Laundry is my LEAST favorite household job. It’s awful. The sorting, the stain-removing, the folding, the putting-away. URGH!

I’m going to sound a bit like a commercial here, but I love Eco Everyday laundry soap! I was sent a few samples, and was pleasantly surprised! The scent is mild and fresh, without being perfume-y. And our clothes came out clean! My daughter is allergic to most scented soaps and lotions, but wasn’t bothered by the natural fragrances in this environmentally friendly soap {they do offer an unscented version too, just in case}. So, even though you may be stuck with doing the laundry, you can at LEAST feel a little better about it!

Eco Everyday explains all about the natural qualities of their soap in their shop.

Improbable Projects makes some of the coolest items I have seen…fabric woven from recorded cassette tapes, and made into ties and hats! Incredible, and done with style.  I think the ties are great {and apparently, so did Jason Mraz…he wore one to the Grammys} What a perfect gift for your favorite music lover {look at me…finding more stuff for guys!!}…

You can can even “play” the fabric if you use a tape head! Here’s a video with more info:

Today was a big day for me…I bought myself a serger sewing machine….and I’m crazy excited about it! I can’t wait to finish my post so I can go play with my new toy…I’m completely geeked out!

…Which brings me to the incredible fabrics by Daisy Janie. Designer Jan DiCintio {of Scoutie Girl fame} uses such fresh color combinations, and I adore her designs. She uses organic cotton sateen & organic cotton/hemp blend canvas. Really wonderful fabric for whatever crafty project you may have! Once I teach myself how to use my new machine, I look forward to ordering some fabulous fabric! What should I make?

I love the name of this little London based biz: Zippy Lovelock…and I also love that she uses old leather goods to make her cute bags. Take, for example, the bowling bag {top, left}…it came from a beanbag maker, and it’s next stop was a landfill…that is, before Zippy Lovelock got a hold of it, and crafted it into a fantastic bag!! Great!

Congratulations to laAlicia who is the winner of one stainless water bottle from HydraSip! She is a super-crafty gal who re-purposes magazines into jewelry and purses. Check out her blog too!

Thanks so much to everyone who entered! Wishing you a fun weekend!

Friends of ours just started a business making water bottles. Concerned with the environment, BPA leaching, and the recent negative press about aluminum bottles, three moms got together and created HydraSip…stainless steel bottles with BPA free tops {you get two lids with every bottle}. It’s hard to tell from the picture just how cool these bottles are…I love their ergonomic shape…they really are nice to hold! Ice water will stay cold forever in the double-walled bottles, and not sweat either…nice!

The gals at HydraSip gave me a pink double-wall bottle to give to one of my blog readers. It’s sitting on my desk just waiting for one of you! I’ll choose a winner after noon central time Friday, October 24, so enter before then!

So, if you want a chance to win a bottle, leave me a message below. For an extra entry, tweet about the giveaway, and make sure you let me know about it in the comments!

Make sure to check out the Hydra Sip website too…they have 3 colors to choose from, and you can order online.

Have a fun weekend!

California based Anthony Hansen‘s artwork is made mostly from found automotive sheet metal. His various hearts are incredible. I also love his description about his work:

“Creating hearts out of found/reclaimed elements constantly reminds me of the humanity that we all share, and how closely all of our different lives and journeys are connected”

Anthony has no online store, but he posts his show schedule, and maybe you’ll be lucky enough to see his work in person.

*edit* you can find his work at Fiona Bleu Gallery in Morro Bay, California…

Clair makes films. Last year she traveled to New Zealand to film a documentary. Clair eats a lot of pickles and sometimes chews with her mouth open – but only when she’s alone. Clair has a dog named Yoshi who rides a skateboard!

How cute is that?! She uses eco stuffing and found fabric for her creations…I’m just smitten. Check out her blog, too….turns out we have similar taste in music!

It’s that “gifts for dads & grads” time of year, and I tend to ignore indie finds for guys. And, what makes these glasses only for the boys? Not a thing! Anyhow, These repurposed bottles are from local Chicagoan, Windy City Glassblower. I learned about them from the wonderful blog Down and Out Chic a little while ago. Many bottles-turned-glasses out there have been just cut and sanded, but Nicholas Paul uses a mighty amount of heat and fire to form his bottles. Scary-cool! I love the buddha glasses!

ps. He posts a link to Chicago Hot Glass on his site…and I really really want to take a beginning glassblowing class…

Alexandra Ferguson‘s pillows are little works of art. She uses felt that has been made from recycled water bottles! Beautiful and green…my favorite! She’s also having a promotion for the month of April. Check out her site for details! Thanks to the fabulous blog, Freshly Blended for this great find!