DIY Eco-Gifts for The Handyperson On Your Holiday List

I am starting this post with the definition of "handy." Why? Because I posted over on Care2 about the semantics of gender words and "handy" was one of the hot words. Here's the definition: Handy - Skillful in using one's hands; manually adroit.

For those of you who are scratching your head and totally ready to ditch the whole post if I don't give you the meaning of "adroit," here it is:

Adroit - skillful or dexterous

OK, vocabulary lesson over. What can I say? Once a teacher, always a teacher.

We know that people who love to work with their hands have their fair share of aches and pains. Rejuvenating gifts like heat applications, lip balm and moisture cream are the perfect soothing gifts for all the "handy" people on your list.

DIY Heating Pad and Hand Moisturizer

Using an old pair of pants, a sewing machine and rice, Cathe Holden of Just Something I Made created this heating pad with pockets to tuck a book or reading glasses in. Here's her tutorial. Add a DIY holiday tag with heating instructions and include some DIY moisturizing hand cream and  a DIY lip balm and your gift is complete!

Note about the cartoon: This drawing was used with permission from New Yorker Cartoonist, Danny Shanahan. Danny's a good friend of mine and when my "handy" husband, Ted built a deck to surround our wood-fired hot tub, Danny gave us this cartoon. Danny and I also worked on a humor book together called, Some Delights of the Hudson Valley (I've got a short story included in the collection). Wow, this would make a fine non-DIY gift, don't you think?

Photo: Cathe Holden

DIY Gifts For The Gym Rat On Your Holiday List

We all tend to overindulge during the holidays. Did you know that most people pack on a lasting few pounds? My scale is already creeping up. Here's the official skinny on holiday weight gain and people of a certain age: "Most people don't ever lose the pound of weight they put on during the holidays, according to a report in the New England Journal of Medicine. Since the average weight gain during adulthood is about one to two pounds a year, that means much of midlife weight gain can be explained by holiday eating."

OK, enough of that nonsense. Let's find a fun way to keep the weight off. I like to encourage my workout enthusiasts to get a wintery workout - to embrace the crisp air and fresh snow by hitting the slopes, going ice-skating or just taking a walk in the woods.

When I was growing up my dad built an ice rink in our backyard each year. One of my fondest memories is of my hockey-player dad all bundled up on snowy evenings heading for the backdoor. He would announce that he was going out to "water the rink". Here is a post called, The Home Ice Advantage: Make An Eco-Skating Rink that I wrote about my experience of building an ice rink for my kids (you can catch a glimpse of them skating on the rink in the post).

The full holiday gift guide for the Gym Rat includes all the reasons to work out, how many calories you can burn off doing winter sports, how to make your own gym clothes (no, you can't always wear your pj's)
, and how to create your own gym equipment. Check it all out here.

The cartoon is used with permission from New Yorker cartoonist, Liza Donnelly. It's from her funny new book, When Do They Serve the Wine.

DIY Gifts For The Eco-Fashionista On Your Holiday List

As I continue to dive into this A-Z Holiday DIY Eco-Gift Guide, I am reminded once again, that I have yin/yang relationship with shopping. I love stylish clothes (reading Vogue since I was 12), and I have been known to love to shop. But, as I filter everything through a green lens and embrace a simpler lifestyle, I am consciously aware of my consumption.

I recently wrote about two exciting things to hit the fashion industry – Zero Waste Fashion and The Common Treads Initiative. It's uplifting to know that some conscientious clothing designers and companies are creating sustainable fashion.

What to get an eco-fashionista? Green is the new black. Her commitment to the environment is as strong as her love of a good sale, and she's got the style to back up her ethics. This is an easy gift type to DIY for because there are two things that eco-fashionista's can never have enough of...shopping totes and hangers. Recycled Sweater Shopping Totes Repurpose sweaters that are either old, torn or no longer fit. Wool sweaters from thrift and secondhand shops can be made into felted functional objects.

What you need:

wool sweaters

chalk for marking

ruler

scissors

What to do:

1. Here are the directions for felting a sweater.

2. Lay the felted sweater flat. With chalk and ruler, mark line from armhole to armhole, parallel to bottom edge, for top edge of tote.

3. Mark handles as shown above.

4. Cut along chalk lines as indicated, then set aside sleeve and neck sections. Turn right side out, then open and refold so side seams are at center front and back. Topstitch or machine-zigzag bottom edges together, approx ½ inch up from hem.

5. Topstitch single layer of top and handle edges. Fold each handle in half with wrong side together and cut edges even and stitch down.

6. If desired, cut patch pocket from neck section, so curved neck edge is top edge. Center on tote front; topstitch in place along side and bottom edges.

Natural Wire and Branch Hangers

Hangers are long overdo for a fashion makeover. One of my most popular posts addressed the issue of how many hangers end up in our landfills. Read HERE to find the answer to that, and how to make 3 types of natural hangers.

Here is the original Planet Green post.

Bag Photos: Canadian Living

DIY Gifts for The Environmentalist on Your Holiday List: Podcasts and Videos

Have you ever met an ex-environmentalist? I haven't. Once you are one, you stay one.

Since you found econesting, I'd venture to say that you probably are an environmentalist that knows a few treehuggers. Right? Savvy environmentalists would say that they want nothing this holiday season. But, gifts are sometimes about need, not want. What does everyone need more of? OK, just take a guess...

The correct answer is...Education! (Did I mention that I was a teacher?)

Green technology and ecological news are constantly changing. For the uber-environmentalist on your list, give the latest and greatest environmental podcasts and videos.

Environmental Podcasts

The iTunes Store (Did I also mention I was an Apple fanatic?) has zillions of free podcasts that highlight every angle of environmental issues and inspiring green living ideas. Here are the Sierra Club's podcast picks.

Environmental Videos

The TED talks are chockfull of environmentally-themed topics. The videos are "Riveting talks by remarkable people." Outside magazine named the five best environmental movies of all time here.

DIY Gift For The Driver On Your List: Repurposed Driving/Biking Gloves

We'd probably all like to green up our driving practices by using public transportation more, but for many of us (myself included) driving a car remains the mode of getting from point A to point B. Do you have someone on your holiday list who loves to drive? Or, maybe they've ditched their car for a bike. Whether they drive a rechargeable hybrid, or a clean diesel (like me), or commute with two wheels and a pedal, reward them with a pair of repurposed driving gloves.

I just love this tutorial because in a few snips, you can transform an old pair of leather gloves.

DIY Repurposed Driving/Biking Gloves Materials:

• Soft leather gloves or gloves with non-slip palms
• Piece of chalk for marking
• Scissors

What to do: 1. Slip on gloves. With the chalk, draw circles around each knuckle. Draw a large circle on the back of each hand. 2. Mark off right below the finger joints where you'll need to cut to expose the fingers. 3. Take the gloves off. Cut out the holes for your knuckles and fingers.

Top off the gift by including a list of green driving tips with the gloves.

Photo: Stylehive