Photo from MightyGirl.com
It’s time again for Non-Consumer Mish-Mash, where I write a little bit about this and a little bit about that.
Looking for Green Gift Wrap Ideas?
The Non-Consumer Advocate Facebook group is a great source for story ideas, as members will often post links to interesting articles. And frankly, lazy ol’ me, (at this point you are free to picture me smoking a corncob pipe) loves clicking over and finding easy source material for the blog.
Lisa recently posted a link to an article titled Ten Simple Ideas for Gift Wrapping that went beyond the tired “Use the funny pages” tip. (Not to malign using your newspaper’s funny pages as wrapping paper, but it’s hardly even close to an ah-hah idea.) The beautifully photographed gifts may even inspire me to look beyond my raggedy-looking gift bags for this year’s holiday gifts.
Click HERE to read the article.
Looking for Crazy Cheap Craft Supplies?
Reader Laura posted a link about foraging for craft supplies at the Goodwill Outlet. Because paying by the pound, as an awesome deal when yarn is in question. The article, which chronicles the author Jennifer Ackerman-Haywood’s first visit to her Goodwill Outlet is a great read, as she hadn’t realized the intense culture of the place:
“In addition to being a great way to keep supply costs low for recycled crafting, I find shopping the outlet is always an adventure, although definitely not for the faint of heart.”
Not for the faint of heart? That’s putting it mildly!
Click HERE to read the article.
Garage Sale Tips
Vanessa of Thrift Core linked to her own article, (yes, this is allowed and encouraged!) titled “My Top Five Yard Sale Tips.” This may seem unseasonable, but Vanessa lives in Florida, land of the year-round garage sale season. A reseller, Vanessa is a garage sale/flea market pro, so her tips are worth a look.
Click HERE to read the article.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their links, they are always appreciated!
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without”
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Glad you liked the Goodwill article! I thought it was funny that you had just mentioned your tip to the Goodwill Outlet when I found that article in my newspaper. I think it’s funny how Goodwill Outlets seem to be about the same from coast to coast.
I am thrilled to have recently come across your brilliant blog and the Facebook group. Connecting with a smart group of conscious consumers (or non-consumers!) is always fun to see the ideas and information shared. Great links! I read the Goodwill article last week and it inspired a trip to my local store. I found super cheap (under 50 cents) Holiday decorations for our party yesterday… score!
One more quick wrapping idea that I didn’t see mentioned yet, but maybe it’s on the Facebook group but I don’t Facebook.
If you have small children, use your kids old artwork as wrapping paper! Most kids “produce” too much art for parents to save it all. A friend of mine with two small kids just takes the stuff they’re “done with” and wraps in that – and it’s a lot of fun for the recipent. Instead of recycling coloring books in the bin, she pulls the pages out and uses them (you can tape together multiple sheets for larger gifts). Other artwork can be combined with newspaper or other free paper in creative ways. (And she doesn’t have to rely on her kids being “in the mood” to decorate when she needs stuff wrapped – just goes to the “stash” she accumulates all year.)
Brilliant!
I once stumbled upon someone placing a big stack of coffee-table books on the curb. I asked him if he was getting rid of them, and he said he was, but that he was an artist and he had cut pictures out of all of the books for an art project. I took the books and used whatever pages remained to make some gift wrap that was very attractive, if I do say so myself. Now I never pass by damaged illustrated books on the curb–usually something can be salvaged for gift wrap!
just in the nick of time, I’ve actually got a few gifts to wrap this year. Thank you!