With fall really and truly here and winter approaching, Recycla is looking for ways to make her eco lair extra cozy. She doesn’t necessarily want to spend money on this project, so she’s been wondering what she could make with her somewhat basic Martha Stewart skills. Luckily, she’s found a few projects that won’t tax her unduly and which will make evenings in her living room with her family a little more comfortable.
Herbal Fire Starters – Pinecones and dried herbs (rosemary, sage, cinnamon sticks, etc.) come together to make earth-friendly fragrant firestarters that don’t require chemicals or lighter fluid to ignite the flame. To make: Gather dried herbs and small pinecones in a sheet of newspaper and tie the ends with raffia or cotton twine. When you stack the logs for your fire, nestle the herb bundle underneath, with paper ends sticking out. Light the newspaper ends to start the fire.
T-shirt Pillows — Do you have any great t-shirts from a concert from your wild youth? How about turning them into throw pillows for your sofa? (Oh how Recycla wishes she still had her shirt from Duran Duran at the Roanoke, Virginia Civic Center in 1983!) The style is up to you and your sewing skills. Get really crazy and put two different shirts together to create a one-of-a-kind mashup.
Scarf Quilt — Do you have piles of scarves sitting unused in your coat closet? Turn them into a unique blanket to keep someone cozy this winter. (If you don’t have enough scarves, visit your local thrift shop and see what they have.) To make: Line up 6-7 scarves and sew them together. If the scarves are different lengths, just trim up the edges or leave them as-is for a delightfully funky blanket. If you want to make the blanket a little warmer, add a fleece or flannel backing.
To completely round out the cozy evenings, Recycla and her family will be drinking hot cocoa.
Those firestarters sound wonderful! I’m knitting and drinking lots and lots of tea in the long cold nights!