Here is what we are doing for our next "Get R' Done" Enrichment group. I still have quite a list of crafts I want to do, but think this is a fun, cheap, easy one and a great gift idea for Christmas! They were easy and fun to make. You could make them to say.."Faith, Hope, Charity", or "Eat, Play, Sleep", or "Splish, Splash, (picture of a bathtub)", or anything else you can come up with.
With a Cricut Machine and a little vinyl, the possibilities are endless!

Going Green!!

My son was just picked to be a part of his schools new GREEN TEAM!! We are so proud of him, as only a few students were selected. As a part of the program, they will help facilitate a recycling program, and will be planting a school garden.

This has inspired me to think about what it is that I do to help with going green. I must admit that recycling has been a hard one for me. I always thought that I would do it as soon as we had a house. I hated all that garbage piling up in my apartment. Now, we have a garage, and I had planned to make a recycling center with our kids this summer. However, our city does not make it easy on us to recycle. It has been difficult to find somewhere to take it. I am excited to get some more information from my son's school. Maybe they know the secret. I hope to get to work on our families recycling center this month. I plan to make it a FHE event.

However, there is something else that I want to share with you that I feel makes a big difference. You know the saying, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle? Well, I REUSE!! This is something that I absolutely love to do. I wanted to share a few great ways that I feel can make a difference.

Instead of sending more "things" to a landfill, find a way to reuse it. If you can't reuse it, I am sure someone else can. For example:

*I know we all have closets or boxes full of clothing that are taking over our attic. Instead of throwing them out, sell them to a consignment store. That way someone else will REUSE it, and you will get a little cash in your pocket as well.

*Also, shop consignment. I love buying my kids clothes from consignment stores, for three reasons. One, I know that I am reusing something that is in perfectly good condition. Two, I save money. Three, my selection is better. I get to shop the Gap, Old Navy, Gymboree, etc., all at the same time.

*Another one of my favorite ways to reuse is to check the local thrift stores. One Christmas, my kids whole Christmas was thrift store finds. It was amazing. I was able to buy a fisherprice pirate ship with the pirates, and fisherprice cowboys, horses and wagons. I paid $1 each for these. I also found the Target kitchen still in it's box for $15.(it was missing the hardware to put it together, but that was an easy fix.) An art easel for $2, wooden blocks for $5, and I could go on and on.

*If you are looking for a random appliance like; a rice cooker, check the thrift store first. They may have one that works great.

*My all time favorite way to REUSE, has to do with.... you guessed it; Decorating my house!! I will find items at a thrift store, in the dumpster, and some are hand me downs. My friend Krysta, her mom, and my mom give me items to add little touches to my house all the time. I just love it. When I am done with them, then I pass them on to a friend or a sister. I love it because even though Krysta might be tired of it, I am excited to have something new.

Here is an example of a project I did with a dumpster find. My husband found these old windows next to a trash can. I cleaned them up, and made a creative head board out of them. This is one of my most favorite parts of my house.

I recently had this lamp that I took out of my kids room. Instead of throwing it out, I put it in my laundry room. I love walking in through the garage at night, and having some nice mood light. Think outside the box when reusing something. You might think a laundry room is weird place for a lamp. Try it, you just might love it.

My lastest project has been my entry way. I have wanted to spruce up my entry way some, but our funds are a little low at the moment. So... I took a walk around my house and gathered up some things. Here is what I came up with. I was able to move this chair out of my laundry room. I had the flowers, picks and old wreaths in a Fall decoration box in my attic. So I just combined them. I had the ribbon stashed away in a box somewhere, and the basket was in my living room. Now... I did buy the welcome sign, but I had a gift card for my birthday from my friend Krysta. Thanks Krysta. I love the way turned out. I was able to accomplish three of my favorite things... Save money, finish something on my to-do list, and REUSE.

I know when we think about going green, we think about recycling, and saving energy. Don't forget to go green by reusing as well.

Dress-up your house... and win something too!! {FREE GIVEAWAY}

Don't miss the free Giveaway at the bottom of this post, hosted by: ScribbleitonlineAs many of you know, we just recently bought our first home. I have loved decorating it, and adding some small touches to make it more fun. One of my favorite additions has been vinyl lettering. I know that it has been around for a while, but remember; this is my first house!!!

I love that it is fairly inexpensive, but it can make such a difference to your wall. I have used it on several big walls. I feel like it adds so much character, and I don't have to fill the wall with other stuff. It also makes a statement,yet it is so simple. I have loved using quotes on the wall that help describe our family. Everyone comments on what a fun addition it is, and it helps them get a better sense of who the Swensons are. I have found they are also a great way to share some of our beliefs... notice the picture of my kids with Lead Me, Guide Me, Walk Beside Me. Many friends have asked me how I came up with that line. I love explaining that is comes from my favorite childrens hymn, "I am a Child of God."

You can also order the vinyl and put it on a piece of wood to adorn a book shelf. You can put it on your front door, walls, bath tubs, just about anywhere you can think of. Then when you are done with it, it is easily removed.

When choosing your vinyl lettering, you need to pick a company. Then you can pick your font, color, and what you want it to say.

I just recently stumbled upon a fabulous vinyl company, called Scribbleitonline.

What do I love about it?

* There prices are very comparable to other sites, but there products are unique

*There site is user friendly

*They have unique vinyl unlike any I have ever seen(not just your average quotes for the wall)Like I said, vinyl has been around for a while, but not vinyl like this. This is so COOL!!!

There website is: http://www.scribbleitonline.com/

There blog is: http://scribbleitonline.blogspot.com/

There Etsy is: http://scribbleit.etsy.com/

Here is some of the vinyl on my wish list from Scribble. (Sorry, I had a hard time getting them any bigger) I have a wall that is just waiting for this with our last name. I also love how they have made the silhouettes. The best part about them is they are custom. You send them a picture of your kids profile, and they make it of your child. What a wonderful way to capture what your kids look like.

They have a vintage line that I am completely in love with, complete with a chandelier that would look adorable in a little girls room.

If you are looking to add some words to your wall, you can create your own, or check out the ideas that they have.

And.... I am saving the best for last. Scribbles has offered to host a free giveaway on the angel blog. This is what you will get:It is a tin wreath that will be made custom with your last name, and families date. All you have to do is... check out there website, and then leave us a comment telling us what your favorite product is. We will then randomly select one winner, and post your name here, on the angel blog.

The contest will be open until midnight on Thursday Sept. 11, 2008. We will post the winner Friday by 12:00 noon.

Please check back to see if you are the winner, and then we will work out the details for getting you your prize.

Thank you to Scribbleitonline. I really am so excited about their company, and I hope that you can find something that suits your home, as I have. Vinyl is really a wonderful way to spruce up a wall, door, or something that is staring you in the face. Spruce it up, by adding some character to your home. I can't wait to place my order.