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2011 Chicago Flower & Garden Show Kicks Off Saturday

Flower

Spring is set to begin in only a few weeks, so what better way to get a head start on your garden planning than by checking out the 2011 Chicago Flower and Garden Show at Navy Pier.

The show begins Saturday and will run until March 13. Highlights of the event include the ever popular Children's Activity Garden, which is (trust us, we've been there) tons of fun for all ages with a sandbox, swings, plant potting activities and crafts, cooking demos with top local chefs, a marketplace to browse the latest gardening and outdoor living innovations and horticultural displays and competitions.

Admission is $5 for children age 4 to 12. Adults are $15 weekdays, $13 from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday to Thursday and $17 on Saturdays and Sundays. Discount parking in the Navy Pier garage is $14.

Tickets for the 2011 Chicago Flower & Garden Show will be available at the door or may be purchased online. Show hours are Monday to Saturday: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

-Christine

 

Posted on March 04, 2011 at 03:20 PM in Green Celebrations, Green Living, Learning and Education, Local News, News, Recycled Crafts, Things to Do | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: 2011 Chicago Flower and Garden Show, children and gardening, garden festival chicago, gardening and kids, gardening in chicago, Green Parent Chicago, Navy Pier

Swap-O-Rama-Rama today: Bring Your Crafty Kids, Bring Your Crafty Selves

  Swaporamarama

Swap-O-Rama-Rama, the clothing swap and simultaneous series of do-it-yourself workshops,   returns to its former location at The Chicago Waldorf School today from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for one day only.

According to event organizer Katie Hawkey Swindler, a volunteer staff consisting of "renegade" crafters of all ages "from hipsters to grandmas" will be be on hand to teach kids and adults to be creators not consumers.

Some of the creative skills attendees can try their hand at include:

  • sewing
  • silk screening
  • dyeing
  • jewelry making
  • up-cycling old clothing   
In addition to DIY workshops, the event will also feature live music, DJ's, and fashion shows throughout the day hosted by Chicago based Size Eight Sketch Comedy. 
"It's truly an all ages event," said Hawkey. "I had a mom show up with a couple of kids last year, she asked if she could skip the admissions donation because she was "just bringing the kids."  After she had been in SORR for about 10 minutes, she comes out with a huge smile on her face and asks to pay for herself so that she could get in on all the cool projects and free clothes" 

Admission is $20 (or what you can afford) + a bag of clothes ($10 for students/seniors). With admission, participants get unlimited access to all workshops and supplies and may leave with as many clothes as they can carry.

 

Posted on February 12, 2011 at 10:58 AM in Ad watch, Green Celebrations, Green Living, Learning and Education, Local News, Music, Play More Spend Less, Recycled Crafts, Simpler Living, Things to Do | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: Chicago Waldorf School, clothing swap chicago, creative reuse, DIY movement, Green Parent Chicago, Handmade Nation, indie-craft community, Swap-O-Rama-Rama 2010 Chicago

The Thought That Counts: More than ever, we need to rethink how to live our lives in meaningful ways without excessive spending


Rosehipswreath
Growing up, your holiday may have meant a special dinner with family or searching through gaily wrapped boxes for those bearing your name. Perhaps you cherish a familiar song you hear only when the weather turns crisp, music that reminds you of a simpler time surrounded by people you love.

For better or for worse in the United States, whether due to credit card debt, the foreclosure crisis, job loss or pay cuts, this holiday season many of us are forced by hard economic realities to reexamine our role as “consumers”. More than ever, we must rethink how to live our lives in meaningful ways without excessive spending.

If this year finds you with strained finances or if you’re simply growing concerned about your contribution to a sustainable planet, celebrating a Christmas and holiday focused on “gifts that give back” can help shift the focus from excess to caring for family and friends, our community and the world we share.

What do the holidays mean to you personally? What might you discover about yourself, your family or your friends if you planned your holiday differently? Would you get to know one another better or share your knowledge and skills with someone who needs your help or guidance?

