Getting Ready for an Upcycled, Recycled, and Earth-Friendly Halloween

Halloween is in full swing on the Web and writers are busy telling tales of their favorite Halloween costumes, crafts, decorations, movies, and books.

I have been having so much fun getting ready for Halloween, too! Boxes of scrap fabrics, bags of odds and ends, and baskets of ribbons are scattered all over my crafting room floor in anticipation of haunting crafts to come.

As you can see, it's not a spooky kind of Halloween for me. Oh no, it will be A Low Key, Fun and Not So Scary Halloween Party here at the Recycler crypt. Setting the tone for this year's festivities, these Big Bows for Steampunk Halloween Decorations will be seen hanging from vintage family portraits and sitting next to our spooky sculptures.

There are more upcycled and recycled Halloween crafts sitting on my crafting table. I can hardly wait to show off my Steampunked fashions.

I've sent Halloween Party Invitations to a cast of characters and I'll need treats for kids young and old.

My sweet-toothed little goblins are sure to gobble up these Organic and Fair Trade Halloween Candy selected by GraceOnline. She's put together a list of gummy candies, jelly beans, lollipops, and bite-sized chocolates that are earth-friendly and contain organic ingredients.

The sophisticated ghouls are a bit of a puzzle. Maybe I'll take a lesson from Poetvix and learn How to Make an Apothecary Bottle of Unicorn Tears and fill it with homemade bath salts for the hairy monsters, herb-infused vinegar for the sourpusses, and vanilla sugar for the fairy princesses.

And, if anyone wants to slip a little treat into my trick-or-treat bag, my favorite candy bar is Endangered Species Panther, Extreme Dark Chocolate (88%).

That's all for today folks! Thank you for spending time with us today and we hope you've found some inspiration to recycle your way to a Happy Halloween.

Best wishes,

Coletta




Posted by Coletta Teske

About This Contributor

Coletta Teske writes reviews on books, business management, writing, crafting, cooking, and gardening. She is also an avid recycler and shares her tips on recycling. She delights in upcycling an old object, recycling or transforming discarded items into a new treasure.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Mid-August and the Bounty of the Garden means IT"S TIME TO SHARE!

Have you ever just stopped and thought, "Where is all the time going?"  It seems like just yesterday we were discussing what we were going to grow in our gardens and now we are starting to reap what we have sown!

For some of us that means a bounty of beans, peas, beets, tomatoes and zucchini!  It seems that anyone who has planted zucchini, is now trying to find friends and neighbors who don't have any.  That's what gardeners do, they share the bounty that Mother Nature is providing after finding a hundred ways to prepare zucchini.

But the bounty of the garden isn't all we share, we also share our delight in this years garden, while dreaming of the garden that is to come next year.  So many of us are also sharing the seeds from this years plants, getting a head start on what will come next year.

To that end,  I hope you find a few of these reviews interesting and informative.

Let's start with this years garden and all the bounty that is found therein......
Basil Garlic Pesto Recipe  Use all the herbs that are growing in leaps and bounds.  Don't let them go to waste!

For goodness all year long that started in your garden you could try this, How To Freeze Rhubarb  Nothing says loving like something from the garden to the freezer to the table.

For all those who are reaping an abundance of peppers, you can do this with the red or green varieties and I'm sure your family will love them.  How to Roast Red Peppers

Jaguar Julie's got a vegetable that many people don't like, but try them in her recipes and maybe, just maybe your taste buds will thank you!  I Love Brussels Sprouts : 5 plus 2 Fabulous and Tasty Recipes

There are lots of things growing in the garden and I know for a fact that zucchini is probably one of the most prolific plants.  It's green and good for you, but what do you do with all the abundance? 

Now when all is said and done with the vegetables,  there is also a lot happening with the flower garden too!  It's time to collect seeds and keep them for a beautiful garden next year.  Get out there and start saving something from the present, to add to the future.   If you have never done this before,  there are some great ideas here to help you get started. The Time is Ripe for Seed Saving

Well, I'm hoping that I have given you just a few ideas on how to make the most of your garden abundance with an eye to the future.  Gardeners are the most optimistic people in the world, if it doesn't work this year, there is always next year!


Hope you enjoyed the review, I am the Weekend Gardener Contributor, come join me and many others, who write about what they love!

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Seashells and Lighthouses as Summer Wanes

It is mid-August and summer in the U.S is slipping away.  I always feel a melancholy as my birthday approaches in the beginning of September.  Not so much because it means another year has passed and I’m growing older, which is true too, but because my birthday marks the ending of swimming, vacations, and barefoot days at the beach floating in the waves.

I love all of the seasons and spend time outdoors no matter the season. But there is something a bit sad as summer begins to fade away.  There is a feeling of freedom associated with not having to bundle up before going outdoors.  A feeling of abundant life as the insects, birds, and animals move around you.

