SPT- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (late for the reason of having faulty wireless connnections!)

I love this earth and so to me it would be horrible to have the sun shine a little less bright, the sky be a little less blue and the animals be a little less accessible to our world, so I hope that with this gift that Heavenly Father has given to us, (because that is what the earth is a gift of beauty [sometimes warped by the humans placed on it,] but beautiful anyway.) I hope it can stay beautiful and continue to help me be the happy person that I am so I do my share....

Lelly's challenge for April 24th was being Earth Friendly... I try to do all sorts of things so that I can be one with the environment. I reuse tons of cast off furniture (instead of buying new- which I have only done three times in the last 10 years- our bed, kyler's dresser and Mckenna's dresser.) shown are a few examples of my reuse of furniture.


Our bookcase is from Urban Renewal a great consignment shop in St. George. I really love this shop! I could buy all kinds of stuff from here if only I had tons of cash! They carry all kinds of decor, furniture, linens and paintings. The decor is my favorite.



Our computer desk maybe small but it sure has been handy. I am going to re stain it so that it is black with red accents, I think it will be really pretty. I received this from a friend that knows I love to make castoffs into something new. It was suppose to be for the kids, but the computer really did need a home first. Someday, the computer will have a bigger home, but for now this works great!


The wicker/glass table sitting on our back deck was bought at a Urban Renewal when we first bought the house. the chairs are not the most comfortable, but I really like the look of the whole arrangement on the deck. I am making cushions with already used fabric so that the chairs are easier to sit on.


The iron and the washboard are antiques that I found at the same store as the wicker table. I love the iron and it still works!!! It goes really well with the wall boarder that was already in the house when we moved in.


As with all previous pictures I also have decorated my front porch with wonderful finds at yet again---Urban renewal. The chair in the background (see Christmas entry,) was a new item from urban renewal but not the checkerboard that I got from their also nor was the nail barrel that I got off of eBay. But the best find of all- the free wicker bench that my friend Andrea gave me after I mentioned that I was looking for more wicker stuff for the outside of the house. She got this from a garage sale at the end when they were ready to throw things away. The wicker bench doesn't look sturdy, but it has held up to Matt sitting on it for hours at a time. Great deal huh?


This was a fun find at Matt's aunt Kathy's house. She was getting rid of the chair, I used it for awhile as a planter holder but then decided to turn a corner into a little of a rustic spot. The grapevine cost $1 at a garage sale!

Not only do I reuse decor, and furniture, I also recycle newspapers, plastic bags and cereal boxes. The cereal boxes we use to hold magazines. The local elementary school earns money recycling newspapers and plastic bags and printer cartridges so I save all that then bring them to the recycling drop off so that not only can they be reused, but it goes to help the school buy new library books, computer programs and other items that the PTA sees fit to buy.

Like I said before I love this earth and do as much as I can other thinks that I do; I try to keep the air conditioner or the heater off as much as I can, turn off lights, so that I can save electricity and natural gas. I open windows when ever I can so that I can have fresh air and sunlight in our house as often as it is not too warm, so that I don't have to use the overhead lights and I try to use earth friendly cleaning products so that I don't contaminate the water systems. But most of all I use all natural fibers in all our decor ( natural fiber carpets, wood products- not plastics,) natural landscapes usually from plants clipped from other's plants or given to me from friends who don't have a green thumb (inside and out,) but hate to trash the plants, I do this so that not only am I using natural resources, I am helping to keep the oxygen levels up in our house so that I can keep the family as healthy as possible, thus reducing the uses of medications, doctors visits and the all consuming money tree!

What do you do to be Earthy Friendly?

• Do you recycle?
• Do you like to reuse furniture and make it look new like I do?
• Do you use natural cleaning products like vinegar, lemon juice and baking soda?