Eco-Friendly Home & Garden - Creative Green Living

How to make a DIY "Chicknic Table" - Plans and step-by step directions to make a picnic table for your chickens

noreply@blogger.com (Author: Carissa Burk) — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 20:18:00 +0000

2020 has seen its share of viral chicken keeping content!

First, there was a major run on chicks and chicken-keeping supplies as everyone suddenly figured out that raising chicks at home was the HOT quarantine activity for adults and kids.

Then the summer of 2020 brought us both "chicknic tables" and "Chicken Daddies"...

I can't help you guys with chicken daddies (I may have been told "no" 100 different ways when I simply informed my man that chicken daddies are even a thing) BUT he did volunteer to make some chicknic tables and let me publish his plans!

Looking for more chicken keeping tips and DIY projects?

Do you have backyard chickens? Are you dreaming of backyard chickens? You'll love these articles and books:

How to make a DIY "Flock Block" style chicken snack block
Raising baby chicks for beginners
Buy my book: Proven Techniques for Keeping Healthy Chickens is a great book for beginning chicken keepers! I also sell signed copies in my Etsy shop!

What is a chicknic table?

A chicknic table is an adorable chicken-sized picnic table designed to hold chicken food or treats for your chickens.

Who invented the chicknic table?

The chicknic table phenomenon started going viral on Facebook in May of 2020. The best reference we can find for the original source is this post on Crafty Morning's Facebook page attributing the clever design to "Melissa Kusak's dad."

Where can I get chicknic table plans?

Right here! We have plans, a supply list and step-by-step instructions to teach you how to make your very own chicken-sized picnic table feeder - AKA a chicknic table!

How to Make a DIY Chicknic Table
free chicknic table plans and directions

DIY Chicknic Table Supplies:

Some of the links below may be affiliate links where a purchase made after clicking will support this website without costing you extra!

Lumber needed:

1 x 6 (4 feet) - could also use a 24" x 11.5" piece of scrap plywood
1 x 3 x 8ft (buy 3 8-foot boards)
2x2 (need 24")

Measuring tape
Pencil
Saw (I use a Ryobi sliding compound miter saw - get it at Home Depot or on Amazon)
Wood Glue
Clamps (this is a great set if you don't already have clamps)
Speed square
Mouse sander (I love my Ryobi sander - get one at Home Depot or on Amazon) or sand paper
Drill
3/16" drill bit or larger
Fasteners of choice (choose screws or nails)
If using screws, you will need:
• #6 3/32 pilot hole and counter sink bit
• #4 x 1 1/4" wood screws (about 30 screws)
• Impact driver or electric screwdriver with fine point head
If using nails you will need:
• Ryobi finish brad nailer
• 1 1/4" brad nails

PRO TIP: Use the links above to order everything you need for this project for curbside pick up at your local Home Depot

Should you use nails or screws to build your chicknic table?

We built two tables, two different ways while writing up the directions for this chicknic table tutorial.

The first table was a gift so we decided to use screws as they tend to be stronger and last longer - especially as the wood warps over time in the Pacific Northwest weather (read: rain!).

Because we used a countersink bit to drill the pilot holes, the screws are all nicely sunk and you could fill over the tops of the screws with wood putty to make a nicer finish where you can't see the screws. This would be especially nice if you wanted to paint your finished chicknic table.

The second table was for me so I used my favorite tool, my Ryobi brad nailer to assemble my table and compare the process. With the pieces all precut and ready to go, I was able to assemble the table with my brad nailer in just a few minutes.

At the end of the day, I say use whatever tools you have at home but if you are making this as a gift the extra time and effort to drill pilot holes and use screws will make the table extra fancy.

Chicknic Table Plans Cut list:

Want a list of all the lumber cuts you will need to make in one place?

1 x 6 board

24" (cut 2)

1 x 3 boards

24" (cut 2)
12.5" (cut 2)
15" - with 45 degree angles - see step 3 for details (cut 4)
18 1/2" (cut 2)
27" (cut 2)

2 x 2 board

24" (cut 1)

Chicknic Table Step-by-Step Directions:

How to Build a Chicknic Table Step 1: Cut the top pieces

Cuts from the 1 x 6:

Cut two 24" pieces of the 1 x 6 board.

Cuts from a 1 x 3:

Cut two 24" pieces and two 12.5" pieces of a 1 x 3 board

PRO TIP: Before turning the saw on, be sure the line up the blade just outside the pencil line so the cut piece is exactly the length marked.

PRO TIP 2: After cutting the first piece, use it as a template for cutting the second piece to make them the exact same size.

Sand the ends of the cut boards as needed.

How to Build a Chicknic Table Step 2: Glue the top platform together

Lay the long sides of the two 1x6 boards together to find the way the boards fit together best (due to minor warping, one side may be more concave or convex than the other).

Once you have decided which sides to glue together, run a bead of glue down the 24" length of the board.

Smooth the glue with a finger to cover the full side of the board.

Adhere the two boards together, being sure to line up the ends flush.

Secure with clamps and allow to set for a minimum of one hour.

How to Build a Chicknic Table Step 3: Cut the legs

Cuts from a 1 x 3:

The legs need to be cut with parallel 45 degree angles on each end.

Use your speed square or your miter saw as a guide to cut the very end off a 1x3 board at a 45 degree angle.

Measure 15" down from the first 45 degree mark and mark a parallel 45 degree angle and cut.

After cutting this first leg, use it as a template to cut three more legs.

Sand the ends to clean them up as needed.

Set the leg pieces aside until step 6.

How to Build a Chicknic Table Step 4: Cut the benches

Cuts from a 1 x 3:

Cut two 18 1/2" pieces (braces) and two 27" pieces (benches) of a 1 x 3 board.

Cuts from a 2 x 2:

Cut one 24" piece (center brace) from the 2x2.

How to Build a Chicknic Table Step 5: Assemble the top

After the boards you glued together in step 2 have been allowed to set for a minimum of one hour, you can assemble the top with the 24" and 12 1/2" 1x3 pieces you cut in step 1.

Unclamp the top platform and use a scraper and/or sand paper to remove any glue residue that leaked out of the seam.

Keep in mind while attaching the top frame pieces, that they need to extend both above and below the platform. The best way to do this evenly is to use a scrap piece of 1x3.

Hold the 1x3 scrap against the platform and then line up the edge of one of the 24" pieces with the scrap like this:

Attach by either using the brad nailer or drilling holes with the countersink bit and then attaching with screws. Push down while attaching the pieces to get a tight join.

Repeat the same process on the other side to attach the other 24" piece to the long side of the platform. This is what you will end up with:

Attach the 12 1/2" pieces on the ends, lining up the ends so the top is square. This is what the top will look like with all sides attached:

How to Build a Chicknic Table Step 6: Assemble the legs

Turn the top platform on its side so it is standing on the 12 1/2" long side.

Line up the corners of two 45 degree angle leg pieces in the center.

Attach to the bottom frame with nails or screws using the countersink bit.

PRO TIP: Use the seam from gluing the top boards together as a centerline reference

Repeat on the other side so all four legs are now attached.

How to Build a Chicknic Table Step 7: Assemble the benches

Attach one of the 18 1/2" brace pieces on the outside of the table legs, 2 1/2" down.

PRO TIP: Use a scrap piece of 1x3 to act as a spacer between the bottom of the frame and where you attach the board to the legs

Center and attach the second 18 1/2" brace to the other side the same way.

To further increase the stability of the table, fit the 24" center brace piece cut from 2x2, running the length of the table between the two braces. Secure with two screws or two nails on each end.

To attach the side benches, lay one of the 27" bench pieces across the two braces at each end of the table and attach with two nails or two screws on each end. Repeat on the other side.

How to Build a Chicknic Table Step 8: Finishing

To prevent your chicknic table from flooding in the rain, use a 3/16" or larger drill bit to drill holes in the corners of the top to help water drain off when wet.

Use your sander or sandpaper to sand all edges and ends smooth.

The table can be left as-is or painted or stained with a non-toxic food safe finish.

That's it!

Fill your table up with food or treats and let your chickens enjoy!

If you love these chicknic table plans be sure to pin this tutorial to save it for later!

PRINTABLE CHICKNIC TABLE DIRECTIONS

DIY Chicknic Table - A picnic table for chickens!

Yield: 1 table

Author: Carissa Bonham

Estimated cost: $15

prep time: 10 Mperform time: 1 H & 15 Mtotal time: 1 H & 25 M

Feed your backyard chickens in style with this adorable chicknic table. This tiny picnic table sized for chickens features a lip around the top to keep the food from spilling off as well as drain holes to allow rainwater to drain away.

materials:

1 x 6 lumber (4 feet needed)
1 x 3 x 8ft lumber (three 8-foot boards)
2x2 lumber (2 feet needed)
Wood Glue
Fasteners of choice (choose screws OR nails)
#4 x 1 1/4" wood screws (about 30 screws)
1 1/4" brad nails

tools:

Measuring tape
Pencil
Saw
Clamps
Speed square
Mouse sander or sandpaper
Drill
3/16" drill bit or larger
#6 3/32 pilot hole and countersink bit (if using screws)
Impact driver or electric screwdriver with fine point head (if using screws)
Ryobi finish brad nailer (if using nails)

steps:

Cut and glue top of chicknic table

Cut two 24" pieces of the 1 x 6 board.
Cut two 24" pieces and two 12.5" pieces of a 1 x 3 board.
Sand the ends of the cut boards as needed.
Glue the 1x6 pieces together by running a bead of glue down the 24" length of the board.
Smooth the glue with a finger to cover the full side of the board.
Secure with clamps and allow to set for a minimum of one hour.

Cut legs and other pieces

Cut legs from a 1x3 with 45 degree angles at each end. To do this, use your speed square or your miter saw as a guide to cut the very end off a 1x3 board at a 45 degree angle. Measure 15" down from the first 45 degree mark and mark a parallel 45 degree angle and cut. After cutting this first leg, use it as a template to cut three more legs.
Sand the ends to clean them up as needed.
Cut two 18 1/2" pieces (braces) and two 27" pieces (benches) with straight ends from a 1 x 3 board.
Cut one 24" piece (center brace) from the 2x2.

Assemble the table

After the 1x6 boards you glued together have been allowed to set for a minimum of one hour, you can assemble the top with the 24" and 12 1/2" 1x3 pieces you cut in step 1.
Unclamp the top platform and use a scraper and/or sand paper to remove any glue residue that leaked out of the seam.
Attach a 24" side piece to the platform by either using the brad nailer or drilling holes with the countersink bit and then attaching with screws. Push down while attaching the pieces to get a tight join. (see full directions for tips on how to line this up evenly)
Repeat the same process on the other side to attach the other 24" piece to the long side of the platform.
Attach the 12 1/2" pieces on the ends, lining up the ends so the top is square.
Turn the top platform on its side so it is standing on the 12 1/2" long side. Line up the corners of two 45 degree angle leg pieces in the center on the underside. Attach to the bottom frame with nails or screws using the countersink bit. (see full directions for helpful pictures)
Repeat on the other side so all four legs are now attached.
Attach one of the 18 1/2" brace pieces on the outside of the table legs, 2 1/2" down. (see full directions for helpful tips on lining this up)
Center and attach the second 18 1/2" brace to the other side the same way.
To further increase the stability of the table, fit the 24" center brace piece cut from 2x2, running the length of the table between the two braces. Secure with two screws or two nails on each end.
To attach the side benches, lay one of the 27" bench pieces across the two braces at each end of the table and attach with two nails or two screws on each end. Repeat on the other side.
Add drain holes with your drill fitted with a 3/16" or larger drill bit to drill holes in the corners of the top.
Use your sander or sandpaper to sand all edges and ends smooth.
The table can be left as-is or painted or stained with a non-toxic food safe finish.

NOTES:

For helpful step-by-step photos, see the full article on the Creative Green Living website.

About the Author:

Carissa is a lifelong crafter and mom of two creative boys. Her goal is to empower families to make easy projects and healthier choices that are beautiful and delicious!

The owner and lead writer at Creative Green Living, she is an award-winning blogger and most recently won the ShiftCon Media "Best Green Lifestyle Blogger" award in 2019.

She is also the author of several books including Proven Techniques for Keeping Healthy Chickens (Skyhorse, 2018), Beautiful Smoothie Bowls (Skyhorse, 2017) and The Little Green Book of Mothers' Wisdom (Skyhorse, 2020).

Her projects have been featured in magazines like Capper's Farmer and Urban Farm Magazines. Follow her on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter or join the Creative Green Living Tribe.

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All You Ever Wanted to Know About Lead in Vintage Pyrex Bowls

noreply@blogger.com (Author: Carissa Burk) — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 00:27:00 +0000

photo by Emily Carlin. See the original here.

This article was originally published October of 2015. It was last updated October 28, 2018

If you are wondering if your old Pyrex dishes contain lead or are still safe to use in your kitchen, you have come to the right place!

I grew up using (what are now considered) vintage Pyrex bowls and baking in vintage Pyrex dishes.

In fact, my mom and grandmother both owned a set of the same colorful Pyrex nesting mixing bowls shown above.

These were the same Pyrex bowls I hoped to own one day as well.

My whole life, these colorful Pyrex mixing bowls have been my very favorite to use.

As a child, I learned how to cook eggs in a microwave in the little blue one. I've made a hundred batches or more of muffins, cookies, and pancake batter in the big yellow one.

Here is picture of me with my mom making a pie crust in the green one:

So I get it.

I get it when people are upset about a documentary filmmaker telling them that there is lead in their Pyrex bowls and dishes.

These things are part of people's childhood memories. These Pyrex bowls remind people of their grandmother - and nobody messes with memories of Grandma!

Beyond Grandma, a lot of people collect vintage Pyrex bowls and baking dishes.

Not only are these pieces beautiful, but they make people feel connected to their mothers and grandmothers by using their kitchen items.

To be told these things associated with so many happy feelings is possibly poisoning them is hard to hear.

Some people (like me) even started collecting vintage pyrex as a safe alternative to plastic kitchenware - and to learn they were wrong in that regard is hurtful, frustrating and embarrassing.

(click here or on the image to go directly to this post on Facebook)

The problem is, that once you know that there is lead in the coating of your vintage Pyrex bowls (or Anchor Hocking dish or similar dishware) you have to decide what to do next.

Is there lead in vintage Pyrex bowls and baking dishes?

Yes. Almost all vintage Pyrex bowls and baking dishes test positive for large amounts of lead. When using an XRF (a precision scientific instrument that will report the exact quantity of lead, cadmium and other heavy metals found in an item) results are typically 40,000-100,000 PPM lead (anything over 90PPM lead is considered unsafe).

Many vintage Pyrex bowls and baking dishes will also "swab positive" - this means that a reactive agent swab like the 3M LeadCheck swabs will be able to detect lead in quantities above 600 parts-per-million.

This type of test works by getting part of the surface coating (usually paint) to rub off onto the swab.

If leaded paint can rub off onto a swab, it's able to rub off onto your hands and get into your body.

It is important to note that 3M LeadCheck Swabs can only accurately test certain kinds of things.

It is possible that you might test your vintage Pyrex bowl with a swab and it won't turn red even if the dish contains a high amount of lead.

Do not assume your dish is lead-free because your LeadCheck Swab did not turn red!

Where is the lead in vintage Pyrex bowls and baking dishes?

The highest concentration of lead is usually in the paint on the outside of the Pyrex bowl or dish.

With some very rare exceptions, the paint on the outside of both vintage Pyrex and vintage Corningware bowls and baking dishes will usually test positive for lead between 15,000 - 100,000 PPM lead.

For reference, 90 PPM is the highest amount of lead allowed in items intended for children and if house paint has more than 600 PPM lead, it is considered "lead paint" and needs remediation.

15,000 PPM lead is a LOT of lead.

100,000 PPM lead means that a full 10% of the paint formula is pure lead.

That is a LOT of lead.

Do you have vintage Pyrex dishes? Check the Lead Safe Mama website to see if a pattern you own has tested positive for lead: See if your vintage Pyrex design has tested positive for lead.

Tamara Rubin is the director and producer of the forthcoming documentary, MisLEAD: America's Secret Epidemic and is also an independent lead safety advocate online as The Lead Safe Mama.

She runs the Lead Safe Mama website where she posts the results of lead tests.

Most of her lead tests are performed with a non-radioactive source XRF instrument which can detect exact quantities of lead, cadmium and other heavey metals in the single digit parts-per-million (PPM).

Does the milk glass used in vintage Pyrex contain lead?

The milk glass interiors used in many vintage Pyrex and Anchor Hocking pieces commonly contain lead.

The lead in milk glass is probably inert and trapped in the glass, however, no lab tests are currently being done on these vintage pieces so we have no way to know for sure if these pieces are safe for food contact.

It is probable that using vintage milk glass with highly acidic foods or using glass that is scratched may release some of the lead contained in the glass -- as these are common ways lead is able to leach from glass.

The problem is that as you use the dish, there is no way to tell that you've reached the point where your bowl or dish is leaching lead.

How to tell if Pyrex is vintage?

When I talk about lead in vintage Pyrex, I am talking about Pyrex manufactured between the 1940's and the 1980's.

Classic signs of vintage Pyrex include:

White opaque or milk glass body
Painted outsides

The information in this post does not necessarily apply to modern Pyrex, which generally has a clear glass or tinted (but translucent) body.

For more information on vintage Pyrex patterns and what year your vintage Pyrex was made, see the database from The Pyrex Collector.

Is vintage Pyrex safe to use?

The short answer to this is "I wouldn't use it."

"I don't cook with the outside of the bowl so I'm fine." - Facebook user

This was a common response to the test posted on Facebook.

People insisted that since food doesn't come in contact with the outside of the bowls, these tests do nothing more than drum up fear.

The problem is, that if lead is coming off onto a Lead Check Swab, that means it IS rubbing off - in small, even microscopic (but still dangerous) amounts - and it becomes available to be transferred to your mouth, eyes, or even your child's food or body.

Even though you can't see it....every time you touch it...every time you stack it inside another dish...every time you run it through the dishwasher...every time you wipe it with a rag...lead is being sloughed off into your environment.

All of these actions will release a microscopic amount of lead from the paint that can contaminate your environment.

Since these kinds of things tend to happen in your kitchen, using your vintage Pyrex bowls that are lead contaminated will just continue to contaminate your kitchen space!

If you carry the dish to the table and a micro amount of lead comes off on your hands and then you turn around and start preparing your child's food, you're spreading that contamination.

If you child touches the dish as it's being passed around the table and gets lead on their hands and then puts their hands in their mouth, they've just ingested lead.

As much as I really wish I could tell you that your vintage Pyrex is still safe to use around your family, I would strongly advise against it.

Even though the amount of paint transferred with each use is small (so small you won't be able to see it), these tiny amounts of lead build up in our bodies and can have irreversible side effects - especially in children.

Is lead really that big of a deal?

"It's not like my kids are eating paint chips." - Facebook user

While chances that you will get acute lead poisoning from using vintage Pyrex are minimal, do not underestimate the damage exposure to tiny amounts of lead can do over time.

As lead accumulates in the body, it can cause irreversible damage.

Young children are the ones most prone to lead damage as their nervous systems are still developing.

Common side effects in children exposed to low levels of lead over time include:

Reduced IQ
Behavior problems
Hearing problems
Learning difficulties
Growth delays

Knowing that most lead poisoning is not acute, but rather, happens in very small, microscopic doses over time, I personally try to avoid using any lead containing products in my home because no beautiful object is worth the risk to my family's health.

How can I tell if my Vintage Pyrex bowl contains lead?

The Lead Safe Mama has a catalog of items she has tested for lead on her website.

Go here to see the test results for vintage Pyrex dishes on the Lead Safe Mama website.

Go here to see the results for vintage Corning and vintage Corningware items on the Lead Safe Mama website.

I would start by looking there to see if the Pyrex dish you own is one that has already been tested.

Keep in mind that these results are not exhaustive.

Tamara (Lead Safe Mama) has tested thousands of items over the last decade and has only somewhat recently started cataloging the results on her website.

The Facebook group, The Lead (pb) Group, is also a great place to post a photo of the dishes you have to see if anyone has had theirs tested and what the results were.

Can I test my vintage Pyrex bowls and other vintage Pyrex dishes for lead at home?

The company, 3M, makes a great product called the 3M LeadCheck Swab.

This swab contains both liquid and powder inside a plastic tube.

When you crush the inner tubes (think: like cracking a glow stick to activate it), the fluid can be used to test things for lead.

To use it, rub an activated swab on a suspicious item, being sure the fluid is in full contact with the item.. If the swab turns red or pink, then the item contains 600 PPM or more of lead.

It is important to keep in mind that there are limitations to how well you can use this to test vintage dishes for lead.

1) LeadCheck Swabs are designed to test PAINT.

They work by rubbing a very small amount of paint off onto the swab where it reacts (or not) with the fluid to produce a positive or negative test result.

LeadCheck swabs are, therefore NOT effective at testing:

Shiny glazes
Glass
Milk glass
Plastic

If you are able to get a LeadCheck swab to return a positive result on any of the above items, that would mean that the item is likely very high lead AND that lead rubs off easily.

Definitely not something you want to have at home!

It would, however, be appropriate to use on the painted exterior of vintage Pyrex dishes.

Read the insert in the box and follow all directions closely. I'm also happy to help you in the Creative Green Living Community Group on Facebook.

2) LeadCheck Swabs are designed to test positive at only 600PPM

LeadCheck swabs are really designed to test for leaded house paint.

The level the federal government of the United States of America has set for a paint to be considered "lead paint" is 600 PPM.

The level of lead that both I and Lead Safe Mama refer to as "the level of concern" for household items is only 90 PPM (this is the guideline set by the Consumer Product Safety Commission for items intended for children).

So even if you are testing the right kind of thing with your Lead Check Swab, if it contains 550 PPM (610% more lead than the maximum amount allowed by the CPSC for children's items!), your swab will not turn pink or red even if the item is leaded.

In general, a good rule of thumb for testing your vintage Pyrex (or other items) for lead is that if the swab turns red, it DEFINITELY has lead.

If the swab does NOT turn red, it still might have lead and further investigation is needed.

Do not make the assumption that a negative LeadCheck Swab means your item is lead safe.

What about that Snopes article?

Snopes fascinatingly tried to debunk a previous version of this article in 2016 but failed.

Click here to read more about my response to Snopes and how they missed the key piece of information they needed in order to cover this issue accurately.

About the Author:

Carissa is an award-winning green and sustainably lifestyle writer and TV personality based in the Pacific Northwest.

The owner and lead writer at Creative Green Living, she is also the author of the hardcover cookbook, Beautiful Smoothie Bowls (Skyhorse, 2017) and Proven Techniques for Keeping Healthy Chickens (Skyhorse, 2018) and The Little Green Book of Mothers' Wisdom (Skyhorse, 2020).

She and her projects have been featured on The Today Show, Readers Digest, Urban Farm Magazine, Capper's Farmer and more. Follow her on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok or join the Creative Green Living Community Group on Faceboook.

How to Grow Tomato Plants to Get The Most, Biggest, and Best Homegrown Tomatoes Ever

noreply@blogger.com (Author: Carissa Burk) — Thu, 01 May 2025 13:00:00 +0000

For almost 15 years, I've been focused on getting my tomato-growing technique down to a semi-science.

Of course, I've been growing tomatoes for much longer than that.

It's just that about 15 years ago, I wanted to go from gardening simply for pleasure to gardening for purpose and got super analytical about how to get the most tomatoes possible to help reduce our food bill.

Robots are great at a lot of things - but not writing useful gardening articles. This article was written by an actual human with more than 20 years of experience doing hands-on gardening - not by AI, ChatGPT or any other kind of robot.

The techniques I use in my personal vegetable gardens are a combination of Square Foot Gardening (pioneered by the late Mel Bartholemew) and French Intensive gardening

I grow a LOT of tomatoes in a fairly small space - literally hundreds of pounds of tomatoes grown in about 100 square feet - because my goal has been to can enough diced tomatoes and tomato sauce to last my family for a full year.

I've been asked a few times "What's your secret" - and to be honest. There isn't one secret- there are several things I'm doing that contribute to my success.

I've also got answers to commonly asked questions about growing tomatoes at home.

Here are my answers to the most asked questions about how to grow tomatoes followed by my 12 best tomato growing secrets that helped me amp up tomato production for all the varieties I grow - from salad tomatoes, to romas, heirloom tomatoes and more.

Looking for more articles about gardening?

You might also love these articles about gardening for beginners and intermediate growers alike:

Commonly Asked Questions about How to Grow Awesome Tomatoes

Do you have questions about growing better tomatoes?

I have answers!

If you have a question about growing tomatoes that I don't cover in this article, please ask me in the comments!

What helps tomatoes grow?

The three main things tomatoes need to thrive are sun, nutrient-dense soil and support.

Support comes from a combination of a deep root system (read more about that below in the secrets!) as well as a good support structure that keeps your fruit off the ground and allows lots of air flow.

How do you enrich soil for tomatoes?

My favorite soil enrichments for tomatoes are compost, coffee grounds, eggshells and epsom salt.

My favorite commercially available organic compost is called Bumper Crop (you can order it online if your local nursery doesn't carry it!).

I'm also a huge fan of vermicomposting (using a worm composter like this one, you can make your own worm compost at home!)

Spent coffee grounds can be picked up for free at Starbucks and many other coffee shops. A little goes a long way and you can just scratch them into the topsoil to make your tomatoes happy.

Eggshells and epsom salt added to the soil at planting can make sure your tomato plants have enough calcium as well as magnesium to help prevent blossom end rot.

Are coffee grounds good for tomato plants?

They sure are!

While I'm sure it might be possible to overdo it with the coffee (don't try and grow tomatoes only in coffee grounds, for example) - most varieties of tomatoes love to be top-dressed with 1/4 inch to an inch of coffee grounds on top of their soil.

What is the best compost for tomatoes?

My favorite commercially available organic compost is called Bumper Crop (you can order it online if your local nursery doesn't carry it!).

You can also amend a good general-use compost like the Peaceful Valley Organic Compost with a well-balnaced tomato fertilizer like the EB Stone Organics Tomato & Vegetable Food.

Should you water tomato plants every day?

I don't water my plants every day unless the temperature gets above 90 degrees or they start to look wilty.

Instead, I deeply water the soil every 3-4 days (more often when it is warmer, less often if cloudy or cool). This helps encourage deep root growth and makes the plants heartier and more drought-resistant.

If the weather starts to creep above 90 or the plant starts to look wilty, I will do a deep water once a day in the morning or evening. Try and avoid watering in the middle of the day.

You should also water at the base of your plant with a watering wand or soaker hose so avoid getting the leaves wet. Don't use an overhead sprinkler for your tomato plants!

Are coffee grounds good for tomato plants?

Absolutely! I have had great success using coffee grounds on my tomatoes. Coffee grounds are also easy to find. If you need a lot more coffee grounds than you produce at home in your own kitchen, most coffee shops are happy to give you some of theirs.

Are eggshells good for tomato plants?