Lessons of Generosity and Thoughtfulness
Making dramatic changes in your holiday routine may seem drastic, but small efforts do add up. Lynn Colwell, co-author of the book Celebrate Green says that much like recycling, once we get a feel for how easy it is to have a simpler holiday, it’s hard to return to our old ways. She suggests starting one small step at a time.

“If you do it and I do it and everyone else does it, then it makes a big change, ” she says.

Colwell insists most people ordinarily spend more extravagantly than they need to because we’ve come to believe it’s the norm.

“We buy without thinking…we’re all on autopilot,” she says.

Long hours on the job leave us feeling overwhelmed. Standard marketing and advertising messages tell us we deserve a break. But there can be greater satisfaction from hard work than a life of luxury.

If you’re a parent, you may wonder how to bestow lessons of generosity and thoughtfulness in your children’s hearts. A simpler holiday is a wonderful way to provide your family with new and exciting traditions while providing an example for years to come. Kids love to help plan the family feast, bake and frost cookies, create decorations and wrap gifts. There seems to be no limit to their enthusiasm for the season.

Gift ideas long on play value include books, classics like wooden blocks, musical toys or instruments, building kits, art kits and art supplies, puzzles, dolls, board games, museum memberships, class/activity fees and science kits. Don’t hesitate to peruse second- hand stores for kids’ gifts, too. Many items there have been quickly outgrown before their usefulness has.

Clutter-free ideas include requesting baby-sitting, a special outing or a day trip for your kids with a family friend, aunt, uncle or grandparents.

Holiday Unshopping
Green America, a national nonprofit promoting social justice and a sustainable economy, suggests “unshopping” as a way to minimize impulse spending. They suggest holding potential purchases up to specific standards:

-Do I really need and want this? Can I get by without it?
-Is it made from renewable or nonrenewable resources? 
-Is it made of recycled materials and is it recyclable?
-How long will it last and how will I dispose of it?
-Can it be maintained and repaired?
-Could I borrow it, rent it, or buy it secondhand?
-Is it overpackaged?
-Is it worth the time I worked to pay for it and its cost to the environment?

Other unshopping ideas may include a book/magazine exchange or a cookie exchange: guests bring a dozen or two home- baked batches of cookies and their own tins, then each fills their tin with an assortment to bring home.

Organizing a toy exchange among families is great fun too, as many moms and dads prefer to pare down their child’s toy collection before the holidays arrive. Consider giving your time and knowledge as gifts. If you’re musical, offer friends music lessons for a month. Know how to knit? Help a friend on a new sweater pattern he/she always wanted to try.

Envying a garden of home-grown produce? Exchange your skills with a green-thumbed friend for help getting your veggie garden started. Have a way with words? How about resume help for a friend who’s job hunting? Give a home-cooked meal in exchange for pet sitting. Great with numbers? You could offer tax-time help or accounting.

If you’re time challenged but interested in giving an experience gift, consider theater or performance tickets, gift certificates for a much-needed spa service, fine dining or a bed-and-breakfast stay.

Buy Green, Buy Fair, Buy Local, Buy Used and Buy Less
To curtail spending, try the time-tested frugal tradition of a secret Santa exchange: a small group gets together, agrees on a price level and/or theme, they draw names, then each person gives a gift to another and gets a gift from another.

When purchasing new items, consider buying from local businesses, a community gift or craft fair, or social enterprises and nonprofit organizations that support green initiatives or benefit local residents.

Just a few of the many social enterprises and fair trade shops around Chicago include:

Beeline (beelinestore.com) helps men and women re-entering the community from prison establish a work history, good work habits, and gain skills to further employment through sales of their natural, honey-based, personal care products and all natural honey.

Sweet Miss Giving’s (sweetmissgivings.com) is a bakery and jobs program that offers rich, decadent baked goods with over 50 percent of all profits going to help formerly homeless and HIV/AIDS-affected men, women, and children.

