Paints can be an essential part of creating art for you and your children. There are a lot of unnecessary ingredients in store bought paint that can be slightly toxic to the little ones and consume a lot of energy to produce, such as petroleum based products. What if I told you that there are ways for you to make non-toxic paints from home with natural ingredients of the earth?

Mrs. Winters Creates : Painting with pomegranate juice

An experimental artist known as “Mrs. Winters” used different ripened berry juices, pomegranate and tamarillo for a minimalist depiction of her artistic expression. Mrs. Winters came to find that not only did the juices provide a breathtaking hue but, in fact changed aesthetically as time passed. Creating a new art piece as each day passes, mirroring the overall depiction of entropy within nature. She says that it may have had to do with the oxidization of the juice. Add a little salt or vinegar to the juice to preserve the original coloring produced.


Beets are an eye-catching vegetable that is perfect for turning into an all natural paint. Harvesting the juice from the beet and adding a pinch of salt and vinegar allows for preserving and brightening of the hue. Vibrant in color, create magical landscapes and portraits with this must have color!

There are many other natural ingredients able to be used in creating all natural paints such as, turmeric, milk, your favorite flowers and egg yolks. Give it a try and create something new!

Want to de-clutter and rid yourself of your unwanted clothing, love to craft and re-purpose?

A lot of clothing is thrown out when ripped or outgrown. Ask yourself, are you bored with the upholstery of the chairs in your home, wishing you had something to spruce up the room with a little bit of you? With this craft, add another alternative to unwanted clothing by using those favorite jeans/shirts that no longer fit or are ripped beyond repair by up-cycling your chairs!

Materials Needed:
-Fabric of old clothing (sewn to your liking as whole fabric piece)
-Staple gun
-Screw driver (type depends on screws)

Undo the screws from under the seat cushion and remove the outdated fabric, before throwing it out, ask yourself what could potentially be used for now that it isn’t being used as the upholstery for your chair, maybe it can be implemented into an article of clothing!

Lay your newly created fabric down and place the seat upside down on top of it.
Cut the excess fabric, leaving enough room around the edges about an inch to an inch ½.
Pull the fabric tightly and begin stapling so that the fabric is smoothly fastened.

Screw the seat back onto the chair and now you have a re-purposed beauty that is radiating a favorite piece of you!

Watch as friends and family marvel over your modern, innovative and purposeful addition! There are many things that can be up-cycled and re-purposed! Use your imagination and anything you would throw away, think, how can this be reused in someway to create or add to?

Sick and tired of not having enough space in your home for the essential storage and have limited space for more furnishings? The advancements in creativity and innovation has brought forth new and spatially efficient alternatives to dressers and wardrobes. Step into the world of spacious living!

This designer decided to eliminate clothing storage entirely from the bedroom. Instead he decided to reinvent his stairs to provide an ample amount of space for him and his family. A safe added touch to this design would be installing locking mechanisms to prevent any unwarranted drawer opening.

A design originally created by designer Ana White, the Laundry Basket Dresser is unique and space granting. In eliminating the extra step of moving the clean laundry from the basket to the dresser and the needed space for the laundry basket itself, Ana has designed a revolutionary product that provides not only extra time but space as well.

This alternative to the common dresser was created by Lavender Gray. In this, the unused walls are creatively turned into breathtaking pieces of furniture eliminating all space issues within the room. This allows for the re-purposing of the already existing dresser or wardrobe. Maybe you can even make a few extra bucks off of the unused furnishings!

How often are you scraping the leftover food into the the garbage? What if you had a better use for those scraps that would not only benefit the earth but, also your personal garden?

Composting is the taking of food scraps, leaves, pine needles, paper, cardboard and allowing them to decompose to create nitrogen and carbon rich soils. Composting meat or bones of any kind could attract unwanted pests. Orange peels and banana peels may contain unwanted pesticides too. This compost concoction is the perfect brew for your gardens needs.

A compostable toilet is a waterless mechanism that allows for the human excretion to be broken down into yet another nitrogen / carbon based soil. National parks are huge backers of the compostable toilets to ensure that all goes in, goes back out to the earth. There is typically a second composting station to ensure all harmful components have decomposed out of used for the fertilization of soil.

Composting is an amazing alternative to use when considering the care of the earth, our home gardens and our ability to recycle our daily waste for greater more efficient purposes!

A lot of people don’t understand this new toy trend for kids called fidget spinners. Fidget spinners are those 3 bladed plastic or metal toys that look like the center of a vinyl record player with a bearing in the center that spin almost effortlessly. They’ve been around since the early 90’s but as most fads go, its like they showed up over night in convenience stores, toy stores, grocery stores, pretty much anywhere you turn there is a fidget spinner staring at you.

But why are they so popular? Well, when I was a kid I did a lot of things because everyone else was doing them, kids want what their friends have. However, although your children might not understand the purpose behind these popular gadgets, they are actually much more than just toys.

Fidget spinners are believed to help with stress, focus and balance. The name kind of gives it away, but those who deal with symptoms of ADHD, autism or anxiety can relieve stress by spinning these little gadgets on the tips of their fingers. Its hard to sit still sometimes and there are a lot of distractions and stimulus in the world today. It is known that movement of the body even if you don’t suffer from psychological disorders or behavioral issues can improve concentration and aid in releasing energy which has a calming effect on the nervous system. These are similar to worry stones or stress balls.

As far as improving balance,  if you use a fidget spinner while moving around and even place one on each hand balanced on your finger, you can improve your posture and enhance your equilibrium.

So next time you see a fidget spinner around or your kids are asking for one, don’t roll your eyes right away! Fidget spinners actually serve a greater purpose than just a mere toy for children.

A simplistic design at first glance, The Nelson Platform Bench, encompasses mid-century modern style with a multi-functional purpose.

Named after its designer, George Nelson, Nelson created this original design in 1946 and is considered to be one of the pioneers in mid-century modern design. He is known for some of his more eccentric designs like the Marshmallow Sofa and the Coconut Chair, but the Nelson Platform Bench is a more versatile furnishing that fits well in a variety of design motifs.

Additionally, this bench can serve as both a bench for seating and / or as a coffee table. Its height being a primary factor in this, but also due to its sturdy, solid wood top and solid wood legs. It features sleek, clean lines and its top, which can be purchased in a variety of finishes, contrasts elegantly with its black painted birch wood legs.

The Nelson Platform Bench is an excellent alternative to traditional seating and is also an excellent way to conserve space or for additional seating for extra company and guests. It can serve as a coffee table by day and switch to a bench at night when hosting gatherings. The benches top features wooden planks integrated into the entirety of the seat creating a more spatial feel which is a unique touch when compared to most solid wood benches.

Both its form and functionality embody the spirit of mid-century modern design that cherishes practicality without compromising style.

You can find highly accurate reproductions of The Nelson Platform Bench in a variety of finishes and sizes, as well as other mid century modern designs from trusted online modern furniture and contemporary decor sellers.