DIY: Decorative Bamboo Ladder

Me and my mom were looking through the eco friendly Viva Terra catalog the other day (together ova' the phone) when she fell in love with their towel ladder featured as a super zen bathroom accessory. I remembered a few years back when they had one made of bamboo all decked out with organic towels hanging from it, and told her I would try and make one that was free, simple and with stuff I had around the house.

Here are the supplies you need:

• bamboo
• hand saw (or electric)
• cutting shears (optional cause you can use your saw)
• hammer (or something similar to pound with)
• string (like hemp, jute or organic cotton)

FIRST: I cut two large pieces of bamboo approx. 5 feet high for the side pieces (posts), using a hand saw. The two sides must be the exact same size.

SECOND: I cut 5 smaller pieces of bamboo with my cutting shears (super easy!)
The 5 rungs of the ladder to hang your towels on can be a wide/ long as you like - depending on the width you'd like your ladder to be. Make sure these are all the same length though, more or less...
THIRD: I took the rungs and placed them on the ladder how i would like them to sit, then with a pencil marked lines on the right and left side of each end piece - meaning each rung had four marks, two for each side.
FOURTH: I used the hand saw to cut in grooves, for this neat little magic trick you can do with bamboo... you saw two parallel lines deep enough to hit the hollow part and.........
Then you take a hammer (or some kind of pounding tool) and bang the center between the two parallel lines - which causes a perfect square to open up. Usually it takes a hit or two before it breaks, and split in the middle and the very edges where your saw line ended.
Like this pic below... it just pops open, into a perfect square (or rectangle) - and you pull off the broken pieces with your fingers.
FIFTH: After cutting the grooves on the right and left side of the ladder for all 5 rungs, you can then place the rungs into the grooves.
SIXTH: With the rungs in place, it's time to take some eco friendly string (hemp, jute?) and tie them to the posts of the ladder. I used organic cotton fabric which I cut in strips because it was what I had around.
The type of string you use will change the look of the ladder - for a more island, zen look I think brown hemp rope would work best. But for me, I like the funky bold white ties cause it gives it a handmade primitive look. :)
I bet you could also paint your ladder with Milk Paint too, if you wanted it a certain color to match your decor!

Check out my end result - I totally think it's a big success!!!! And was FREE.
XoXoxoxo

DIY: Upcycle & Organic Voodoo Doll

Voodoo by nature is a religious practice that uses alot of upcycled & natural materials laying around. Growing up in New Orleans with a very strong voodoo oriented culture I had the privilege to see beautiful alters, dolls, bottles of dried herbs and handmade candles on a regular basis. These alters & dolls are made from all sorts of found objects, fabrics, beads, etc.. it's an eco crafter's dream come true! I decided to make a few happy voodoo dolls for holiday gifts but made one of me and my kitty Toots first to see how it would work...

Here is how to do it:
You'll need the following supplies: Fabric, cotton or some type of stuffing, needle & thread/sewing machine, scissors, & basic sewing skills. To decorate your doll you can use various found objects like beads, straw, charms, tiny pine cones, bones, sticks, sequins, jewels, etc.

Cut out the shape you'd like your voodoo doll to be. Traditionally the dolls have sticks in the shape of a cross as the skeleton and are wrapped in Spanish Moss for stuffing... but with voodoo it is very much about personal creation and innovation. So here I used organic cotton scrap fabrics and found some organic cotton stuffing.

I cut out several shapes ahead of time... those of you not on good terms with me don't worry about those other two white figures I cut out. ;) No really, those will be gifts for friends... these voodoo dolls are to help with dreams coming true & not for sticking pins in your slimy co-worker or bad in-laws.

Sew around most the edges but leave an open hole to stick the stuffing in. If you don't have Spanish Moss or dried grass you can use some good ole' cotton like me! Once all the stuffing is in, finish sewing up the little hole you used to shove it in there.
Then you can begin basic decorating - for Toots I gave her a colorful smile, golden eyes, and a little kitty charm over her heart. Adding decorations as you obtain more specific dreams and goals to manifest can be done at anytime.

Traditionally a Voodoo Doll is wrapped, so even though with this type of doll wrapping is not necessary I still wrapped it cause... I am unbelievably superstitious.

For my doll I wrapped her (me!) in purple (my favorite color), gave her a healthy red smile, and each eye is made of three clear beads put together (for a symbolic 'third eye' seeing clearly from each real eye.) I added some leg warmers, long dark hair and even tried to make some cute bangs. :) YAY! Me and Toots make some fun voodoo dolls!

When you have a specific dream or idea you would like to be part of your destiny then you add symbolic charms, notes, beads, ANYTHING you want to your doll to represent what you want to happen in your life.