Tomatoes love eggshells as a soil amendment. I like to work a small sprinkle of crushed eggshells into the soil when planting my tomatoes to be sure there is adequate calcium and to help prevent blossom end rot.

For more information on what supplements are best to add to the soil when planting tomatoes, see the article: How to Plant Tomatoes.

Is epsom salt good for tomatoes?

Unlike table salt, epsom salt is primarily magnesium and sulfur. I like to work one scoop of epsom salt into the soil when planting tomatoes to help support the nutrient content of the soil and help prevent blossom end rot.

If you are growing peppers in your garden, use epsom salt to help make those plants extra happy as well!

If you do this, it is very VERY important that you ONLY use epsom salt as table salt will kill your plants.

Get more information on how to plant tomatoes and what to mix into the soil when you plant tomatoes in this article: How to Plant Tomatoes.

Do tomatoes grow better in pots or in the ground?

Assuming you have loose, nutrient-dense soil in both places, tomatoes are going to be happier in the ground. While you can grow tomatoes in pots, if you are looking for the highest yield or the best-tasting fruit, planting in the ground is the way to go.

If you really want to grow a tomato in a pot, I would use a pot that hold at least 5 gallons of soil - although 10-15 gallons is even better.

What soil is best for tomato plants?

My favorite gardening mix is a loose blend of 2 parts garden soil (in bags or what's already in the garden), 1 part compost and 1 part peat moss. And if you're ever in doubt, add more compost!

I had previously used the "Mel's Mix" recipe for gardening soil, made famous by Square Foot Gardening by the late Mel Bartholemew - which is equal parts compost, peat moss and vermiculite. Unfortunately,the vermiculite supply in the USA is often contaminated with asbestos, so I developed the mix above to supplement established or bagged garden soil instead.

What is causing black bottoms on my tomatoes?

The problem tomatoes can develop with a black, grey or brown bottom is called "blossom end rot" -- named after the rotten spots that appear on the "blossom end" of the tomato (rather than the stem end).

The problem can be caused by a calcium deficiency or inadequate or inconsistent watering.

Once you start to notice spots on the bottoms of tomatoes, pick them and discard them so the plant doesn't spend energy building fruit that is rotten because there is no way to reverse the damage once it shows up on the tomato.

Blossom end rot can be prevented by maintaining nutritionally balanced soil that has plenty of calcium and by watering your tomatoes consistently.

If your soil is lacking in calcium, a high calcium amendment like Rock Phosphate is a good natural source of both phosphorus and calcium.

Can you successfully grow tomatoes in pots?

You can grow almost anything in a pot if the pot is large enough, the soil is nutrient dense and it has adequate drainage.

It's also important to feed your tomatoes in pots because the roots cannot go looking for nutrients in the natural soil. A well-balanced tomato fertilizer like EB Stone Organics Tomato & Vegetable Food is a good choice for pot-grown tomatoes.

What are the best tomatoes to grow?

Is you ask 100 gardeners this question, you might get 100 answers. Keep in mind that some varieties do betters in certain climates vs others so it's always worth asking a local gardening Facebook group about their favorites.

I live in the Pacific Northwest, west of the Cascade Mountains in Zone 8 and these are my favorites:

Best tomatoes for fresh eating or slicing

Big Rainbow - yellow with streaks of pink or red. This is my personal favorite for sandwiches
Black Krim - a dark purpley-red color and a flavor enhanced with just a tiny sprinkle of salt, this one is my husband's favorite.
Brandywine (any color) - this variety comes in pink, red, yellow and black. They're all delicious.

Best tomatoes for canning

San Marzano - meaty and not too seedy. This one is perfect for diced tomatoes.
Costoluto Fiorentino - these pretty ruffled edge tomatoes make delicious sauce

Best cherry or salad size tomatoes

Sungold - tiny and sweet these are perfect for snacking or salads
Chocolate Cherry - these plants will get MASSIVE so make sure your tomato trellis is in good shape! One chocolate cherry plant can easily put out 20 pounds or more of large salad sized tomatoes that are not oo acidic and super tasty.
Candyland Red - these teeny tiny tomatoes are full of flavor and perfect for garnishes or salads

My Top 12 Secrets to Growing Better Tomatoes

Want to know my secrets for getting lots of great-tasting tomatoes in your home or allotment garden?

There isn't one secret- there are several things I'm doing that contribute to my success. Here are my 12 best secrets to growing perfectly plump, bountiful, delicious tomatoes:

Tomato Growing Secret 1: Good soil

You need to have good soil to grow good veggies. Period.

If the dirt that came in your garden isn't awesome, bolster it with organic compost.

If its *really* bad, consider using raised bed instead.

My favorite well-draining, nutrient-dense soil mix to use in raised beds is:

One part compost (Not sure what kind to buy? Get a variety and mix it together!)
One part vermiculite or perlite
One part peat moss or coconut coir

This is a great all-purpose mix similar to what Mel Bartholemew recommends in Square Foot Gardening. You can further fertilize it based on what you are growing as needed.

Tomato Growing Secret 2: Pick a sunny spot

Especially in northern parts of the USA where sun is less scorching, you will want to plant your tomatoes in the sunniest spot in the garden.

I have found there is a direct correlation between the amount of sun your plants get and how many tomatoes they will make.

If you live in the south, you still want a sunny spot but direct, scorching sun can sometimes be too much for your plants, especially if you have a wall that is also radiating heat. If this is the case, pick a sunny spot but use a shade cloth to help filter the most intense overhead heat from the sun.

Tomato Growing Secret 3: Start with plants

Plant your tomatoes in your garden as started plants and not seeds.

Especially in the pacific northwest (I live in Washington State), where the growing season is short, start with organic tomato plants from your local farmer's market or nursery.

While I do sometimes start tomatoes from seed inside, it's absolutely worth the $3-$5 dollars per plant to have someone do it for me.

Tomato Growing Secret 4: Use epsom salt & eggshells

Salt? Really? It might surprise you to learn that epsom salt is not actually salt, but crystalized magnesium.

DO NOT USE TABLE SALT!

Eggshells on the other hand provide calcium. The calcium and magnesium together will help prevent blossom end rot from ruining your tomatoes.

Rock Phosphate is another good natural source of both phosphorus and calcium. So if you are a vegan or don't otherwise have access to shells, use rock phosphate instead.

Here is more info on how and why to plant tomatoes with epsom salt and egg shells.

Tomato Growing Secret 5: Dig deep

When planting the tomatoes, be sure to dig the hole at least 2 inches (up to 6 inches) deeper than the depth of the pot your starts came in.

When you place the plant in the hole, remove the bottom branches that will be below the soil line within 3 inches of the dirt above the soil line.

See more details on my tomato planting procedure here.

When you plant tomatoes deep like this, you help them create a more robust root system.

Any little hairs along the stem that end up underground turn into roots and will better support the plant for both stability and nutrition uptake.

Tomato Growing Secret 6: Mulch with coffee grounds

Tomatoes love coffee!

You can walk into most coffee shops and ask if they have used coffee grounds that you can have and they will bag them up for you for free.

I usually make a loop one day and hit up all the Starbucks on my side of town all at once.

I usually hit up Starbucks because "Grounds for Your Garden" is an established program most Starbucks stores are already familiar with - some will have the coffee grounds prepackaged for customers to pick up!

Once you have the used coffee grounds on hand, scatter them on the soil to a depth of 1/4 inch or so and use a hand rake to scratch them into the soil.

Coffee grounds are high in nitrogen and tomatoes love them. The strength and vigor of my plants has dramatically improved just by implementing this tip by itself.

Tomato Growing Secret 7: Mulch with something else, too

Top dress the soil around your tomato plants with a leaf mulch or compost.

Adding a mulch layer will help with water retention and make putting your plants on a watering schedule easier.

Read more about using mulch in your garden here: Glorious Mulch: How to Reduce Weeds and Water Less.

Tomato Growing Secret 8: Get on a watering schedule

To help my plants develop a deep root system that helps make them more likely to survive a super hot day, I put them on a watering schedule during the spring and early summer where I water them deeply only once every 3-4 days (assuming it didn't rain).

Once the weather is consistently above 80 degrees, I water once every other day.

If it 90 degrees or warmer on a particular day, I will also water on that day. I water either early in the morning or as the sun is going down to help the soil absorb more water before losing it to evaporation.

If your plants look wilty or sad at any point in this process, it means they need more water. Water them longer on watering days or water more often.

Tomato Growing Secret 9: Water down low

Tomatoes will be much happier if you can water them without getting their leaves wet.

You can do this by hand if you use a watering wand and water at the base of the plant.

One of the most efficient options, though, is to use a soaker hose or an irrigation system like the DIG drip irrigation system (check out these starter sets at Home Depot and order for in-store or curbside pickup!)

Many soaker hoses contain lead, though, so be sure to look for a soaker hose that specifically advertises that it is lead free like the Soaker Pro hoses at Home Depot.

Regardless of your method, like most plants, it's ideal to water tomatoes in the morning or evening to improve the soil's ability to absorb water and reduce how much water is lost to evaporation.

Tomato Growing Secret 10: Build a good support system

After years of experimenting with different kinds and sizes of tomato cages, home built supports, the "Florida weave" method, and many many failures, I have figured out the best tomato support system ever.

This is a diagram of the tomato support system I now use. It is AMAZING:

I used 2 x 2 lumber pieces, and buried them about 18" underground and spaced them about 6-7 feet apart (exact spacing determined by how far another piece would reach for cross-bracing).

I used extra pieces to make cross braces (bolting them in place).

Then I added nails about 6 inches apart going up the length of the vertical supports and strung string tightly between them.

The string is nice because you cut the whole thing down at the end of the season and compost the string and plants all together.

Plant your tomatoes along the string line and as they grow, you weave them in and out of the string, tying individual branches to the string as needed.

This method not only works brilliantly but the support can be used for multiple planting seasons (I can't say the same for tomato cages)

You don't have to use my support technique, but you do need to have a support technique - I just happen to think mine is a combination the most durable and cost-effective way to do it.

TOMATO TRELLIS UPDATE 2024:

While I had used the support described above for many years, we have a new system we are using for our tomatoes that is even more sturdy and robust than the above system. I show it off an describe how I made it on TikTok here:

@creativegreenliving Need an awesome tomato support? Our tomato support wall made with basic lumber and twine netting is a great alternative to cattle panels and is compostable at the end of the season, too! #gardenproject #gardendiy #compostable #garden #gardening #gardentok #gardenhacks #leadsafemama #tomatogarden #gardentomatos #raisedbed #squarefootgardening #squarefootgarden #tomatosupport ♬ Happy Up Beat (Medium) - TimTaj

Tomato Growing Secret 11: Thin tomato plants aggressively

The first time I asked my stepmom (a champion gardener herself) to come help me thin my tomatoes, she thought I was insane and probably going to kill my plants once she saw how much of the plant I was taking off.

I tell you that to assure you that this will feel insane when you are doing it, but you just need to trust me.

Once my tomato plants are about 3 feet tall, I thin them by removing any suckers (those thin, diagonal growing stems that pop up between the main stem and the branches) and any leafy branches that do not have either flowers or tomatoes coming off of them.

When you thin this way, you can end up going from a bushy plant to a really sparse looking one pretty quickly - and that's OK!

Your plant will look sad but it is NOT sad.

Tomato plants do better when they have lots of good air circulation around the branches and fruit.

Thinning also helps keep the plant more efficient so that nutrients go to boosting tomato production instead of bushy leaves that you can't eat.

After the initial prune, you should plan to either have a once-a-month aggressive pruning session or just take a little time every week to stay on top of it so it doesn't turn into a huge task.

Tomato Growing Secret 12: Boost again with epsom salt and compost tea during the growing season

Hopefully you used eggshells and epsom salt (remember: not table salt!) when you planted your tomatoes the first time.

Later in the season - about six weeks after you planted your tomato starts in the ground, go back and sprinkle about 1 Tbsp of epsom salt around the base of each plant, scratching it into the soil and watering well.

I also water with worm tea that I collected from my vermicomposter at about this time. Don't have a vermicomposter? You can buy worm tea on Amazon (get worm tea on Amazon here), at Home Depot (buy worm tea concentrate at Home Depot here)

I hope these tips and FAQ answers help you on your journey to growing bigger, better, and more tomatoes!

If you have a tomato growing question I didn't answer, please ask me in the comments or on TikTok!

I'll do my best to answer and update this article as needed, too!

About the Author:

Carissa is a green lifestyle advocate and mom of two creative boys. Her goal is to empower families to make easy projects and healthier choices that are beautiful and

The owner and lead writer at Creative Green Living, she is an award-winning blogger and most recently won the ShiftCon Media "Best Green Lifestyle Blogger" award in 2019.

Her projects have been featured in magazines like Kids Crafts 1-2-3, Capper's Farmer and Urban Farm Magazine. Follow her on TikTok, Pinterest, Instagram, or join the Creative Green Living Community Group on Facebook.

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A Beginner's Guide to Raising Chickens - Everything you need to know about taking care of baby chicks

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 06:23:00 +0000

Raising chickens by starting with baby chicks at home or in your backyard is a wonderful and adorable way to start your first time chicken keeping adventure.

Raising baby chicks isn't hard and with just a little help, even your kids could take the lead in caring for your new fluffy baby chicks.

Being a chicken keeper can be a rewarding experience as chickens are funny as well as useful for eggs or meat (or both!).

If you want to keep your own chicken flock, this practical advice on raising baby chicks will get you off to the right start!

Robots are great at a lot of things - but not writing useful chicken keeping articles. This article was written by an actual human who is a chicken expert with many years of experience doing hands-on chicken keeping - not by AI, ChatGPT or any other kind of robot.

Where to get baby chicks

Baby chickens are called chicks. You can get day-old chicks from a few different places.

You can buy them at farm supply stores. You can also order them directly through hatcheries and get them in the mail.

Sometimes you can find them from local farmers or even on Craigslist (Facebook Marketplace does not allow buying or selling of animals so finding chickens there is not impossible but trickier!).

Each source for baby chicks comes with it its own positives and negatives, but my preferred method so far has been to get them at my local farm supply store or from other local chicken keepers.

Doing that allows me to get the breeds I want and the store handles the critical timing of pick up and making sure the chicks get their first electrolytes.

I've also ordered chicks and received them via US Mail and it was a lot of fun to pick up a cheeping box at the post office too.

If you do this, it is absolutely critical that you be home to collect your chicks first thing in the morning so you can get them out of the box and into the brooder right away. If you can’t make that scheduling commitment, a farm store or local breeder might be a better choice.

How Many Chickens Should I Start With? What Number of Chickens Do I Need?

Chickens are social animals so it is imperative that you buy multiples.

When purchasing baby chicks, I round up when buying so I end up with the number of birds I need.

For every 10 chicks I buy, I assume one might die due to health problems or mishandling.

If I am buying sexed chicks ("sexed" means the hatchery did their best to determine if the chicks were male or female) for egg production - meaning I want only females - I assume the hatchery got it wrong about 20% of the time.

If you buy straight-run chicks, about half will be female and half male (straight run means you get what hatched with no attempt at sexing)

So from a batch of 10 sexed chicks, I plan to end up with about 7 pullets that will be able to lay eggs.

From a batch of 10 straight-run chicks, I estimate getting about 4-5 pullets for egg laying and 4-5 roosters.

If you want to eat fresh eggs every day and have some extra to give away, I find that 3 chickens per family member is a good approximate estimate to aim for.

What Are the Stages Baby Chicks Go Through?

Baby chicks sure grow fast! Watch for these fun changes as your baby chicks grow!

Weeks 1-4: Baby Chick Stage

During the first four weeks, baby chicks will start to grow from tiny balls of fluff to large balls of fluff.

Weeks 5-12: Awkward Teen Phase

Your chicks will start to grow feathers, usually in awkward patches.

As they get used to maneuvering in their growing bodies and practicing chicken skills like pecking and dust bathing they will start to resemble small versions of adult chickens.

Weeks 13-30: Egg-citement

Once your pullets have all their feathers and have started living outside, it's easy to start asking yourself "where are my fresh eggs?! Signs your chickens are getting ready to start laying include:

Their comb and wattles turning a darker shade of red
Squatting when you coming near them
Hiding in the nesting boxes or dark corners of the coop

What is a Brooder for?

A brooder is a safe place to raise your chickens for their first few weeks of life until they are ready to move outside into a standard chicken coop and chicken run.

A brooder is a box or bin where the chicks will be safe and warm. They need a lot of heat until either the weather is hot, or they’ve lost their chick down and grown their feathers (usually around 6 weeks of age).

They will also need free access to chicken food and clean water

You’ll need the supplies listed below to set up a safe brooder.

Supplies Needed for a Baby Chick Brooder

Some of the links below may be affiliate links where a purchase made after clicking will support this website without costing you extra!

Baby chicks
Some sort of box or bin: wooden or even a plastic tote can work.
A cardboard box is NOT a good choice as it will absorb moisture, fall apart and stink.
Bedding: pine shavings or compressed sawdust pellets work best but shredded paper is also an option.
Thermometer (this is the one Carissa uses)
Waterer (and fresh water)
Feeder (and chicken starter feed)
Small dish to hold chick grit
Chick grit
Heat Plate
(while a Heat Lamp + Infrared Bulb was the standard for a long time, heat plates have replaced them as a much safer option. Thousands of homes catch fire every year due to heat lamps! Be safe! Use a heat plate)
Wire lid (optional but will come in handy if you don’t want your chicks flying the coop, so to speak)
If you order your chicks through the mail, you will also need electrolytes to help them survive shock. If you pick them up from a store or farmer, you might not need them, though electrolytes are good to have on hand.

How to Set up a Brooder for Baby Chicks

Make sure your brooder box is big enough for the number of chicks you ordered, plus your feeder and water.

Your chicks don’t want to be cramped! They need room to move around.

Sadly, chicks can be trampled by each other if they're over-crowded. Plus your chicks will only get bigger as their grow - a bigger brooder is always better!

I also recommend that you keep the brooder box in your house or garage in the beginning so you can keep a better eye on them and replenish their fresh water as needed.

Lay a nice cozy layer of pine shavings or bedding on the floor of the brooder. You should plan to clean out your brooder bedding twice a week (or as needed) to keep the brooder box smelling fresh and prevent illness in your baby chicks.

To clean your brooder box, simply move all the chicks to a different box (maybe the box they came in) scoop out the wood shavings, and add in fresh.

Add your heat plate or other heat source. As mentioned above, heat plates are the safest option for both you and your chicks.

Heat lamps are an outdated method of warming chicks in brooders. Unfortunately, heat lamps are responsible for many house and barn fires every year. These are no longer a recommended method of keeping chicks warm - be safe and use a heating plate!

Set your water dispenser on the opposite side of the brooder from the heat source. To keep shavings out of it, I like to elevate it on a brick or an upside down short plastic tub from the recycling bin.

Finally add your feeder. Your feeder should be filled with chick food.

How Long Do Baby Chicks Need a Heat Lamp or Other Heat Source?

Baby chicks will need supplemental heat for about six weeks after hatching. If you live in a very warm climate, you may be able to stop using supplemental heat sooner.

Follow the guide below regarding how warm to keep your chicks:

How Warm Do Baby Chicks Need to Be?

The brooder needs to stay very warm while the chicks are growing their feathers.

In the first week, the temperature needs to be between 90-95 degrees.

Starting in Week 2, reduce the heat by 5 degrees each week.

Week 1 – 90-95 degrees Fahrenheit
Week 2 – 85-90 degrees Fahrenheit
Week 3 – 80-85 degrees Fahrenheit
Week 4 – 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit
Week 5 – 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit
Week 6 - They shouldn’t need any additional heat beyond 70 degrees, but if your chicks look cold reduce the heat to 65 degrees in Week 6.

Don’t get anxious over these temperatures.

While you definitely want to make sure your babies are warm enough the first week, they’ll let you know if they are too hot or too cold by their actions.

If they’re huddled together and chirping a lot, they’re too cold.

If they’re spread out and avoiding the heat source, they might be too hot.

When they spend most of their time away from the heat source, it might be time to raise it up or even take it away altogether.

A good way to set up your brooder is to put the heat plate on one side of the brooder (instead of in the middle) and your food and water on the other side.

That way the chicks can be as close or far from the heat as needed and they can regulate their own temperatures!

Heat Plates vs Heat Lamps for Raising Baby Chicks

The safest way to keep your baby chicks warm is a heat plate.

Heat plates are the agricultural industry’s answer to the very real dangers that heat lamps have posed to both humans and chickens the entirety of their use.

Every year, thousands of homes and sheds burn to the ground in fires started by heat lamps.

BECAUSE the brooder needs to be very warm, the heat lamp bulbs are very hot.

If a very hot bulb gets knocked into the pine shavings or paper shreds it can and will catch fire.

Heat lamps were the standard way to raise chicks for many decades simply because there weren’t other options! As technology has evolved, heat plates are now the simplest and safest way to keep your new babies warm.

What Age Do Chicks Go Outside?

While chicks can go outside on short, supervised field trips on sunny days, you should plan on them living in the brooder for a minimum of six weeks.

Depending on how predator proof your coop is and how warm the outside temperatures are in your area, you may need to plan to keep them in the brooder (at least overnight) until up to 12 weeks old.

When Can Baby Chicks Stay Outside at Night?

Generally, baby chicks need to have all or most of their feathers before they are ready to spend the night outside. Young chicks should not begin sleeping outside in the winter when it is very cold.

They should be given a draft free coop with plenty of roosting bar space that allows them to huddle together for warmth if needed.

Food & Water Requirements for Baby Chicks

As a new chick mama or papa, it’s your job to make sure your baby chicks have access to food and water at all times.

You’ll want to feed them an organic chick starter feed for the first eight weeks.

You can get it from a local farm supply store or feed store. For ultimate convenience, you can even buy it with free delivery via Amazon Prime! (Click here to Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial)

In addition to food, chickens of all sizes need grit, or tiny rock chips they use to help them digest their food.

Chickens don't have teeth so they use tiny rocks pieces (AKA grit) to help them grind up their food.

Once they move outside, they can often dig their own rocks out of your yard but in the brooder you will need to provide them with chick grit.

Place chick grit in a small container separate from their food.

They are likely to kick this dish over and that's ok. Just keep adding more to the dish as needed.

Chicks also need constant access to water.

A chick waterer like this attached to a mason jar is really easy to clean.

Keep it elevated about their bedding on a brick or short food container from your recycling bin to reduce how many shavings get kicked into it. Just make sure the chicks can reach it.

Teach your chicks where their water is by dipping each chick’s beak in the water as you place them in the brooder.

You might have to fill their water dish several times a day as they get bigger (despite the brick, they are likely to still kick bedding into it while scratching around in the brooder).

It’s also important to use a waterer specifically for chicks as they can drown if their water is too deep or in an inappropriate container.

What Do You Feed Baby Chicks?

Brand new baby chicks will need chick starter feed for the first eight weeks.

After eight-ish weeks (or once you finish the bag after the eight week mark), change to grower feed. Feed grower feed until they are about 20 weeks old (or until you finish the bag) and then change to layer feed.

Some brands offer "starter/grower". If you are using a brand that offers starter/grower, feed the starter/grower until they are about 20 weeks old. If you are raising laying hens, switch to a layer feed.

Around 20 weeks of age, you should also offered a calcium source such as oyster shells along with their food (you can buy oyster shell flakes at a farm store or online)

Do I Need Medicated Food for My Chicks?

Medicated chick starter contains medication designed to reduce the risk of contracting coccidiosis (sometimes called cocci), an infection deadly to chickens caused by the coccidia protozoa.

Chickens are most at risk for coccidiosis when:

They are kept in crowded or unclean conditions as it is spread by droppings
Your flock has had coccidiosis in the past as the coccidia parasite can continue living in the soil of your run or pen
They are not vaccinated against coccidia

It is fairly common for hatchery chicks to be vaccinated against coccidia. If they have been vaccinated, you do NOT need medicated feed.

In fact, the medicated feed could cancel out the effectiveness of the vaccine. So don’t try to double up on protective measures!

If you have a history of coccidiosis in your flock, your chicks should either be vaccinated against coccidia or fed a medicated feed for the first 8 weeks of life (pick one! Not both!).

It’s important to note that medicated feed is preventative only and is NOT a treatment for coccidiosis. If your chicks develop coccidiosis, it is important to treat them immediately with Corrid or follow the advice of your veterinarian.

Medicated chick feed is not organic. So if you are committed to raising organic poultry, skip the medicated feed and stick to an organic chick starter feed instead.

If you don’t care about organic, you don’t have a history of coccidiosis, your chicks are unvaccinated for coccidia, and you’re raising a small batch (50 or fewer) chicks you could go either way.

Here are some things to keep in mind based on what you choose:

If you choose medicated feed:

Feed your chicks medicated feed for 6-8 weeks (if you go a little longer while they finish the bag of feed, that’s fine)
After 6-8 weeks switch to an unmedicated chick starter feed or a starter/grower feed.
If you are raising laying hens, around 20ish weeks, switch to a “layena” or layer feed and add supplemental oyster shell flakes.

If you choose organic or unmedicated chick starter feed

Be especially diligent about brooder cleanliness: don’t allow droppings to pile up, clean out the bedding once or twice a week, clean any droppings or bedding out of their feeder and waterer as needed throughout the day.
Between 8-12 weeks of age (this is an appropriate age - it’s ok to round up or down based on when they finish the bag of starter), if their feed is not a “starter/grower” switch them to either an unmedicated starter/grower or a grower feed
If you are raising laying hens, around 20ish weeks, switch to a “layena” or layer feed

Additional Resources & Books on Chicken Raising

Best book about chicken keeping if you want pet chickens or chickens for eggs

Carissa's book, Proven Techniques for Keeping Healthy Chickens is now available!

Buy it online from Amazon or get a signed copy here.

You can also find it in most Tractor Supply stores nationwide.

Best book for information about raising chickens for meat

Michelle has written a companion guide to Carissa's book about egg layers, specifically for those interested in raising meat birds called How to Raise Chickens for Meat!

Buy it online from Amazon.

You can also find it in most Tractor Supply stores nationwide.

Best book for a beginners who want to hatch their own eggs

Lisa Steele's book Let's Hatch Chicks!: Explore the Wonderful World of Chickens and Eggs is a children's book about the process of growing and raising chickens from eggs. While it's written in a way kids can understand, it's also very helpful for adults hatching chicks!

Buy Let's Hatch Chicks on Amazon

That's it! Enjoy your chicks!

Need to integrate new babies into your current flock?

Read this next (or pin it to save for next year!):
How to Safely Integrate New Chicks into an Existing Flock

About the Authors:

Carissa lives in the Pacific Northwest with a house full of boys and a yard full of chickens. Her projects have been featured in magazines like Capper's Farmer, Reader’s Digest and Urban Farm Magazine.

She is also the author of Proven Techniques for Keeping Healthy Chickens (Skyhorse, 2018), Beautiful Smoothie Bowls (Skyhorse, 2017) and The Little Green Book of Mothers’ Wisdom (Skyhorse, 2020).