Bright Endeavors (brightendeavors.org) assists homeless and at-risk young women achieve self-sufficiency and independence through the production of Dreambean Candles, a line of eco-friendly and socially responsible candle products.

The Greenheart Shop (greenheartshop.org) and 10,000 Villages (tenthousandvillages.com) are nonprofit fair-trade shops that offer housewares, gifts, clothing and more.

Green Genes Boutique (green-genes.com) stocks eco-friendly and sustainable products for children and parents. All of their packaging and gift wrap are made from recycled and biodegradable materials.

To find more local businesses offering green and fair-trade goods and services visit Local FirstChicago.org  or ChicagoFairTrade.org.

Get Creative and Get Together
A décor swap is an easy way to refresh your home for the holiday. You can also make holiday décor out of items you already own. Create handmade cards and more using scraps of wrapping paper, old card fronts, buttons, felt, decorative paper, cardboard, construction paper, scrap yarn, fabric, flowers and fruit (real or faux) and decorative dishware. You may be surprised at how creative you can be with what you already own.

For gift wrapping, use recycled paper, comics, dish towels, receiving blankets, fashion scarves or make your own fabric gift bags. Children’s gifts may be wrapped in colorful playsilks which can later be used for imaginative play and dress up. To wrap homemade treats, use recycled brown paper bags, decorated with stamping, paint or stickers.

Forget slaving over a hot stove and host a potluck. Make the gathering the focus over the getting. Include activities like music, caroling, games and crafts or ask each guest to bring an ornament to trim the tree.

Alternatives to hosting a bash include attending a worship service, a free concert or theater event or planning an outdoor activity like ice skating, sledding or visiting a winter festival. After the fun, gather indoors for hot cocoa and cider.

Spreading the Holiday Spirit and Cheer
When possible, extend your generosity to someone who needs extra help or support this season. ChicagoCares.org helps individuals, youth, families and groups locate volunteer opportunities around the city. Christopher House, an organization benefiting low-income children and families, holds an “adopt a family” program each holiday. Participants can learn more at ChristopherHouse.org.

Alternatively, you can give needed items on a charity’s wish list or organize a donation among friends and family to a cause you collectively support. GiveForward.org, the brainchild of Chicagoans Desiree Vargas and Ethan Austin, makes it easy for anyone to set up a fundraising account online for causes both large and small.

While it’s true the holidays come but once a year, perhaps this time, instead of facing traffic jams, long checkout lines and maxed-out credit cards, we can look upon the season as a celebration of possibility, a time for opportunity and a fresh start to a new year.

-Christine

This article originally appeared in Mindful Metropolis magazine.
photo credit: ali edwards, flickr

Posted on December 06, 2010 at 10:45 AM in Ad watch, Buy Local Spotlight, Food and Drink, Green Business, Green Celebrations, Green Living, Healthy families, Local News, Play More Spend Less, Recycled Crafts, Simpler Living, Things to Do | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: alternative holidays, Chicago green christmas, Chicago green holiday ideas, chicago social ventures, consumerism and holidays, eco holidays, frugal Christmas kids, Green and frugal Christmas, green and frugal holiday, green christmas ideas, Green Parent Chicago, Holidays, mindful gift giving, Non Profit, Non Profit, Re-use, Volunteer & Community Service

DIY Trunk Show returns for 2010

DIYtrunkshow

 

The DIY Trunk Show, an annual celebration of alternative craft vendors from around the city, organized by the Chicago Craft Mafia, returns to Chicago this weekend.

This year's show will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Pulaski Park Auditorium and feature crafters selling handmade jewelry, accessories, clothing/baby items, body care, housewares, paper goods/journals, men's items, and other items (which includes pet items, zines, art, music). The event will also include music and special exhibitors, as well as refreshments available for purchase. Admission is free.

