A Cute Packaging Alternative

With the holiday season still underway, I imagine many of us have encountered this: packaging peanuts (and their styrofoam cousins).

One way to reduce the amount of packaging is to simply ask for minimal packaging. I recently blogged about this topic as did Closet Environmentalist. But is there another way to reduce the use of styrofoam packaging?

Yesterday, I celebrated Christmas with my department chair and her family. After brunch and exchanging gifts, my chair showed me one of her latest knitting projects. (In case you didn't know, I like to knit!) I was blown away by her newly discovered project - not only is it NOT a scarf (which is the only thing I currently know how to knit!), but it replaces the use of packaging peanuts altogether!

See the cute dolls in the boy's pouch? They're called 'comfort dolls.' These so-called comfort dolls are used by ICROSS Canada, which is an organization that assists poor children and their families in Africa. These dolls serve two purposes: First, they're used for packaging medical supplies (so no styrofoam peanuts used!), and second, they're gifts for the little kids. What a brilliant and creative idea!

Ok, so maybe it's unreasonable for me to ask amazon.com to package my goodies using comfort dolls, but that's because we're not thinking creatively about our packaging needs and desires! I love this project because it's jammed-packed with meaning and simple innovation. Be creative, make a doll, reduce plastic packaging, comfort a child, provide medical support to the needy. What more could you ask for?!

Baroda Fest

I would just like everyone to know that I will be in my town of Baroda, Mi this Sat from 10am-5pm having a craft booth. Let us hope the weather will be good. I will have most of my craft items for sale. So bring the wallet or plastic (visa, mastercard, discover, amex); hope to see some of you there. Thanks Jennifer, jensgalleryandgifts.com

Bella's Bags

Bella's Wal-Mart Bag
Originally uploaded by mverges.

I took a couple of pictures this morning so that you could see Mrs. Bella's bag creations for yourself.

To learn more about Mrs. Bella and her creations, please read the blog post entitled, "Guest Blogger: Sue Inwood." As I mentioned before, Sue Inwood is a former student of mine, and Mrs. Bella is Sue's mother. Mrs. Bella is an incredible woman, so I hope you get the chance to hear her story, which is posted on the blog.

In the meantime, please enjoy these pics! :0) M

Guest Blogger: Sue Inwood

Sue Inwood, a former student of mine, stopped by my office bearing gifts last week. I was surprised and completely astounded: Her mother created eight cloth bags to support BagFest. I was (and still am) very touched by this random act of kindness.

I wanted to know more about this incredible woman. And so, Sue told me more about her mother. Anyway, I didn't want to keep this story to myself, so I asked Sue to share her story with you.

I sincerely hope you enjoy the story as much as I do. And if you're interested in becoming a proud owner of one of these bags, please let me know. I'm still accepting tax-deductible donations to financially support this project! :0) M

Sue writes:

The term Bag Lady once referred to the poor homeless woman seen on the street who carried all her worldly possessions in one or more bags. Today, that term can be applied in another, much less negative light.

A local organization called “Busy Hands,” which is associated with Catholic Charities, provides volunteers an opportunity to put their sewing, knitting, and quilting skills to work, for a variety of good causes. In order to support IUSB’s Bag Fest, one volunteer has graciously donated eight handmade shopping bags to the cause….but her story goes further.

Now 75, Suzanne Bella has been sewing and quilting for many years. She never duplicates the same creation, so everything sewn is truly one-of-a-kind. She has donated quilts to Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis to be given to sick kids. She has appeared in the maternity wards of local hospitals at Christmas anonymously donating baby quilts to new mothers, saying only that it was a gift from “Mrs. Claus.” She has sewn countless numbers of bags to be given to discharged hospital patients so that they have something bright and colorful to take home their belongings in after their stay. She is now embarking on making bags that have little slots for crayons on the outside and include a new coloring book on the inside for little hospital patients or other needy kids.

Suzanne asks for no payment, and no credit for herself, although she has been honored in the recent past by Memorial Hospital for her work. All she requires is a few scraps of material, which she often receives through donations to Busy Hands to make bags. Her payment is the smiles and gratitude of those who receive them.

The “Bag Lady” has evolved!

