I saw this idea years back and fell in love with it! How darling are these bunnies!
The idea couldn’t be simpler:
–Use an empty spool (If you don’t sew, ask friends/neighbors/family/Freecycle, etc. If you DO sew, you have PLENTY of these.)
–Wrap a small piece of decorative paper around. (Scraps of paper, upcycled magazines or catalogs, old maps, damaged books, etc.)
–Draw a bunny face.
–Add ears (I don’t love the thought of people buying new pipe cleaners for these, but we had some on hand (I un-do old projects from the kids to reuse these). You could also use paper clips, as seen in one bunny above. Get creative! I’m sure this is a great opportunity for reuse!
–We happened to have pom-poms on hand as well (from old projects, etc.), but you could also make bunny tails from crumpled scrap paper or any number of upcycled items.
I LOVE that these reuse spools!!
I LOVE that these are a homemade decoration instead of a store-bought one (New, store-bought items have transportation, manufacturing, packaging waste, financial cost, afterlife of the items, and more to consider.)
I LOVE that my kids can be involved in making these! My daughter made a collection of these this year, and my 3-year old made at least a couple of them too! (see below)
Upcycled spool bunnies could make a super-cute gift as well! Even a ‘kit’ to make these would be a fun little spring present!
I’m an over-thinker by nature, and as an environmentalist and a parent, this tendency has been ramped up way more than I could have imagined. Being conscious of what we’re buying, where it has come from, what it’s afterlife will be—it’s exhausting. Seriously, over half of my “clutter” is just odds and ends of what most other people would easily call ‘trash’ that I just feel obligated to keep and find a use for so I don’t have to throw it in a landfill. And one of those collections in the garage is plastic FREAKIN hangers! I’m not even talking about the ones that are everyday, ‘closet’ hangers (that’s a whole other post). No, these are the hangers that stores attach to new shirts, underwear, socks. And I mean ‘attach.’ Have you every tried getting a new set of underwear off these ridiculous plastic hangers? argh!
Being on a clean-out phase where I’m trying to make peace with the fact that I simply cannot make a project out of every bit of waste from our lives, I thought I’d start with those silly, tangly, plastic store hangers. But first…. First, I needed to do a little research because, well, that’s what I do. And I’m dismayed, because, Yes, obviously this is a major problem. It makes my heart sink thinking about all these ‘throw-away’ hangers, even those teeny tiny hook ones that come on socks. I know that resting the weight of the world’s plastic problem on my shoulders is not helpful here, but I must vent or cry or whatever it is I’m trying to do here. The world- the ‘system’- has been set up for wastefulness. And it sucks. Many go along blindly, just keeping their homes Pinterest-perfect, tossing anything that’s no longer needed. And, I get it. I do. But a wake-up call is coming. For ALL of us. Not just the ones who stay up nights, tossing and turning, trying to figure out what to do with old CD cases and plastic hangers, but anyone on this planet. Because the horribly wasteful, negligent systems we have in place right now to keep people in this never-ending cycle of buying and spending and consuming and tossing–these systems aren’t working. The planet needs us to wake the heck up.
And the really tough part is, it’s not just plastic hangers or straws or floss containers. It’s everything! There’s SO MUCH STUFF. And, in a way, it’s not really our faults, because this is so much bigger than any of us. It’s not on me or you to save the world of these major problems…. But, then again, Yes. Yes, it absolutely is. We need to take a stand. We need to let companies know what we’re thinking and that we don’t like their practices. We need to seek out the companies that ARE doing conscious, good, sustainable practices. They are out there, and never has it been easier to find them and support them. We need to re-prioritize. Most people I know have way more money than they need. I am absolutely aware this isn’t the case everywhere. But those who have money can be making smarter choices. Buying less stuff at higher prices to support the change-makers who need to charge more to do it ‘right.’
We can do this! Bags, straws, hangers. These sound like small steps for a much, much bigger problem. But these are the steps that matter. The wake-up calls all of us need to look around us and start to question how our stuff got to us and what’s to become of it when we’re done.
Theses are one of my favorite sewing projects! Very simple and quick to make, these are great for replacing plastic storage baggies. You can sew them in a variety of sizes and upcycle materials to make them. But they are also super great for using as fabric gift bags. Just tie a bow around the top or the outside, and you’ve got an easy, eco-friendly gift wrap!
I’m on so many email lists for environmental causes and petitions. When I’m in a Pollyanna spirit, these are great. I’m so heartened to see organizations working for a better world and collecting information to share with like-minded people who care to make a change. Usually though… I get easily overwhelmed and discouraged reading about all the areas of our environment that need help. Opening my email elicits an emotional response almost every single time. I can feel my heart sinking even before I glance at the subject headings. For years I’ve debated whether to just unsubscribe from all of these for my own peace of mind. And I really have tried to weed some of them out. But I just can’t fully disconnect. It’s not in my nature to play the “ignorance is bliss” card. Recently, I ended up on a new list (this happens, which is why the emails have multiplied over the years) and it claimed to be a bearer of “good news.” Only it wasn’t. At all. Maybe tucked into corners here and there, but mostly it was just more overwhelming, scary news about our world.
Some people really do need to hear the realities of what’s going on in our environment. A lot of people need a major wake-up call. Like, NOw. But, I am not that person. I’m here. I’m on board. Let’s do this thing! I work hard in my daily life to make conscious choices and do my small part trying to passing information and ideas along the best I can. What I need is some good news. I need something that’s going to keep me inspired and staying positive on this journey. I need one of those large thermometers that shows we are indeed making progress towards a goal. I need to hear about the large groups of people and companies who are also making huge efforts in their corners of the world. So, for my own benefit (and hopefully someone else’s too…), I’m collecting some Good Environmental News here. (Coming Soon!)
I thought it would be a good idea to start a list of some of my favorite eco-conscious companies. I’ll add to this as I can. But I also have many other conscious companies Pinned here.
—Zero Waste Cartel
My new favorite! I found this company at the beginning of the year, and in one order, I checked off a bunch of my personal environmental goals. I ordered compostable toothbrushes, chewable toothpaste in a jar, deodorant in a compostable tube, compostable floss in a reusable jar, and shampoo bars (finally!). This company has been great to work with and sends out super wonderful, appreciative emails. I love them, and secretly want to be BFF with the founder, Harriet.
—Mighty Nest (*Affiliate link)
Another great company I’ve ordered from frequently in the past.
—Under the Nile
Organic cotton clothing and products for babies and toddlers. Can look a bit expensive, but they will occasionally have unbelievable sales on their clearance items –we’re talking $5 or $10 for organic, darling outfits.
