Library Filled With Creative Reuse, Charm and Children

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The Old Market Library in Thailand was built by TYIN a non-profit organization that does humanitarian work through architecture. TYIN is run by five architect students from Norway. This project was financed by more than 60 Norwegian companies, as well as private contributions.

The library, built in a 100 year-old building was once an abandoned and dilapidated space. The roof and walls were in poor condition. Redesigned to encourage community interaction, TYIN used local and reclaimed materials.

Old Market Library By TYIN Tegnestue, Min Buri, Bangkok, Thailan

"For TYIN it is not only the building of a library that is important, but also that the efforts made will affect the bigger scale. Through the use of local, inexpensive materials we have tried to show that this is something the inhabitants of the community can do by their own initiative, using their own resources. The aim of the library project is to strengthen the passion in the neighborhood that eventually can contribute to a positive development in the area."

With many libraries slated to close in the US, maybe we can think outside the box and create similar community libraries. The Old Market Library is now a functional space filled with charm, creative reuse of materials, and children. LOVE...IT!

Photos: TYIN tegnestue via ArchDaily

DIY Magazine Stool

Someone in my house hoards magazines. When she left for college a few years ago, I found magazines in every nook and cranny of her room. Oops, just outted her...Hope you are OK with that, Sweetie?

Since the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree in my nest, I will take total responsibility for the magazine-stockpiling gene. I’ll also foot the blame for being the enabler – I did not punish her when she stole my Vogues... Sorry hon!

Can you tell the parental guilt is just killing me?

Anyway, when I stumble across an ingeniously designed product that screams out DIY PROJECT, I just have to share. This is another one of those easy inspired ideas, like the felted sleeve cozy. This stool may even help you make less trips to the recycling center!

DIY Magazine Stool

You'll need two extra-large leather straps or belts. They should be adjustable to make it easy to sneak a few mags into your collection. Scrap wood for the base and a magazine-sized cushion. That's it.

Don’t want to make one? Then you can fork over the $185 here.

Credit: via SwissMiss

Not Your Typical Tag Sale

While some sing the praises of purchasing used stuff until the cows come home (or the horses, in the case of the tag sale I attended on Saturday), I am not a tag sale extraordinaire like many of my eco-cohorts. If pressed, I would probably choose a deeply-discounted sale, or a decent consignment shop like Designer Resale in NYC, or The Closet in Boston, over rummaging through tossed out duds on a lawn. But every now and then a tag sale whizzes across my radar, and a lonely abandoned chair winks at me, or some junk jewels shimmer in my direction.

A letter piqued my interest in Rural Intelligence, a fabulous online local resource for Berkshire, Columbia, Northern Dutchess (where I live), and Northern Litchfield Counties:

Dear Friends,

Having just had a “milestone birthday” and embracing some of the ideas from the book, The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin, I decided to do more than clear a shelf or a closet. In my usual obsessive way, I tackled barns and attics, my studio, and the basement. Whilst I am not quite going Zen in style (far from it), I am attempting to “declutter.”

This will not be the organized, “pretty” tag sale like the one I wrote about in Veranda Magazine a few years ago, but just your classic old fashioned yard sale, with a mix of things from garden hoses to some of my beloved ribbons and silk flowers. It has been hard for me to give up some of those, but this is an exercise in editing. There is a bit of everything.

If you are around the northwest corner of Connecticut, please stop by.

Best,Carolyne Roehm

What style-guru Carolyne Roehm did not mention in her note, was that a portion of the proceeds of the sale would be donated to Women’s Support Services. I recognized this as an absolutely prowl worthy eco-mission.

Zen style or not…Sign me up!

Now to be honest, I’m only vaguely acquainted with the rules of tag sales. For instance, I read this letter on Thursday, and Saturday around 11 AM I called my friend Juliet to see if she wanted to join me. I knew it would be right up her alley because Juliet is an equine photographer and Carolyne’s address was located in prime horse country.

We meandered through Dutchess County and into Litchefield, Ct. via a healthy lunch on the porch of the Red Devon Restaurant, which is named the best green restaurant in the Hudson Valley.

Any tag sale shopper worth her weight in recycled items knows that when a sale is slated for 9-4, you show up in an empty SUV by 8am. We landed at Carolyne’s around 2pm in my little Jetta Diesel.

We wound our way up the spectacularly stately, and stunning property. (Would you expect anything less?) Juliet jumps out of the car and starts taking pics of horses while mumbling under her breath, “These horses have such a wonderful life.” Bless her equine heart, but my eyes are peeled on the people walking back to their cars with bag loads of goodies. I am now chomping at the bit - worried that we are missing the whole shebang.

one-horse

I left Juliet clicking away and headed up the path to the “sale” barns where I was greeted by a “team” of helpers. One of those helpers turned out to be my friend and neighbor, Mimi. To make an already long story short, Mimi introduces us to the energetic, and ever so stylish Carolyne, and her lovely mother. A charming and serendipitous meeting.

After filling up my little trunk with fabric scraps, a serving tray, signature wrapping paper (not so eco, but the price was right), and a bunch of other knickknacks, some of which Carolyne gave us, we headed home basking in the glow of the thrill of the hunt.

Not your typical tag sale, huh?

Credits: Rural Intelligence, Juliet Harrison Photography, Ted Fink

Naked Lighting

These light bulbs from Plumen made their way around the blogosphere last year. I liked them then, and I like them even more now that they are available in the US.

The sculptured light bulb works just like any other high quality, generic low energy CFL bulb. Compared to a standard incandescent bulb, the CFL can save 80% on energy bills and it lasts 8 times longer.

shaded500

Plumen’s name comes from ‘plume’ – a bird’s feather designed to attract attention to a bird’s prowess and beauty. The company believes their uniquely designed bulbs do the same for the energy saving light bulb.

The bulb screws into any standard bulb fitting and gives off a warm white light. Designwise, these CFL’s will work either shaded or not. What do you think – dressed or naked?

Credit: Plumen via Jetson Green

Eco-Win: DIY Reusable Bags

My local farmer’s market just celebrated its annual Mother's Day opening. So many folks now carry reusable shopping bags. It must be one of the most remarkable eco-wins of our time. The impact of using plastic bags has been relegated to the equivalent of sleeping with the green-devil. Would you be caught dead without your reusable bags - especially at the farmer’s market?

Plastic vs. reusable bags is one topic that I am asked to write about again and again. I do believe that educating people about issues that affect the sustainability of the planet is paramount. But, if I'm going to ask people to go greener, I like to provide viable options. That’s why one of my favorite writing niches is DIY. For me, making things by hand is just so environmentally-friendly. Plus, I love writing directions and patterns for making things. It's like creating a kick-ass lesson plan!

I've been on a bit of an anti-plastic rant…again. Please revisit with me why this symbol of our throwaway culture is still prevalent…

Why have we not banned disposable plastic bags?

The petroleum and plastics industries oppose the ban of plastic bags and they lobby hard to keep plastic bags in supermarkets. Also, people don’t want to change their habits.

Here's my latest favorite DIY reusable shopping bag:

The crocheted bag above is made from durable natural linen. It scrunches up into a tiny ball small enough to fit in a pocket. I love linen because it is antibacterial and antimycotic (suppresses the growth of fungi). Here is the pattern from Purl Bee for this Crocheted Shopping Bag.

To get us even closer to solving the plastics problem, do you believe we should fine people for not using reusable bags, or charge a fee for using a plastic one?

More DIY bags: Check out the Linen Fabric Bag, Felted Bag and Knitted Bag.

Credit: Purl Bee