Michelle is a busy work-at-home mom of four unruly farm kids. She lives on 5 acres in rural Eastern Iowa with her family and menagerie of animals: more chickens than she can count, 2 Great Pyrenees, cats, rabbits, and more.

Michelle runs the lifestyle blog Simplify, Live, Love where she encourages people to embrace simple and green living and enjoy their kids. She shares farm-to-table recipes and gardening tips, but also loves traveling outside Iowa. You can find her on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.

How to Make a Daisy Flower Crown with Real Flowers

noreply@blogger.com (Author: Carissa Burk) — Sun, 23 Feb 2025 01:44:00 +0000

One of my favorite spring and summer activities as a child was making flower crowns from wildflowers, dandelions and the daisy "weeds" that sprout up around March or April and keep blooming through the summer.

Robots are great at a lot of things - but not writing craft tutorials that actually work. This article was written by a human with decades of experience making daisy crowns - not by AI, ChatGPT or any other kind of robot.

These easy daisy chain crowns made from real flowers are easy to make and if you can braid, you can totally make one!

Once you've got it mastered, you can also use this same real flower braiding technique to make flower bracelets as well.

This technique is great to teach to kids because you don't need any special materials to make a real flower crown - it's made with just flowers!

You can use this same technique to make real flower crowns with all kinds of flowers.

I like the small wild daisies that grow in fields best but you can also use larger daisies, dandelions or any soft stemmed flower or greenery. Just about any flowers with a flexible stem will work to make a braided daisy chain crown or bracelet with!

Looking for more screen-free activities for kids?

Whether you want nature-inspired craft ideas or ways to keep kids entertained without screens, I have lots of articles you might enjoy!

Check out these great ideas:

How to Make a Daisy Chain Flower Crown with Real Flowers

Daisy Chain Flower Crown Supplies:

Wildflowers - daisies, dandelions or any soft stemmed flower works
(pick them with the longest stems possible)
Scissors if desired (I often just rip the stems with my hands if they are thin enough)

How to Make a Flower Crown with a Braided Daisy Chain Directions:

Daisy Chain Step 1: Pick the flowers

Pick an assortment of flowers with soft flexible stems.

My favorite flowers to use are the daisies that grow among the grass in fields.

Dandelions, clover or any (non-endangered) soft-stemmed wildflower with a flexible stem will work.

Pick the stems as long as you can.

Daisy Chain Step 2: Braid

Choose three flowers with longer stems and cross their stems over each other as shown.

Braid the stems together by taking the stem from the outside right and placing it between the other two. Then take the stem from the outside left and placing it over the other two.

This is the same as a standard three-strand braid.

If you don't know how to braid already, this is a very helpful YouTube video showing how to do a 3 strand braid.

Continue in this fashion for about an inch (or the width of a flower head, add a flower by laying a flower so the stem rests on top of the center stem.

Keep braiding, holding the new flower stem together with the center stem.

Continue braiding until you've gone about the width of a flower head.

Then add another flower as you did above. Continue this way until the chain is the desired size.

This is what the back of your flower crown will look like:

If you are using small daisies like the kind that grow in fields, it might look more like this:

Daisy Chain Step 3: Finish

Once your chain is the desired length, braid the remaining ends and then tuck them in near the start to make a crown (or bracelet! or necklace!).

If you are having a hard time getting the end to stay tucked, you could tie it with a piece of thread if desired. (I usually have pretty good luck just tucking it back in!)

This lets you work your daisy chain until it's the perfect length for whatever you are making.

Daisy Chain Step 4: Wear

Enjoy wearing your pretty daisy crown!

That's it!

Boys can even enjoy flower crowns, too!

This is my son wearing a crown he asked me to make him from field daisies and a dandelion.

It could also be fun to follow the same technique I show for flowers using ferns or other leafy vegetation.

If you love this braided daisy chain flower crown tutorial, be sure to pin it to save it for later!

PRINTABLE FLOWER CROWN DIRECTIONS

How to Make a Flower Crown with Real Flowers

Yield: 1 daisy chain crown, necklace or bracelet

Author: Carissa Bonham

Estimated cost: $0

prep time: 20 Mperform time: 15 Mtotal time: 35 M

Learn how to braid flower stems together to create an easy daisy chain that is perfect for wearing as a flower crown, necklace or bracelet. This step by step tutorial doesn't require any fancy materials - just flowers!

materials:

Wildflowers

tools:

Scissors

steps:

Pick an assortment of flowers with soft flexible stems. My favorite flowers to use are the daisies that grow among the grass in fields. Pick the stems as long as you can.
Choose three flowers with longer stems and cross their stems over each other. Braid the stems together by taking the stem from the outside right and placing it between the other two. Then take the stem from the outside left and placing it over the other two. Continue in this fashion for about an inch.
Once you've braided about an inch (or the width of a flower head), add a flower by laying a flower so the stem rests on top of the center stem.
Continue braiding until you've gone about the width of a flower head, than add a flower as you did above. Continue this way until the chain is the desired size.
Once your chain is the desired length, braid the remaining ends and then tuck them in near the starter head to make a crown (or bracelet! or necklace!).

https://www.creativegreenliving.com/2013/07/how-to-make-daisy-chain-flower-crown.html

Did you make this project?

Tag @creativegreenliving on instagram and hashtag it #creativegreenliving

flower crown, daisy chain, how to make a daisy chain, how to make a flower crown, flower crown headband, flower crown braid, flower crown with just flowers, flower bracelet with real flowers, how to tie flowers together

Created using Craft Card Maker

About the Author:

Carissa Bonham is a lifelong crafter and mom of two creative boys. Her goal is to empower families to make easy projects and healthier choices that are beautiful and

The owner and lead writer at Creative Green Living, she is an award-winning blogger and most recently won the ShiftCon Media "Best Green Lifestyle Blogger" award in 2019.

Her projects have been featured in magazines like Kids Crafts 1-2-3, Capper's Farmer and Urban Farm Magazine. Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter or join the Creative Green Living Tribe.

Do you like this post? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter!

When you subscribe you can download our FREE Recycled Crafts E-book!

This article was originally published in 2013. The photos were updated in July 2020.

How to Use Old Jeans to Make a Cute Valentine Garland

noreply@blogger.com (Author: Carissa Burk) — Sat, 25 Jan 2025 04:48:00 +0000

Declutter for the new year by finding a fresh use for old jeans and decorate for Valentine's Day at the same time with this clever upcycled denim jeans heart garland!

This denim upcycling project took me about 1.5 hours to make (photographing in the middle slows things down a little). If you are already good at sewing, it might take you an hour.

This is an easy to moderate craft and could certainly be done all by hand if you do not have a sewing machine.

You can fill the little pockets on the garland with love notes, hearts or even candy kind of like an advent calendar.

In addition to Valentine's Day decor, this cute DIY heart garland could also be used for birthdays (fill the pockets with encouraging notes for the birthday boy or girl!) or Mother's Day.

How fun would it be to set up a cute heart garland like this at a birthday party and have the guests each write something nice for the birthday person and fill the pockets with love notes from friends?

Looking for more ways to use old jeans?

Get more ideas for ways to use old or worn-out jeans with these clever projects:

How to make a cute apron from recycled jeans
Recycled denim play crown (with free printable pattern!)
How to make patches from old jeans
How to make a DIY skirt out of jeans (works for any size!)

DIY Valentine's Day Decor Craft:
How to Make a Cute Heart Garland from Old Jeans

Recycled Valentine's Day Heart Garland Supplies:

Some of the links below may be affiliate links where a purchase made after clicking will support this website without costing you extra!

For this project I used the following but the supplies are flexible. You could use any type of older clothing or fabric and still have a super cute finished garland!

1 pair of old jeans.I used a pair of kids size 5 jeans that had holes in the knees. I chose to avoid the holes and cut around them, but you could certainly include them if you wanted to.
About 4 yards of yarn, cord or trim to sew and string the hearts onto.I used one long piece of a pink fluffy yarn and folded it in half to have a natural loop on one end to make it easier to hang.
Thread in your preferred color.I used a dark pink here.
Stuffing for the hearts.In a pinch, you could use a small package of wool stuffing. To keep with the reuse theme, ideas for recycled fillings include:
* Stuffing from old or worn-out pillows
* Fabric scraps (even scraps from the jeans you use!)
* Ribbon or string scraps
* Single-use plastic shopping bags
* Dryer lint
Heart shaped cookie cutter
This will help you get uniform shapes (this makes sewing them together much easier)!
Pen
Scissors
Sewing machine
Large sewing needle
Optional: An additional 4 yards of a different trim.I used a thin bakers twine that had silver and gold wrapped in it to go along with the pink yarn, but this can easily be skipped.

Pro tips to help you master this project!

Tip 1: Work in Batches

Once deciding on the size and overall look I was going for I cut, sewed, filled and closed the hearts all in batches vs fully completing one at a time to help speed the process up.

Tip 2: Clean up Extra Fabric

As you work, cut away the excess fabric from the back sides of the hearts, for example, around the waistband, seams, etc. This will keep your hearts from getting too heavy and make it less likely you will break your sewing machine needles.

Tip 3: Watch for Metal!

Be mindful of where the metal brads are on pants and be careful not to put that part in the sewing zone as it could break your needle and possibly hurt someone.

Tip 4: Decide if you want functional pockets

If the fabric you’re using has pockets, be sure to think about if they will be functioning or not. I plan to put little notes in these pockets so I planned my heart cut outs accordingly

Tip 5: Work neat

Trim your threads as you go and again once finished.

Directions

Recycled Jeans Heart Garland Step 1:

Trace the hearts onto the pants, I did this ONE heart at a time to ensure there was plenty of flexibility if needed.

The area around the pockets was my favorite, but also the more challenging zone so if you are working with a smaller pair or pants (like kids pants), you may want to start with the lower legs and work your way up there.

I also think it's fun to have the seams running different ways through the hearts but you do it how you like it!

Recycled Jeans Heart Garland Step 2:

Once the hearts are cut out, pair them all together thinking about what would be a front and back.

Recycled Jeans Heart Garland Step 3:

Set your sewing machine to a wide zig zag setting.

Carefully sew almost all the way around, leave about 1 inch to be able to fill the hearts. Repeat with all of the hearts.

Recycled Jeans Heart Garland Step 4:

Once you have sewn all the heart, stuff them with what you are using for filling.

Make sure to get the filling into all areas evenly.

Recycled Jeans Heart Garland Step 5:

Hand sew the openings closed and tie off in a knot at both ends.

Recycled Jeans Heart Garland Step 6:

Lay out the hearts and decide if you would like a pattern or not. Then use the zig zag stitch again to sew the hearts (at the top outer corners of the hearts) to the yarn.

I used the size of my four fingers across to help evenly space the hearts from one another along the length of the yarn.

Recycled Jeans Heart Garland Step 7:

Make a loop at both ends of the yarn to help be able to easily hang the garland.

Modification for hand sewing:

If you don't own or want to use your sewing machine, simply use a large, sharp needle and embroidery thread and do a single hand stitch almost all the way around the heart, pause to fill the heart, and then keep sewing it closed.

(do not cut the thread before filling, that will save you time and supplies)

Modification for no-sew version:

Hate sewing? Don't feel like using a needle and thread? You could also do this project with hot glue!

Cut out the pieces as instructed. Then run a thin line of hot glue around most of the border of one heart (leave about a 1-2 inch gap) before laying a second heart on top.

Allow the glue to completely set before stuffing each heart and then using glue to close.

That's it!

If you love this recycled jeans project, be sure to pin it to save it for later!

PRINTABLE VALENTINE GARLAND DIRECTIONS

Valentine Garland from Old Jeans

Yield: 1 garland

Author: Carissa Bonham

Estimated cost: $0

prep time: 30 Mperform time: 30 Mtotal time: 60 M

Transform old jeans into an adorable valentine's day garland with this easy tutorial! Includes non-sew modification options as well.

materials:

1 old pair of jeans
About 4 yards of yarn, cord or trim
Thread
Stuffing

tools:

Heart shaped cookie cutter
Pen
Scissors
Sewing machine
Large sewing needle

steps:

Trace the hearts onto the pants.
Cut out heart shapes (you will need an even number!)
Once the hearts are cut out, pair them all together thinking about what would be a front and back.
Carefully sew almost all the way around the edge of the hearts with a wide zig zag stitch, leaving about 1 inch to be able to fill the hearts. Repeat with all of the hearts.
Once you have sewn all the heart, stuff them with what you are using for filling.
Hand sew the openings closed and tie off in a knot at both ends.
Use a zig zag stitch to sew the stuffed hearts onto the string or yarn.
Make a loop at both ends of the yarn to help be able to easily hang the garland.

Hand Sewing Modification

If you don't own or want to use your sewing machine, simply use a large, sharp needle and embroidery thread and do a single hand stitch almost all the way around the heart, pause to fill the heart, and then keep sewing it closed.
(do not cut the thread before filling, that will save you time and supplies)

No-Sew Modification

Cut out the pieces as instructed.
Run a thin line of hot glue around most of the border of one heart (leave about a 1-2 inch gap) before laying a second heart on top.
Allow the glue to completely set before stuffing each heart and then using glue to close.

About Carissa:

Carissa Bonham is a lifelong crafter and mom of two creative boys. Her goal is to empower families to make easy projects and healthier choices that are beautiful and delicious!

The owner and lead writer at Creative Green Living, she is an award winning blogger and most recently won the ShiftCon Media "Best Green Lifestyle Blogger" award in 2019.

She is also the author of several books including Beautiful Smoothie Bowls (Skyhorse, 2017), Proven Techniques for Keeping Healthy Chickens (Skyhorse, 2018) and The Little Green Book of Mothers' Wisdom (Skyhorse, 2020).

Her projects have been featured in magazines like Kids Crafts 1-2-3, Capper's Farmer and Urban Farm Magazine. Follow her on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter or join the Creative Green Living Tribe.

Do you like this post? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter!

When you subscribe you can download our FREE Recycled Crafts E-book!

The Non-Toxic Way I Killed All My Grass (On Purpose!)

noreply@blogger.com (Author: Carissa Burk) — Sat, 25 Jan 2025 04:47:00 +0000

Most people don't set out to kill their grass. I, on the other hand, was on a mission.

Our neighborhood doesn't have much in the way of sunshine because the houses are built so close together. As a result, I grow things in a community garden plot so I can keep the fresh veggies coming all summer!

For the last two years, I've been growing in a community garden was about 4.5 miles from my house and up a HUGE hill - which I would ride with my 3 year old in a bike trailer. My city recently finished building a new community garden that is a lot closer to my house - close enough that I can walk to it. Which is perfect since new babies can't go in bike trailers and I'll be having one of those pretty much any day now!

The location was great. The price was great.

There was only one problem: GRASS

The city had built raised bed quadrant plots for us, filled them with good quality dirt and then over the winter grass took hold. And not like grass here and there. Like, a rich, thickly rooted lawn grew on top of the raised beds over the winter. When I was ready to start gardening in April, I was faced with a 20' x 20' plot of this:

YIKES!

My friends in the plot next to mine painstakingly flipped their 20 x 20 plot shovelful by shovelful to turn the grass under. Being 8 months pregnant, however, I was NOT interested in so much back breaking labor - and really felt like it wasn't fair to ask my husband to take on such a big task on his own. Especially since I wasn't sure I'd even do that much labor without being pregnant.

After some research I developed a great plan to destroy the grass in my plot without chemicals and without a lot of backbreaking labor.

Here is what my plot looked like 4 weeks later:

Beautiful black dirt with just a couple plants to pop out here and there. And it was EASY! Let me show you what I did...

How to Kill Grass the Non-Toxic Way

Supplies

LARGE pieces of cardboard - check at mattress and appliance stores.
Hose and spray nozzle or sprinkler
Rocks or water filled jugs to help weigh everything down

Directions

Step 1: Cut the grass short

You can leave the clippings on top of the plot - no need to rake or bag it up. The goal is to get the grass short so the cardboard is less likely to "float" on top of tall tufts.

Step 2: Soak it

Get your hose and drench that sucker! Or turn on your sprinkler and walk away for a while. Make it very very wet.

Step 3: Lay the cardboard out on top

Get large pieces of cardboard and lay them out on top of the grass you want to kill. HUGE pieces do best. I had a few largeish boxes and they were too small. I'm talking ginormous - like boxes for mattresses or refrigerators. Be sure to overlap the edges so no sunlight in sneaking around the sides.

Step 4: Soak and weigh down the cardboard

Get your hose or sprinkler back out and drench your cardboard. This will take a while the first time you do it and your sprinkler (if you have one) will be your best option.

Once your cardboard is absolutely drenched, weight it down in different spots by placing large rocks or empty milk or laundry jugs filled with water on top. This will help keep the corners from blowing up if the cardboard gets dried out.

Step 5: Water the cardboard occasionally

Be sure to pop over to your garden and water your cardboard every day or every other day if it isn't raining. Part of how this method works is by both smothering and blocking light from getting to the grass so keeping it damp and weighed down is critical.

Step 6: Clean it up

After about 3 weeks you can start to check your progress. Pick up a corner and peek underneath to see how the progress is coming along. I ended up leaving my cardboard on for a full month before removing it and it looked AWESOME!

I raked it lightly to get up any dead grass chunks. I also dumped used coffee grounds over the top to use as a mulch (just pop into your local Starbucks and ask for "grounds for your garden" and they will give you a whole trash bag full of used espresso grounds).

So that's my story! Now it's ready for planting!

(Don't forget to pin this post to save it for later!)

Some questions I've been asked about this project:

Some people have been asking me WHY I needed to kill grass to plant a garden. Why not just put dirt on top?

Well, I could have put dirt on top. But in my particular circumstance this seemed silly. First, my city was providing me with free, awesome dirt. Second, buying that much high quality dirt is expensive! Also, because I was not building a raised bed on top of my lawn - where laying cardboard in the bottom and then filling with dirt would have worked awesome - I needed to do something different. I already had a raised bed filled with good dirt - it just had a lawn growing on top of it!

I also heard this a lot: "Just spray a mix of vinegar, soap and salt on the grass to kill it. "

If you are planning to grow anything in the space you are treating, DO NOT DO THIS! I, too, use a non-toxic Round Up alternative to kill weeds (get my recipe here). However, you should never NEVER never use salt to treat weeds in dirt that you want to grow healthy plants in later. It takes forever to wash away (depending on how much you use) and will most likely poison anything you want to grow there in the future.

If you have a question about this process (or why I didn't do something else instead!), let me know in the comments!

About the Author:

Carissa Bonham is a lifelong crafter and mom of two creative boys. The owner and lead writer at Creative Green Living, she won the Craftys Award for the "Best Craft Blogger" category in 2016 and the ShiftCon award for "Best DIY Blogger" in 2018.

Her goal is to empower families to make easy projects and healthier choices that are beautiful and delicious! She is also the author of the hardcover cookbook, Beautiful Smoothie Bowls (Skyhorse, 2017) and Proven Techniques for Keeping Healthy Chickens (Skyhorse, 2018).

Her projects have been featured in magazines like Kids Crafts 1-2-3, Capper's Farmer and Urban Farm Magazine. Follow her on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter or join the Creative Green Living Tribe.

Do you like this post? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter!

When you subscribe you can download our FREE Recycled Crafts E-book!

How to Make a Lettuce Table from Cast Off Furniture

noreply@blogger.com (Author: Carissa Burk) — Sat, 25 Jan 2025 04:45:00 +0000

 If you have a vegetable garden, or even a few pots of edibles, one of the best parts about summer is being able to step out the door and snip or pick fresh produce for meals.

Salads, especially, are one of those staple main or side dishes that are perfect on hot days when you don’t feel like cooking.

Today I have a great guest post for you from Tara Nolan, the author of Raised Bed Revolution.

She is going to teach you how easy it is to turn an old table or desk into a funky cool raised bed for growing your own salad!

Carissa

One of the projects that I knew I wanted to build for Raised Bed Revolution was a salad table.

I’d seen one in a DIY book years earlier and loved the simplicity of building a basic structure for one type of crop.

Lettuces and other greens can grow in a pretty shallow environment, so I though I would search for a set of four funky table legs and then build an easy DIY wooden tray to secure on top of them.

I found sets of two and three legs, but I didn’t realize how hard it would be to find four in the same style.

So, I adjusted my plan and started looking for tables.

I found one with a top that was unattached. I nodded as the antique seller tried to tell me how easy it would be to nail back in place, but I knew I didn’t need that tabletop.

When I got the table home, I tossed it aside and got to work on my salad table.

Supplies

An old table or desk
Measuring tape
Hardware cloth (looks like a very fine chicken wire)
Tin snips or wire cutters
Protective work gloves
Small nails
Hammer
Thin cedar lattice (for this project, I used lattice that is roughly 1.5" wide and 3/8" thick.)
Hand saw or mitre saw (to cut cedar strips)
Screws
Impact driver or screwdriver
Landscape fabric
Lettuce seeds or starts

Some of the links above may be affiliate links where a purchase made after clicking will support this website without costing you extra!

Directions

STEP 1: Create the Base

Remove the top flat part of the table, leaving the decorative sides in place.

Flip the table upside down and place it on a workbench.

With gloves on (to protect from all the sharp edges), measure out the hardware cloth and use wire cutters or tin snips to cut it to size to cover the bottom part of the table top.

 Stretch the hardware cloth over the frame and use small nails to hold it in place. (This might be a two-person job, depending on the size of the table. Just make sure you’re both wearing gloves!)

Measure out your cedar lattice and secure it around the undersides of the table with screws so it covers the edges of the hardware cloth. Depending on the size of your table, you may also want to create a support beam across the middle.

Take a quick peek to ensure there is no hardware cloth peeking out from under the lattice strips. Snip any overhand accordingly.

STEP 2: Plant

Turn the table back over and line the inside of your table with landscape fabric.

Fill your table with soil and plant!

You don’t have to just opt for one type of lettuce. There are so many greens available, from leafy lettuces to Asian varieties, like bok choy, tatsoi and mizuna. Pea and sunflower shoots are also tasty additions, as are various herbs.

My first planting (which is what you see in all the photos) consisted of the following greens:

Radicchio
‘Red Sails’ lettuce
Baby Pak Choy
‘Lolla Rossa Darkness’ lettuce
Tuscan baby leaf kale
‘Red Garnet’ Amaranth

One thing I would recommend if planting from seeds, is staggering your seed planting by a few days so that you have continuous crops.

If you like this project, there are lots more like it!

Check out lots of great raised bed projects that are both big and small in Raised Bed Revolution!

About the Author:

Tara Nolan is a garden writer and editor whose work has appeared in national newspapers and magazines. She is a co-founder, with three other garden writers, of Savvy Gardening and was the award-winning web editor of Canadian Gardening magazine’s website for six years.

Tara has recently written her first gardening book: Raised Bed Revolution (May, 2016). Check out behind-the-scenes sneak peaks and more inspiration and tips on her Facebook page! You can also follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

Do you like this post? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter!

When you subscribe you can download our FREE Recycled Crafts E-book!

Candy Hearts Bath Bomb Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Author: Carissa Burk) — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 04:48:00 +0000

Bath bombs make a perfect gift any time of year but especially at Valentine's Day.

Valentine's Day bath bombs are perfect because it's one of the holidays where we often buy or make small gifts for our friends.

Skip the conversation hearts this year and make your own candy heart inspired bath bombs that smell sweet but are great for your skin.

The combination of Epsom salt and essential oils will help you unwind and relax at the end of a long day as you soak in the tub.

The oil in the bath bombs will nourish your skin and help bring some much-needed moisture after enduring through a dry winter.

Make these to give away with valentines for your kids' classmates, give them to your girlfriends or just enjoy them yourself at home.

Ready to learn how to make bath bombs? Let's do this!

Looking for more homemade bath bomb recipes?

I have more than 17 DIY bath bomb recipes and links to all my favorite bath bomb making supplies here >> Best Bath Bomb Recipes

Candy Heart Valentine's Day Bath Bombs Recipe
Easy Bath Bombs You Can Make at Home for Gifts

Bath Bomb Supplies

Some of the links below may be affiliate links where a purchase made after clicking will support this website without costing you extra!

1/4 cup epsom salt
1/2 cup baking soda
1/4 cup corn starch
1/4 cup citric acid
Micro candy hearts sprinkles
1 Tbsp skin friendly oil like avocado oil, almond oil, jojoba oil or fractionated coconut oil
2 drops lemon essential oil
1 drop vanilla or balsam of peru essential oil
4 drops bergamot essential oil
4 drops lime essential oil
Peach Soap coloring
1-2 Tbsp water
Bath bomb molds (this set is what I use)

A note about essential oils for bath bombs:

Just like store-bought products, it's possible to be allergic to bath products you make at home with essential oils. If you have a known allergy or sensitivity to any of these essential oils or other bath bomb ingredients, don't use them!

There are lots of high quality but expensive essential oils on the market. (ahem, MLMs, I'm looking at you)

I personally purchase most of my essential oils from either Rocky Mountain Oils or Plant Therapy.

Both of these companies do GCMS testing (a type of chemical purity testing) on every batch of oil and freely share that information with consumers. (Neither DoTerra nor Young Living do that!).

Shipping from Rocky Mountain Oils is always free for orders over $25 and they have a great selection of organic essential oils so they are usually my go-to. If RMO doesn't have what I'm looking for, I'll take a look at Plant Therapy - they have some great blends, especially around the holidays.

BATH BOMB DIRECTIONS

How to make bath bombs step 1:

Add epsom salt, baking soda, cornstarch and citric acid into a large bowl.

Mix well with a whisk, making sure to remove any clumps.

How to make bath bombs step 2:

Add 2 Tablespoons of sprinkles and give a quick stir.

How to make bath bombs step 3:

Mix the oil you chose, essential oils and soap color together in a small jar or bowl.

How to make bath bombs step 4:

Very slowly add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and whisk

Add just a few drops at a time, while continuously whisking. If you go too fast or are not whisking while pouring, the mixture will start to fizz and you don’t want that to happen.

How to make bath bombs step 5:

Once all of the liquid has been poured into the dry mixture, mix very well until the color is consistent.

Squeeze a handful of the mixture to see if it will hold its shape.

If the mixture holds its shape, move on to the next step.

If the mixture is still crumbly, add 1/2 teaspoon of water at a time by sprinkling it over the mix and massaging it in. Do the squeeze test again to see if it will hold its shape.

Continue adding water, massaging and testing (add no more than 2 tsp water total) until the mixture will hold its shape when squeezed in your hand.

How to make bath bombs step 6:

Put some of the heart sprinkles into one side of each mold.

How to make bath bombs step 7:

Immediately fill the molds with the mixture, firmly stuffing each side full.

Smash both sides of the mold together and hold firmly for about five seconds.

Carefully remove the bath bombs from the molds and set aside to dry.

Store finished bath bombs in an airtight container.

How to use bath bombs

When you're ready to enjoy your bath bomb, simply add it to warm water in a bath.

Don't worry about the sprinkles. They'll just dissolve.

These DIY bath bombs also make great gifts, stocking stuffers or Easter basket filler - just swap out the sprinkles to be color coordinated to your holiday!

