One Small Change

As I was clicking away on the internet tonight, reading some of the blogs I've found to inspire craftiness lately, I came across Hip Mountain Mama's collaborative called One Small Change. Basically she's asking that everyone make one small change towards going green and improving our Earth once a month until Earth Day in April (that's 4 small changes). I was so inspired by all of the small changes being made by so many people (some so unique I would never have thought of them!) that I decided to jump on board and make One Small Change in our house as well!

We already use reusable bags when grocery shopping (and when I remember them shopping elsewhere too) and we reuse the few we bring home. We recycle our paper, I only use cold water when doing laundry, etc....after reading other blogs and how they are making changes though I realized that between both boys and the hubby we use ALOT of plastic baggies for lunches...3 for Liam 5 days a week, 3 for Ewan 2 days a week and at least 2 for Rodney 5 days a week. After doing a little research I've decided to make reusable sandwich/snack baggies that can be laundered and reused for our lunches from now on. Not a huge change, but a change none the less! If you want to check out how to do this check out this site, there's a pattern and tutorial.

Visit this page to check out the blogs of other folks who are also making a change and the myriad ways in which they are doing it...I was inspired!! It won't take much energy on my part to make a change that will have an impact on the environment, I'd say that's a change worth making.

Why is the rum gone?

The rum is gone because I had one too many while working on the pirate 'tent' I made for our new bunk beds! Poor Ewan is just too small still to sleep on the top bunk and he was very upset about it, so I decided to make his bottom bunk as cool as possible!!

It was so easy to make, and I loved seeing the look on Ewan's face (really both boys!) when I had it all in place, so excited!! They now have a nice quiet spot to read, play their DS games or just hide away and play with their action figures... and of course all of that pirate type stuff!!

I had a yard of wonderful skull and crossbones material that I found while out shopping with a dear friend (and had no real purpose for, I just thought it was cool!) and purchased a yard of simple white and red striped cotton fabric to go with it for a piratey look. I cut them into large squares, sewed them back together into a patchwork and hemmed all of the edges. Rather than one BIG piece I made 3 smaller panels so that they would be able to get in and out easily. I got velcro strips....one has a sticky side which I attached to the inside rail of the bunks, the other side I sewed onto the front of the 'tent' fabric so we can remove them and wash them or just take the panels down when they want. I also added straps attached to the back of the tent pieces with velcro and a tab on front so that we could roll them up and get them out of the way if the boys want to lay in bed and watch a movie or simply to get them out of the way without removing them altogether.



I think it turned out really well, I'm really proud of it! It took so little time and very little money and made my littlest guy so very happy....it was worth every second and every penny!