In celebration of summer, I want to introduce you to Mary Beth Granger’s Lighthouse blog. In her most recent entry, she takes us on a tour of the Hereford Inlet on Jersey Shore.  Thank you Mary Beth for sharing this historical and beautiful building and grounds with us.  I swear I can smell the sweet scent of the flowers and the tangy salt of the ocean.

As summer comes to a slow close, I am squeezing in as much time as possible loading my kayak onto my Jeep and heading out to the tributary rivers of Maryland to kayak.  There is one area with a small lighthouse in the water. The osprey and other water birds are very active in that area and I watch as I float around. I can think of no better way to pass the last days of summer.

 Image Credit: ©Dawn Rae – All Rights Reserved

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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A Relaxing Country Song About the Beauty of Unwinding on a Sunday

by Zazzle.com/originalquotes

That's What I Love About Sunday, by Craig Morgan

Relax and listen to Craig's video featured below while you read! 

Does your own life allow you to have a do-nothing day on Sundays? I hope so.

Your rest time may land on another day of the week. Again, I hope you get that weekly break you deserve. After all, what's it all for if we can't stop and enjoy the company of those we love.

There's something powerfully productive about doing nothing at all, and let's face it, many of us need to master the art of  'stopping'  ... especially with 24-7 access to the internet. So, what in the world are you doing here on this page! Go rest!! Oh yeah, I forgot; you're looking for a country song about Sundays - one you can play while you take that much-needed sunny day stroll.

(Lyrics) 'That's what I love about Sunday, cat-napping on the porch swing, you curled up next to me, the smell of jasmine wakes us up, take a walk down a back road.'

There's clear evidence that life is getting more challenging for our kids ... not as easy as it's supposed to be. Neil Howe, Contributor for Forbes Magazine, provides an exciting and detailed explanation in his article "Generations in Pursuit of the American Dream" of how every generation, up until now, has had it better than their parents. You may be wondering what this has to do with relaxing on a Sunday to a soothing country tune ... well, as per the principle of Ockham's razor, 'the simplest explanation is usually the better one,' and the simplest explanation is this:

With the constant worries of life, like work, family, and money, our ability to decompress becomes an integral part of 'getting through it all.' To successfully tackle our life challenges, we must find balance  ... more so today than any other time.

That's where the art of telling stories, primarily found in country music, can play a role: The lyrics help our mind paint a picture of what an emotion really means. The story helps us feel the song; those feelings govern thought, and our thoughts control our beliefs, and in turn, our beliefs then govern our actions. So go ahead and unwind! Not only will your mind thank you, but so will your body.

Storytelling in country music, whether it's new country or that old-time sound, has remained part of the genre for generations. Craig Morgan's song offers a more unique sound, but the story told in his relaxing tune could have easily been one from any previous decade.


You deserve a break. Here's a toast to you for taking it ... I hope you enjoy Craig Morgan's wonderful Sunday song. You can find more about Craig Morgan on his website.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Cheap Date Ideas: Inexpensive Dating for Couples

Whether you are a single couple searching for inexpensive dating ideas, or a married couple with or without children seeking ideas for cheap date nights, the ideas featured here today will provide you with dozens of suggestions for things a couple can do together without having to spend a fortune.

Dating can often "break the piggy bank", especially in difficult economic times.  Many of us are barely paying the rent, much less having surplus income to pay for expensive date nights.  

We all need a bit of dating advice and suggestions for how to date without going into debt.

Spend Time Together Without Spending a Fortune

1.   Go on a Picnic, a Walk in the Park or a Combination of the two.
2.   A museum 
3.   An art gallery or art show that features "starving artist"
4.   An antique store & be amazed at the memories they can elicit and the stories you each could tell.
5.   The local Zoo happens to be my personal favorite.
6.   The local Botanical Gardens.  Be sure to pay close attention here and find out her favorite flower.
7.   Horseback Riding
8.   Hiking!  Scout out short trails in advance and be sure to tell her to dress for walking outside.
9.   Go swimming.
10.   Bowling can be lots of fun, especially if you don't keep score.
11.   Skating:  Depending on your area, it could be either roller skating or ice skating. 
12.   Kite Flying is really inexpensive, especially if you already own a kite.
13.   Rent a movie and make your own popcorn at home.
14.   Any local event like the fair, craft fairs, free concerts, etc.
15.   Walk around the mall, chat and have lunch in the food court.
16.   If you happen to live close to one, go to the beach and take your own cooler of soft drinks.
17.   Play a video game together.
18.   Play board games or cards 
19.   Cook dinner together.
20.   Take the music into the backyard and dance under the stars.

More Cheap Date Suggestions 

If you have additional cheap date suggestions or if you have already published an article about dating, I would love to hear from you.  Simply leave your article link in the comments section below.
   

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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