Clear snap-together ornament molds can also be used to shape bath bombs and also make a convenient way to package them and keep them dry until you are ready to use them!

That's it!

If you love this Valentine's Day bath bomb recipe, be sure to pin it to save it for later!

Printable Valentine's Day Bath Bomb Recipe with Sprinkles

Valentine's Day Bath Bombs

Yield: 6

Author: Carissa Bonham

Estimated cost: $10

prep time: 8 Mperform time: 10 Mtotal time: 18 M

These easy Valentine's Day bath bombs smell like candy hearts! Give these as galentines day gifts to your girlfriends, pass them out at school or keep them to enjoy at home.

materials:

1/4 cup epsom salt
1/2 cup baking soda
1/4 cup corn starch
1/4 cup citric acid
Micro candy hearts sprinkles
1 Tbsp skin-friendly oil like avocado oil, almond oil, jojoba oil or fractionated coconut oil
2 drops lemon essential oil
1 drop vanilla or balsam of peru essential oil
4 drops bergamot essential oil
4 drops lime essential oil
Peach Soap coloring
1-2 Tbsp water

tools:

Bowl
Whisk
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Small bowl
Bath bomb molds
Drying rack
Gloves (optional)

steps:

Add epsom salt, baking soda, cornstarch and citric acid into a large bowl. Mix well with a whisk, making sure to remove any clumps.
Add 2 Tablespoons of sprinkles and give a quick stir.
Mix the oil you chose, essential oils and soap color together in a small jar or bowl.
Very slowly add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and whisk while adding it. Add just a few drops at a time, while continuously whisking.
Once all of the liquid has been poured into the dry mixture, mix very well until the color is consistent.
Squeeze a handful of the mixture to see if it will hold its shape. If the mixture holds its shape, move on to the next step. If the mixture is still crumbly, add 1/2 teaspoon of water at a time by sprinkling it over the mix and massaging it in. Do the squeeze test again to see if it will hold its shape. Continue adding water, massaging and testing (add no more than 2 tsp water total) until the mixture will hold its shape when squeezed in your hand.
Put some of the heart sprinkles into one side of each mold.
Immediately fill the molds with the mixture, firmly stuffing each side full. Smash both sides of the mold together and hold firmly for about five seconds.
Carefully remove the bath bombs from the molds and set aside to dry.

LOOKING FOR MORE BATH BOMB RECIPES?

Creative Green Living has the best bath bomb recipes! Learn how to make DIY bath bombs at home with any of these great DIY bath bomb tutorials.

Best Kids Bath Bombs Recipe

This easy bath bomb recipe is super simple and includes the surprise of finding a toy inside! This is the best bath bomb recipe for kids.

DIY Lush Bath Bombs: Bubblegum & Sprinkles Bath Bomb Recipe

This yummy bath bomb recipe features a yummy bubblegum essential oil blend and rainbow sprinkles! It's the best bath bomb recipe for tweens and teens.

How to Make a Relaxing Green Tea Bath Bomb

These easy homemade bath bombs harness the power of green tea to make a relaxing green tea bath with the fun of a bath bomb.

How to Make Black Bath Bombs with Activated Charcoal

Harness the detoxifying power of activated charcoal in a bath bomb. This recipe uses a secret ingredient to make sure that the charcoal stays suspended in your bath water and turns it a silky black color!

Get the full list of all the bath bomb recipes here:

About the Author:

Carissa Bonham is a lifelong crafter and mom of two creative boys who are obsessed with bath bombs.

The owner and lead writer at Creative Green Living, she is an award winning blogger and most recently won the ShiftCon Media "Best Green Lifestyle Blogger" award in 2019.

She is also the author of several books including Beautiful Smoothie Bowls (Skyhorse, 2017), Proven Techniques for Keeping Healthy Chickens (Skyhorse, 2018) and The Little Green Book of Mothers' Wisdom (Skyhorse, 2020).

Her projects have been featured in magazines like Kids Crafts 1-2-3, Capper's Farmer and Urban Farm Magazine. Follow her on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter or join the Creative Green Living Tribe.

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When you subscribe you can download our FREE Recycled Crafts E-book!

How to Get Your Elf on The Shelf to Stop Moving (or get rid of it altogether!)

noreply@blogger.com (Author: Carissa Burk) — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 21:42:00 +0000

Do you totally regret getting your kids an Elf on the Shelf?

Are you trying to figure out how to stop doing messy Elf on the Shelf shennanigans and send your elf packing?

Need to reclaim your time?

This article is for you!

If you've been asking yourself when will this elf on a shelf leave??? pretty much as soon as you've gotten him or her out for the year, you may be experiencing Elf Regret.

It's a real thing.

Don't worry, it happens to the best of us. You heard of elf on a shelf. Maybe the kids' friends have one. You think why not.

You adopt the elf. Take it home. Name it.

Everything is fine and dandy until you realize that now your elf needs to do things.

Which of course means you need to figure out what to make the elf do.

The next thing you know, you find yourself constructing elaborate scenes for your elf.

(which of course, now you also have to clean up)

You're up late in bed Googling "101 elf on the shelf ideas."

You get tired of messy elf mischief and move on to trying to find easy and quick elf on the shelf ideas.

But then you hit the point where you are totally over it and just start wondering when is this elf-ing elf going to leave???

Don't worry. I've got your back.

Mamas have to stick together.

Elf on the Shelf Ideas for People Sick of Their Elf on the Shelf

Strategy 1: Keep elf but it can't move

You're not sure the kids can stand the heartbreak of the elf leaving or just not showing up for the year?

Try one of these clever ideas that will limit your kids' expectations and keep you from having to move the elf every night.

How to get your elf on the shelf to stop moving idea 1:

Kidgredients had this clever solution for keeping the elf but not having the pressure of having to move it every night:

The elf won't move and it will let your kids practice empathy. It's a win all around.

How to get your elf on the shelf to stop moving idea 2:

Amy from Living Locurto has some clever excuses for why your elf may not have moved one night. Most of these are just one night fixes when you need a short break or if you forgot.

One of my favorite ideas from Amy is the "it's too warm in here for the elf" trick:

"Elves live in the North Pole where the temperature is very cold. Often an elf will lose their magic overnight when the temperature gets too warm, or they use up too much energy making something for you." -Amy Locurto from Living Locurto

Although instead of putting him in the freezer for 30-45 minutes, maybe he needs, like, a week long vacation?

Love this idea? Get all 10 of the reasons why your elf on the shelf didn't move.

How to get your elf on the shelf to stop moving idea 3:

One of the rules of Elf on the Shelf is that nobody is supposed to touch the elf.

image from ElfonTheShelf.com "What happens if our Scout elf is accidentally touched?"

If someone ends up touching your elf on the shelf, it can cause it to discharge all its magic. Yikes!

The official Elf on the Shelf website suggests sprinkling some cinnamon near your elf if this happens since cinnamon is like elf vitamins.

This, they say will give him the energy to get back to the North Pole where the elf doctors can fix him or her up.

Of course, this is a very serious problem and it might take weeks for your elf to be fully recovered. In fact, he'll probably start feeling better right about December 23rd.

How to get your elf on the shelf to stop moving idea 4:

The Do It Yourself Divas have a collection of nine great ideas for how to get your elf to stop moving.

Number 8 is probably my favorite: Put your elf up high with a note that he found the best place to keep an eye on everything so he's just going to stay right there until Christmas.

(get all 9 of the ways to make your elf stop moving on the DIY Divas website)

How to get your elf on the shelf to stop moving idea 5:

Oh no, your elf has fallen off of a star and broken his leg and won't be able to move for 2 weeks!

(or 3 weeks! 4 weeks? How much longer til Christmas?)

Today tells a story of one mom whose elf broke his leg and even includes the cute note he wrote to his family (hint: it even encourages the kids to go to bed on time!)

Get the full story about why one mom broke her elf's leg here.

How to get your elf on the shelf to stop moving idea 6:

If your kids are more than about five years old, they're old enough to remember the quarantines and lockdowns that happened at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.

To keep your family extra safe from elf sicknesses, your elf is going to have to quarantine for 2 weeks once he arrives in your home.

You can find this elf quarantine box on Etsy here.

Once your elf is out of quarantine, he might break his leg see idea #5 above.

Or maybe he will climb to the top of the tree and decide that's the best place to stay since he can't risk flying back and forth due to current pandemic travel restrictions see idea #4 above.

Strategy 2: Get the Elf on the Shelf to Leave

If you don't even want to deal with the elf at all, here are some great excuses for why your elf isn't coming this year or has to leave after arriving

Why your elf on the shelf isn't coming back idea 1:

Do your kids love Harry Potter? Have they made it to the part where

(spoiler alert!!)

Harry Potter frees Dobby by giving him a sock?

Tell them you (or someone else) gave Dobby, er, Scout, a sock so now he's a free elf and is probably on vacation somewhere in the Bahamas.

How to get your elf to leave idea 2:

Building on "he has clothes so now he is a free elf" idea, this one involves a little trickery but at least the kids will be involved so they will know how your elf ended up with clothes.

Amazon sells tons of elf on the shelf clothes.

Even better: Etsy sells handcrafted elf on the shelf clothes and accessories.

Decide as a family wouldn't it be so fun to get sparkles a Christmas sweater???

Pop onto your favorite shopping site and pick out the perfect sweater or skirt for your elf and order it.

When it comes, the family can all give it to the elf together.

That night, of course, the elf will disappear and leave a note about how he is so grateful to have been freed of his house elf duties. Thank you so much for the clothes. You're great kids, bla bla bla.

Gone.

If you want, you can really play up the freedom vacation buy getting this super inexpensive downloadable Elf postcard from Austin, Texas based artist Rhyne Simon.

Why your elf on the shelf isn't coming back idea 3:

Nadia from Teach Me Mommy had this story to share about how their elf never came:

"Our Elf got lost in transit-true story! But he will be leaving a letter on the 1st (saying he needs to work at the toys factory at the North pole since he has been promoted) and some goodies for the Advent Calendar, so they won't feel too sad, hopefully..."

Why your elf on the shelf isn't coming back idea 4:

If your kids have grown up and no longer really need the elf, have your elf send them a letter or postcard explaining how they're such well behaved kids that they no longer need the elf to keep and eye on them

Of course, if that's not quite true for your children, there's always reason 5...

Why your elf on the shelf isn't coming back idea 5:

Ok, so maybe your kids aren't angels and they won't believe you for a second if you tell them that the elf isn't coming back because they have been just so well-behaved.

Enter, the Santa spy cam.

Now, I'm personally a little creeped out about normalizing government surveillance but if you aren't, your elf can send a note saying he has been promoted and so Santa will just keep an eye on everything with a Santa spy cam.

There are lots to choose from on Etsy.

Why your elf on the shelf isn't coming back idea 6:

Have your elf send a letter explaining that due to the international pixie dust shortage (you could probably even blame it on the postage worker strike in Canada or pending tariff implementation), Santa doesn't have enough dust to send out all the elves AND make it around the world to bring presents to the boys and girls on Christmas Eve.

Of course he is opting to save that up until Christmas Eve.

He'll just have to trust that you are being good in the meantime.

If you liked this ultimate guide to how to get your elf on the shelf to leave or stop moving, please share!

You know you've got friends who will need this advice!

LOOKING FOR MORE ELF ON THE SHELF IDEAS?

Maybe you're not quite ready to kick your elf to the curb.

Maybe sending him gently into that good night is more your style?

Check out these blog posts from my friends to help send your elf off at the end of the season:

How to Throw an Elf on the Shelf Goodbye Party

from Play Party Plan

How to Say Goodbye to Your Elf on the Shelf

from My Crazy Good Life

About the Author:

Carissa is an award-winning green lifestyle writer and mom of two active boys.

Her goal is to empower families to make healthier, more sustainable choices that are beautiful and delicious!

She is also the author of Beautiful Smoothie Bowls (Skyhorse, 2017), Proven Techniques for Keeping Healthy Chickens (Skyhorse, 2018) and The Little Green Book of Mothers' Wisdom (Skyhorse, 2020).

Follow her on Pinterest, Instagram, BlueSky or join the Creative Green Living Community Group on Facebook.

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300+ of the Best Clever, Funny, and Cute Names for Chickens

noreply@blogger.com (Author: Carissa Burk) — Sun, 15 Sep 2024 07:37:00 +0000

If you have recently acquired new chickens that need names, boy have I got a list of awesome chicken name ideas for you!

Whether you want fun or funny, Disney names or pun names or even food-related names, I have great collection of chicken names ranging from classics to cute punny names. Whatever your style, there are lots of great chicken name options to make you smile!

Below is my ongoing list of more than 300 clever chicken names that will be sure to make you smile or laugh.

Give these chicken names a read - I'm sure the perfect name will be waiting for you here.

If you have a pretty roo that needs a name, never fear! I have quite a sizable list of names perfect for roosters, too!

Finding the perfect chicken name will surely make your feathered friends happy!

If you have a clever name idea and don't see it on the list, leave me a comment! I'm always on the lookout for more great chicken names.

Robots are great at a lot of things - but not writing useful chicken keeping articles. This article was written by an actual human who is a chicken expert with many years of experience doing hands-on chicken keeping - not by AI, ChatGPT or any other kind of robot.

Carissa is the author of the book Proven Techniques for Keeping Healthy Chickens!

Proven Techniques for Keeping Healthy Chickens is one of the best books on the market for beginning chicken keepers. It has 101 short and easy-to-read sections talking about everything from raising baby chicks to fermenting feed, deep litter method and more.

Buy it online from Amazon or get a signed copy here.

You can also find it in most Tractor Supply stores nationwide.

More Than 300 Clever, Fun, Funny and Punny Chicken Name Ideas for both Hens and Roosters

Best Chicken Names that Start With or Include "Hen"

Some of the best chicken names start with or include the word "Hen."

Any of these would be a perfect name for just about any hen or pullet. A lot of these are classic names but some are punny chicken names that play off of common human names, celebrity names or even characters from TV or movies!

Abra-Hen Lincoln
Amy HenHouse
Audrey Hen-burn
Britt-Hen-y Spears
Bruce Henner
Dolly Part-Hen
Ernest Hen-ningway
Goldie Hen
Hen Stefani
Hen-able Peckter
Hen-daya
Henevieve
Hen-gelina JoLee
Hennifer
I think it would be hilarious to have a whole flock full of Hennifers with different last names

Hennifer Anniston
Hennifer Garner
Hennifer Hudson
Hennifer Lawrence
Hennifer Lopez
Hennier Love Hewitt

Henny
Girl version and boy version

Henny from the Block
Henny Penny
Henny Kravitz

Henrietta
Hen-rique Egglesias
Hen Solo
Jimmy Hen-drix
Kamala Hen-Ris
Kylo-Hen
Lindsey LoHen
Liza Hen-eli
Obi Hen Kenobi
Obi-One Hen-obi
Oprah Hen-frey
Pamela Hen-derson
Ruth Bader Hen-sburg
Scarlett Jo-Hen-Sen
Scarlett O'Hen-ra
Sophia LorHen

Chicken Names Inspired by Celebrities

Some of my favorite chicken names are inspired by famous people! Celebrity names are a great starting point for making punny names when you swap out chicken words for portions of similar names.

With almost 80 chicken names inspired by celebrities, you have many options to choose one that matches the personality of your chicken.

Abra-Hen Lincoln
Albert Egg-Stein
Amelia Egghart
Anderson Cooper
Angelina JoPeep
Annie Yolkley
Atilla the Hen
Audrey Henburn
Beak Lively
Ben Allflock
Benedict Featherbatch
Bradley Cooper
Brit-hen-y Spears
Bruce Henner
Cardi Beak
Chick-eel O’Neil
Chicky Minaj
Chick Jagger
Chick-kira
Chick-olas Cage
Chick-ole Kidman
Chickopatra
Chickovsky
Chicktina Eggulara
Cluck Norris
Dolly Part Hen
Dwayne the cock-a-doodle-doo Johnson
Egg Sheeran
Eggbert Einstein
Egginem
Eggy Azalea
Elvis Pecks-ley
Feather Locklear
Garth Bawks
Gloria Eggs-tefan
Goldie Hen
Gweneth Poultry
Heidi Plume
Helena Bonham-Clucker
Hen Stefani
Hen-gelina JoLee
Hennifer Anniston
Hennifer Garner

Hennifer Lawrence
Hennifer Lopez
Hilary Fluff
Jimmy Hendrix
Joan of Bawk
Justin Beaker
Kamala Hen-Ris
Kelly Cluckson
Kurt Roosel
Lindsey Cluckingham
Lindsey LoHen
Liza Henneli
Margaret Hatcher
Martina McBawk
Matthew McCluckahey
Meryl Cheep
Nicholas Caged
Oprah Henfrey
Pamela Henderson
Paul McCluckney
Reba Bawkentire
Rooody Giuliani
Ruth Bader Gins-Bird
Ruth Bader Hensburg
Sandra Bucawk
Sarah McClucklan
Scarlett JoHenSen
Sheryl Crow
Sir Clucks a Lot
Sophia LorHen
Stephen Bawk-ing
Stevie Chicks
Tanya Clucker
Tyra Beaks
Vanna Egg White
Vera Wing
Yolk-o Ono

Funny Chicken Names That Are Just Silly

Some of the best chicken names make you laugh. If you want a funny name that's just plain silly, try one of these:

Alarm Clock
Chicken McChickenChicken
Chirpy McChirpChirp
Clucky Cheese
Dr. Pecker
Fertile Myrtle
KFC
Mother Clucker
Phoenix McFlooferton
Squwaky McBawkBawk
The Grim Peeper
Tyrannosaurus Pecks

Star Wars Inspired Chicken Names

Pop culture is a wonderful place to draw upon to come up with creative chicken names. If you have a Star Wars fan in your home, these are perfect names to use to name your flock:

C3-Peep-O
Chew-Bawk-Bawk
Chew-Bawka
Chew-Clucka
Cluck-Bacca
Darth Layer
Hen Solo
Jabba the Cluck
Kylo-Hen
Luke Sky-Bawker
Luke Sky-Clucker
Millennium Falc-Hen
Obi Hen Kenobi
Obi-one Henobi
Porgy
Princess Lay-a
Princess lay-a-egg
R2-Beak2

Harry Potter Themed Chicken Names

Do you have courageous hens in your flock that belong to house Gryffin-doodle-doo? Or maybe an evil rooster who has rightfully earned the moniker Voldercluck?

There is some clever wordplay that happens when you mix Harry Potter names and houses with chickens. Try some of these cute names for your feathered friends:

Alarooster Moody
Albus Bumblefoot
BellaChicks
Chick Chang
Cluck Chang
Cluck-o Malfoy
Cluck-shanks
Dumble Doodle Doo
Egg-spell-iramus
Gryffin-doodle-doo
Harry Clucken
Hengrid
Hen-mione
Henny Weasley
Hermione Free-Ranger
Hufflecluck
Lee JordHen
Molting Myrtle
Nearly Featherless Nick
Professor McGonafowl
Ravencluck
Sirius Black (especially for a black rooster)
Slyther-Hen
Voldercluck - He who shall not be egged

Lord of the Rings Inspired Name Ideas

I think Lord of the Rings themed names may be some of my favorites. I love how fun and whimsical these names are for pet chickens.

Ar-Hen
Eggolas
Eggowin
Eggo-mer
Gal-Lay-driel
Gim-Lay
Hen-wise Gamgee
Henathor
L’Egg-olas
LothLoraHen
Merry Brandycluck
Precious
TheoHen
Frodo Fluffins

Other Movie or Book Inspired Names for Chickens

If you want a creative chicken name that still gives a nod to pop culture via movies or books, I've got even more chicken names for you:

Chanticleer (character from Rock-A-Doodle)
Chicken Little (both a book and a movie!)
Chicky Chicky Bang Bang (both a book and a movie!)
Cluckleberry Finn (from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn series)
Egg-a-tha Christie (Author Agatha Christie)
Egg-dar Allen Poe (author Edgar Allan Poe )
Ernest Henningway (author Ernest Hemmingway)
Henable Peckter (from Silence of the Lambs Movie or the book series)
Henzilla (Godzilla)
Hei-Hei (Character from Moana)
Lois Lay (from the Superman Movie or Comic Books)
Mary Poopins (from the Mary Poppins movie)
Morrig-hen (from Sarah J Maas' ACOTAR series)
My Chicken Vinny (from the movie My Cousin Vinny)
Penelope (Bridgerton)
Scarlet O'Henra (from Gone with the Wind book or movie)

Best Names for Roosters

If you have a rooster in your flock, you have so many awesome naming opportunities! Whether your rooster is sweet or spicy, here are nearly 60 awesome rooster names to choose from:

Abra-Hen Lincoln
Albert Egg-Stein
Al Cluck-cino
Albus Bumblefoot
Alfred Hitchcluck
Alarm Clock
Anderson Cooper
Ben Allflock
Benedict Featherbatch
Beak-Tohven
Birdy Sanders
Bradley Cooper
Brewster the Rooster
Bruce Hen-ner
Captain Peckhard
Chanticleer
Chick Jagger
Chick-eel O’Neil
Chick-olas Cage
Cluck Norris
Cluckleberry Finn
Colonel Sanders
Count Cluckula
David Beakham
David Crowie
Dr. Pecker
Dwayne the cock-a-doodle-doo Johnson
Edgar Allen Crow
Egg Sheeran
Eggbert Einstein
Egg-dar Allen Poe
Elvis Pecks-ley
Ernest Henningway
Foghorn (Leghorn)
Garth Bawks
Henrique Egglesias
Hei-Hei
Jimmy Hen-drix
Justin Beaker
Kurt Roo-sel
Larry Bird
Matthew McCluckahey
Motley Roo
Mr. Feathers
Nicholas Caged
Pablo Nest-obar
Paul McCluckney
Professer McWattles
Roo-Paul
Rooody Giuliani
Sir Clucks-a-lot
Stephen Bawk-ing
Teddy Crowsavelt
Walker Texas Rooster

First name chicken, last name …

I love the idea of having an entire flock where each of their names is "Chicken" but they each have different last names. Chicken Nugget, Chicken Soup, Chicken Noodle...you get the idea!

You could also just name them what I have listed as their last names here...Alfredo, Noodle, Nugget, etc. Then you can say things like "This is my chicken, Nugget!"

(Chicken) Alfredo
(Chicken) Biscuit
(Chicken) Burger
(Chicken) Burrito
(Chicken) Cacciatore
(Chicken) Cordon Bleu
(Chicken) Curry
(Chicken) Drumstick
(Chicken) Dumpling
(Chicken) Enchilada
(Chicken) Fajita
(Chicken) Fettucini
(Chicken) Florentine
(Chicken) Fritter
(Chicken) Kabob
(Chicken) Marinara
(Chicken) Marsala
(Chicken) Nugget
(Chicken) Noodle
(Chicken) Parm
(Chicken) Piccata
(Chicken) Pox
(Chicken) Pot Pie
(Chicken) Quesadilla
(Chicken) Satay
(Chicken) Schnitzel
(Chicken) Soup
(Chicken) Tender
(Chicken) Tika Masala
(Chicken) Wonton

First name ____, last name Chicken

Similar to the first name / last name schema above, this list of names states a fun first name but then their LAST name is chicken. First name: Kung Pao Last name: Chicken for example.

BBQ (Chicken)
Crispy (Chicken)
General Tso (Chicken)
Jerk (Chicken)
Kung Pao (Chicken)
Orange (Chicken)
Popcorn (Chicken)
Sesame (Chicken)
Sweet n Sour (Chicken)

Herbs and Spices

If you have a dozen chickens, this is a great punny flock theme. Just like how KFC uses 11 herbs and spices, you could name the lead rooster (or hen!) Colonel Sanders and then give the other 11 names of herbs and spices like:

Basil
Chamomile
Cinnamon
Dandelion
Ginger
Juniper
Lavender
Pepper
Rosemary
Sage
Thyme

Other Punny Food Names

When I was brainstorming chicken names there were still some fun or punny chicken names related to food that didn't match the first name/last name format of the previous sections but they're still worth mentioning!

Benedict
Chick-Fil-Lay
Chick-pea
Denver
Eggo
Eggo Bennedict
Florentine
Scrambled
Sunny Side Up

Color or Breed Specific Names

If you are looking for names that play off the color of your chicken's feathers or their breed, here are some names that might work for you:

Black Chicken Name Ideas

Blackie Chan
Darkwing Cluck
Midnight
Shadow
Sirius (Black)
Starfall
Twilight

Buff or Blonde Colored Chicken Name Ideas

Biscuit
Buffy
Butternut
Sandy

Dark Brown Chicken Name Ideas

Brownie
Cadbury
Espresso
Godiva
Hershey

Red-Brown Chicken Name Ideas

Apple
Cinnamon
Penny
Red
Scarlett
Sunset

Grey /Lavender /Silver Chicken Name Ideas

Earl (Grey)
Golden Girls' Names

Blanche
Dorothy
Rose
Sophia

Lavender
Moonbeam
Nimbus

White Chicken Name Ideas

Betty (White)
Moonbeam
Snow (White)
Starlight
Vanna (White)

Americana /Easter Egger /Color Pack Chicken Breed Name Ideas

Americanas are a mixed-breed chicken bred to lay a colored egg (not to be confused with Ameraucana - which is a different true breed). Americana chickens are also known as "Easter Eggers" or Color Pack. Eggs from these breeds can be any color from pink to blue to green or varying shades of brown.

Bunny (like Easter Bunny)
Jellybean
Rainbow
Sprite (like Rainbow Brite's Sprites)

Barred Rock/ Plymouth Rock Chicken Breed Name Ideas

Barred Rock and Plymouth Rock chickens are black and white chickens whose feathers appear striped or "barred."

Bar-bara
Cookies n Cream
Orca
Oreo
Petra (Greek for Rock)
Rocky
Roseanne Barred Rock
Zebra

Golden Comet / Cinnamon Queen /Gold Sex Link Chicken Breed Name Ideas

Gold Sex Link chickens are bred from a Rhode Island Red rooster and a Rhode Island White Hen. Other common names for this sex-linked faux-breed include Golden Comet and Cinnamon Queen.

Cinnamon
Comet
Goldie
Goldie Hen
Haley (like Haley's Comet)
Marigold
Queenie

Leghorn Chicken Breed Name Ideas

While leghorns can come in all colors including brown, buff and mottled, leghorns are most commonly white. In addition to their (usually) white feathers, they are prolific layers of white eggs.

Betty White
Foghorn (Leghorn)
Foggy
Moonbeam
Snow (White)
Starlight
Vanna (White)

Wyandotte Chicken Breed Name Ideas

These names play off the Wyandotte name (pronounced like "Wyan" (rhymes with Ryan) + "Dot") or names with the word lace in them. This is because Wyandotte breeds are listed with a lace color such as "blue laced red Wyandotte" or "silver laced Wyandotte."

Ada Lovelace
Dotty
Goldie (for gold laced wyandottes)
Lacey
Wynonna

I hope you found some good chicken names to use for member of your backyard flock!