 

 

Posted on November 17, 2010 at 11:33 AM in Buy Local Spotlight, Green Business, Green Celebrations, Green Living, Local News, Recycled Crafts, Simpler Living, Things to Do | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: alternative craft fair, Chicago Craft Mafia, conscious consumerism, DIY Trunk Show, Green Parent Chicago, handmade craft show Chicago, recycled crafts chicago

Green Kids and Family Highlights of This Weekend's Green Festival Chicago

Helptheearth

Another year, another weekend full of Green Festival excitement begins tonight. Kicking off the weekend will be The Green Carpet Gala, hosted by Mindful Metropolis magazine at The Marmon Grand. For green moms and dads looking for a great date night, this gala will include food, music, drinks and more to celebrate all that is green and eco-friendly in Chicago.

The Green Festival, now in its 4th year in Chicago will run Saturday and Sunday at Navy Pier's Festival Hall with another outstanding lineup of speakers, workshops and exhibitors showcasing local non-profit organizations, sustainable products and eco-friendly businesses, and green information and education.

Kids and teens age 18 and under are FREE at the Festival and parents with young kids will definitely want to check out the Green Kids Zone. This year's programming is organized by The Green Parents Network, an online community of green families from across the U.S. and internationally. 

Some of the Green Kids Zone activities over the 2 days will include: storytelling, a traveling bug show, recycled craft projects, rescued animal exhibits, a family sing along and yoga for kids. 

For newbie parents, grandparents or moms and dads wishing to learn more about the philosophies behind green parenting, The Green Mama's Cecelia Ungari will present Green Parenting 101 on Sunday at noon. Download a full schedule of speakers and the complete Green Festival guide here.

For the full schedule of kids programming visit: http://www.greenfestivals.org/chicago/kidszone/


Posted on May 21, 2010 at 01:13 PM in Biking, Food and Drink, Green Celebrations, Green Living, Learning and Education, Local News, Media, News, Parenting, Progressive Politics, Recycled Crafts, The Green Mama, Things to Do | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: green events chicago, green events kids and family chicago, Green Festival Chicago, Green Kids Zone, Green Parent Chicago, green parenting, The Green Carpet Gala, The Green Mama

Rogers Park "Trash to Treasure Swap" This Weekend

Swapmeet

A free "Trash to Treasure" stuff swap will be held this weekend in Rogers Park sponsored by the 49th Ward Green Corps, the Rogers Park Business Alliance  and the Howard Street SSA.

The Swap will be held Saturday and Sunday May 15 and 16 at 1615 W. Howard. On Saturday from noon to 4 p.m., participants may drop off items they no longer want or need, but are still usable for others. On Sunday, all are invited to return to take home a "treasure" or two. Those who drop off items on Saturday will also get a ticket to the "Preview Pick-Up". The Preview Pick-Up time is Sunday from noon to 2 p.m. Following the Preview Pick-Up, Swap doors will open from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. for all.

New this year, the Swap will also feature an Arts Corner on Sunday for those looking to re-decorate, repair, or re-imagine their Swap finds.

Items accepted for drop off include: household goods, baby items, toys, sporting goods, hardware, building supplies, garden items, books, office supplies, and more. However, NO clothing, shoes (except sports equipment), upholstered furniture, mattresses, textbooks or hazardous liquids will be accepted.

For additional information or to volunteer call 773-338-5796 or visit  http://www.49thWardGreenCorps.org 

-photo credit: back_garage, flickr



Posted on May 14, 2010 at 02:16 PM in Green Living, Healthy families, Local News, News, Progressive Politics, Recycled Crafts, Simpler Living | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: 49th Ward Green Corps, alternative consumerism, Green Parent Chicago, Howard Street SSA, Rogers Park Business Alliance, Rogers Park swap, Trash to Treasure swap

Eggscellent: Natural Egg Dyes and Egg Labelling

Eastereggbrush

Eggs are on many of our minds this week with the impending arrival of a fuzzy, fictional creature. It's Good Friday and the Easter Bunny is coming. What kind of eggs will he bring to your house, and how will he color them?

