Business of the Month

City Beautification announces the Businesses of the Month July-October

October:Central Electric

6 National Hwy

September:Carniceria Dos Toros Meat Market

512 National Hwy

August: Joe Beans Coffee House

1420 National Highway

In the Lowe's Foods Shopping Center

July : A Cleaner World

801 Julian Ave

Congratulations Businesses!

Tuesday: Eco Chic Artist and Crafters

We get so "wrapped" up about the perfect gift to buy especially during the holiday months but do we ever stop and think about packaging and how it should be "Eco Chic" as well. Let me introduce you to Stacy from Fluffnfixings and Fluffnflowers. Pinch Garden Trio -- Amber

She uses materials found on construction sites and plastic grocery bags to create gift bags and mailers that are not only sturdy but a unique and creative form of recycling. 8.5x5.5 inch Fused Plastic Mailers

She also has another great shop dedicated to plants and seeds called Fluffnflowers. She uses organic principles when creating her product and even has these wonderful 'growing kits' that come with a fun recycled/upcycled container made from used glass.

Etched Glass Sunflower Garden

Broken China Business Card Holder - Blue Swirls

Tanya the artist behind Broken China Treasures transforms old pieces of china, such as plates, cups, and saucers into beautiful pieces of jewelry and trinkets. Tanya finds broken china at garage sales, auctions, antique stores, flea markets and from individuals who are looking for a place to discard their broken treasures. Old Country Roses Broken China Pendant/Necklace
She creates items such as earrings, pendents, and unique business card holders. She can even design custom orders out of a piece of china you have tragically broke and can't bear to part with. So if during the holiday season you break a dish don't throw it away...send it to Tanya so she can transform your trash into a treasure.
Oriental Rose Broken China Earrings

Tuesday: "Eco Chic Artist and Crafters" Recycled Ideas

Holly the artist behind Recycled Ideas transforms 100% post-consumer content such as used office paper, junk mail, and used envelopes into reusable paper that serves not only as a beautiful card but also paper that can be planted and grow flowers, herbs, and trees.Lavender Seeds
Holly collects seeds in the fall from plants she grows and embeds them right into the paper. Christmas Dove Tag
You may be wondering how you will transform the paper into a plant. Holly explains that all you have to do is wet the paper then cover it with a little bit of soil. Be sure to keep the paper damp, and it grows. So next time you are in need of a card check out Holly's Etsy Shop, Recycled Ideas and give someone more than just a piece of paper.

Call to local artist and Crafters: If you are a resident of Thomasville, NC or surrounding area we would love to see your recycled art and crafts. We want to see local efforts to keep Thomasville looking beautiful using creative measures. Please e-mail us at citybeautificationtville@gmail.com with your stories and ideas.

Picture taken from Craftzine

Not to discredit the article about plastic and paper bags from yesterday's post but here is a craft that you might find surprising and useful.

Fusing plastic bags is a unique way to transform waste into material you can reuse to create coasters like Marria and Amanda or to make very sturdy tote bags.

The possibilities are endless.Once the plastic bags are fused you can use a sewing machine to create a piece of usable art. The possibilities are endless. Check out the tutorial from ETSY LABS for full instructions.

Paper and Plastic are out Reusable is in

Do you come home from the store with loads of groceries and find yourself overloaded with plastic or paper bags? At first you may keep a few to reuse for packing a lunch or as a trash bag but after weekly and sometime daily visits to the store your bag collection can grow to enormous proportions, which may lead you to ball them up and throw them away.
Of course placing them in a trashcan, or better yet the recycling bin, is better than throwing them on the street but the impact of plastic and paper bags can be more of a threat than expected even if you are taking the proper precautions to keep them from littering the roadways.
According to a website, www.resuablebag.com, “Plastic bags don’t biodegrade, they photo-degrade—breaking down into smaller and smaller toxic bits contaminating soil and waterways and entering the food web that animals accidentally ingest.” There was once a debate that paper bags were better but according to reusable.com “it takes more than four times as much energy to manufacture a paper bag as it does to manufacture a plastic bag” and manufacturing of paper bags “generates 70% more air and 50 times more water pollutants than plastic bags.” To alleviate your worry regarding how your shopping habits effect the environment a new trend is hitting stores and shoppers. Now many stores are offering a choice other than paper or plastic by selling reusable bags around the cash registers.
This trend is present in several stores around Thomasville in hopes that shoppers will become trendsetters and join the reusable bag effort. If purchasing bags at your favorite store is not allotted in your weekly shopping budget there is an alternative - make your own. Making your own bags can is very simple and only requires a few t-shirts and glue.
First gather your supplies: old t-shirts or tank tops, fabric glue, and scissors. Turn the shirt inside out and glue the bottom of the shirt together. If you are using a tank top once the glue has dried your bag is ready to be used. Simply turn the shirt right side out. If you are using a t-shirt, cut off the sleeves once the glue dries and then cut a larger opening around the neck of the shirt creating handles. If you have access to a sewing machine, a simple stitch in place of the fabric glue will work as well. Get your kids involved by letting them decorate the bags with paint and gemstones. You can make enough bags for your weekly or daily shopping trips in less time than it will take you to figure out what to do with all of those plastic and paper bags.
Visit the City Beautification Committee’s blog at www.citybeautification.blogspot.com for more information and pictures on how to make a reusable t-shirt bag. Next time you visit the store and the cashier asks “paper or plastic?” answer; neither, I brought or better yet made my own.
Published in the Thomasville Times by Pam Baldwin

ETSY Tutorial

Tuesday: "Eco Chic Artist and Crafters"

Marissa and Amanda, the artists behind re:Vision Design, have a unique and creative talent to transform materials that would end up in the landfills into something chic. They create everything from coasters out of plastic bags to bowls out of old records. They are taking on the "go green" movement with style. Be sure to visit their shop on Etsy (a site dedicated to handmade goods) where their recycled and re purposed items are for sale.

If you are looking for a fun pair of earrings to wear out for the night or a "green" gift for a friend you will be surely find something in their shop.