The Evolution of Project Notepad

Anyone who stops by my cubicle must wonder why I keep a tray full of random used paper on my desk. Well, a few months ago, I started something I like to call "Project Notepad." In an effort to reuse paper that I'd normally recycle (remember, it goes Reduce, then Reuse, then Recycle), I began collecting paper that was blank on one side. My plan was to turn this paper into notepads of various sizes that I could use for work and home. I even thought about creating nice notepad covers and giving the notepads as gifts!

The notepad idea hasn't come to fruition just yet. But recently, my son and I have been reusing the paper for something more creative and fun - homemade books! Check out photos of our latest book entitled "Hercules, the Hyena":

I remember doing this as a child, so I couldn't wait to share the experience with my son. Making homemade books is so much fun and has been a great bonding experience. And best of all, it's eco-friendly!

How would you reuse single-sided paper?

Happy Mother's Day, Mother Earth!

Happy Mother's Day!

In addition to celebrating the woman who brought you into this world, why not celebrate the woman whose world we live in. That's right...Mother Earth!

If you live in Sacramento area, check out the Whole Earth Festival at UC Davis. This year is the 40th anniversary of the festival and the theme is Sustainalovability. Today is the last day, but it would be a great way to honor Mother Earth and learn how we should be treating her!

Isn't that image of Mother Earth cool? What do you think Mother Earth looks like???

Budget-Friendly Mother's Day Gifts

Mother's Day is on May 9th, and television commercials and print advertisements are heavily focused on the holiday this week. These ads and commercials would trick you into believing that you should buy your mom/grandmother/etc. expensive jewelry, overpriced bouquets of flowers, or pricey tech gadgets like mp3 players or digital cameras. But frankly, Mother's Day gifts don't have to be terribly expensive. In fact, why not try some of these Unique Mother's Day gift ideas from the dollar store, courtesy of Wallet Pop (www.walletpop.com).

My son and I actually bought our Mother's Day gifts at Dollar Tree. We found two cute wooden bird houses at the dollar store and painted and decorated them with supplies we found in the same aisle. We also decorated a cute little tote with foam shapes and filled with puzzle books (word search, crossword, sudoku) and pencils - all from the dollar store. I'm sure my mom and grandma will love these gifts!

Don't be shy about taking this approach. Most mother's would rather receive a thoughtful, semi-homemade gift instead of an expensive gift with no meaning behind it. It's the thought that counts, right?

What did you get your mother/grandmother/etc. for Mother's Day?