If you loved this collection of chicken names, be sure to save it on Pinterest.

About the Author:

Carissa is the owner and lead writer at Creative Green Living as well as the author of the bestselling chicken keeping guidebook: Proven Techniques for Keeping Healthy Chickens. She has won multiple awards including the ShiftCon Media "Best Green Lifestyle Blogger" award in 2019.

Follow her on TikTok, Pinterest, Instagram, or join the Creative Green Living Community Group on Facebook.

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How to Make a Rainbow Wind Chime from Recycled Cans

noreply@blogger.com (Author: Carissa Burk) — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 23:55:00 +0000

I love crafting with recycled cans and wind chimes are one of my favorite things to make with them! (check out my Fourth of July Wind Chime and my Halloween Ghost Wind Chime posts!)

Wind chimes are fun projects to make with kids and a fun way to decorate your porch or garden.

Robots are great at a lot of things - but not writing useful craft tutorials. This article was written by an actual human who actually made this project - not by AI, ChatGPT or any other kind of robot.

Looking for more tin can craft ideas?

Get more ideas for creative ways to recycle tin cans into crafts!

This rainbow wind chime is perfect for:

St. Patrick's day
Pride
Earth Day
A memorial garden for furry friends who have crossed the rainbow bridge

How to Make a Recycled Tin Can Rainbow Wind Chime Craft

Supplies:

Some of the links below may be affiliate links where a purchase made after clicking will support this website without costing you extra!

5 tin cans in different sizes which nest together
Thin painters tape
Chalk Paint by Annie Sloan OR a zero VOC white primer
Paint brushes
FOLKART Multi-Surface or Outdoor Paint in rainbow colors:

Red
Orange
Yellow
Green
Blue
Purple

Dremel Micro Rotary Tool (or a hammer and nail)
Metallic gold pipe cleaners (approx 3)

How to Make a Rainbow Wind Chime:

STEP 1: Prime the cans

Prime the cans using either primer or chalk paint.

I had some Chalk Paint Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan on hand from a previous project so I used that.

STEP 2: Paint

Before painting, use the patterning tape to mark off the sections you'd like to paint.

Each of my cans had two sections.

Once sectioned off, go ahead and paint the cans. I painted mine like this:

Can 1 (largest): red (top) // orange (bottom)
Can 2: orange (top) // yellow (bottom)
Can 3: yellow (top) // green (bottom)
Can 4: green (top) // blue (bottom)
Can 5 (smallest): blue (top) // purple (bottom)

Set the cans aside to dry. If needed, add a second coat of paint once the first coat is dry. Removing patterning tape once all paint is dry.

STEP 3: Assemble

Punch holes in the tops of each can by either using a Dremel Micro Rotary Tool (my personal preference) or a hammer and a nail.

Tie a knot in the bottom of one of your pipe cleaners and thread it through the smallest can so that the inside of the can is resting on the knot.

Figure out where you would like the top of the second can to hang and tie another knot and thread that can onto the pipe cleaner.

By the time you get to the fourth can, you will need to connect the second pipe cleaner to the first.

Make the join large and bulky so the can rests on it.

Continue stringing the cans together. For the final can. make a hanging loop with the pipe cleaner.

If you love this tin can windchime craft, be sure to pin it to save it for later!

PRINTABLE RAINBOW WIND CHIME CRAFT DIRECTIONS

recycled craft, wind chime, rainbow bridge, pride, tin can craft, earth day, rainbow

Yield: 1 windchime

Author: Carissa B for Creative Green Living

Estimated cost: $3

Rainbow Wind Chime from Recycled Cans

This rainbow wind chime is perfect for: St. Patrick's day Pride Earth Day A memorial garden for furry friends who have crossed the rainbow bridge

prep time: 10 Mperform time: 27 Mtotal time: 37 M

materials:

5 tin cans in different sizes which nest together
Thin painters tape
Chalk Paint by Annie Sloan OR a zero VOC white primer
FOLKART Multi-Surface or Outdoor Paint in rainbow colors:
Metallic gold pipe cleaners (approx 3)

tools:

Paint brushes
Dremel Micro Rotary Tool (or a hammer and nail)

steps:

Prime the cans using either primer or chalk paint.
Before painting, use the patterning tape to mark off the sections you'd like to paint.
Paint cans as desired.
Set the cans aside to dry. If needed, add a second coat of paint once the first coat is dry.
Remove the patterning tape once all paint is dry.
Punch holes in the tops of each can by either using a Dremel Micro Rotary Tool (my personal preference) or a hammer and a nail.
Tie a knot in the bottom of one of your pipe cleaners and thread it through the smallest can so that the inside of the can is resting on the knot.
Figure out where you would like the top of the second can to hang and tie another knot and thread that can onto the pipe cleaner.
By the time you get to the fourth can, you will need to connect the second pipe cleaner to the first.
Make the join large and bulky so the can rests on it.
Continue stringing the cans together. For the final can. make a hanging loop with the pipe cleaner.

https://www.creativegreenliving.com/2015/03/how-to-make-rainbow-wind-chime-from-recycled-cans.html

Did you make this project?

Tag @CreativeGreenLiving on instagram and hashtag it #CreativeGreenCrafts

Created using Craft Card Maker

About the Author:

Carissa is an award-winning writer whose goal is to empower families to make easy projects and healthier choices that are beautiful and delicious!

The owner and lead writer at Creative Green Living, she is also the author of several books including Beautiful Smoothie Bowls (Skyhorse, 2017), Proven Techniques for Keeping Healthy Chickens (Skyhorse, 2018) and The Little Green Book of Mothers' Wisdom (Skyhorse, 2020).

Follow her on TikTok, Pinterest, Instagram, or join the Creative Green Living Community Group on Facebook.

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20+ Beautiful Garden Crafts to Make with Recycled Materials

noreply@blogger.com (Author: Carissa Burk) — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 07:38:00 +0000

One of my favorite ways to put recycled goods to use is in the garden.

Recycled garden crafts are an eco-friendly way to beautify your garden while saving money on supplied in the process.

It's amazing what you can upcycle into pretty, funny or quirky garden art with just a little paint, glue and imagination!

This collection of over 20 beautiful garden crafts you can make with recycled materials will inspire you to get crafting and upgrading your outdoor spaces.

From whimsical bird feeders crafted from discarded bottles to pretty planters made from old tires, these upcycled projects will inspire you to see potential in unexpected places - because what used to be trash can absolutely become treasure with a little paint and creativity!

Robots are great at a lot of things - but not writing online content. This article was written by an actual human with more than 20 years of experience making recycled garden crafts - not by AI, ChatGPT or any other kind of robot.

Flower Planter Using a Tire
from DIY Showoff

In most places, you have pay money to recycle tires. While tires are not a good option touse for food gardening, these make quaint flower planters!

Hose Guards Using Drawer Handles
from Empress of Dirt

Need to find a use for old drawer handles after upgrading your hardware? These pretty hose guards are easy to make, functional and will help keep hardware out of the landfill.

Solar Powered Fairy House Using Plastic Bottles

from Creative Green Living

Plastic bottles are becoming harder and harder to recycle effectively. Reuse an empty juice or creamer bottle to make this adorable fairy house instead of sending it off to be recycled.

Garden Flower Using Bottle Caps

from Crafts by Amanda

Want a way to reuse old bottle caps? Turn them into this fun flower to decorate your garden! Lease them as-is or paint them different colors to create a field of flowers.

Garden Flowers Using Hub Caps
from 365 Days of Crafts
Finding a use for old hub caps can be tricky. By turning old hubcaps into garden art, you keep them out of the landfill and upgrade your garden at the same time.

Flower Planters Using Wood Pallets
from Creative Homemaking

Need to find a use for some old pallets you have lying around? Turn a pallet into a recycled planted with this simple tutorial.

Kid's Bumblebee Garden Stakes Using Mustard Bottles

from Coffee With Us 3

No need to be scared of these adorable bees! Team up with your kiddos to make this fun garden craft and get more use out of your empty mustard bottles while you're at it.

Plant Markers Using Silverware

from Creative Green Living
Do you have random or mismatched silverware that needs a new purpose? Make these pretty and weatherproof garden markers!

Plant Markers Using Can Lids
from Creative Green Living
You can't recyceld can lids in curbside recycling because they clog up the sorting machines. Make your used can lids into something useful like pretty plant markers!

Plant Markers Using Clothespins
from Creative Green Living

Not sure what to do with clothespins? Turn them into pretty plant markers. Bonus points if you pair them with a recycled can planter!

Garden Planters Using Leftover Tile

from Untrained Housewife

If you have leftover tile from a renovation project, turn into a fancy and weatherproof planter.

Garden Peacocks Using Whisks

from Morena's Corner
When your wisk gets wonky and you need a new use for it, turn it into a garden sculpture!

Bird Feeders Using Mason Jars
from Coffee With Us 3
This bird feeder is super simple and eay to make from any standard mouth mason jar.

Bird Feeders Using Coffee Mugs
from Ann's Entitled Life
Mismatched mugs? The birds won't care! Turn old mugs or teacups into an easy bird feeder.

Plant Waterers Using Glass or Wine Bottles
from Creative Green Living

Turn empty wine bottles into a cute way to water your flower pots.

Garden Chandeliers Using Kitchen Colanders

from Empress of Dirt

This is such a fun way to use an old collander to make something cute and useful. You could add a dollar store solar lantern to make it light up, too!

Crystal Waterfalls Using Watering Cans

from Crafts by Amanda

This recycled watering can craft is one of my favorite wayts to reuse an old watering can. Just be sure to use lead free crystals so you don't end up contaminating your garden soil underneath.

Hanging Flower Baskets Using Wire Baskets

from Ribbons & Glue
More hanging basket frames than you can use? Turn them into this cute decorative sphere perfect as yard art or a centerpiece.

Owl Wreaths Using Jar Lids and Zippers

from Empress of Dirt

This funky cool owl garden art from recycled bits and bobs is just one example of clever ways to turn trash into cure gardne art.

Wind Chimes Using Tin Cans
from Creative Green Living

Empty tin cans can be made into a fun rainbow windchime or garden decor for Pride month - or any month!

Want more garden crafts made from recycled plastic bottles?

Check out 25 Garden Projects from Plastic Bottles

About the Author:

Carissa B is a lifelong crafter and mom of two creative boys. Her goal is to empower families to make easy projects and healthier choices that are beautiful and delicious!

The owner and lead writer at Creative Green Living, she is an award-winning writer and most recently won the ShiftCon Media "Best Green Lifestyle Blogger" award in 2019.

She is also the author of several books including Beautiful Smoothie Bowls (Skyhorse, 2017), Proven Techniques for Keeping Healthy Chickens (Skyhorse, 2018) and The Little Green Book of Mothers' Wisdom (Skyhorse, 2020). Follow her on TikTok, Pinterest, Instagram, or join the Creative Green Living Community Group on Facebook.

Do you like this post? Subscribe to our newsletter!

Clever Recycled Craft Idea: How to Make Garden Markers from Tin Can Lids

noreply@blogger.com (Author: Carissa Burk) — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 00:14:00 +0000

This clever recycled craft idea lets you turn empty tin can lids into adorable plant markers.

Use them as garden markers to help you remember what you planted where.

You can also stamp other messages onto the lids to make them into a combination plant marker and gift tag. Tell a teacher "You're the best!" or tell mom "Happy Mother's Day".

Giving a plant to someone who has a bit of a brown thumb? Maybe try a cheeky "Water me!" along with a second tag telling them the type of plant it is.

Looking for more recycled garden crafts?

Check out this article:
20+ Beautiful Garden Crafts to Make with Recycled Materials

I'll walk you step-by-step through how to make these adorable plant markers. Once you see how easy these garden markers are to make, you will want to use this technique every time you need to label a plant or make a gift tag!

How to Make Plant Markers from Tin Can Lids
a clever recycled craft for your garden

Supplies

Some of the links below may be affiliate links where a purchase made after clicking will support this website without costing you extra!

Can lids**
FOLKART Outdoor OR Multi-Surface paint
Paintbrush
Paper or plastic plate
Stampendous Small Typewriter Stamps
Stampendous Perfectly Clear Stamp Block: Medium Rectangle 4x3
Drill and drill bit
12 gauge silver jewelry wire
Pliers

Some of the links in my supply lists may be affiliate links.
**I use a Pampered Chef Smooth Edge Can Opener which unglues the can instead of cutting it - therefore no sharp edges! I cannot recommend this can opener enough, especially when using cans for crafting with kids.

Directions

Watch me make this on Afternoon Live with host, Kara Mack

In April, 2018 I got to do a live video demo of this project on KATU Afternoon Live with Kara Mack. This video shows a slightly different technique than the original video (below)

Recycled Craft Video Demo:
How to Make Garden Markers

This is the original video that went live with this blog post when it was first published in 2015. You might notice that the style of stamps used in the video demo varies slightly from the stamps used to make the project in the updated images. The technique is still the same.

How to make a garden marker step 1: Paint can lid if desired

You can choose if you would like the paint the background of the plant marker like I did in the demo photos or if you would like the stamp the words directly onto the metal. If you would like to paint the can lid, paint one or two coats of FolkArt Outdoor Paint or FolkArt Multi-Surface Paint onto the lid of the can and allow it to dry completely.

How to make a garden marker step 2: Set up your stamp

Choose your letters from the stamp sheet and place them on your Stamp Block. Squeeze a small amount of paint onto your plate and smooth it out with the paint brush. Lightly tap the stamp in the paint and then press it onto the can lid. Allow to dry completely

How to make a garden marker step 3: Drill a hole

Use your Dremel Micro Tool or drill to drill a hole in the top of the lid for hanging.

How to make a garden marker step 4: Make a wire hanger

Cut approximately 12-18 inches of 12 gauge jewelry wire. Bend the top into a hook shape. Use the pliers to bend the end up. Thread can lid onto wire before bending up the rest of the way. Curl end of wire under if desired.

That's it!

Once the paint is dry, it's ready to go outside or in your plant pot!

About the Author:

Carissa is a lifelong crafter and mom of two creative boys. The owner and lead writer at Creative Green Living, she won the Craftys Award for the "Best Craft Blogger" category in 2016 and the ShiftCon award for "Best DIY Blogger" in 2018.

Her creative pursuits don't stop at crafts - she is also the author of the hardcover cookbook, Beautiful Smoothie Bowls (Skyhorse, 2017) and several ebooks. Her projects have been featured in magazines like Kids Crafts 1-2-3, Capper's Farmer and Urban Farm Magazine. Follow her on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter or join the Creative Green Living community group.

This project originally appeared as part of the "Craft Lightning" series co-hosted by Carolina from 30 Minute Crafts and Angie of The Country Chic Cottage in March of 2015. To see more of the recycled crafts generated by that series check out:

30 Recycled Crafts You Can Make Yourself

Gardening 101: How to Plant Tomatoes - Learn how to plant a tomato plant in your garden and keep it happy and healthy

noreply@blogger.com (Author: Carissa Burk) — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 17:53:00 +0000

There are few things I enjoy more during the summer that eating the bounty of fresh organic tomatoes I grow in my garden.

Last year, I grew about 140 pounds of tomatoes and even though I had to give a lot of them away, I was still able to can enough to last my family through the winter so that we didn't need to buy BPA-containing metal cans of tomatoes.

Important: Know when the right time to plant is!

Don't plant your tomatoes until all danger of frost has passed.

Where I live, that's about mother's day weekend BUT the weather this week is supposed to be in the 70's and 80's so I'm planting a week early this year.

Use this tool to check when your average last frost date is.

Supplies

Tomato plants
Shovel or trowel
Dried egg shells
Epsom Salt (do NOT use table salt. it will kill your plant)
Measuring spoon
Water
Weather-appropriate work clothes (thanks to Duluth, I'm wearing the UPF 50 Crusher Sun Hat in raspberry and long sleeve Armachillo shirt in Raspberry Plaid)

How to Plant Tomatoes Plants in Your Garden

How to Plant Tomatoes Step 1: Pick the right spot

In addition to making sure you have the right timing for planting, make sure you pick the right spot to put tomatoes.

Tomatoes like as much sun as possible.

I have grown tomatoes in the past in a spot that was sunny for half the day and shady for half and while I got a few tomatoes, I got about 4 times the yield when I got a community garden plot and started growing in full sun.

You also want to try and avoid planting tomatoes in the same dirt that grew tomatoes in the last last 2 previous years.

(Brand new to gardening? Be sure to read these tips and more in Gardening 101: 10 Things Beginning Gardeners Need to Know)

How to Plant Tomatoes Step 2: Dig a hole

Dig a hole that is large enough to accommodate the pot your tomato is in and then make it 1-2 inches deeper.

How to Plant Tomatoes Step 3: Add an egg shell & epsom salt

Crush the egg shell and add it along with 1 teaspoon of epsom salt to the bottom of the hole you dug for your tomato plant.

The egg shells provide calcium which help prevent blossom end rot.

Unlike table salt, epsom salt's primary ingredient is magnesium.

Magnesium strengthens plant cell walls and improves their ability to take in nutrients.

How to Plant Tomatoes Step 4: Pinch off bottom branches & leaves

Use your fingers to pinch off the bottom 1-2 sets of branches and leaves from the tomato plants.

Be especially sure to remove anything that will be below the ground or will be touching the ground once the plant is in the hole.

How to Plant Tomatoes Step 5: Plant it!

Squish the sides of the pots to loosen the soil and gently pull up on the plant by the base of the stem to remove it from the pot.

If the plant has been in the pot for a long time, you'll see white roots wrapping around the edges.

If you have root-wrap issues, squish the root ball a bit to loosen them.

If they are very tight, use a knife or shears to cut off the very bottom of the root ball before planting.

Place your plant in the hole you prepared and slide the dirt back in.

Create a low spot in the dirt near the stem to help water pool up at the base of the plant when watering.

How to Plant Tomatoes Step 6: Support it (optional)

Tomatoes all do better with support (and really, don't we all?).

If you are planning to use cages to support your tomatoes, they are WAY easier to install when you plants are little.

If you're already outside working, it's easy to just install them at the same time.

Most tomato cages come with the spikes pointing in toward the center. This is to help them pack and ship easier.

If you are using tomato cages, before sticking them in the ground, pull their legs out to be straight down or angled out (see arrows).

Want a really great tomato support system? How to set up my favorite tomato support system is described in this article: Tomato Growing Secrets to Help You Get The Most, Biggest, and Best Homegrown Tomatoes

Continue following steps 1-6 for each tomato plant, giving plants about 18 or more inches between plants (I also like to stagger them down the bed)

How to Plant Tomatoes Step 7: Water

Make sure you water your plants once you're done planting them.

If you are watering mid-day, ESPECIALLY if it is sunny, it's important to not drench the leaves or they will get sunburnt and unhappy.

Use a watering can or a hose wand that distributes a soft stream of water and water at the base of the plant.

Allow the well to fill but then move on before soil starts running or washing away.

It's better to visit a plant 2-3 times to give it adequate water than it is to hold the hose on it too long the first time.

That's it! Remember to continue watering your tomato plants once the top inch of soil dries out. How long this takes will very by climate but in the Portland area, that's once every 2-3 days.

Want to become a tomato growing expert?

Get all my best tips and tricks for growing tomatoes from how to prevent blossom end rot to how to set up the best tomato support system I've ever used.

About the Author:

Follow her on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter or join the Creative Green Living Community Group.

Article originally published in May 2013. Updated Aptil 2022.

25 Clever Gardening Ideas Using Plastic Bottles

noreply@blogger.com (Author: Carissa Burk) — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 12:54:00 +0000

Welcome to a world of sustainable gardening solutions!

In this article, we'll unveil 25 inventive and budget-friendly gardening ideas using plastic bottles. Because while recycling is great - reusing is even better!

Explore eco-conscious tips to transform empty water bottles, soda bottles, milk jugs and 2-liter bottles into thriving elements in your garden.

These projects allow you to embrace creativity while making a positive impact on the environment. From simple projects that require just a couple tools to complex feats of engineering, we've got lots of ideas for you!

Dive into our guide for a greener, more resourceful approach to cultivating your garden paradise.

25 Useful Ways to Use Recycled Plastic Bottles In Your Garden!

FTC affiliate link disclosure: Some of the products we link to use affiliate links where a small commission may be paid to Creative Green Living as a thank you for sending business their way at no additional cost to you.

Winter Sowing Mini Greenhouses

Winter sowing is a great way to start seeds outside. It lets you reuse milk bottles and other large water bottles and jugs. Plant seeds in the winter and by Spring, you end up with hardy plants!

Get all the details you need about winter sowing, how to do it, and more from Winter sowing: An easy, low-cost technique for starting seeds at Savvy Gardening

Recycled Water Bottle Plant Waterer

Whether you need a way to keep your plants watered while you're out of town for the weekend or if you are just forgetful, having an auto waterer like this comes in handy!

By adding a simple adapter to the end of an empty soda bottle or water bottle you can make an automatic waterer that will keep your indoor and outdoor plants hydrated with less work needed from you! Buy it on Amazon here.

Underground Recycled Plastic Bottle Drip Irrigation

Another way that you can use recycled plastic bottles to water your plants is by creating a below-ground plant watering system.

This plastic bottle waterer helps distribute water deep below ground and minimizes evaporation. Get the directions from the tutorial Soda Bottle Drip Feeder for Garden Plants from The Gardening Cook.

Turn Empty Soda Bottles into a Small Plastic Bottle Greenhouse or Cold Frame

The Thurston County Master Recycler and Composters in Washington State posted this great photo on the WSU website showing a demonstration cold frame / plastic bottle greenhouse they had built with empty plastic bottles.

While they do not include instructions, they appear to have a wood frame with a hinged lid. The bottles appear to be threaded onto 1/2" PVC and sandwiched between the frame pieces to hold them in place, Check out the Thurston County Master Composter Recycler Program page to get a zoomed-in photo of this project.

Self-Watering Planters

Turn an empty 2-liter bottle into a self-water planter that waters from below with a couple household supplies. The bottom half of the bottle serves as a water reservoir and the top half draws up water as the plant needs it.

These plastic bottle planters are perfect for starting seeds inside or for growing herbs in your kitchen window. Get the directions on how to create a "Super Simple DIY Self-Watering Herb Garden" from I Think We Could Be Friends.

Recycled Plastic Bottle Fruit Picker Tool

Overhead fruit pickers can cost $20-$30. Turn an empty Coke bottle or other 2-liter bottle into an overhead fruit picker garden tool by following this easy detailed video tutorial on the Fun-Easy Crafts YouTube Channel.

Recycled Water Bottle Watering Can

Empty water bottles and 2-liter bottles make great watering cans with a little help! This inexpensive attachment softens the stream of water to a gentle sprinkle on one side and makes an easy to aim pour spout on the other side. Buy the watering can attachment for water bottles on Amazon here.

Recycled Water Bottle Wind Spiral Garden Art

Turn empty plastic bottles into interesting garden art (and scare the birds away from your freshly planted garden at the same time!) with this clever tutorial.

If you can scribble and cut in a diagonal line, you can make this easy craft! See the Water Bottle Wind Spiral Project from Happy Hooligans as featured on Creative Green Living.

Hanging Recycled Creamer Bottle Succulent Planters

There are so many creative ways to use empty plastic creamer bottles! I love this cute DIY hanging succulent planter from WhipperBerry.

By removing the neck of the bottle she was able to transform the bottom half into something supper cute with some paint and a knife. Get the Hanging Succulent Garden tutorial from WhipperBerry.

Make a Glowing Solar Powered Fairy House

Transform a recycled plastic creamer bottle into a magical haven for fairies, illuminated by the power of the sun.

This fun and captivating project not only brings a touch of fantasy to your garden but also harnesses sustainable solar energy! Get the step-by-step directions to make your own fairy house from Creative Green Living.

Upcycled Plastic Bottle Bird Feeder

Upcycle an empty plastic bottle into a bird feeder! While there are lots of plastic bottle bird feeder tutorials out there, this bird feeder from The Birch Cottage is one of the cutest recycled bird feeder projects I have seen.

Get the directions at How to Make a Bird Feeder from a 2-Liter Plastic Bottle at Ideas for the Home by Kenarry.

Adorable Cat Miniature Planters

These clever cat planters turn an empty plastic soda bottle into adorable kitty cat plant pots. The creative person who designed this project turned the ridges on the bottom of the bottle into the kitty cat feet. Get the directions in both English and Spanish from Bru DIY.

Plastic Bottle Planters for Garlic

Watch as your discarded plastic bottle blooms into a thriving home for fresh garlic. Embrace the simplicity of this craft and turn your kitchen scraps into a delicious and decorative addition to your kitchen. Watch the YouTube video embedded above or on the Terrace Garden channel.

Mini Greenhouse or Plant Cloche Covers from 2-Liter Soda Bottles

Transform ordinary 2-liter plastic bottles into a thriving haven for your favorite plants with this simple and sustainable craft.

This easy mini greenhouse project not only breathes new life into discarded bottles but also provides a charming and efficient space for your seedlings and tender plants to flourish in a windowsill or outside. Get the details for making a mini greenhouse craft on Crafting a Green World.

Hanging Plastic Bottle Shade Canopy

If you are a DIY lover, this project is a cool way to bring shade cover to a hot spot in your garden or patio. The project used 1,581 recycled soda bottles to create a canopy for shading from the sun.

The bottom of each plastic bottle is filled with a small amount of colored water. The specific color of the water added to the bottle is based on the elevation of the bottle relative to the ground.

Each bottle is hung from a grid by a unique string length ranging from 6" to 30" to create a unique wavelength pattern. Get the directions for this brilliant recycled DIY engineering feat from Instructables.

DIY Hanging Plastic Bottle Planter

This hanging garden planter tutorial is the perfect way to breathe new life into your space using recycled materials!

Transform discarded plastic bottles into suspended green sanctuaries by adding just a touch of paint and wrapping them in rustic twine! This craft will add a sustainable touch of nature to any corner of your home. Get the step-by-step directions from The Seaman Mom.

Make a Greenhouse Heat Sink from PET Bottles

They might not be pretty, but this heat sink project is pretty clever! Those black bottles on the ground are inside a greenhouse.

The makers of the greenhouse used bleach jugs (really, any PET would be fine!) that have been spray painted black. They’ve got water in them so during the day the water heats up with the heat of the greenhouse, and during the night, they release their extra stored warmth inside of the greenhouse!

Get the details on the clever DIY heat sinks on the Turn a Trampoline Frame into a Greenhouse article on How Does She?

Make Your Own Hummingbird Feeder With This Simple Attachment!

Invite the mesmerizing beauty of hummingbirds into your garden with your own DIY Hummingbird Feeder! This simple yet delightful project transforms a recycled bottle into a cafe for your backyard bird friends using a simple attachment that you add to any recycled bottle. Buy it on Amazon here.

Plant Markers from Milk Jugs

It has been common practice for many decades to use old window blinds as garden markers. They're a nice shape, cut easily and tend to not fade. The problem? Old blinds often contain large quantities of lead!

Instead of leaded blinds, turn the sides of an empty milk jug into plant markers! To help the writing go even further, use a Sharpie Grease Pencil. Get the details on making plant markers from milk jugs here.

