Crafting with Kids - Rock Painting

 Mother's Day painted rock

Are you looking for a fun and inexpensive eco-craft to do with your kids? Try rock painting! The main ingredient comes from nature. Just gather up some rocks from around the yard and a little non-toxic paint and let their imagination take over! Have them pick smooth rocks with flat surfaces. Clean the rocks with some water and a scrub brush. Let them dry.

Paint a neutral canvas so their design will stand out and let that dry. Give them some paint brushes and let them loose! Show off their rocks in your garden when they are complete. These cute rocks make great gifts for Mom, Dad, or Grandparents!

Here is a tip: Use a recycled lid for your paint pallet. It will rinse off easy when they are done!

My boys are always interested in what I am doing and when I craft it is no different. My oldest son Ty thought it was great to be able to paint like Mommy!

Eco-friendly art and craft supplies

Earth friendly craft paint and finishes from earthsafefinishes.com

I love making crafty little projects, especially when it includes up-cycling someting I would otherwise throw away. I like to recycle old jewelry pieces, like unmatched earings into new pieces. Sometimes when I craft I must use unfriendly materials like paint and glue. But never fear, an alternative is here! Check out this list of eco-friendly art and craft supplies from Crafting a Green World which includes paint, textiles and my favorite: eco-glue, which adheres almost anything! Remember, whenever you reuse material in your crafts you are using green practices and keeping trash out of our landfills. This is the greenest way to go. Keep on crafting!

organic cotton sateen fabric from Betz White

hand made paper from custompaper.com

Please share your green crafting ideas with me!

teaching people to "Love Our Mother"

My first memories begin outdoors. My Grandfather says I didn't learn to walk; I learned to hike! It is thanks to him and my parents that I have found this great love of the natural world around me. Now that I am grown up and have children of my own I feel that it is important to teach them to love Mother Nature, too. As I strive to teach them, I find myself discovering new paths to a green lifestyle. We are learning together how to live a life in harmony with the world around us! I am excited to try new ideas and grow in my journey to responsible living.
My goal for this blog is to offer insight and connect people who are interested in living a green lifestyle. Here you will find entries documenting my journey, new creative ideas, thrifty solutions, outdoor adventures and upcoming events. You will also be linked to other articles and sites that relate to living a green lifestyle! Please check back often or subscribe to Natural Earth Collective for new posts every day.
Please leave me some feedback and your ideas on eco-living. I would love to hear about your ventures into a self-sustaining lifestyle. We can all learn and grow together to "Love Our Mother!"