In pagan culture, the egg signified the rebirth of the earth during spring. Christians adopted this symbol for the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, allegedly having occurred in early spring. Eastern Christianity has created several myths regarding the connection between the egg and the Easter story, including a claim that Mary Magdalene brought eggs to share at the tomb of Jesus, which turned bright red when she saw that Christ had risen.

With all of these associations with life and the earth, it only makes sense that the eggs that we dye for our baskets, egg hunts and rolls be good for the earth and respect life. To do this, we need to be educated consumers and understand the labeling on the cartons.

Sustainable Eggs

Three separate certifying systems have been created by egg producers.

Certified Organic: This is the only certification that is regulated by the government. To earn it, a farmer must pass an inspection showing that the eggs came from hens that eat an antibiotic-free, 100% organic diet, and are allowed access to the outdoors and sunlight. What it does not require is a certain barn or shed size or limit on the amount chickens housed inside such facilities. It also does not require that the chickens spend any time outdoors and specifically allows a farmer to temporarily confine his hens for a variety of reasons, with no definition of the term "temporarily." It does, however, require certain humane limitations including that a bird must be anesthetized prior to de-beaking, a common practice in egg farming.

Certified Humane: This certification is regulated by Humane Farm Animal Care and is concerned less with what the birds eat than with how they are treated. Hens must eat a "wholesome" and "nutritious" diet, they may only receive antibiotics in the case of disease. The certification requires that the hens have "sufficient space, shelter and gentle handling to limit stress." In Illinois, Phil's Fresh Eggs has been Certified Humane under this system. To find other producers, visit Humane Farm Animal Care's website. Organic Valley may not be "Certified Humane," on its website, it states its promise to the consumer that its eggs have been:

"Produced on family farms in harmony with nature without antibiotics, synthetic hormones or pesticides. Our hens are raised humanely and given certified organic feed—never any animal by-products—and range freely outdoors."


A note on hormones: a hormone-free claim is a bit of a non-sequitur given that hormones are never given to hens being grown for laying eggs or during the egg-laying period unless sick.

The United Egg Producers Certification: This is quite a dodgy "certification." According to Marion Nestle, the certification "merely attests that a company gives food and water to its caged hens." Unsurprisingly, a large majority of industrial egg producers have received this certification. The website is chock full of double speak. On the home page, we see a wholesome young family on their bucolic farm. There is a large section called Myth v. Fact. My favorite myth v. fact is the first:


Myth: Farmers only care about profit.
Fact: U.S. egg farmers are committed to the humane and ethical treatment of animals. Many of the farms are family-owned and operated.


While I'm sure that majority of family farmers treat their hens humanely, having recently watched HBO's "Death on a Family Farm," family-owned and operated can not necessarily be equated with humane treatment.

A Note on De-beaking: It's important to note that none of the certifications prohibit de-beaking, though the Certified Organic and Humane standards do require that the birds be anaesthetized during the procedure. Birds are de-beaked to prevent the aggressive behavior that is almost inevitable in close quarters. In the "The Ethics of What We Eat," Peter Singer identifies a handful of farmers who do not de-beak their birds. I have emailed several of the egg producers who sell locally at our farmers market to find out their practices and will report back with what I learn.

Sustainable Egg Dying

Ever since my son was born 5 years ago, we've coloring our eggs naturally. What we've done is to use the by-products of our home cooking that would otherwise be destined for the garbage or the compost bin. For example, yellow onion skins create a lovely beige shade, red, a purplish one. I'll blanch spinach, a traditional menu item on Maundy Thursday, for green. Boil some beets for red. Leftover coffee stains not your teeth for brown. The only virgin ingredients that I use are dried spices - really, how many of you are going to use up that entire jar or turmeric? I also have a huge jar of tomato powder that is past its prime (a donation from the very generous Spice House for a Purple Asparagus project) that when combined with vinegar turns up orange. When using spices, boil water to fill a bowl just large enough to hold an egg or two and add a tablespoon or more or the desired spice with a bit of vinegar. But my all time favorite natural egg dye? Red wine. Not only does it color the egg, but it gives it a sparkly sheen - I've always assumed that it's the sulfites. The best part? When you're egg is done, it's cocktail time.