*

"The Voodoo doll is not used in Voodoo practices in Haiti, but rather as part of the complicated melting pot of traditions in New Orleans and the Louisiana delta areas. The Louisiana Voodoo practices combine the spiritual elements of Haitian Voodoo with the magical beliefs of Southern United States hoodoo. In the first decades of the 20th century, Voodoo dolls are believed to have been used to cause sympathetic magic on the desired recipient, sometimes in painful ways. The use of pins was not meant to cause pain in a particular area of the real person, but rather to reinforce the spell being cast.
Modern Voodoo dolls are still sold as focal points for spells, but usually with the intention of creating positive effects. Many dolls have specific concentration points for wealth, love and financial success. To use the Voodoo doll, you must call upon the powers of the Loa, spiritual beings somewhat similar to saints in Catholic practices. Spells cast with a Voodoo doll are meant to be spells of love or blessings, rather than revenge or pain. "

*

WATCH more about Voodoo in New Orleans HERE.

Sewing With Organic Cotton Scraps

I am especially proud of this sewing project... not because it is cute but I used organic scrap fabric that I have had for almost two years and to make this shirt it only cost me $2 (and that was 2 years ago)!!! I used another shirt I had that fit well to use as a pattern, and cut around those edges. The sleeves are just two tubes to attach to the arm openings, and the organic fleece scrap fabric in red made the perfect quirky accent. I considered making them into pockets, but left them decorative.

I sewed the entire shirt in a zig zag stitch, leaving the stitch seams exposed on the outside of the shirt. This not only made the project go twice as fast, but gave it an eco crafty cool look :) If you want to hide your seams, then simply turn the shirt inside out.

YAY! A quick easy top with mid length sleeves- making this piece transitional for fall, winter and spring.

Sewing With Local Organic Cotton Part 5

Here is my latest design in local organic cotton, although it is somewhat of a copy cat from another eco designer dress that was mistakenly sent to me by a customer. I really loved the loose fabric neckline and checked out how it was made to copy the pattern, but I added sleeves, elbow patches, and made the dress very tight (for showing off curves!) I used a stretchy organic jersey cotton for this which cost $17 for two yards, but I only used approximately $10 worth for this dress. A $10 locally woven organic cotton dress is a STEAL!!!

This is the first time I have sewn sleeves, and they made me so nervous I actually had sewn one of them inside out at first and had to rip it back off and re-sew it on again. Never-the-less sleeves are not as hard as I had imagined - I just made the dress sleeveless then made two tubes which I added in after the body was finished.

To make the body of the dress, simply take your exact measurements and make a tube going up and then form a tank top sleeve line. Continue the neckline upward by keeping the fabric very wide and long, like a giant cylinder that comes almost to the end of your shoulder.
The elbow patches were something given to me by a creative friend, who had a big collection of appliques she'd collected & made. These are handmade drawings of stripper playing cards printed on fabric, and I hand sewed them on, very tightly.

Yay for local & organic!!!

CROW Eco Clothing

I love when new fall styles come out - nothing more fun then knowing you are buying some new eco duds that you will actually have holiday parties to wear them to! Ethical designer brand CROW is now debuting at The Oko Box, with their amazing versatile collection made from soy and organic cotton fabrics. CROW is not only fair made & eco smart, but they also strive for sustainability in their designs - like the "Three Way Shirt" pictured here that can be worn three different distinct ways making it 3 in 1 garment. These types of eco qualities are what defines the designers carried at The Oko Box, there is more then just a adorable top or dress, there is timeless, classic style that can be paired with your already existing wardrobe - it will last years because of it's quality and sustainable beauty. CROW encompasses these standards like a big ethical hug!
Check out CROW now!

CAGW: Interview With Clare Bare

Clare Bare is one of my favorite eco lingerie designers - she uses vintage, old, outdated, and thrifted fabrics to make hot little retro lingerie...then she lines the undies with organic cotton! Sweet. I did an interview with her about sewing, thrifting, upcycling, and attending Parson's School of Art and Design - Check it out at Crafting A Green World.

PS- new designs from Clare Bare are coming to The Oko Box soon!

Organic & Upcycled Lingerie

There is something about lingerie that is pure being so hot! There was a time many many years ago that I thought Victoria's Secret was the magazine and credit card of my dreams- until I grew up and learned about the deplorable conditions of the workers, and the environmental impact of the mass manufactured synthetic fabrics. My lust for soft and beautiful lingerie never faded, so lucky for us all I am slowly building an earthy friendly lingerie empire @ The Oko Box... ;)

This beautiful brown locally woven organic cotton set is coming to The Oko Box this month, made by designer On The Inside.
For your must have basics Ecoland's 100% organic cotton bra, pantie, and tank tops can't be beat- they are dye free and perfect for those with chemical sensitivities.