Vertical Hanging Garden Made from Plastic Bottles

Save space and suspend your favorite plants in mid-air with these chic hanging garden planters. Elevate your gardening experience by creating an eye-catching vertical display that turns any space into a lush, green oasis using reclaimed plastic bottles! Learn how to make this inspiring recycled hanging garden on Bit Rebels.

Make a Plastic Bottle Cloche or Mini Greenhouse

Extend your growing season and start your seeds outdoors earlier with a set of garden cloches made from 2 liter bottles. Enjoy fresh herbs, vibrant flowers, and thriving vegetables regardless of the weather outside.

This is the perfect easy Earth day project for teaching kids about sustainability, gardening, and the importance of repurposing materials while enjoying quality time together. Get directions for making your own plastic bottle cloches from Garden Gate Magazine online.

DIY 2-Liter Bottle Greenhouse

DIY your way to your own budget-friendly haven for your plants using readily available 2-liter bottles. Experience the joy of gardening without the hefty price tag, making horticultural dreams accessible to all.

While not as efficient as a glass or a fully enclosed greenhouse, the bottle greenhouse is on average four degrees warmer than the outside temperature. Get detailed directions for assembling a DIY greenhouse from recycled bottles on Instructables.

Make a Scoop From an Empty Jug

This simple yet ingenious project not only reduces waste but also provides you with a handy tool for gardening. I know I am constantly using scoops in the garden for all sorts of things from compost to mulch to fertilizer and more.

This easy DIY scoop made from an empty plastic jug will not only save you money but will make sure you are well stocked on scoops around the garden or homestead! Get the directions for making a DIY scoop from a plastic bottle or empty jug from Purple Hues and Me.

Turn Old Bottles Into a Garden Mister

This innovative accessory not only repurposes old bottles, turning them into garden tools, but also offers a cost-effective solution for maintaining your garden. Just add this attachment to upcycle empty plastic bottles into functional sprayers.

This DIY garden tool can be used for misting and watering plants or even for applying foliar fertilizers and sprays. Buy the Hydrospike plastic bottle garden accessory on Amazon.

Recycled Bottle Light Shade Craft

Good garden design isn't just about plants - it's about creating a cozy hospitable environment as well. Who knew that hanging plastic bottles could combine with paint and lights to look so cute?

These recycled bottle light shades use the top two-thirds of the bottle to make cute light covers to go over tea lights or LED Christmas lights that feed through the neck of the bottle. Get the step-by-step Recycled Bottle Party Light Tutorial from EPC Crafts.

If you loved this collection of gardening ideas using plastic bottles, be sure to save it on Pinterest

If you love this post, you might also be interested in these additional recycled garden crafts:

Recycled Garden Markers: Make Plant Markers From Can Lids

Recycled Mason Jar Planter: Make a Unicorn Succulent Planter

Recycled Desk Garden Bed: Turn an Old Desk into a Lettuce Planter

About the Author:

Carissa B is the owner and lead writer at Creative Green Living as well as Creative Green Gardens. She has won multiple awards including the ShiftCon Media "Best Green Lifestyle Blogger" award in 2019.

Her projects have been featured in magazines like Urban Farm Magazine, Capper's Farmer and Kids Crafts 1-2-3. Follow her on TikTok, Pinterest, Instagram, or join the Creative Green Living Community Group on Facebook.

Do you like this post? Subscribe to our newsletter!

How to Make the Best DIY Fairy Garden House (It Glows!)

noreply@blogger.com (Author: Carissa Burk) — Sat, 03 Feb 2024 12:41:00 +0000

Welcome to the enchanting world of DIY fairy gardens!

My DIY fairy house is made with a combination of natural materials, a recycled plastic bottle and a prefab fairy door.

As you shop at the craft store for materials you will be inspired by lots of different ideas! Let my tutorial be your guide toward making your own fairy house - but be sure to experiment with your own collection of natural materials and craft supplies to make it uniquely your own!

Creating your own fairy house is a fun way to infuse magic into your outdoor space, making it a whimsical retreat for these magical creatures.

Looking for more DIY fairy garden crafts?

I have some of the best fairy garden ideas! Check out my Easy Outdoor DIY Fairy Garden Tutorial as well as my Mermaid and Succulents Fairy Garden Tutorial.

In this tutorial, I'll guide you step-by-step on how to make the best DIY fairy garden house.

I'll teach you how to transform a recycled plastic bottle together with clay and small pebbles into a whimsical haven illuminated by a solar-powered garden light. That's right - This fancy fairy house glows in the dark!

Dive into this fun project that can be the centerpiece of your other backyard fairy garden ideas. This house will work great in both an outdoor fairy garden as well as indoor fairy garden or even as a night light.

Let's embark on a magical journey and bring your imagination to life with this captivating DIY fairy garden house tutorial.

Because this isn't just any fairy house! This is a fairy house made from recycled materials AND it's solar powered! 🧚🏡✨

Thank you to the sponsor of this great project! Back in 2016, SolarCity sponsored this fun DIY fairy garden tutorial. If you want your solar capabilities to go beyond your fairy house to your people house, be sure to check them out (tell them I sent you!).

Our tutorial has been updated several times since then. Most recently in February 2024.

How to Make the Best DIY Fairy Garden House
it's solar-powered so it glows in the dark!

DIY Fairy House List of Supplies:

Some of the links below may be affiliate links where a purchase made after clicking will support this website without costing you extra!

Tiny picture frames (check the doll house section of the craft store or dollar store!)
FolkArt Multisurface Paint in Steel Grey
Translucent plastic bottle*
Solar powered garden light*
Scissors or craft knife
Mod Podge Collage Clay in Vanilla**
Prefab fairy door for front door
Small stones or beach pebbles
Q-tips or cotton swabs

Do you have odd craft materials you think will work for this project? It's a good idea to get them out now even if you don't end up using them. That way everything will be ready to go in your craft room!

*In order for this project to work for you, the diameter of the top part of the solar light must be 1-2 inches bigger than the diameter of the bottle or hard plastic container you are using. Choose your light and bottle accordingly.

** An IMPORTANT note about clay:

This tutorial was originally created in 2016 using a kind of decoden clay called Mod Podge Collage Clay. This product is no longer on the market.

Because the base of your house is a recycled plastic bottle, Fimo, Sculpey or traditional oven bake polymer clay is not a good substitute for the decoden clay.

From my research, I believe the next best option is another kind of decoden clay such as list one, which is listed as being nontoxic.

Solar Powered DIY Fairy House Directions:

DIY Fairy Garden House STEP 1: Prep the windows

To make the windows of my fairy house, I used some miniature picture frames I found in the bargain bin area of Michael's.

The particular frames I bought were pink (the only color they had). To help them coordinate with the fairy door, I started by giving them 2 coats of grey paint and letting them dry completely.

Alternatively, I think you could also make frames using a resin or fondant mold by filling the mold with hot glue slowly emitted from a hot glue gun into the mold so as not to cause bubbbles.

Don't have anything similar at all? Try drilling out the centers of wood slices to serve as windows.

DIY Fairy Garden House STEP 2: Prep the recycled bottle

To make the base of the fairy house, I used a bottle I had from an iced coffee beverage. It had a narrow neck and wider bottom so I used some heavy duty scissors to cut the top off.

DIY Fairy Garden House STEP 3: Assemble the fairy house

I gathered these supplies for this step of constructing the fairy garden house (clockwise from top): Mod Podge collage clay (remember: this is no longer made. Use another brand of "decoden clay" instead), small stones, painted frames for windows, fairy door, and prepped plastic bottle.

The decoden clay is like a combination of whipped clay and adhesive that is the consistency of frosting.

Start by drawing a line of decoden clay on the back edges of the fairy door so you can adhere it to the bottle to serve as the front door of your little house.

Repeat this step with the back edges of the frames and adhere to the bottle to serve as windows for your tiny house.

It's ok if the clay squishes out from the edges of the window frames and front door.

Then, starting near the edge of door, apply some decoden clay to the plastic bottle. It's not perfectly smooth - and that's ok! You're about to cover it with lots of small stones.

Following the outline of the front door, press some of the stones into the decoden clay.

For these first few stones I prefer to find ones with flat stone backs. Press the flat back into the clay and along the door to build your stone house foundation.

Continue adding decoden clay and stones along the outside edges of the door and windows.

Once you have the stones pressed around the window frames, use a cotton swab to wipe away excess clay poking into the inside of the window frames.

Once the door and windows are outlined, keep going to fill in the other areas on the plastic bottle with more decoden clay and small stones until the whole bottle is covered like a little fairy cottage.

Once done, set the tiny house aside so the clay can dry.

Mine took about 12 hours in a room with a fan to completely set - but some brands of decoden clay will say that depending on the thickness of the clay and the humidity in your area, it could take as many as five days to dry.

If you aren't sure, let your clay dry longer.

DIY Fairy Garden House STEP 4: Add the roof

This is my favorite part: To make the roof of the fairy house, I unscrewed the top off of a solar powered garden stake.

Once the clay on the fairy house is dry, set the solar roof on top!

Because I wanted to be able to access the underside of the roof as needed (like for swapping out the battery on the light), I chose not to glue the roof onto the house. It fits quite nicely just being set on top, though!

If you decide you would like to glue your lid on, do that now and let the glue dry.

Set your fairy house in your container fairy garden or somewhere in your own backyard to gather sunlight.

Once night falls, take a peek as night falls and you just might see the glow of the little fairies staying up late into the evening!

I hope you have been inspired to make your own fairy garden house!

I'd love to see how your stone houses turn out - if you make this project yourself, the easiest way to share with me is by tagging me when you post photos on Facebook, Instagram or TikTok - I'm @CreativeGreenLiving everywhere!

If you love this DIY Fairy House craft tutorial, be sure to pin it to save it for later!

PRINTABLE SOLAR LIGHT DIY FAIRY HOUSE DIRECTIONS

diy fairy garden house, fairy garden ideas, fairy light ideas, homemade fairy house

Yield: 1 Fairy Garden House

Author: Carissa B for Creative Green Living

Estimated cost: $18

Best DIY Fairy Garden House

Welcome to the enchanting world of DIY fairy gardens! In this tutorial, we'll guide you step-by-step on how to make the best DIY fairy garden house using a combination of recycled and natural materials. 🧚🏡✨

prep time: 5 Mperform time: 30 Mtotal time: 35 M

materials:

Tiny picture frames
Multisurface Paint in Steel Grey
Translucent plastic bottle
Solar powered garden light
Decoden clay
Fairy door
Small stones or beach pebbles

tools:

Q-tips or cotton swabs
Scissors or craft knife

steps:

Paint mini picture frames to make fairy house window frames.
Cut the top off bottle to make main body of the house. Be sure the solar light will be able to rest on the top of the bottle without falling in. If the size is wrong, choose a small bottle or a larger light.
Adhere the fairy door and window frames to the plastic bottle with the decoden clay.
Spread more decoden clay on the bottle and apply stones or beach pebbles to the clay. Continue adding decoden clay and stones until the house is full and it looks like a little stone cottage.
Allow the decoden clay to dry at least one full day until completely set and dry. This may take several days depending on the brand of clay and the ambient humidity in your home.
Once the clay is set and dry, twist the top off of a solar garden path light. Add the light to the top of the house to serve as a roof.
Add your new fairy house to your outside fairy garden, your mini fairy garden inside or even use as a nightlight in your child's room.

NOTES:

In order for this project to work for you, the diameter of the top part of the solar light must be 1-2 inches bigger than the diameter of the bottle or hard plastic container you are using. Choose your light and bottle accordingly.

Want more garden crafts made from recycled plastic bottles?

Check out 25 Garden Projects from Plastic Bottles

About the Author:

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Sponsored post disclosure: This post was sponsored by SolarCity. For more information, see my full sponsored post and review policy.

Recycled Craft Idea: Make Plastic Bottle Garden Art

noreply@blogger.com (Author: Carissa Burk) — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 02:15:00 +0000

While I almost exclusively use my refillable water bottle to drink from, I occasionally find myself with a leftover plastic water bottle one on my hands.

If you have disposable water bottles, I absolutely adore this gardening craft idea using empty plastic water bottles or plastic soda bottles from Happy Hooligans.

This easy craft tutorial shows you how to turn an empty plastic bottle into pretty yard art with a few simple supplies.

These pretty wind spirals will not only be a colorful addition to your backyard but I bet you could also pin the necks to stakes and use them as scarecrows to help keep birds away from newly planted seeds in your garden as well.

As an added bonus, it will help your kids with their scissor skills as well!

Put these wind spinners in a sunny spot to catch the light and then recycle the bottles when you're done.

Wind Spinner Craft Supplies Needed:

Empty plastic bottles
Colorful permanent markers
Scissors (or kid scissors)

Some of the links in my supply lists may be affiliate links.

Wind Spinner Craft Directions

Find the step-by-step directions online at Happy Hooligans' Tutorial for Water Bottle Wind Spirals.

(or click the image below to go to the tutorial)

Here are more great crafts you can make with plastic bottles!

25 Clever Gardening Ideas Using Plastic Bottles

Make a DIY Moana Inspired Nightlight from a Recycled Plastic Bottle

How to Make a DIY Fairy House for Your Garden from an Empty Plastic Bottle and Solar Garden Light

About the Author:

Carissa B is the owner and lead writer at Creative Green Living as well as Creative Green Gardens. She has won multiple awards including the ShiftCon Media "Best Green Lifestyle Blogger" award in 2019.

Her projects have been featured in magazines like Urban Farm Magazine, Capper's Farmer and Kids Crafts 1-2-3. Follow her on TikTok, Pinterest, Instagram, or join the Creative Green Living Community Group on Facebook.

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Sparkling Apple Sangria with Green Apples & Cranberries

noreply@blogger.com (Author: Carissa Burk) — Sun, 31 Dec 2023 00:45:00 +0000

White wine sangria is a festive and pretty cocktail - especially when you dress it up with green apples and cranberries!

The white sangria recipe is perfect for fall or winter - even winter holidays like Christmas and New Years Eve.

This easy sparkling white apple sangria recipe can be made by the pitcher and is perfect for a crowd!

The combination of the white wine with the soda makes a light, sparkling sangria recipe that anyone who likes fruit-flavored drinks will love.

The white sangria garnished with green apples and cranberries is sure to be a hit whether you're celebrating the arrival of sweater weather or binge-watching hallmark Christmas movies at home.

Looking for more fun holiday drink recipes?

If you want more festive holiday beverages perfect for parties and special occasions, check out these fun recipes:

How to make hot chocolate bombs (gluten free!)
Caramel apple cider (directions for single serving or for a crowd!)
Homemade peppermint hot chocolate

What is sangria?

Sangria is a wine-based mixed drink that originated in Spain.

Sangria recipes can have either a white wine or red wine base (or both - although these red+white sangrias end up looking red).

Sangria is often flavored and garnished with fresh fruit like apples, peaches, lemons, limes and oranges.

Is sangria stronger than wine?

A typical glass of wine is 6 ounces of wine. A 6 ounce serving of this white sangria will have less alcohol-per-ounce vs straight wine because it is diluted with the apple soda.

Does sangria get you drunk?

While sangria has less alcohol per ounce, you should still be careful to consume this sangria in moderation. Drinking too much sangria too fast can definitely result in an unsafe level of intoxication.

Sparkling White Wine Apple Cranberry Sangria
an easy cocktail recipe for fall or Christmas

Ingredients

For a pitcher:

1 bottle (25 oz.) Pinot Grigio
2 bottles (12 oz. each) Fuji Apple Dry Botanical Bubbly*
2 Apples (granny smith, gala or honeycrisp are good choices), sliced thin
1 ½ cups fresh cranberries
Extra apple slices and cranberries for garnishing.
8 sprigs of fresh rosemary

For a single glass:

3 oz. white wine
3 oz. Fuji Apple Dry Botanical Bubbly*
3-4 thin sliced apple slices - granny smith, gala, or honeycrisp are our favorite
4-5 fresh cranberries
A sprig of fresh rosemary

* In some areas, Fuji Apple Dry Botanical Bubbly is a specialty ingredient. While Dry sodas are carried at stores across the US, if you can't find any near you, you can substitute a mix of 1 part sparkling white wine and 1 part sparkling apple cider for the Dry soda.

Please note that this substitution will change both the alcohol content as well as the nutrition information.

Serving size note: One serving is 6 ounces of sangria plus garnishes.

(Styled photos show full wine glasses which contain two servings.)

Nutrition information is approximate and may vary based on the freshness and brand of your ingredients. Nutrition information calculated at: Calorie Count.

Directions

How to make sparkling white wine apple sangria step 1:

Chill all ingredients before starting.

Combine wine and sparkling soda (or sparkling wine/apple cider combination) in a glass (or pitcher if making sangria for a crowd).

How to make sparkling white wine apple sangria step 2:

Add sliced green apples and fresh cranberries.

Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Garnish with additional green apple slices and cranberries, plus a sprig of fresh rosemary to serve.

Enjoy!

If you love this sparkling white wine sangria recipe, be sure to pin it to save it for later!

PRINTABLE APPLE SANGRIA RECIPE

Sparkling White Wine Christmas Sangria

Yield: 8

Author: Carissa B for Creative Green Living

Prep time: 2 MinCook time: 5 MinTotal time: 7 Min

Learn how to make easy sparkling white wine sangria with green apples and cranberries. This is the best sangria to serve for a crowd in the fall or at Christmas for winter holiday parties. This is the perfect easy to make cocktail for beginners that everyone will like.

Ingredients

1 bottle (25 oz.) Pinot Grigio
2 bottles (12 oz. each) Fuji Apple Dry Botanical Bubbly
2 Apples- you can use a mix of granny smith and gala or even honeycrisp, sliced thin
1 ½ cups fresh cranberries
Extra apple slices and cranberries for garnishing.
8 sprigs of fresh rosemary

Instructions

Chill all ingredients before starting.
Combine wine and sparkling soda in a pitcher.
Add sliced apples and fresh cranberries.
Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Garnish with additional apple slices and cranberries, plus a sprig of fresh rosemary to serve.

Calories

136

Fat (grams)

Sat. Fat (grams)

Carbs (grams)

24.6

Fiber (grams)

1.4

Net carbs

23.2

Sugar (grams)

22.7

Protein (grams)

Sodium (milligrams)

Cholesterol (grams)

Nutrition information is approximate for a 6 ounce glass of sangria. Actual nutrition content may vary based on the brand of your ingredients.

Similar Recipes

DIY Hot Chocolate Bombs

Starbucks Caramel Apple Spice Copycat

https://www.creativegreenliving.com/2020/12/sparkling-white-christmas-apple-sangria.html

Creative Green Living, 2020

white wine sangria, sangria recipe, Christmas sangria, sparkling white wine sangria, apple sangria, cranberry sangria, easy cocktail recipe

cocktail

American

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @CreativeGreenKitchen on instagram and hashtag it #sangria

About the Author:

Carissa is an award-winning green lifestyle writer and mom of two active boys. The owner and lead writer for Creative Green Living, she most recently won the "Best Green Lifestyle Blogger" award at ShiftCon 2019 in Atlanta.

Her goal is to empower families to make healthier, more sustainable choices that are beautiful and delicious!

She is also the author of Beautiful Smoothie Bowls (Skyhorse, 2017), Proven Techniques for Keeping Healthy Chickens (Skyhorse, 2018) and The Little Green Book of Mothers' Wisdom (Skyhorse, 2020).

Follow her on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter or join the Creative Green Living Tribe on Facebook.

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When you subscribe you can download our FREE Recycled Crafts E-book!

My Favorite Chunky Cranberry Sauce - The Best Gluten Free Thanksgiving Side Dish

noreply@blogger.com (Author: Carissa Burk) — Sun, 19 Nov 2023 22:58:00 +0000

Have you ever wondered what to do with those beautiful fresh cranberries available in the store during the holidays?

Are you ready for a chunky, sweet and tart fruit side dish for Thanksgiving that will blow canned Thanksgiving sauce out of the water?

Your friends and family will be so impressed when you show up with the best cranberry sauce ever.

This is truly the most delicious cranberry sauce I've ever had - and it is SO easy to make that starting when he was just 5 year olds, my oldest started making this easy cranberry sauce recipe mostly on his own (he did need some help with peeling and cutting).

Once you've had this slightly chunky cranberry sauce made from scratch, it's hard to go back to the blob in a can!

Not only is this an awesome Thanksgiving side dish to serve with your meal, but you can do so much with it afterward!

Try serving it over Belgian waffles. Or warm it back up and spoon it over ice cream.

One year I made after-dinner cocktails by adding about 1 Tablespoon of this sauce to the bottom of a champagne flute and topping it off with Prosecco.

Frequently Asked Questions about Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Are you a "just give me the recipe!" kind of person? That's cool! Scroll straight to the bottom of the page to get to the plain text, printable recipe without pictures or commentary!

Is Cranberry Sauce Gluten Free?

The answer to this question really depends on where you got your cranberry sauce.

Is this cranberry sauce recipe gluten free?

Yes! This recipe is naturally gluten-free!

Keep in mind that how gluten-free or celiac-safe food is, is subject to you choosing gluten free ingredients and following gluten-free and celiac safe practices (not cross contaminating your cooking surface, etc).

Are most homemade cranberry sauces gluten-free?

Most homemade cranberry sauce is gluten free. But when in doubt, be sure to ask the person who made it for a list of ingredients to make sure it does not contain wheat, barley, or rye based ingredients.

What store-bought cranberry sauce is gluten free?

These store-bought brands are self-labeled as gluten-free (as of November 2023):

Whole Foods Cranberry Orange Sauce

Store-bought brands of cranberry sauce that do not list any gluten-containing ingredients on their labels (in November 2023) but do not appear to make any specific "gluten free" claims include:

Is Cranberry Sauce Vegan?

Creative Green Living's cranberry sauce recipe is naturally vegan.

In fact, most cranberry sauce recipes will be naturally vegan.

How far in advance can you make cranberry sauce?

This cranberry sauce recipe will keep in an airtight covered container in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to three months.

Can Chickens Eat Cranberry Sauce?

This might seem like a random question but as the author of a book about chicken keeping, I get asked questions like this a lot.

Normally oranges are on the no-go list for chickens. But in this case, you aren't feeding them huge pieces of orange.

Cranberries and apples are good, chicken-safe foods. I don't normally feed my chickens a lot of high sugar foods. But just like human children, small amounts of high sugar foods aren't going to hurt them.

Would I feed my chickens a regular, steady diet of only or mostly cranberry sauce? No.

Is it ok to feed them leftover cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving? Absolutely!

How to Make the Best Cranberry Sauce Recipe Ever

Fresh Cranberry Sauce Ingredients

1 cup orange juice
1 cup organic cane sugar
1 bag (16 oz) fresh cranberries
Zest, juice and pulp of 1 orange
1 organic apple

Fresh Cranberry Sauce Step-by-Step Directions:

Fresh Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe Step 1: Dissolve Sugar in Orange Juice

Add your orange juice and sugar to a saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat and stir until sugar dissolves.

Fresh Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe Step 2: Rinse and Sort the Cranberries

Pour your cranberries into a colander. Rinse and pick out any smooshed or ugly berries.

Fresh Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe Step 3: Zest and Juice the Orange While berries are cooking, zest the orange.

Add the nice berries to the pan and stir to coat in OJ.

Cut the orange in half and squeeze the halves by stabbing the center with a fork and pressing orange halves around it.

Scrape out some of the orange pulp and add it to the pan. Add zest, juice and pulp from the orange half to pan and stir together with the cranberries.

Fresh Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe Step 4: Add apple

While berries continue to simmer, peel, core and chop an apple into small pieces (I like Granny Smith - but use what you have!).

Once most of the berries have burst, add apple pieces to pan and stir.

Fresh Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe Step 5: Finish cooking

Cook for 5 more minutes then remove from heat. Most of the berries should be popped And the apples will be pink or red instead of white.

Fresh Homemade Cranberry Sauce Recipe Step 6: Serve

Serve warm over waffles or ice cream.

If using for a condiment on Thanksgiving to go with turkey, allow to stand for about 15 minutes, then pour mixture into a bowl or ramekins and refrigerate until ready to serve.

About the Author:

Carissa Burk is a cookbook author and busy mom of two creative boys. The owner and lead writer at Creative Green Living, she has won multiple awards for her work on Creative Green Living including the "Best Green Lifestyle Blogger" award in 2019 from ShiftCon.

She is the author of the hardcover cookbook, Beautiful Smoothie Bowls, as well as the backyard chicken keeping guide: Proven Techniques for Keeping Healthy Chickens. Her recipes have been featured in Urban Farm Magazine and in several cookbooks where she was a contributing author. Follow her on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter or join the Creative Green Living Community Group on Facebook.

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When you subscribe you can download our FREE Recycled Crafts E-book!

Best Gluten Free Sausage Stuffing Recipe for Thanksgiving

noreply@blogger.com (Author: Carissa Burk) — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 19:29:00 +0000

If you need a gluten-free bread stuffing recipe for Thanksgiving, you're in the right place!

No Thanksgiving table is complete without stuffing (or dressing) - and if you are gluten free or are having gluten free guests for dinner, you will want to be sure to have this recipe ready to go so everyone is included!

Even though this recipe uses gluten-free bread, with lots of high flavor ingredients like herbs and sausage, nobody will know this stuffing is gluten-free unless you tell them.

This means you can make a big batch for everyone and both the bread eaters and gluten free guests can share!

This stuffing is perfect for turkey stuffing or just baking on the side as-is (but way tastier than Stove Top or any other premade gluten free stuffing mixture!).

Whether you need GF stuffing for Thanksgiving, Christmas or just because this recipe will be a hit with everyone!

What is the best bread for making gluten-free stuffing?

When developing this recipe to get a gluten free version of the Thanksgiving stuffing my grandmother used to make, I tried lot and lots of different breads and stuffing mixes.

After a lot of trial and error, I discovered that Udi’s Hot Dog Buns make the best bread base for gluten free stuffing.

Can you freeze Thanksgiving bread stuffing?

Yes! This recipe freezes beautifully.

When making this recipe for Thanksgiving, I often make a double-batch so I can use half for Thanksgiving dinner and freeze half to use for making dinners later.

Prepare the entire recipe up until the point where you would put it in the oven on step 4. Instead package in your desired portion size for freezing.

When you’re ready to bake it, you can bake direct-from frozen or defrost in the fridge before baking.

The history of this Italian-style gluten-free stuffing recipe:

My Italian grandmother’s stuffing recipe that goes back at least four generations. It is unlike any stuffing I have ever had anywhere.

It isn't dry. It has a wonderful flavor. The secret ingredient is Italian sausage.

Of course, being a classic Italian recipe it's full of gluten.

In 2016 I had to stop eating gluten. Not wanting to give up the all-time very best stuffing recipe ever, I spent nearly a month cooking batch after batch of stuffing in search of the PERFECT gluten free substitutes that still captured the taste and texture of my great grandmother's original recipe.

