Eco-Friendly Valentines!

Need a last minute V-day solution? It’s never too late to show someone you care. But don’t settle for just another card from the convenient store. And keep in mind that the cards we give and receive on Valentine’s Day use up a lot of paper. So why not try the greener approach? Maxim gave it a shot by crafting some cute cards made of recycled items lying around the office and plucked from our recycling bin. Here’s a little tutorial on how we made papier-mâché Valentine’s cards.

Supplies:
-Used Cardboard Box
-Old Newspaper
-Non-Toxic Glue
-Cup
-Paintbrush
-Paint
-Imagination!

First, we shred up some old newspaper to use for the papier-mâché:



Then, we made the papier-mâché adhesive by mixing part Non-Toxic Glue and part water in a cup:




We then drew a basic heart shape on the used cardboard and cut it out.
To begin the papier-mâché process, take a paintbrush, and coat both sides of the newspaper and then press it onto the cardboard. Continue to layer on pieces of newspaper one at a time, and each time cover the layer with a coat of adhesive:



Once the cardboard is covered with newspaper, leave it to dry.

Now that it’s dry just paint, draw, glitter, whatever your wildest imagination wills!

Not only will your sweetheart LOVE a handmade creation, but the environment will LOVE you for it too!

Recession Green Gift Giving Solutions - "Do It Yourself!"

This post will wrap up the last few posts and bring our Recession series posts to an end on a high note with a good chuckle (I'm sure we can all use one)....So most of us are not shopping at Saks this year, even if everything is practically on sale and for free (relative to the Saks standard), but most of us are looking for green gift alternatives. There are enough blogs and articles out there about green gift-giving so I'm going to stay away from that, but just in case you're living under a rock here are a few:

Gaiam's "Green Gift Guide: 30 Ideas for the Style Maven, Gadget Guy, Yoga Lover & More"

Treehugger's "Holiday Gift Guide 2008: Give Green to Save Green"

The Environmental Defense Fund's "Green Gifts for the Holidays"

These articles will give you great product green gift giving solutions, but I have a more green and recession friendly option inspired by my friends over at www.diygiving.com - "do it yourself!"

Remember when you were in kindergarten, before you knew how to count your change and balance a budget? Remember the creative freedom you had in putting together hand made gifts? Most importantly remember the big smile you put on your loved ones' faces when you gave them your hand-crafted gift that got posted on the refrigerator instead of returned to the department store or re-gifted to an enemy?

Well nothing put a bigger smile on my face than the above photograph of a "diy," "Do It Yourself" gift option, posted by an anonymous contributor on the diyGiving website, which features creative, do-it-yourself, economical gifts ideas for the holidays and special occasions. Not only was I smiling but I was on the floor dying of laughter. What's more organic and priceless than a good laugh??

Just make sure you're being eco-friendly and using Maxim Sanitary Pads when putting together your holiday slippers!

Holiday cheers to the creators of diyGiving.com for coming up with such a unique concept in green (in more ways then one) gift giving. Visit the diyGiving website to submit your "diy" Gift Giving idea; Maxim promises to send free Maxim products to whoever can up with more creative "diy" feminine hygiene inspired ideas like the one above. Email us with your address when your idea has been posted and we'll send you some Maxim Organic and Natural Cotton Feminine Hygiene Products so you can come up with more creative "diy" gifts or maybe just use them yourself.

Have fun "doing it yourself!"