Sue Inwood
Student, IU South Bend

Another Good Day

Today was my second day to teach the same clients as yesterday how to conserve plastic bags by making useful items. The item we made was again the coasters, these items are getting even better today than yesterday. They are more colorful and attractive. The clients did a better job today and they all seemed to enjoy the art of making these coasters. I was looking on the blog today and I am amazed with the statistics of how much landfill, water and number of trees we can save every year if we just change our living habits. My question is how difficult is this ? Why aren't we doing it? I am all fired up, can we do it?
The sad truth is our mess will impact our children and grand children to come if we do not change. There is an ad on one of the T.V. channels showing an older men jumping from the railway trucks leaving a child to be hit by the train. This ad now strikes hard in my mind--Are we doing the same thing by not changing our lives? Are we taking the easy way out while leaving all the mess to our children and grand children to deal with?
I am convinced that we need some changes, and probably small changes and gradually will make a huge impact. If I make some changes today then my son/daughter will probably benefit and make even bigger changes and the world will be a better place to live.

Plastic Bags on the Move

Today was an interesting day for me. I had an opportunity to teach clients who are mentally challenged from Marshall-Starke Development Center in Plymoth on how to conserve plastic bags by making coasters. It was interesting how these clients were able to catch easily on how to make these beautiful coasters. The plastic bags that seemed worthless and an annoyance to most of us turned to be a valuable treasure. I yet have to discover how many more beautiful crafts could be made from these plastic bags. I appreciate an opportunity to learn and teach someone else how to make these crafts. I still can't believe how colorful these coasters were.

Beautiful Coasters!!!

Beautiful Coasters!!!
Originally uploaded by mverges.

Today, Joyce, Chantelle, and Flora worked with Marshall-Starke Development Center to teach clients how to make crafts from plastic bags.

I was so amazed and impressed by what I saw! I can't wait to hear more about their experience working with these clients.

In the meantime, feel free to visit flickr.com to see more photos from today's service-learning event.

Here are some more links

http://www.myrecycledbags.com/
Check these shoes out. These are best for in the sand.
http://shoeblogs.com/wordpress/2006/06/17/garbage-for-the-feets/
This is great for those sunny days.
http://familycrafts.about.com/library/photalb/blphotopic281.htm
click on Paula's name at the top and check out all that she does.
This is the site when I read all she does with the bags, stuffing, and tying wreaths
She made me want to do the same. Check out her Wreathes.
http://frugalliving.about.com/cs/craftshobbies/a/blpcrochet.htm
And here is the coiled Basket weaving link again. Hope this helps. Let me know.
http://www.nativetech.org/basketry/coilindex.html

Remember

Don't forget to make and bring a ball of plastic "yarn" with and bring some whole bags and scissors too. See you tommorow

Coiled Basket Weave

http://www.nativetech.org/basketry/coilindex.html

Chantelle and Saige since you had to leave early. Here is the link on how to make the bowls.
Just use a whole bag, flaten and roll it instead of folding. Cut another bag into the strips and cut the cricle strip into a string use this as your thread. You will need a needle point needle (i have them if you need them) the string you will wrap around the rolled up bag this is in place of the needles. Good luck. Any you is welcomed to look at the link. Happy coiling. Jennifer

What you Need this week

For those of you that will be going to the workshops this week. This is a some things that you will need to bring with you. Some plastic bags, and scissors. If anyone is unable to bring these with them please inform Michelle or I. I think that if we have time after teaching you how to cut the bags we'll together learn how to do the coiled basket weave methoed that Michelle Verges emailed to me that one of you found on the net.

Michelle Verges check this out. This would be great to show to retailers who are wanting to reduce the use of plastic bags.
http://www.plasticbagsforyou.com/PRODUCTS/biodegradablebags.html

We Have a Tote Bag Instructor!

Folks,

I have good news to share with you: We have a tote bag instructor! Her name is Jennifer Heimbuch, and she contacted me after she saw the WSBT interview last week. Jenny has been making tote bags and other crafts from plastic bags for two years. And she has generously offered her services to teach us how to make these bags. Woo Hoo!! :0)

Details about Jenny's workshops are forthcoming...stay tuned!