I tried Trader Joe's gluten free stuffing mix. I tried making my own GF croutons and bread dressings with gluten free breads and the texture just wasn't right.

On the fifth batch, I found the secret to the making the best gluten free stuffing!

The secret to the perfect texture in gluten free bread stuffing is Udi's gluten free HOG DOG BUNS.

Who knew?

It's so good that nobody will even know this stuffing is gluten free if you don't tell them!

This makes it the perfect stuffing to bring to any Thanksgiving or Christmas gathering where there is a mix of gluten-free and non-gluten-free family members together.

Whenever I am invited to Thanksgiving dinner, I always volunteer to bring the stuffing because truly, once you have had this stuffing recipe, you will not want any other stuffing.

It is honestly the very best stuffing recipe ever - and the fact that I am BEGGED to bring the stuffing with me to subsequent Thanksgiving dinners is a testimony to that!

Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe with Sausage
the secret to the making the very best gluten free stuffing recipe ever

I was thrilled to be on Portland's Afternoon Live in November, 2017 to demonstrate this recipe with Emmy Award winning host Tra'Renee Chambers. Watch me make the GF stuffing live with her on air here:

Gluten Free Stuffing Ingredients

1 pack Udi's brand gluten free hotdog buns (14.3 oz)
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
2 tsp poultry seasoning*, divided
1 lb ground Italian sausage* (NOT the type in casings. NOT hot/spicy)
1 cup chopped celery*
1/4 cup diced white or yellow onion
4 medium sized mushrooms, chopped
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley*
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 3/4 cup chicken broth*
1/4 cup butter*, melted
Salt and Pepper to taste

*Creative Green Living recommends purchasing these ingredients as organic where available to avoid GMOs, pervasive pesticides and/or questionable farming practices.

Gluten free cooking tip: As with any gluten-free recipe, your final product will only be as gluten free as your ingredients. Be sure to check that the ingredients you are purchasing are gluten free and use good kitchen sanitazation practices to keep the food from becoming cross contaminated in the kitchen.

Gluten-Free Stuffing Recipe Cooking Directions

Gluten free stuffing recipe step 1: Make the gluten-free stuffing bread base
(This step may be done up to two days before if desired)

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Cut hot dog buns into bite-sized bread cubes. Toss bread cubes in a large bowl with EVOO and 1 tsp poultry seasoning.

Spread bread cubes out in a single layer on a large baking sheet (use two if necessary).

Bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes until light brown and very dry.

Remove croutons from oven and allow to cool. (they will cool faster if you transfer them back to the bowl you tossed them in instead of leaving them on the cookie sheet)

If you want to make these ahead of time, once they are completely cooled, you may store them in a large zip top plastic bag until you are ready to move on to step 2.

Gluten free stuffing recipe step 2: Cook up the sausage and veggies

Brown the Italian sausage in the bottom of a large stockpot over medium heat, stirring often to break into crumbles.

I like to use a stockpot instead of a skillet because once the sausage is done, I can finish tossing the rest of the stuffing together in this pot.

Add celery and onion to the sausage in the stockpot, stirring to cook approximately four minutes or until very fragrant.

Gluten free stuffing recipe step 3: Combine all ingredients

Remove the pot from the heat and add the toasted gluten-free bread cubes, mushrooms, parsley, Parmesan, 1 tsp poultry seasoning, chicken broth, and melted butter.

Stir well to combine. If stuffing seems too dry, add more broth, 2 Tbsp at a time (4 Tbsp max). Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Gluten free stuffing recipe step 4: Bake stuffing/dressing

Move stuffing to a baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350° F for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and serve warm.

Alternatively, add the stuffing loosely to the inside of your turkey. Bake until the internal temperature of the stuffing reaches 165° F

Enjoy!

Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Stuffing with Sausage

Yield: 8

Author: Carissa B

prep time: 24 Mcook time: 30 Mtotal time: 54 M

This gluten-free Thanksgiving stuffing with sausage tastes just like regular stuffing! Nobody will even know it is gluten-free until you tell them.

ingredients:

1 pack Udi's brand gluten free hotdog buns (14.3 oz)
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
2 tsp poultry seasoning*, divided
1 lb ground Italian sausage* (NOT the type in casings)
1 cup chopped celery*
1/4 cup diced white or yellow onion
4 medium sized mushrooms, chopped
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley*
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 3/4 cup chicken broth*
1/4 cup butter*, melted
Salt and Pepper to taste

instructions:

How to cook Gluten Free Thanksgiving stuffing

Preheat oven to 350° F.
Cut hot dog buns into bite-sized cubes. Toss in a large bowl with EVOO and 1 tsp poultry seasoning.
Spread bread cubes out in single layer on large baking sheet (use two if necessary). Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes until light brown and very dry.
Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Brown sausage in bottom of large stockpot over medium heat, stirring often to break into crumbles.
Add celery and onion to stockpot, stirring to cook approximately four minutes or until fragrant.
Remove pot from heat and add toasted bread cubes, mushrooms, parsley, Parmesan, 1 tsp poultry seasoning, chicken broth, and melted butter.
Stir well to combine. If stuffing seems too dry, add more broth, 2 Tbsp at a time (4 Tbsp max). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Move stuffing to baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350°F for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and serve warm.

NOTES:

*Creative Green Living recommends purchasing these ingredients as organic where available to avoid GMOs, pervasive pesticides and/or questionable farming practices. *Alternatively, add stuffing loosely to inside of turkey. Bake until internal temperature of stuffing reaches 165.

Calories
349.37

Fat (grams)
27.70

Sat. Fat (grams)
10.66

Carbs (grams)
12.27

Fiber (grams)
1.46

Net carbs
10.81

Sugar (grams)
3.89

Protein (grams)
13.20

Sodium (milligrams)
838.85

Cholesterol (grams)
51.35

Nutrition information is approximate and may vary based on the freshness and brand of your ingredients.

https://www.creativegreenliving.com/2017/10/the-very-best-gluten-free-stuffing-recipe.html

gluten free stuffing, gluten free thanksgiving, gluten free christmas, healthy stuffing recipe

Side

American

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @CreativeGreenKitchen on instagram and hashtag it #creativegreenkitchen

Created using The Recipes Generator

About the Author:

Carissa B is a cookbook author and busy mom of two creative boys. The owner and lead writer at Creative Green Living, she won the Craftys Award for the "Best Craft Blogger" category in 2016 and the ShiftCon award for "Best DIY Blogger" in 2018.

She is also the author of the hardcover cookbook, Beautiful Smoothie Bowls (Skyhorse, 2017) and Proven Techniques for Keeping Healthy Chickens (Skyhorse, 2018). Her projects and recipes have been featured in magazines like Kids Crafts 1-2-3, Capper's Farmer and Urban Farm Magazine. Follow her on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter or join the Creative Green Living community group.

Do you like this post? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter!

When you subscribe you can download our FREE Recycled Crafts E-book!

Christmas 2024 Guide to The Best Stocking Stuffers for Her: 50+ Ideas Your Wife, Girlfriend, Mother or Adult Daughter Will Love

noreply@blogger.com (Author: Carissa Burk) — Tue, 31 Oct 2023 13:20:00 +0000

If you are trying to find worthwhile stocking stuffers for your wife, girlfriend, mom, or adult daughters, you are in the right place!

Finding stocking stuffers for the women in your life can feel overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be!

I've put together a helpful guide to help you find the best gifts for their Christmas stockings that the women in your life will:

Really love
Actually use
Not break in less than a week

She may even end up loving the stuff you put in her stocking more than what's under the tree! Wouldn't that be a fun surprise this holiday season!

If you have been scratching your head trying to find the perfect stocking stuffer ideas for the women you'll be spending the holidays this year, I've got you! Your wife (or girlfriend, or mom, or daughter!) will be thrilled with these fun finds and you'll get all the credit!

What do you put in a woman's stocking?

Whether it's your first or fifteenth-year Christmas shopping for your wife, mom, adult daughter or girlfriend, the task of finding great stocking stuffers can be hard.

As a general overview, here are some categories of small gifts that are the perfect size for stockings:

Gift cards
especially to places you know she already loves
Handmade gifts
Not handy? Buy handmade! Lots of ideas below!
Lip balm
You can really never have enough lip balm. Buy more of her favorite brand or try one of our suggested favorites
Something for her hair
Of course what exactly will depend on her style and hair length but hair ties, clips, headbands and more are perennial faves.
Really nice pens
Like, a really nice one. Or five.
A book or two
Lots of books are the perfect size for sliding in a stocking! Even mine! And I'll sign it for you, dedicated to her if you want!
Tech stuff
The kinds of things we can all use - charging cables, cases, power banks, etc. Be sure to make a note of what kinds of devices she has before you go shopping.

We have specific recommendations for these categories and more to help you find good quality gifts she will love at every price point! Keep scrolling!

Should you put candy in an adult Christmas stocking?

While most women love sweet treats, what kinds of things are appropriate will vary from woman to woman. If she has dietary requirements, you really don't want to screw this up!

In general, I think it's safer to skip this. However, if you do want to include candy or another sweet, be sure to ask yourself these questions first:

Does she have any allergies?
Nothing screams "I don't get you" like giving someone with a gluten allergy chocolate covered pretzels for example.
Does she like the flavor of the thing you want to share?
Believe it or not, not everyone likes chocolate. Or cinnamon. Or caramel. Have you ever seen her eating the thing you want to give (or something with that same flavor profile) previously?
Does she have other dietary requirements?
While she might not have a meat *allergy*, if your girl is vegan, she isn't going to be thrilled about milk chocolate.
Can she eat/does she like oranges?
Oranges are a traditional Christmas stocking stuffer. If you're not sure about candy but still want to do something edible, maybe an orange will be a more appropriate choice?

Best Stocking Stuffers for Women:
A Gift Guide to Help You Wow Your Wife, Daughter, Girlfriend or Mom When They Open Their Stockings on Christmas Morning

This gift guide contains both affiliate links and sponsored placements.

Little Green Book of Mothers' Wisdom - signed by the author!

This small gift-size book is a tiny hardcover book with a cloth spine - definitely nice enough for giving any mother in your life - even if she isn't *your* mother.

I just happen to be the editor of this lovely collection of inspirational quotes by and about mothers. I've put it together with some of my favorite art that encompasses all the different feelings that motherhood stirs in us.

No need to give Amazon any of your money - shop small and buy it directly from the author - I'll even sign it for you (no charge) and ship it to you for free! Buy it from me in my Etsy shop here! (want to see the insides? I have a video of me flipping through it on the Etsy listing as well)

Rainbow Pencils

Engrave her name or a motivational saying on a rainbow collection of pencils. Is her favorite color green? You can also choose to have the set be all one color! Buy them from C & A Creations on Etsy here.

One Last F**k to Give (in a tiny glass jar)

Now, this cute gift may not be for everybody, but this is a stocking stuffer guide for adult women. And if the woman in your life is like most of us, she is just plain out of f*cks to give.

If your gift recipient is running low on f**ks or is just plain out, she could probably use an emergency stash in her stocking!

These tiny little f**ks come in miniature glass bottles and cost less per-f**k, the more you buy. So buy a set of 10 or 15 so you can share these little gifts with your friends and make sure everyone you love always has one last f**k to give on hand in case of emergencies. Buy a stash of spare back-up f*cks on Etsy here.

Slide-Together Ring, Bracelet and Scrunchie Organizer

This tabletop jewelry organizer slides together in two separate pieces that ship flat and make it easy to slide into her stocking on Christmas morning. It's a little bit of a bigger item so it's nice to have it taking up some room, too!

Choose from maple or ebony wood veneer to be the finish on this jewelry organizer that can hold rings on the fingers but it can also stack watches, bracelets, and scrunchies around the tall arm base. For a small additional fee, the Etsy seller will also personalize it by engraving a name on the base or the palm.

With a little advance notice, you can also order this item in order wood finishes or even colors of acrylic. Buy it in the C&A Creations Etsy Store here.

Hot Chocolate Bombs

If you know the lady in your life loves chocolate and you really want to wow her with a handmade item, Hot chocolate bombs are all the rage this year. These can cost $5-$13 each in stores or on Etsy but they aren't hard to make if you have crafty intuition! Whip up a batch for your girlfriend or sister and customize them with their favorite flavors!

Trinket Dishes from Plot Twist Pottery

I have multiple trinket dishes from Plot Twist Pottery and I love them all. She has lots of shapes and colors to choose from. Anyone who wears jewelry will love these as a safe little nook to store their shiny things while bathing or washing up. Buy a handcrafted trinket or ring dish from Plot Twist Pottery Here.

Sterling Silver Initial Necklace

Support a small business and get personalized jewelry for her at the same time. This beautiful but simple necklace from IrinSkye can be personalized with her initial and either her gemstone or just her favorite color.

If your gift recipient is a mom, she might love a personalized mother's necklace, with an initial from each of her kids along with their birthstones. It's a great way to give a thoughtful stocking stuffer that isn't too pricey.

A Handwriting Ring from CaitlynMinimalist on Etsy

I ordered a ring for myself from this Etsy shop earlier this year and I was so impressed by the quality of what I got for the price I paid!

I had both of my kids and my husband write their first initial on a white piece of paper and draw a heart around it.

I snapped pictures with my cell phone, lined them up in a line and sent the image to Caitlyn and her team and I ended up with a beautiful custom sterling silver ring that I wear on my right hand as my family ring with the initials of the three people I love the most. Definitely check out this Etsy shop for more creative jewelry from handwriting, kids drawings and more.

Owl Webcam Cover

If you've ever joined a video meeting and realized too late that you're—EEEEK!—not camera-ready, you need this bird to watch out for you. This adorable Canadian-made silicone apple is universally compatible with Chromebooks, PCs and Apple products.

Pink Pearl Earrings from Brilliant Earth

Get her something she may not already have in her jewelry box. This beautifully matched pair of rose colored, freshwater cultured pearls are mounted on silver posts. These elegant, organic pearls feature brilliant luster and shine with traditional grace and beauty. Shop Brilliant Earth's assortment of ethical, giftable jewelry here.

Leather Gloves with Faux Fur Cuff

If you live somewhere with cold weather, I highly recommend these! These women's faux-fur cuff leather gloves from Cuddl Duds are sure to quickly become her favorite new winter-weather staple accessory.

They are touch-screen compatible and feature cozy faux fur cuff to keep out the winter chill Buy them online at Kohls. Vegan? Real leather not her style? These faux leather, vegan gloves might be a better fit instead!

Gemstone Essential Oil Roller Bottle Tops

If she uses essential oils, she will love these natural gemstone roller bottle tops. This set comes with ten different gemstone tops and a tool to easily remove the tops to swap out.

These are compatible with most 10mL roller bottles to allow her to mix or dilute her own essential oil blends and top them with a gemstone roller.

Flower Flavored Syrups

These flower flavored elixirs with flavors like rose, jasmine, orange blossom and more enhance either tea (hot or cold!) or champagne. Or be creative! The set comes with five different flavors to help you load up one stocking or to split up and share.

Personalized Colored Pencils in a Custom Wood Case

In the Creative Green Living Etsy shop I have something perfect for the people in your life who like to color or do art to destress - customized colored pencils packed in a durable wood case with their name engraved on it! Buy it in my Etsy shop here.

(only want the pencils without the case - pick those up here!)

These would pair great with a coloring book for adults like Color Your Own Happy from my friend, Jen Goode or the 2023 Weekly Coloring Planner from Johanna Basford.

Personal Essential Oil Diffuser

This pocket-sized essential oil diffuser is great for carrying on the go or keeping handy on your desk or nightstand. I keep mine at my computer with water and a couple drops of Peppermint Mocha essential oil blend for a mid-day work pick-me-up!

Andalou Naturals Instant Hydration Mask

Beauty products that pamper like this hydrating sheet mask are perfect stocking stuffers to encourage self care. This mask is powered by fruit stem cells and alpine rose stem cells to create a soothing, hydrating experience.

This sheet mask is Fair-Trade, Gluten-Free, Cruelty-Free, Eco-Friendly, Vegetarian and Vegan and 100% Non-GMO Project Verified personal care. And 100% Creative Green Living approved.

Real Crystal Nightlights

Bring the beauty and power of your favorite crystals into her home with these light sensor nightlights. These are so much prettier than their plan plastic cousins! Choose from amethyst, rose quartz and quartz.

Mimosa Sugar Cube Trio

Drop these flavor-packed sugar cubes into a glass of champagne for an instant cocktail. Teetotalling? These would also be delightful in sparkling water. Flavor options include peach, raspberry, strawberry, arcadia orange, grapefruit or lemon.

Aromatherapy Diffuser Locket

This locket comes with several different pads that can be used to hold drops of your favorite essential oils. I personally wear mine when traveling because I am prone to motion sickness. Having a few drops of peppermint essential oil or a tummy soothing blend on the pad helps calm a queasy travel tummy.

Amethyst Ring

This pretty ring is on my personal wish list. Georgia-based jeweler, RingCrush sells lots of cool rings that you can mix and match. This purple amethyst ring is my personal favorite but she has lots of other great options in your lady's favorite colors.

Activated Charcoal Bath Bombs

Activated charcoal is great for your skin. It helps absorb excess oil and draw out impurities.

Impress your gift recipient by making her a batch of bath bombs inspired by her favorites from Lush! Get the bath bomb recipe here.

Pro tip: Do not give this to your wife or girlfriend if you have recently had a fight or you think she is mad at you. Trust me. Coal on Christmas is not the funny gift you think it is.

(of course, if it's your sister, she probably deserves the coal anyway!)

(not crafty? Don't want to make your own bath bombs? Pick up similar pre-made bath bombs or shower steamers on Etsy!)

Lush Inspired Bath Bombs

Bath bombs are the perfect way to make her alone time in the bath extra. Learn how to make bath bombs (these ones feature sprinkles and smell like bubble gum!) or buy some hand-crafted bath bombs from an artisan on Etsy.

Lead Free Lip Gloss

You may not know that many lip glosses (including natural and organic brands) are contaminated with lead. This is legal and totally unregulated by the FDA so buyers need to do their own due diligence.

Gabriel makes some of my favorite lead-free lip gloss. They are also phthalate and paraben-free, making them a Creative Green Living favorite.

Fun Nail File or Emery Boards

I know I am not the only woman who is consistently losing her nail files! Most of us need a purse nail file, a home nail file, a car nail file and few extras for back up. Whether she has natural nails or always has a manicure, having extra nail files on hand is always appreciated!

Travel Size Poo-Pourri

This non-toxic, chemical free formula traps stinky odors in the toilet to prevent embarrassment. It's a little bit of a silly gift, so I would't do this one for someone you have just started dating but it's great stocking stuffer for a sister, wife or daughter.

Sterling Silver Fidget Ring

Can she just not sit still? If she is super fidgety like I am, she'll love having a ring like this. It's way less childlike than a fidget spinner and it's fashionable at the same time! I love mine and wear it every day.

A pretty Pop Socket

Pop Sockets come in all kinds of pretty designs. They will help her hold on to her phone so she is less likely to drop it while using it. It also serves as a convenient way to prop the phone on its side if she wants to lay it down to watch a video.

Organic Mint Tea

This soothing peppermint tea is perfect for any cold winter evening. It's not caffeinated so it won't keep her awake at night. It's also great for helping support digestion after Christmas feasting.

Tohi Night's Rest Hand and Body Cream

This soothing hand and body cream uses the power of lavender, patchouli, ylang ylang and sandalwood essential oils to help you relax and get ready for a great night of sleep.

I massaged it onto my hands, neck and chest and I fell asleep faster than I have in weeks!

Organic Essential Oils from Rocky Mountain Oils

If she's interested in essential oils for cleaning, diffusing or other uses, she'll love the organic essential oil line from Rocky Mountain Oils. The oils I personally use most often are lavender, orange, peppermint and lemon.

Make Up Eraser

The Make Up Eraser is a great way to remove makeup and exfoliate your skin with just water. It works for years without needing to be replaced. I love this pretty teal color but they come in lots of fun prints, too.

If you liked this ultimate guide to stocking stuffer ideas for her, be sure to save it to Pinterest or Facebook so you can find it again later!

LOOKING FOR MORE GREAT GIFT IDEAS?

Creative Green Living has Christmas and holiday gift guides for everyone in your life! Check out these popular gift guides to get more ideas for who you are shopping for:

The Best Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Adults

This list has lots of great ideas for stocking stuffers for both men and women.

31 Easy to Make DIY Gifts that People Want to Get

How to make high quality gifts the women in your life will especially love and treasure forever.

45+ Christmas Presents You Can Make for Mom

No matter your DIY skill level, there are lots of DIY options for gifts you can make for your mom that she will love.

About the Author:

Carissa is an award-winning green lifestyle writer and mom of two active boys. The owner and lead writer for Creative Green Living, she most recently won the "Best Green Lifestyle Blogger" award at ShiftCon 2019 in Atlanta.

Her goal is to empower families to make healthier, more sustainable choices that are beautiful and delicious!

She is also the author of Beautiful Smoothie Bowls (Skyhorse, 2017), Proven Techniques for Keeping Healthy Chickens (Skyhorse, 2018) and The Little Green Book of Mothers' Wisdom (Skyhorse, 2020).

Follow her on TikTok, Pinterest, Instagram, or join the Creative Green Living Community Group on Facebook.

Do you like this post? Subscribe to our newsletter!

When you subscribe you can download our FREE Recycled Crafts E-book!

Sponsored placement disclosure: Some of my favorite companies help sponsor this gift guide every year and in exchange, links to their products are included in this post. I have a firm policy of only endorsing and linking to products I honestly like and think you will, too.

Affiliate link disclosure: If you choose to purchase any items after clicking the links above, Amazon, UncommonGoods, Rocky Mountain Oils and other vendors may pay me a small kickback as a thank you for sending business their way. It doesn't cost you anything extra and helps support this website, allowing me to keep researching great products and creating high-quality recipes, tutorials and gift guides for you!

How to Make a Cute Easy Envelope Out of Any 8.5x11 Paper - Step-by-Step Instructions!

noreply@blogger.com (Author: Carissa Burk) — Tue, 31 Oct 2023 12:16:00 +0000

While envelopes aren't exactly expensive, this is a simple way to make your own envelopes out of 8.5 x 11 inch paper that is easy and fun to do!

This craft is so simple and flexible, you won't look at paper the same after! You can use scrapbook paper, junk mail, durable wrapping paper or magazines to make your very own homemade envelopes that are colorful and fun. You could even get fancy and use decorative papers that are fancy or lacy to make something really special and unique!

The sample envelope in pictures for this tutorial was made from the cover of Real Simple magazine. So as you can see, you can still get a fun, unique look without spending a ton of money or buying specialty craft supplies.

This is a great Earth Day or rainy day craft activity for tweens, teens and up! High school and college students who like origami or paper folding will especially enjoy this craft!

And this is really the easiest envelope you can make: You can't need any fancy supplies - no crazy scoring boards, degree in origami, or stockpile of papercrafting supplies and know-how needed!

Once you learn how to make your own homemade envelopes, you'll want to do it all the time, too! It's fun and relaxing and an easy way to reduce waste at home.

Plus mail is just more fun when it comes in a cool envelope! Once you’re done making your special folded envelopes, send a card or letter to a loved one –who wouldn't love to get mail in a special, custom-made envelope?!

Ready to learn how to make envelopes out of paper you already have at home? Let's do it!

What size envelopes will this make?

This tutorial is designed to make envelopes that will work for either 4x6 or 5x7 cards from a 8.5 x 11 inch piece of paper.

This size envelope should work for most birthday cards, postcards, Christmas cards, other holiday cards, handmade cards, etc.

You can also follow this same tutorial to make mini envelopes for gift cards from 5x7 inch paper.

How to Make an Envelope Out of Any 8.5-by-11-Inch Paper
like magazine pages, cardstock, printer paper, wrapping paper and more!

Supplies

Magazine, calendar sheets, printer paper, scrapbook pages - cut to 8.5 x 11 inches before starting
Card or letter to mail
(don’t have what you want to mail yet? 4x6 inches or 5x7 inches are good default sizes! Use a piece of scrap cardstock or cardboard to make yourself a template.)
Glue stick or double-sided tape roller
Pen
Labels
Optional: Paper cutter

Some of the links above may be affiliate links where a purchase made after clicking will support this website without costing you extra!

Step-By-Step Instructions for How to Fold Your Own Envelopes

Important: This tutorial is based on a standard-= size sheet of paper (which in the USA is 8.5x11 inches). You can fold envelopes out of just about any kind of paper. However, before getting started you should cut your paper down to 8.5 x 11.

Pro Tip: Need help cutting your paper down to a standard size? You can use a piece of printer paper as a template if needed! This will help you keep your lines straight.

Making a mini envelope for a gift card instead? Start with a 5 x 7 inch piece of paper but follow our same easy steps!

How to Make an Envelope Out of 8.5x11 Paper Step 1:

Pick a paper or page you like and turn it right side down (pretty side of the paper facing down) on the table in front of you.

Center your greeting card or handmade card on the page.

Don’t have the actual card you want to send yet? Cut a 4.25” x 6.25” OR 5.25” x 7.25” template out of thin cardboard like a cereal box or cardstock to serve as a template and help you get your folds right in the meantime.

Adjust as needed so when you fold you can avoid undesirable text from appearing on the front of your envelope.

Fold in the long sides of the page against the sides of the card and crease along the whole length of the page.

Keep these side flaps folded down and move on to the next step.

How to Make an Envelope Out of 8.5x11 Paper Step 2:

Start to shape the flap by folding the top corners down dog-ear style as shown and crease.

Fold the bottom corners dog ear style in toward the center as well and crease firmly.

How to Make an Envelope Out of 8.5x11 Paper Step 3:

Using the bottom of your card as a guide, fold the bottom edge of the homemade envelope up to make the pouch portion and crease well along the bottom center line.

Mark the diagonals of the top right and left corners with a pen on the side flaps. You'll use this mark as a guide in the next step.

How to Make an Envelope Out of 8.5x11 Paper Step 4:

Apply the glue stick or double sided tape on the side flaps from the line you just drew, down to the center crease.

Next, fold the bottom corner up to meet the line you drew and press the edges to seal.

How to Make an Envelope Out of 8.5x11 Paper Step 5:

Slide your card or letter into the base of your envelope.

Fold the top flap down and crease across the top of the top flap.

If you are pre-making envelopes, don’t do this last step yet!

To seal your envelope, open the envelope back up and apply glue across the top and on the dog ears before pressing down. Alternatively, you can seal the envelopes with stickers, washi tape or a wax seal (fancy!).

How to Make an Envelope Out of 8.5x11 Paper Step 6:

If desired, add labels to the front to make a pretty, writable surface suitable for mailing.

That's it!

Pin these directions for how to make an envelope to save them for later.

