Just when I think I’ve had the most tabs open in my browser possible, I outdo myself with 20 more. Here are 2+ weeks of things that caught my eye…

parenting

Ohdeeoh has a great end of season project, turning gloves into little stuffed animals. I have 3 or 4 right now and can imagine a fun “Make a Monster” project with P and a friend where we pick buttons, yarn, and other trim to apply faces and then stuff and sew them. We did this on a larger scale at a community event and making a full-sized stuffed animal was a little too complicated for the 4-6 year olds, but this is just the right size.

Another project that a preschooler could do with just a little help: creating a puzzle from a cereal box and magazine picture.

crafting

A hanging book display from some fabric and wooden dowels. Simple and wonderful. This definitely goes in the queue for P’s room.

We have oddly shaped cubbies under our sectional in the family room (very deep, pretty long, but only 8″ high) so I think this is custom cloth solution. Now I just need to figure out what great fabric to use!

I’ve been going to yoga again most weeks, but I almost always forget my mat, even though it lives in the backseat of my car. Maybe if I made this cute mat holder from a pants leg, I would want to show it off a little more?

resources

I absolutely loved Green Bean’s detailed run down off all of the ways to consume more consciously at the Green Phone Booth.

Eco Child’s Play writes up a household cleaner and home remedy I never gave much thought to, but has great possibilities — apple cider vinegar. Can’t wait to try it out. And house+made has 39 uses for baking soda, some I’ve never seen before, and I definitely need some nontoxic deicer in these parts!

Re-nest shares 10 ways to reuse tights or pantyhose, reminding me to hold on to a recently departed pair for my tomato plants this summer, and 10 ideas for pillowcases. The skirt and cafe curtain patterns are definitely in my future.

Treehugger has a guide for the green stuff the stimulus bill will help you buy. Too bad there aren’t any hybrid minivans on the market yet! (Eco Childs Play also discusses how the Prius is the perfect family car, which I completely agree with unless, like us, you happen to have 4 kids. Now, the Prius is our perfect 2nd car.)