Clare Bare makes gorgeous upcycled lingerie from vintage fabrics that are not only adorable but have punk & retro attitude!

(back view of the Clare Bare bloomers!) Vintage Upcycled Fabric with organic cotton liners.

Camisole and pantie set in 100% organic cotton by On The Inside.
Eco luxury lingerie by Enamore coming September 1st 2008 ! Yippee for luscious hotness in organic cotton, soy, silk and hemp!

DIY: Making Natural Non Toxic Dye

This week I have been spending a good deal of time in the kitchen, cooking up natural dyes. I am actually surprised that after 7 years of art in college I had never learned to make paints, toxic or non toxic. But after reading an awesome post on Crafting a Green World about how to make your own milk paint, I got to thinking even deeper into how to make pigments since the colored pigment can be as toxic as the binder. What I found out was a creative revelation that I can not stop cooking up! My personal criteria for creating pigment/dye is this:
* It can not be toxic in any way, even if the substance is natural.
* It has to be in abundance and easily gathered in nature (don't ever take so much that the plant can't survive or make seeds.)
I totally hit the jack pot when I walked outside to find that my landlady next door has a plum tree with a gazillion plums that had already fallen to the ground and were being eaten by bugs, rotting, fermenting, gushy ect......
My dye experiment begins....

I began by skinning the plums and using only the dark burgundy red skins - I left the fruit for the wild critters, and kept the seeds and planted them - in hopes to grow some of my own plum trees.

The supplies you'll need to make your own fabric dye are as follows: water (filtered or spring is best) salt or vinegar, spare pot not used for cooking, something to measure with if you like to get things exact.

I used salt as a dye fixative, since I was using fruit, but if you are making your dye from flowers, leaves, plants etc - then it is suggested to use vinegar.

The recipe I found was SALT: 1/2 CUP SALT TO 8 CUPS COLD WATER, VINEGAR: 4 PARTS COLD WATER TO 1 PART VINEGAR.

I simmered my fabric in the salt fixative for approx. 1 hour, then rinsed and rung out - before putting the fabric in the dye.

Once the fabric had the fix in it, I went ahead and dumped the plum skins in some fresh water and simmered those for a while. It was so amazing how red and beautiful the water turned right away...

I strained out the skins and returned the dye to the pot and then start dipping the locally woven organic cotton into the plum dye! How freakin' awesome, cause it started turning almost hot pink right away and stuck right to the fabric.Then I let the fabric simmer lightly in the dye for a richer color for about an hour, all steamy, hot and sooooo pretty!

I allowed the fabric to sit in the dye overnight to make sure it had the darkest outcome possible since when it is rinsed and dried the color will be alot lighter.

I hung it to dry in the sun, until the rain came and I moved it to this window....

Isn't it pretty in pink? All that from a couple discarded plums! Yay! It's really easier then it looks and the whole process was so relaxing and fun. There are fantastic lists of natural stuff you can use for dye in just about every cool shade of color you can imagine. Go to http://www.pioneerthinking.com/ for a complete list of plants, berries, nuts and bark that can make a rainbow of fun, safe colors. Plus get more detailed instructions-a simple google search for "make your own natural dye" turns up tons of recipes for a wide variety of colors.

Organic Baby & Toddler Clothes That'll Make You Smile

These might be my favorite organic baby & kid clothes I have ever seen. Maybe it appeals to my inner Beetlejuice or my love for all things that bumble, either way Happy Green Bee will rock your itty bitty socks off.

The patterns are bold, fun stripes of all sorts of varying colors and come in a variety of mix and match styles - kimonos wraps, fairy dresses, skirts, leggings and cardigans... whatever your baby feels most comfy in, they've got it! I actually don't have any kiddos myself, but if I did I would certainly be dressing them up in these fun organic duds... in fact I kinda wish I could go around dressing up everyone else's kids in these swirl suits! ;)

Thanks to 1Plus1 for finding this great store so I could share too -who ironically said they don't have kids either but couldn't help but write about Happy Green Bee. ;)

Customer Profile: Jolene

Wowsers Jolene looks super sexy and gorgeous in her Love Me Two Times organic cotton dress by Gaia Conceptions! This was Jolene's second purchase from The Oko Box, the first being the beloved Bamboo Cowl Neck Dress (which is nearly sold out in lemon yellow and a few left in black.) Gaia Conceptions makes beautiful garments to order based on either the chosen size or your exact measurements. Not only that but she uses locally grown and milled organic cotton and the whole production is done lovingly by hand here in the USA (specifically North Carolina). Once made each piece is hand dyed with low impact colors which have a vibrant yet soft hue. I think this purple might be my favorite! Thanks Jolene for sharing your beautiful pic with us :)

*Hey Oko Box Customers- Send in your pics in your oko box purchase and be featured on this blog!*