-Melissa Graham is a former attorney and chef and owner of Monogramme Events & Catering, a boutique catering company specializing in seasonal and sustainable cuisine. She's also president and founder of Purple Asparagus, a non-profit dedicated to bringing families back to the table by promoting and enjoying all the things associated with good eating. When she’s not in the kitchen or the classroom, you can often find Melissa shopping at the Green City Market where she serves as the membership chair.

Posted on April 02, 2010 at 02:20 PM in Food and Drink, Green Celebrations, Green Living, Play More Spend Less, Recycled Crafts, Things to Do | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: egg labeling, egg producers, Green Parent Chicago, HBO Death on a Family Farm, Little Locavores, making sense of egg labels, natural egg dyes

At the 2010 Chicago Swap-O-Rama-Rama

A second successful Swap O Rama Rama ran this weekend at Chicago Waldorf School in the city's Rogers Park neighborhood and drew participants of all ages. The 3-day DIY workshop series and clothing swap included several creative stations featuring activities using recycled and repurposed fashion and textiles, including knitting, sewing stations, recycled legwarmers, ipod cozies, batik, fabric painting, tie dye, embroidery and beading. A repurposed fashion show kicked off the event Friday night. 


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P3210124 

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Read more about the history of Swap-O-Rama-Rama and the anticonsumerism credo (created by Wendy Tremayne) that started the movement.

Posted on March 23, 2010 at 11:04 AM in Ad watch, Green Celebrations, Green Living, Learning and Education, Local News, News, Recycled Crafts | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: Chicago Waldorf School, clothing swap chicago, creative reuse, DIY festival, DIY workshop chicago, Green Parent Chicago, Swap-O-Rama-Rama Chicago

Swap-O-Rama-Rama: 2-day DIY Workshop and Clothing Swap Extravaganza Returns

IMG_7943

After a one year hiatus, Swap-O-Rama-Rama, the weekend-long clothing swap and do-it-yourself workshop promoting creative reuse through clothing recycling is returning to Chicago this spring. 

This year's SORR event will be held at Chicago Waldorf School March 19, 20 and 21. With the mantra "Creators Not Consumers" the event is part of an international movement and was first held in New York City in 2005. Organizers plan to make the Chicago event annual each spring.

The weekend will include two-days (Saturday and Sunday) of clothing swaps and handcraft workshops. In addition, a Friday night show and a Saturday evening documentary screening will be featured as well. The swap portion boasts live music, hundreds of pounds of swapped clothes, volunteer-assisted sewing machines and silk screening stations, workshops in sewing, button making, jewelry making, embroidery, knitting and fabric art, mini-fashion shows, and a new “kids section,” to better facilitate the swapping of childrenʼs clothes. 

Green Parent Chicago
recently spoke to local organizer Katie Hawkey Swindler about the history of SORR Chicago:

Is Swap-O-Rama-Rama local or part of a national movement/group?

"Swap-O-Rama-Rama is an international phenomenon. Wendy Tremayne organized the first SORR in NYC in 2005 and she licensed the event through Creative Commons so it could be spread around the world. Events have been held across America, Canada and as far away as Jerusalem and New Zealand. You can read all about the national organization and events in other cities at http://swaporamarama.org/"

What would you say are the goals of the event?

"We originally brought the event to Chicago as a fund raiser for Three Sisters Folk Art School in Chillicothe, IL, a retreat for students of all ages with the unique opportunity to learn skills that have been passed down for generations but are becoming less customary in modern times. Our host, the Chicago Waldorf School and the national Swap-O- Rama-Rama organization, will also receive a portion of the proceeds.

