window is. And it's a townhouse, which makes it all the more tragic. I like to stand out a bit.


2) Spread the Contact Paper out on a table, backing side up. Use the pencil to draw the design you want. I chose bamboo because it's just a really easy set of shapes. If you aren't the artsy fartsy type, you could trace a design or use a stencil. A stencil would work really well. Use the measuring tape naturally to make sure that your amazing design will fit well.


3) Cut the shapes out. If you are afraid that you'll get them mixed up you can number them, or stick them up as you go. I used scissors, but next time I'm going to try harder to find my pretty craft knife. Hard on the hand with all the cutting.


4) Clean the window, we will be sticking them on the inside of the window, but I cleaned both sides because the outside was nasty. Please ignore the streaks in the photos, geez, flash makes them look a lot worse.


5) Unpeel the bottom of the first shape and carefully stick it to the window. Then use the credit card to smooth the rest of it down to avoid bubbles. The backing will push off as you go. Repeat with the remaining shapes.


6) Enjoy your pretty window! Boring no more!


Oh hey look, it's me :) Hiiii. And I actually did one stalk on the other window too, but it didn't photograph well through the screen.

Posted by Hanna at 10:51 AM 1 comments  

Labels: Tutorials

As Jen sweetly introduced herself I guess I should too. I'm 26, and have been a lifeguard since I was 17. This summer I'm taking a leave of absence to focus on my freelance illustration and web design work, as well as open up an Etsy shop. I'm able to do this because my husband (who's a student) has a summer job in Creston, where my parents live. And we live in a motor home on their farm for the summer. So the bills are low, I'm learning to garden and getting a chance to make some money off of what I love. It's a good summer.

I've been drawing all my life, and doing digital art and graphic design for 11 years. I'm also an amateur photography, make jewelry and and learning to sew. I loooove food (tragically) and thus love cooking.

Green tea lattes are my favourite thing.

Posted by Hanna at 10:20 AM 1 comments  

So I was planning on taking pictures of my projects. But my camera was stolen while travelling in South America this past March- with both of my memory cards. And no, it wasn't a llama who stole it. But I can't even use my husbands camera since there's no memory card. Lame-O. So I'll just write instead and hope to buy a new camera off this pay cheque.

And instead of pictures, I'll give words....

Well to start, my pay cheques come from a small environment consulting firm in Victoria, BC. It's my summer coop job, I'm a 3rd year Geography student. After graduating I want get into sustainable community development (or at least that's the plan this week)! I spent last Thursday to Saturday volunteering at the Gaining Ground Summit, here in Victoria. It's a conference all about sustainable urban design - just people trying to make the world a greener place. Love it.

Besides school/work I also love to craft. Making jewelry, sewing, knitting, crotcheting... I've been sewing an apron, it's a slow work in progress. It's almost done, I just need to sew on the sash, ruffle and put darts in the top. It's kinda 50's housewife meets dorky, crafty, giggly Jen. Pictures to come with camera and/or memory card.

I also love this Green Living revolution. Green life makes lovely people happy and healthy. My Green Living goal this summer is to support local farms by going to U-Picks and Farmers Markets. It's all about the 100 Mile Diet - the authors lived in Vancouver, BC, so there is no reason I can't do my darndest! I'm helping organize the first Green Living Expo, in Colwood (just outside of Vic). It's this Saturday *ahhhh* and so much to do still! I'm stoked, the event is going to be fabulous.

Heart, Jen.

Posted by Jen at 9:22 PM 0 comments  

Here's what I'm currently working on. Too many projects!

Posted by Hanna at 6:42 PM 2 comments  

Labels: Sketches