Printable Directions for How to Make an Easy Envelope from 8.5 x 11 Paper:

How to Make an Envelope Out of Paper or Magazine Pages

Yield: 1 envelope

Author: Carissa B

Estimated cost: $0

prep time: 2 Mperform time: 3 Mtotal time: 5 M

This easy recycled craft project will let you turn old magazines, books, calendars or any 8.5 x 11 piece of paper into an envelope suitable to send in the mail.

materials:

Magazine, calendar or scrapbook pages - cut to 8.5 x 11 inches before starting
Card or letter to mail
Labels

tools:

Glue stick
Pen

steps:

If the paper you are using is larger than 8.5 x 11 inches, cut it down to that size before starting.
Turn your paper face down (so the side you want to be on the outside is facing the table). Center your card on the page.
Fold in the long sides of the page against the sides of the card. Adjust where you fold as needed in order to avoid undesirable text from appearing on the front of your envelope.
Fold in all four corners dog ear style.
Using the bottom of your card as a guide, fold the bottom edge up. Mark the diagonals with a pen. You'll use this mark as a guide in the next step.
Apply the glue stick on both sides of the magazine paper from the line you just drew, down to the fold. Then fold the bottom corner up to meet the line you drew and press the edges to seal.
Slide your card or letter into the envelope. Fold the top edge down and crease. Open it back up and apply glue across the top and on the dog ears.
Fold it down to seal.
If desired, add labels to the front to make a pretty, writable surface suitable for mailing.

https://www.creativegreenliving.com/2012/12/how-to-make-envelopes-from-magazine.html

Did you make this project?

Tag @CreativeGreenLiving on instagram and hashtag it #CreativeGreenLiving

DIY envelope, how to make an envelope, how to make an envelope out of paper, how to make a paper envelope, how to fold an envelope, how to recycle magazines, recycled magazine craft

Created using Craft Card Maker

Want to learn more ways you can make an envelope?

There's more than one way to fold an envelope!

If you're interested in more ways to fold an envelope out of materials you have in your recycling bin, check out my tutorial for How to Make an Envelope for a Card from a Paper Board Cereal Box

How to Make an Envelope for a Card from a Recycled Box

About the Author:

Carissa is a lifelong crafter and mom of two creative boys. The owner and lead writer at Creative Green Living, she won the Craftys Award for the "Best Craft Blogger" category in 2016 and the ShiftCon award for "Best DIY Blogger" in both 2018 and 2019.

Her goal is to empower families to make easy projects and healthier choices that are beautiful and delicious! She is also the author of multiple books including, Beautiful Smoothie Bowls (Skyhorse, 2017) and Proven Techniques for Keeping Healthy Chickens (Skyhorse, 2018).

Her projects have been featured in magazines like Kids Crafts 1-2-3, Capper's Farmer and Urban Farm Magazine. Follow her on TikTok, Pinterest, and Instagram or join the Creative Green Living Community Group on Facebook.

Do you like this post? Subscribe to our newsletter!

When you subscribe you can download our FREE Recycled Crafts E-book!

Christmas 2024: 75+ Best Stocking Stuffers for Adults - Unique Stocking Filler Ideas They'll Actually Use!

noreply@blogger.com (Author: Carissa Burk) — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 23:04:00 +0000

This post contains affiliate links and sponsored placements.

In many families, long past the time they give Christmas gifts from Santa, adults still get stuffed stockings on Christmas morning.

Of course, filling Christmas stockings for adults can be a little trickier than filling stockings for kids.

Anyone can buy cheap toys or plastic doo-dads at the Dollar Store but what kinds of things will grown ups actually use?

If you are looking to find great stocking stuffer ideas for your adult children or stocking fillers for your wife or husband, I've got lots of clever ideas for you!

This list is full of unique stocking stuffers for men, stocking stuffers for her, stocking stuffers under $5, consumable stocking stuffers and extra special stocking stuffers that are a little more.

Of course, because we're Creative Green Living, our primary focus isn't going to be on plastic toys or cheap trinkets that will break quickly or things that will wind up in the landfill in a week.

What are the best stocking stuffer ideas?

The best stocking stuffer ideas are things that:

Aren't junk
The recipient will actually like
They can really use
Won't break in less than a week
Aren't candy (by all means give candy - but you want more than that!)

These are my best stocking stuffer ideas to help you fill their Christmas stockings with great gifts that meet those criteria - and that your gift recipient will adore!

The last thing most of us need is random "stuff." I love things that I can really use (and even better, use UP).

Just say no to cheap junk and give great stocking gifts they will love and really use.

How much do you spend on stocking stuffers?

Good stocking stuffers usually cost $5-$20. To help balance everything out, they might get one $25-$35 gift that takes up a lot of space and then a few smaller things like crystals or bottles of essential oils.

In my house, the adults usually get one nice present each plus a stocking with awesome, useful stuff worth $50-$75. I don't mind spending more on stocking stuffers that are really useful and I know the person will like!

Ready to get all my best stocking stuffer ideas for adults? Let's go!

_______________________________________________________

Best 2024 Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Adults
the best stocking stuffer ideas that your adult children, husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend and other grown-ups will love!

Little Green Book of Mothers' Wisdom - signed by the author!

This small gift-size book is a tiny hardcover book with a cloth spine - definitely nice enough for giving any mother in your life - even if she isn't *your* mother.

Hypoallergenic Huggie Hoops from PAOVI

Huggie hoops are definitely a casual jewelry trend right now. These hypoallergenic earrings come in your choice white gold or yellow gold and are non-irritating even for those with sensitive ears.

PAVOI jewelry is crafted with 100% recycled materials and are packaged in 99% recycled and compostable materials. To offset the plastic their company does use, they remove 275,000 plastic bottles from our ocean annually - so it's a company you can feel good about!

One Last F**k to Give (in a tiny glass jar)

Now, this gift may not be for everybody, but this is a stocking stuffer guide for adults. And if this isn't the right fit for you, it's ok to just keep scrolling.

But it has been a year - and if you know people who are just out of f**ks to give, they could probably use an emergency stash in their stocking!

These tiny little f**ks come in miniature glass bottles and cost less per-f**k, the more you buy. So buy a set of 10 or 15 so you can share this unique gift with a friend and make sure everyone you love always has one last f**k to give on hand in case of emergencies. Buy a stash of spare back-up f*cks on Etsy here.

Whiskey Subscription from Flaviar

If you are shopping for stocking stuffers for someone over 21, who loves all things whiskey, you have to check out the Flaviar subscription. You can order a sample flight (shown) or a full bottle each month.

If you live with the recipient (so same shipping address), you might do the three-month subscription so you can have the first month ready to go at home to put in their stocking - and then let them choose their own adventure for the next two months! Check out what Flaviar has to offer here!

Trinket Dishes from Plot Twist Pottery

I have multiple trinket dishes from Plot Twist Pottery and I love them all. This artist has lots of shapes and colors to choose from. Each piece is handmade, making sure your gift will be one of a kind, unique and as special as your special someone!

Know someone getting engaged or married this Christmas? Get them a ring dish to keep their new ring on! Know someone who loves handmade items? It's perfect for them, too! A mechanic? A gardener? You get the idea. They're perfect for just about anyone who wears any jewelry at all. Buy a handcrafted trinket or ring dish from Plot Twist Pottery Here.

Silicone Scalp Massager Shampoo Brush

I use one of these and love it. My hair is long so in the shower it can be hard to get my shampoo or conditioner worked all the way through my hair. It also helps increase circulation to your scalp and helps with dry or flaky scalp issues - no matter how short or long your hair is.

Hot Chocolate Bombs

Hot chocolate bombs are all the rage. These can cost $5-$13 each in stores or on Etsy but they aren't hard to make yourself at home especially if you're crafty!

Whip up a batch for your adult kids and customize them with their favorite flavors by adding things like candy canes, caramel and Andes mints to the fillings inside!

Recycled Microsuede Gloves

These Isotoner microsuede gloves feature contrasting Berber cuffs, and are made with recycled microsuede, making them both good for the planet and water-repellent.

The non-slip palm helps you keep a secure grip on your devices while the Sherpasoft lining keeps you cozy during chilly winter days. They are BPA and phthalate free (a Creative Green Living must!) and touchscreen compatible with smarTouch technology. Buy them online at Kohls.

Flex Pot Clip

This nifty little doo-dad lets you rest your spoon on the edge of the pot without getting your counter or stove messy.

The flexible claw means that it can accommodate many spoon sizes and even the handle of a full-size whisk!

Real Crystal Nightlights

Bring the beauty and power of your favorite crystals into your home with these light sensor nightlights. These are so much prettier than their plan plastic cousins! Choose from amethyst, rose quartz and quartz.

Pop Sockets

Available in all kinds of designs from plain to fancy, Pop Sockets make great stocking stuffers for both men and women.

If you don't already have one, these little poppers stick on the back of your cell phone case and pop out to make it easier to hold. They can also prop your phone up when turned on its side.

Mine may or may not double as a fidget. #ADHD

Pink Pearl Earrings from Brilliant Earth

Shop Brilliant Earth's assortment of ethical, giftable jewelry here.

Personalized Leather Photo Keyring

Have your favorite photo printed onto the stainless steel insert and have the leather engraved with their name or nickname. It's a sweet, classy way to keep favorite memories close at hand and help you not lose your keys at the same time.

Coal-Inspired Activated Charcoal Bath Bombs

These coal inspired bath bombs are made with real activated charcoal and make a fun stocking gift.

Pro tip: If you have recently had a fight with your partner or you've been mad at each other recently, skip this gift.

Anyone whose feelings are already kind of hurt or raw will not like getting coal. Even if it's"coal". Trust me. It will not end well.

If it's your sister on the other hand, maybe she deserves it?

(not crafty? Don't want to make your own bath bombs? Pick up similar pre-made bath bombs on Etsy!)

Essential Oil Blends from Rocky Mountain Oils

Whether it's for the essential oil diffuser, wool dryer balls or to add to lotions or hand soap, a great essential oil blend is a wonderful gift.

Two of my favorites are Love (a citrus/floral blend) and Sweet Oasis (a soothing blend perfect for winding down at the end of the day). If you love pumpkin spice, they even have a Pumpkin Spice Blend that will bring that essence into your home all year.

A Handwriting Ring from CaitlynMinimalist on Etsy

I ordered a ring for myself from this Etsy shop last year and I was so impressed by the quality of what I got for the price I paid!

I had both of my kids and my husband write their first initial on a white piece of paper and draw a heart around it.

I snapped picture with my cell phone, lined them up in a line and sent the image to Caitlyn and her team and I ended up with a beautiful custom sterling silver ring that I wear on my right hand as my family ring with the initials of the three people I love the most.

Definitely check out this Etsy shop for more custom jewelry from handwriting, kids drawings and more.

Long Arm Cocktail Whisk

Use this long arm mixer it to mix iced tea, chocolate milk, protein shakes and more! They'll use it so much you may want to pick up a couple so they can always have a clean one on hand.

Bourbon Infused Coffee
This bourbon-infused coffee is made in the USA and is infused with the flavors of Kentucky's signature spirit. Free of all known allergens and alcohol free, it's a tasty way for any bourbon lover to start their day.

Mimosa Sugar Cube Trio

Sambuccol Elderberry Gummies

The tastiest way to keep your immune system supported all winter long!

Suitable for vegetarians and vegans alike. The Sambucol Gummies are pectin based, (no gelatin!) which means they won't stick to your teeth, and won't melt. Each gummy has only 1 gram of sugar.

Personal Essential Oil Diffuser

Muscle Soothing Bath Bombs

This DIY bath bomb recipe is easy to make. The green tea and essential oils make it great for both men and women to relax and unwind muscle tension after a hard day of gardening or doing manual labor.

This is the best bath bomb recipe because it doubles as a bath fizzy and and a soothing tea bath.

Not feeling up for making DIY bath bombs? That's ok! Support small businesses and pick up from bath bombs on Etsy.

Make Up Eraser

The Make Up Eraser is a great way to remove make up and exfoliate your skin with just water. It works for years without needing to be replaced and can be cleaned by washing in your washing machine at home.

Money Maze Puzzle Box

This puzzle box could be filled with cash, a gift card, candy or maybe even a sexy note from your spouse. It's a dual present because it's both a fun puzzle and whatever the prize is inside.

I gave one of these to both my oldest son and his dad a couple years ago and we've continued to fill it with money or treats for subsequent holidays. It's gotten a ton of use!

Stainless Steel Drinking Straws with Silicone Tips

Reusable straws are a great way to avoid unnecessary waste and help protect animals. In the last couple years, awareness of single-use straws went mainstream so you don't have to be a crunchy hippie to enjoy this present.

This particular set comes with eight straws, two cleaning brushes AND colored silicone tips for a great price! (The silicone tips really soften the feel of the straw in your mouth and I prefer them to a "naked" steel straw).

Flower Flavored Syrups

These flower-flavored elixirs with flavors like rose, jasmine, orange blossom and more enhance your tea (hot or cold!) or champagne with a unique floral essence. Or be creative! Try adding them to sparkling water, soda or iced coffee! The set comes with five different flavors to help you load up one stocking or split them up among multiple gift recipients.

Arnica Pain Relief Support

Arnica is one of my favorite homeopathic remedies to keep on hand. We use arnica for aches and pains and whenever we get injured enough to suspect a bruise is coming on.

This box of Arnica comes with three tubes that are individually packaged - so give one tube each to three people or give the whole box to one person!

Upcycled Hand Warmers or Pocket Warmers

If you live in a cold climate, you will especially appreciate these hand warmers /pocket warmers. Made from an upcycled sweater, these are a great DIY stocking stuffer idea for both men and women. Get the DIY tutorial for how to make hand warmers from S Woodson Says.

Not in a DIY mood? Buy hand warmers from a small artisan on Etsy to support the little guy without having the break out your sewing machine.

Remote Controlled Paper Airplane

They've never seen anything like this! Build a paper airplane using the provided pattern and carbon fiber paper. Then connect it to th small remote-controlled motor to control it with your phone or ipad! This kit will blow them away!

Bananagrams

This is the commercialized version of a game my extended family has played for a long time (we call it "speed scrabble").

Players take turns grabbing tiles, which they then have to create an intersecting crossword-style puzzle with. The first person to use all their tiles wins!

Plus the fact that the tiles all come packaged in a giant banana is just straight up fun. Buy it on Amazon or at Kohls.

Gabriel Lip Gloss

Gabriel makes some of my favorite lead-free lip glosses. They are also phthalate and paraben-free, making them a Creative Green Living favorite. This soft, shimmery pink color is universally flattering on all skin tones.

EcoLips Mongo Kiss Lip Balm

Organic and Non-GMO verified lip balm in yummy flavors.

The tubes are large (they're a larger diameter than standard lip balm tubes) and will last all year.

Silicone Beer Savers Caps

These are great for people who aren't always able to finish their beer or soda. They are also great for homebrewers to keep their empty bottles clean and sanitary between batches.

Leatherman Sidekick Multi-Tool

A good multi-tool is indispensable and will help anyone feel prepared for any situation. This one is especially great for outdoor enthusiasts.

Did you love this list of stocking stuffer ideas for adults?

Use the social share buttons to drop some hints to your loved ones on Facebook or Twitter or just save it to your Christmas Gifts Ideas Pinterest board!

Get More Clever Stocking Stuffer and Christmas Gift Ideas!

I've gotten lots of requests for ideas specifically for moms and wives! Want to know what to put in a mom's stocking? I've got you!

Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Her

Do you need more stocking filler ideas for the women in your life? If you need a great list of stocking stuffer ideas for her, you are in luck! I have a great collection of gifts you can fill up your wife, mom, girlfriend or sister's stockings and leave them surprised and delighted!

Creative Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Kids
Need to find stocking stuffers for the boys and girls that live in your house? I've got you! There are more than 50 creative stocking stuffer ideas your preschooler, kindergartener, elementary-age kids and tween will love!

DIY Gifts Ideas for Sisters, Moms, Girlfriends and more!
Feeling crafty? This is a great list full of 31 gift ideas that women really want to get! There are lots of ideas in here that would make excellent stocking stuffers for all the women in your life.

About the Author:

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Affiliate link disclosure: If you choose to purchase any items after clicking the links above, Amazon, Kohls, UncommonGoods, Rocky Mountain Oils and other vendors may pay me a small kickback as a thank you for sending business their way. It doesn't cost you anything extra and helps support this website, allowing me to keep researching great products and creating high quality recipes, tutorials and gift guides for you!

Fizzy Mermaid Bath Sprinkles Recipe - Easier to Make Than Bath Bombs!

noreply@blogger.com (Author: Carissa Burk) — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 04:36:00 +0000

These delightful mermaid-inspired bath fizzy sprinkles are easier to make than a bath bomb but just as fun to use!

Instead of having to make sure your moisture balance is just right for packing the fizzing bath bombs into molds, the fizzy bath sprinkles get the same bath-time effect but with less work and a larger margin of error.

If you have kids who love mermaids, they will love these mermaid-inspired bath sprinkles.

Just sprinkle the dry bath sprinkles over a warm tub of water for a fun and fizzy experiment!

The essential oil blend I used for this bath fizz is soothing and calming.

You may find after a soak in a warm bath with the "sweet slumber" scent that your kids are ready to snuggle in and go to bed more calmly than normal.

Let me know how it goes for you!

Love bath fizzies? Want to learn how to make bath bombs for kids with toys inside?

Learn how to make bath bombs for kids with this super simple bath bomb recipe >> How to Make Bath Bombs for Kids

DIY Fizzing Mermaid Bath Sprinkles
easy homemade bath fizzy bath salts & sprinkles

Bath Fizz Supplies

Some of the links below may be affiliate links where a purchase made after clicking will support this website without costing you extra!

2 cups baking soda
1 cup citric acid
3 tablespoons cornstarch
4 drops of "sweet slumber" essential oil blend
2-3 tablespoons bubblebath
Chunky multi-colored sprinkles
Small glass jars

Sometimes after writing a tutorial and linking to products, things end up being discontinued. Please let me know if any of these links don't work and I'll help you find products that will work!

How to Make Fizzy Bath Sprinkles:

How to Make Bath Fizz Step 1:

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, carefully whisk together the baking soda, citric acid, and cornstarch.

How to Make Bath Fizz Step 2:

Add in the drops of Sweet Slumber essential oil blend.

Don't have that? Plain lavender essential oil will work in a pinch.

Use a whisk to mix it into the dry ingredients.

How to Make Bath Fizz Step 3:

Slowly start to mix in the bubble bath a teaspoon at a time.

Pour just a little bit in at a time and mix thoroughly to help make sure you have an even moisture level.

I find mixing it with a gloved hand works the best.

Keep adding a little bubble bath at a time until you can squeeze the mixture together and it will hold its shape.

It's ok if you don't end up using the full amount called for in the recipe.

How to Make Bath Fizz Step 4:

Crumble the mixture into small pieces and chunks onto a baking sheet and let air dry for a few hours.

How to Make Bath Fizz Step 5:

Transfer the mixture into your jars and add the sprinkles on top.

How to Make Bath Fizz Step 6:

These make super fun gifts and will last in an airtight container for a couple months.

How to Make Bath Fizz Step 7:

When ready to use, simply sprinkle over a warm bath and enjoy the fizzy little bubbles.

That's it!

If you love this Fizzing Mermaid Bath Salts recipe, be sure to pin it to save it for later!

PRINTABLE MERMAID BATH FIZZY SPRINKLES DIRECTIONS

Homemade Mermaid Bath Fizzy Sprinkles

Yield: 2 jars of bath sprinkles

Author: Carissa B

Estimated cost: $5

prep time: perform time: 10 Mtotal time: 10 M

These fizzy bath sprinkles are fun and easy for kids to make. Sprinkle a little or a lot over a warm tub of water to watch them make a fizzy, soapy foam. Your kids will love adding these to their bathtime routine. Soothing essential oils make them perfect for winding down in a nighttime bath before bed.

materials:

2 cups baking soda
1 cup citric acid
3 tablespoons cornstarch
4 drops of "sweet slumber" essential oil blend
2-3 tablespoons bubblebath
Sprinkles

tools:

Mixing bowl
Spoon
Baking sheet
Jar for storage

steps:

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, carefully whisk together the baking soda, citric acid, and cornstarch.
Add in the drops of Sweet Slumber essential oil blend. Don't have that? Lavender essential oil will work in a pinch.
Slowly start to mix in the bubble bath, you’ll want to pour just a little bit in at a time and mix thoroughly to help make sure you have an even moisture level. Only add in more bubble bath until you can squeeze the mixture together and it will hold its shape.
rumble the mixture into small pieces and chunks onto a baking sheet and let air dry for a few hours.
Transfer the mixture into your jars and add in the sprinkles on top.

NOTES:

To use, sprinkle the bath fizzy sprinkles over the top of a bathtub full of warm water.

https://www.creativegreenliving.com/2019/05/mermaid-fizzing-bath-salts-bath-bomb.html

bath fizzy, mermaid DIY, mermaid bath, mermaid bath bomb, bath fizz

Created using Craft Card Maker

Get More Summer Beauty Ideas!

Some of my blogger friends and I teamed up to bring you a great collection of beachy, summery inspired beauty!

If you love DIY beauty products, you will love these ideas. Get the links right below this graphic!

Best DIY Beauty Products for Summer:

Natural Sunscreen Lip Balm from Garden Therapy
My friend, Stephenie, has a great sun screen lip balm recipe that will help keep the skin on your lips smooth and protected.
How to Make Solid Perfume from Life N Reflection
If you are tired of chemical laden perfumes, you will love this DIY solid perfume tutorial that lets you make your own - no sketchy ingredients required.
Whipped Mermaid Inspired Soap from Your Beauty Blog
If you love all things mermaid, you will extra love this whipped soap. She teaches you how to make both the cute mermaid adornments and the pretty whipped soap.
DIY Aloe Vera Mask from A Life Adjacent
This face mask is super moisturizing and great for soothing angry, sunburnt skin.
Strawberry Lip Scrub from Country Hill Cottage
Use this gentle lip scrub to buff away dry, chapped skin from your lips. This is great to do right before moisturizing.
Melt and Pour Soap with Seashells Inside from Soap Deli News
This fun melt and pour soap recipe can be used to embed anything you want inside!
Lime Scented Cactus Soap from Lydi Out Loud
Cactuses are super trendy right now and you can make your own cactus shaped soaps scented with lime essential oil using Lydi's recipe.
Beach Body Coffee Scrub from Botaneri
I love a good coffee scrub myself, and this one is a super simple, pared down version with no essential oils added - just the power of coffee to slough off rough dry skin!

About the Author:

Carissa is a lifelong crafter and mom of two creative boys. Her goal is to empower families to make easy projects and healthier choices that are beautiful and delicious!

The owner and lead writer at Creative Green Living, she is an award-winning writer and most recently won the ShiftCon Media "Best Green Lifestyle Blogger" award in 2019.

She is also the author of several books including Beautiful Smoothie Bowls (Skyhorse, 2017), Proven Techniques for Keeping Healthy Chickens (Skyhorse, 2018) and The Little Green Book of Mothers' Wisdom (Skyhorse, 2020).

Her projects have been featured in magazines like Kids Crafts 1-2-3, Urban Farm Magazine, Country Sampler: Farmhouse Style and more. Follow her on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter or join the Creative Green Living Tribe.

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When you subscribe you can download our FREE Recycled Crafts E-book!

Eco-Friendly Home & Garden - Creative Green Living

How to make a DIY "Chicknic Table" - Plans and step-by step directions to make a picnic table for your chickens

Looking for more chicken keeping tips and DIY projects?

What is a chicknic table?

Who invented the chicknic table?

Where can I get chicknic table plans?

How to Make a DIY Chicknic Tablefree chicknic table plans and directions

DIY Chicknic Table Supplies:

Should you use nails or screws to build your chicknic table?

Chicknic Table Plans Cut list:

Chicknic Table Step-by-Step Directions:

How to Build a Chicknic Table Step 1: Cut the top pieces

How to Build a Chicknic Table Step 2: Glue the top platform together

How to Build a Chicknic Table Step 3: Cut the legs

How to Build a Chicknic Table Step 4: Cut the benches

How to Build a Chicknic Table Step 5: Assemble the top

How to Build a Chicknic Table Step 6: Assemble the legs

How to Build a Chicknic Table Step 7: Assemble the benches

How to Build a Chicknic Table Step 8: Finishing

PRINTABLE CHICKNIC TABLE DIRECTIONS

DIY Chicknic Table - A picnic table for chickens!

materials:

tools:

steps:

NOTES:

Recommended Products:

Did you make this project?

About the Author:

All You Ever Wanted to Know About Lead in Vintage Pyrex Bowls

Is there lead in vintage Pyrex bowls and baking dishes?

Where is the lead in vintage Pyrex bowls and baking dishes?

Does the milk glass used in vintage Pyrex contain lead?

How to tell if Pyrex is vintage?

Is vintage Pyrex safe to use?

Is lead really that big of a deal?

How can I tell if my Vintage Pyrex bowl contains lead?

Can I test my vintage Pyrex bowls and other vintage Pyrex dishes for lead at home?

What about that Snopes article?

About the Author:

How to Grow Tomato Plants to Get The Most, Biggest, and Best Homegrown Tomatoes Ever

Looking for more articles about gardening?

Commonly Asked Questions about How to Grow Awesome Tomatoes

What helps tomatoes grow?

How do you enrich soil for tomatoes?

Are coffee grounds good for tomato plants?

What is the best compost for tomatoes?

Should you water tomato plants every day?

Are coffee grounds good for tomato plants?

Are eggshells good for tomato plants?

Is epsom salt good for tomatoes?

Do tomatoes grow better in pots or in the ground?

What soil is best for tomato plants?

What is causing black bottoms on my tomatoes?

Can you successfully grow tomatoes in pots?

What are the best tomatoes to grow?

Best tomatoes for fresh eating or slicing

Best tomatoes for canning

Best cherry or salad size tomatoes

My Top 12 Secrets to Growing Better Tomatoes

Tomato Growing Secret 1: Good soil

Tomato Growing Secret 2: Pick a sunny spot

Tomato Growing Secret 3: Start with plants

Tomato Growing Secret 4: Use epsom salt & eggshells

Tomato Growing Secret 5: Dig deep

Tomato Growing Secret 6: Mulch with coffee grounds

Tomato Growing Secret 7: Mulch with something else, too

Tomato Growing Secret 8: Get on a watering schedule

Tomato Growing Secret 9: Water down low

Tomato Growing Secret 10: Build a good support system

Tomato Growing Secret 11: Thin tomato plants aggressively

Tomato Growing Secret 12: Boost again with epsom salt and compost tea during the growing season

About the Author:

A Beginner's Guide to Raising Chickens - Everything you need to know about taking care of baby chicks

Where to get baby chicks

How Many Chickens Should I Start With? What Number of Chickens Do I Need?

What Are the Stages Baby Chicks Go Through?

Weeks 1-4: Baby Chick Stage

Weeks 5-12: Awkward Teen Phase

Weeks 13-30: Egg-citement

What is a Brooder for?

How to Make a DIY Chicknic Table
free chicknic table plans and directions

That's it! Enjoy your chicks!

Need to integrate new babies into your current flock?

Read this next (or pin it to save for next year!):
How to Safely Integrate New Chicks into an Existing Flock

DIY Valentine's Day Decor Craft:
How to Make a Cute Heart Garland from Old Jeans