Monday, April 27, 2009

Reducing our Carbon Footprint

With Earth day having been this last week, a lot of us have been thinking about how to cut down on our trash, how to be/go green in our lives, what we can do to recycle and help the earth by reducing our carbon footprint. But did you realize you can reduce your carbon footprint by mowing your yard less? In a e-newsletter I get, they had this interesting short article. Maybe we can all learn something from it. I found it very interesting. Although I try to not mow or water often so as to make my grass more drought tolerant and for it's own health. I think you might find this article interesting also.

Many people are interested in reducing their carbon footprint in an effort to save energy and limit global warming. While driving less is one of the most obvious ways to do this, mowing your lawn less can also help.
Researchers at the Agricultural Institute of Canada in Ottawa calculated the amount of carbon emissions saved by mowing the average lawn less frequently. Researchers mowed plots of cool season grass lawns only 3 times a year and compared the carbon emissions with mowing similar plots every week. They measured the emissions from mowing a lawn at 0.4 pounds of carbon dioxide per square foot of lawn. To put this number into perspective, if you have a 2000 square foot lawn, mowing only 3 times a season will cut the carbon dioxide emissions by 600 pounds. That’s the equivalent of cutting back driving a car that gets 20 miles per gallon by 600 miles.
For a bigger picture perspective, when multiplied by the 50 million acres of lawn in the U.S., we could potentially reduce carbon emissions by more than 600 trillion pounds just by mowing less.

I also try to recycle glass for use in my products in my glass shops at Etsy and Artfire, both named KayzKreationz and I try to recycle packaging to help save my customers money and to help save trees and reuse items. You can check out some of my recycled items at either one of my shops.
For more great info about gardening, check this out.

Friday, April 24, 2009

ETSY Day is here--Check out great Handmade shops

Etsy Day sign Today's the Day. ETSY day is finally here. Hundreds or maybe even thousands of Etsy buyers/sellers are promoting Etsy in lots of ways. Most are putting an Etsy car sign on their vehicles while they go to work, shopping or just driving around to get the word out about Etsy. Others are leaving fliers and bookmarks around where they shop, eat, or with people they talk to. Some are being interviewed on their local news or newspapers. The idea is to get the word out about Etsy and let people know about a great place to buy genuine HANDMADE items, instead of mass produced. Etsy also has some great supply shops for crafters and wonderful vintage shops for those of us that love vintage (or can't seem to get out of the past) :) So if you're tired of the same old thing for gifts, home decor or even clothing, check out ETSY. Your place for all things Handmade, Supply and Vintage.
I love Etsy for my Stained glass, Mosaics and Fused glass items for Home decor and Yard and Garden decor. If you're tired of the same old birdfeeders, windchimes, plant stakes and decorations for you home and garden check out KayzKreationz. And for gorgeous Sterling Silver, Gemstone and Swarovski crystal jewelry, check out STRINGandStones. You'll love her unique take on jewelry. I own several of her pieces and always get compliments of them whenever I wear them.
So pass the word about a great place to shop: ETSY!

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Earth Day and Giveaway

Even though I'm a day late (and as some say, a dollar short) :) I just found out about this great post on Country Girl's blog for Earth Day. Her blog has some great info and is well worth you're checking out. Take a peek at some of her other posts as well as checking out the giveaway for Earth Day. Let's keep thinking about the Earth every day, not just once a year. To find out about the giveaway, click on the title of this post. To check out her blog as a whole click on her blog name in this post.
For some recycled glass things, check out KayzKreationz. Neat things for your home and garden.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Earth Day

Today is EARTH day. What is everyone doing to help the earth? I always try to plant something. And I don't use chemicals in my yard or garden at any time. I recycle most of the year too. And with my glass I try to recycle bottles, shells, etc. for some of my art. Then I also create things to help the wildlife, like my birdbaths, birdfeeders, butterfly baths, etc. We need all those critters to keep our gardens/yards growing. You can check out some of my glass items at KayzKreationz. Will be a new birdfeeder/birdbath/butterfly bath listed tonight.
What do you do to help the earth & environment?

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Etsy interview with LennyMud and Giveaway

In perusing the blogs I enjoy reading this evening, I found this great interview with a potter, LennyMud. I love pottery. I tried my hand at it as a teenager and quickly discovered I didn't want to make it, I just wanted to "own" it. :) This potter has some of the most adorable things in his shop. So check out this interview and his Etsy shop. You're bound to find something you really love or just can't live without.
And if you're looking for unique glass for your home or garden, check out KayzKreationz. There's something there to make eveyone's garden stand out from the rest.
And for unique jewelry check out STRINGandSTONES for gorgeous sterling silver, gemstone and swarovski crystal jewelry. I have several of her pieces and love them.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

New Listings coming to Etsy for spring

I love spring. The grass is getting green, the trees and flowers are budding and blooming. The birds, butterflies and bees are returning. And I get the urge to get my garden weeded, back in shape, planted, etc. My grandmother had a green thumb and was always working in her yard and garden. She loved having feeders out for the birds. My grandfather even managed to tame/train a wild squirrel to come down out of the trees, come up on his porch and eat right out of his hands. I guess that's where I get it. So with my glass, I have a tendency to create things that decorate my yard and garden or help the wildlife in some way. In both my shops on Etsy and Artfire, I have things for just that purpose. My plant stakes decorate your garden and your potted plants. My birdfeeders can be used for that purpose or even as shallow bird baths or butterfly baths. Butterflies need shallow baths and these small terra cotta feeders are just right for that purpose, too. My windchimes decorate, twist and chime in the wind for your enjoyment. Even my garden twirlers add a touch of whimsy to your garden. So keep and eye out for some great new items for your yard and garden coming soon to KayzKreationz.

Friday, April 10, 2009

Etsy Day is coming

As a small business owner, KayzKreationz, I'm always looking for ways to get my business known and out there. In the last week or two, there's been a great thread going on Etsy about how to get Etsy itself known so that on the flip side our own businesses will also get known. There is a grass roots marketing adventure growing in that thread and quite a few of us will be advertising Etsy on April 24th in a number of ways. Hopefully, more people will find out about Etsy and what it is. That in turn will drive "buyers" hopefully to Etsy itself and then into our shops. The handmade movement is growing and this marketing adventure will help it get more well known as well as all the great artists on Etsy and other sites that promote handmade. So keep watching. There will be more about Etsy day as April 24th gets closer. If you haven't heard or read about it, you can check it in this thread.
Meanwhile for great glass items for your home and garden check out my shop, KayzKreationz. And for some gorgeous Sterling Silver and gemstone jewelry, check out STRINGandSTONES. I love her jewelry.