Testing Your Creativity

This week we are highlighting glass objects and after looking around the store, we found that our store has way too many glass test tubes! So here are a couple ideas to change boring scientific test tubes into something creative:

The first idea is to turn your test tube rack into a spice rack! After collecting your test tube rack, all you need are labels and spices to fill them up. The rack that you see to your right was created by Dean & Deluca and only costs about 165 dollars. Try making your own and save a few dollars.

The nice thing about a test tube is you can fill it up with almost anything. You can fill them up with beads, glitter, fabric, rocks, or even seeds! To see a seed wedding favor, click here.

This test tube flower vase was found on Design*Sponge! You can either keep the test tubes in their test tube rack or you can use a piece of wood for the base (seen to the left.) Just fill the test tubes up with water and place any type of flowers you want in it!

The last idea is a LED lamp made out of test tubes! It may take a little bit more effort and some electrical engineering, but it should be worth your time! For full instructions, click here!

Creative Reuse is Beginning to Bloom

Springtime can either be a favorite season among many or the most hated of them all. If you’re like me, springtime is the season of runny noses and itchy eyes. If you would like to get away from the real flowers and move onto creative reuse flowers, here are a couple of ideas:

The first type of flowers can be made out of paper. The example you see to the left was found on Familyfun.go.com. The flowers shown are made out of card stock and made to look like lilies. The nice thing about these flowers, you can change what type of flower, color, and type of paper you would like to use!

The next type of flower that you can make is out of fabric. The example shown is supposed to be used for a bridal bouquet, but you can easily change that by placing these flowers in a vase or a stylish bowl. The flowers that are shown on instructables.com are little bit more complicated, but it should be worth the time you put in.

Creative reuse flowers can also be made out of coffee filters! They might not look exactly like flowers, but they will sure add color to whatever room you place them in! All you need is to paint on the coffee filters with watercolors and cut them in whatever way you would like to. For full instructions, click here.

Earth Day: April 22!

Earth day was created after Gaylord Nelson, a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, learned about the Santa Barbara oil spill in 1969. He wanted to host a “national teach-in on the environment” and that idea soon came to life on April 22^nd, 1970. That day “20 million Americans took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment in massive coast to coast rallies.” Thanks to Earth Day, it led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Act.

1990: Earth Day went global thanks to a group of environmental leaders who asked Denis Hayes to organize another campaign. This campaign reached 200 million people in 141 countries and spread the awareness of environmental issues on an international level.

2000: During this year, Earth Day focused on global warming and pushed for clean energy.

2010: This year, Earth Day celebrated their 40^th anniversary!

(http://www.earthday.org/)

Now, in 2011, we invite you to take in part in Earth day by participating in any of these acts of green:

• Recycle
• Eat Smart
• Have a picnic
• Eat Local
• Plant a tree
• Use reusable shopping bags
• Reduce carbon footprint
• Create new objects out of old materials
• Plus many more!

What do you plan on doing this Earth Day?

Crafting into Spring

After weeks of anticipation, the warm weather is finally here! Time to pull out your spring clothes and flip flops and begin to think of new spring crafts! Here are a couple of ideas to get you started:

If you enjoy gardening this project found on Instructables.com will be perfect for you! This garden glove rack only takes a piece of wood, clothespins, synthetic garden string, and a few more small items. For complete instructions, click here! Don't worry if you don't have any gardening gloves of your own, we have some here at the store for you!

You can also make these cute vintage fabric garden markers that were found on Design*Sponge. All of the materials that you need for this DIY project can be found right here in the store. We have fabric, paintbrushes, wooden rods, glue, and scissors!

Another craft project that is perfect for spring is to make a birdhouse out of Popsicle sticks (or small pieces of wood)! The nice thing about this craft you can create your birdhouses of different shapes, sizes and colors. (Picture to the left found here)

A final idea that was found on Familyfun.go.com are these basket buddies. These are perfect crafts for the kids and will look perfect outside of your house for the spring! You need a basket to be your base and the rest is up to your imagination. For ideas of how to create your own basket buddy, click here.

If you have any other craft ideas for spring crafts, feel free to leave a comment!

Go Green Club visits the I.D.E.A. Store!

On April 5, 2011, the Go Green Club from Westview Elementary School visited the I.D.E.A. Store! The Go Green Club is a club for students who are interested in learning how to keep their school, community, and planet cleaner, more energy efficient, and more naturally beautiful. Each student came in and filled their own Fill-A-Baggie! Here are a few pictures from their trip!