Category Archives: Eco Ideas

REthink Morgan Designs

Remember yesterday when I told you guys one of my favorite things about blogging is that I get to share fun finds with you? Well, I’m rolling with that theme again today and would like to introduce you to the talented Trent Morgan at REthink Morgan Designs. He builds upcycled furniture, and his handcrafted stuff is right up my alley. Maybe it’s the Portlander in me, but salvaged items turned functional decor pieces get me every single time.

Trent takes special orders and can pretty much build everything under the sun. Here are a few of my favorite pieces that Trent has created lately…

From TV consoles to unexpected light fixtures, Trent’s pieces are functional and are faaar from anything you’d find at Ikea or your local furniture store. For more information on building your own custom piece or to claim one of the above items, contact Trent at [email protected]

Hooray for Friday, friends! Next week is blogoversary week and that means giveaways galore! Bring it.

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Anniversary #2 – cotton

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Morning folks!

As I mentioned last week, Kyle and I celebrated our two year anniversary last week. It was a grand time, however, we didn’t exchange gifts as we thought lugging them around in our suitcase wasn’t such a stellar idea.

Since the traditional second anniversary gift is cotton, we decided to go in on a joint gift and order our little abode a pretty cotton throw blanket. Here in the NW, throw blankets aren’t just for looks, we actually put them to good use, so we thought this would be a practical gift for our home too. In my search for a fun and modern throw blanket, I came across in2green’s eco blankets. They are luxurious and funky and come in many colors and patterns.

{both images via}

in2green creates environmentally responsible goodies, and their products are full of color and their patterns are bold and fun. They are a great weight for year-round use (not too heavy and not to light – just right!), and most importantly, they are machine washable – no dry cleaning needed. Also, unlike wool blankets, they are comfy and soft. LOVE! Check out in2green’s designer blankets here.

Cheers to the last week of August…how did that happen?!

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Vertical Gardening by Randy Raburn

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I’m sticking with the gardening theme from yesterday and introducing you to vertical gardening. Vertical gardens were first created in the 1980′s by Patrick Blanc, a French botanist who transformed the exterior of the Quai Branly Museum in Paris and the Parliament in Brussels by “decorating” them with plants.

Portlander Randy Raburn has worked in the landscape business for over 15 years and his latest passion is vertical gardens – also known as green walls or hanging gardens. Vertical gardens solve many problems. They allow for greenery in densely populated cities and can also easily cover eyesores in your backyard. They also allow people with itty-bitty spaces to grow plants and herbs, as these type of gardens grow up and not out. And did I mention they are really beautiful?

Once you see these gardens, you are going to want one. They are simple, but lush and no two are alike. I love how the plants take on a mind of their own, and quickly transform a small area into a mini wilderness. Simply put, it’s nature at its best.

Randy is a true curator of these gardens and hand selects every plant. He knows which plants actually grow in the Northwest and each garden has a beautiful mixture of texture, color and size. There’s some serious design work that goes into creating these.

I’ve gathered a few shots of Randy’s finished pieces below. LOVE!

Ferns, strawberries, heuchera, euonymous, grasses, moss and a variety of succulents are just a few things that are included in the above vertical gardens. And did I mention they are fairly easy to care for? Right up my alley!

How can you get your hands on one of these? Well we are in luck, as Randy is currently taking custom orders. Feel free to email him at [email protected] for more information and check out his site here.

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Coffee Grounds + Mice Update

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Did you know I love coffee? I mean, I live in Portland, so I guess I somewhat have to, but it’s a daily must-have for me. So, when I ran across this list of daily uses for recycling coffee grounds, I knew it was meant for me. Some of these are no-brainers, and others I would have never thought of…

Latte made w/Stumptown Coffee - my personal favorite

WAYS TO RECYCLE YOUR COFFEE GROUNDS

1.) Composting: Coffee has a number of different chemicals due to the rich, volcanic soil where it is initially grown and can help feed plants at home or in the garden.

2.) Deodorizer: Dry the grounds out and place them in the fridge. The dried grounds will absorb any funky smells.

3.) Soften Hair: Grounds may be used as a hair softener for yourself or your pets. Obviously, rinse carefully.

4.) Skin Exfoliator: Beautify your skin and wash/scrub with coffee grounds. The coarseness of the grounds will refresh your skin.

5.) Fire clean-up: To keep the dust settled, sprinkle wet grounds in your fireplace before you clean it.

6.) Keep out the cat: Sprinkle coffee grounds where you don’t want your cat to use the bathroom.

7.) Ant repellent: Place the grounds over ant hills and any other ant-infested places – keeps them out in no time.

Too bad coffee grinds don’t scare away mice! Yes, we are still living amongst a few furry friends, as they have now figured out a way to eat the peanut butter off the traps without getting caught. So awesome. With that said, THANK YOU to everyone who has written me with mice tips. It’s so appreciated and seriously, we need all the help we can get so keep the ideas coming.

P.S. TODAY is table delivery day!

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