But beyond our fund raising efforts, the philosophical goals of SORR are very inspiring. We hope everyone will come out of the event more knowledgeable, inspired and empowered "makers" than they were when they arrived. The event was originally inspired by the DIY ethos of "creators not consumers." We do everything we can to create a community where experienced crafters and the craft-curious come together in a supportive, creative, energetic group where they share ideas, knowledge, skills, tools, designs, opinions and materials. The event has certain rules (like "no mirrors") to force interaction - the catalyst for community.

Entrance to the swap is a bag of clothes and a small donation. The clothes are then added to the community pile. Once participants enter the space, they have unlimited access to everything at the swap: donated clothes and fabric, sewing machines, silkscreen stations and other tools, workshops and our knowledgeable volunteers. After a day (or weekend) immersed in learning and making, we hope that people will start to look at their older or unwanted belongings not as items to discard and replace, but as raw material that can be refreshed or re-purposed and given new life.


Who are the people behind the Chicago SORR?

I am the primary organizer of the SORR Chicago. I receive significant support from my mother, Jennie Hawkey - she's one of the founders of the Three Sisters Folk Art School. Also this year, Talia Hagerty has joined our team as our Fashion Events Director and will be jurying and organizing our "Inspiration Fashion Show" to be held as a kick-off event on Friday.

Cathey Stamps is our contact at Chicago Waldorf School and she has been an amazing resource and supporter. I also had a couple dozen amazingly talented volunteers staff the event in 2008. I expect many of them to return, but we are expanding the offerings of SORR 2010 significantly so I am currently reaching out to find more volunteer crafters and craft enablers.

*****************************

Submissions are still being sought from fashion designers who use re-purposed materials in their collections to feature in the "Inspiration Fashion Show" on March 19. The show will feature collections from local designers who use these “green” materials. Designers of all ages may enter in one of three categories: K-12 Student Designers, College Student/Pre-Professional Designers, and Professional Designers. Contact SORR Chicago Fashion Events Director Talia Hagerty ([email protected]) for submission instructions.  
 
A screening of the documentary "Handmade Nation: The Rise of D.I.Y., Art, Craft, and Design" will be held Saturday, March 20 at 6 p.m at the Chicago Waldorf School auditorium. Filmmaker Faythe Levine traveled 19,000 miles to document the marriage of historical technique, punk culture, and the d.i.y. ethos. The film celebrates the birth and growth of the indie-craft community.

Volunteers are also still needed for the event. A  volunteer meeting will be held February 4 at 7 p.m. at Chicago Waldorf School. Details on volunteering and positions needed may be found here.


 

Posted on February 03, 2010 at 02:50 PM in Green Living, Learning and Education, Local News, News, Recycled Crafts, Simpler Living | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: Chicago Waldorf School, clothing swap chicago, creative reuse, DIY movement, Green Parent Chicago, Handmade Nation, indie-craft community, Swap-O-Rama-Rama Chicago

Time To Wrap Up Those Gifts? Try An Easy-to-Make Fabric Bag

Fabricgiftbag

Would you like a super simple pattern for making a reusable cloth gift bag? Here's one, courtesy of the Green Bag Lady, Teresa VanHatten, a college professor, artist and mom of 3 from Tennessee, who has sewn and given out nearly 8000 free reusable bags around the U.S and the globe since January 2008. It's also a good way to use up leftover fabric. Thanks, Teresa for sharing your great idea!

Green Bag Lady Gift Wrap Bag Pattern

-photo credit: jek in the box, flickr

Posted on December 17, 2009 at 11:45 AM in Green Celebrations, Green Living, Recycled Crafts, Simpler Living, Things to Do | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Tags: Green Bag Lady, green gift wrapping idea, Green Parent Chicago, how to make a reusable bag, pattern for reusable gift bag, reusable cloth bag, Reusable gift bag, Teresa VanHatten

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