Local Green Experts Share Their DIY Christmas Projects

Finding it hard to come up with creative gifts for those on your list this year? Maybe you’re just looking for crafty ideas to help you get in the Christmas spirit? No worries! Local green experts have got you covered with great ideas, whether you’re looking to DIY or leave it to someone else. And the cherry on top of the fruitcake is that they’re all sustainable so you can cross off your list “Helping to make our earth a kinder, gentler place.” “When my daughters were younger, we use to create our own Christmas cards from old cards that we’d kept over the years,” reminisced Marianne Guenther-Bornhoft, green designated (advanced training in green building and sustainable business practices) realtor with Windermere Real Estate, Manito. “I really love doing things that are unique and personal and don’t cost a lot…but they mean a lot.” Another favorite Christmas craft of Guenther-Bornhoft’s is creating “Smores in a Jar.” “My favorite combination is the heart-shaped marshmallows and Teddy Graham cookies, then of course whatever chocolate you want to include. Decorating the lid is also fun, if you have younger kids they can stick stickers or you can cut out cute circles of fabric and glue them on or tie with Christmas ribbon.” Juliet Sinisterra, owner of Sun People Dry Goods, wanted to share an idea that she’s always wanted to pursue with her daughter, although hasn’t quite found the time to yet. “We have a huge bin of broken crayons that I’ve always wanted to make candles out of,” said Sinisterra. “It’s really a very easy project…you just need heat-proof containers and wicks. Then you melt down the wax and pour it in!” Manager of Habitat for Humanity, David Lynch, loves DIY projects, being that he’s surrounded by all the cast-off bits and parts from homes and businesses. One of the many projects recently created at their store at Spokane Industrial Park in the Spokane Valley, is a great project for those without a fireplace and looking for a place to hang their Christmas stockings. Simply take an old cupboard door with interesting detail, and create a design by gluing 1X1 tile pieces. Then drill holes along the bottom for screwing in coat hooks and voila!—your stockings have a home. After the season, your creation can be used to hang coats, umbrellas or whatever else you may find you need it for. Polly Nobbs of Rings & Things has a great idea for those inclined to tinker with such things as metal, rivets, texturing hammers and the sort. Her blog lists other ideas as well. “It’s hard to decide on just one, but here’s a great idea for a cute little Christmas tag,” said Nobbs (see photo above). • Clean 2 door blanks in a tumbler for 2-3 hours, or use fine-grit sandpaper and a polishing cloth. • From an old Christmas tin, find a part of the image on the tin that you like and that fits in the window of the door blank. Trim the image to the size of the door blank. • Stamp a word or phrase on the front (and back, if you desire), and add texture as desired with texturing hammer(s). • To make your pattern stand out, antique pieces with Win-Ox. • Sandwich the tin between the 2 pieces of the door blank, align edges carefully, and hold bottom half in place firmly with Ring Clamp. • Punch a 3/32” hole through all 3 pieces, in one top corner. Slide a 3/32” diameter 3/32” long eyelet through this hole, and use the 3/32” eyelet flaring set to secure it. Repeat for other top corner. • For bottom corners, use 1/16” cutter and rivets. • File and/or sand any rough edges if necessary. • To use wire rivets and tube eyelets instead, see Riveting Techniques (PDF). For those of you short on time and needing inspiration on what to buy, Kim Harmson, owner of Kizuri Fair Trade Gifts of Spokane, suggests purchasing a Boozik. A what, you ask?! “Perfect for this age of technology, the Boozik is an all-natural bamboo amplifier for the iPhone 4 and 4S. Cordless, battery-free and portable, it’s eco-friendly and just-the-right-size for fitting in someone’s stocking,” said Harmson. (She suggests going to this YouTube video for a demonstration).