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Green Fence Decorations for Autumn

Note from Sweet Greens: The following post on green fence decorations for Autumn was submitted by Jakob Berry. Jakob Barry is a home improvement journalist for Networx.com. He blogs about green topics for pros across the U.S. like Houston, TX, fence contractors.

When fall arrives it marks the transition back indoors after a long and wonderful spring and summer. Soon the leaves will be falling, vegetation on the ground will be withering, and in most parts of the country the skies will be more gray than blue.

With less color all around adding some decorations across a home’s exterior can make a difference and the fence, if you have one, is a perfect place to start raising the spirit.

At the same time, we always have to keep in mind the environment around us and that nothing we use should compromise our ecological surroundings.

That’s why when decorating the fence do it with an eco-friendly-minded sense of creativity. In other words, with things that can biodegrade when they get lost in the wind or carried away by some animal; with things that won’t harm people or animals and that are generally safe. Here are 5 of my favorites:

#1: Corn
Corn adds the perfect flavor to a setting at this time of year and since husks, cobs, and kernels come in a range of sizes and colors corn is a great decorative medium to work with. More importantly it doesn’t have to be sweet corn to make or break the yard dĂ©cor!

How can corn be used to decorate a fence? One idea is to make wreaths out of corn and stalks by attaching them along the fence either directly or by hanging the wreaths across a string or rope.

Another is to bunch a few ears of corn together making an ornament like those often seen on front doors. Then place a few sets of these along the fence.

Either way corn is a great decoration because it won’t damage easily from weather and when it’s time to take it down it can be tossed into the compost heap.

#2: Scarecrows
I’m a big fan of scarecrows because they always seemed to me a very creative way to ward off crows and other animals seeking to invade crops. With the seasons about to change they may not be needed as decoys anymore but a few extra scarecrows could provide a little buzz around a property.

Placing them in various poses near a perimeter fence now makes them a spectacle, especially if there’s a few keeping each other company.

Environmentally, they only need a few articles of clothing and some good stuffing but should be harmless.

#3: Plants
Something else which looks great along a perimeter fence are plants and if you don’t have any now might be the time to add them. Just keep in mind, though, that what you pick needs to withstand the elements because winter is on the way.

One option is evergreens which will stay green and don’t require a lot care. Another is herbs like lavender, rosemary, and thyme which add a lot of character to a setting brightening up a property tremendously when they flower. Herbs will also give you a daily source of some out of this world scents and can also be cut and used.

#4: Beach debris
Finally, if you live near a beach then you know there’s a lot of cool stuff that can be found there. Some of it like old buoys, stray pieces of wood ‘carved’ by the sea, and the occasional dried up star fish make excellent pieces to decorate both sides of the fence.

Some items may take a little effort and ingenuity to display but the beach theme sits well in many neighborhoods.

Furthermore, searching for things along the beach is an opportunity to help clean up the shore by reusing many of the objects found there.

photo credit

5 BPA FREE Reusable Water Bottles For Back to School

reusable-water-bottles-5If there is one item that I never forget to back in Eben’s backpack each morning – it is his reusable water bottle. Kids work and play hard – so having a great reusable bottle full of fresh water with them all day is essential for optimum health! However, if that water bottle is made using BPA – Yikes! We have a great selection of BPA free reusable water bottles in our home that we refill using our fridge filter, so I thought I would share my top five favorites for your back to school shopping list!

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#1: EarthLust

EarthLust reusable water bottles have been one of my favorites for years. I love their kid friendly 13 oz. bottles made of food grade stainless steel and the designs – oh, the designs! Printed with non-toxic paints, EarthLust bottles aren’t just for keeping your kids hydrated they are portable pieces of art. Top that off with  a BPA free cap with carabiner – which makes it perfect for clipping to a backpack.
+ EarthLust 13 oz. Bottle $16

reusable-water-bottles-2#2: KleanKanteen

Eben has been using a 12 oz. Klean Kanteen reusable bottle for ages – because it is the perfect size to fit inside a lunchbox. Klean Kanteen reusable bottles are made using 18/18 food grade stainless steel and the lids are also BPA free. These reusable water bottles are heavy duty – yet extremely lightweight, ours is banged up from years of use, but it’s one of our favorites so we keep using it!
+ KleanKanteen 12.5 oz. Bottle $16.95

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#3: CamelBak
We are a family of hardcore hikers, so we have been using CamelBak products for years and years. CamelBak also offers great reusable water bottles for kids that are 100% BPA free. These water bottles are also sturdy and durable. I am a huge fan of the Kids’ Stainless Bottle 12 oz. bottle made from stainless steel!
+ CambelBak 12 oz. Bottle $13

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#4: Vapur

Vapur’s Quenchers are fantastic for lunchboxes, since it is a flat reusable water bottle. You can fill it, freeze it and use it as a ice pack in your child’s lunch box. Then, by lunch time it will have melted enough to drink! Vapur reusable bottles are also BPA free and great for on the go – Eben can shove the water bottle in his pocket and fill it up at school. We have also used our Vapur reusable bottles when we hit the amusement or water park – because we can drink the water in between rides and then roll up the bottle, put it in our pocket and hit the roller coasters!
+ Vapur 13 oz. Bottle $11.99
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#5: Kor
The Kor One reusable water bottle is BPA free and has a hinged cap which makes it simple to add ice cubes! Kor One has a great spout that makes drinking splash free – and with their Kor Stones, you can see a message of inspiration every time you take a swig!
+ Kor 25 oz. Bottle 29.95

Do you have a favorite that I missed?

Are Naturals | Set of 2 Recycled Big Bowl Glasses Giveaway

Today, I have a fun giveaway that is right in time for a relaxing evening on your patio. Are Naturals is offering one lucky reader a set of their Big Bowl Glasses made from Recycled Glass! 

These big bowl recycled glasses are large and perfect for a cocktail in the evening summer air! Made in Columbia from recycled hand blown glass these glasses are eco-friendly and very beautiful. The first time that we used our Are Naturals big bowl recycled glasses, the mister mixed up a batch of his organic Pina Coladas! 

Are Naturals is committed to offering only the finest quality eco-friendly home products from top designers and artisans around the world. With a passion for finding fantastic products while promoting fair trade and sustainability, Are Naturals offers an amazing curated collection that you will love. 

Visit Are Naturals and leave a comment below to enter. The winner will be announced on
August 20th. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Full Disclosure: I received a set of Are Natural Big Bowl Recycled Glasses to review in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Tiny Shed Becomes a Tiny Home

I love this tiny 12×12 shed transformed into a tiny home in Brooklyn, Michigan. The owner, Lynn Boughton added a porch with a reverse gable roof, installed salvaged cottage windows and topped the whole thing off with an adorable split cedar shake roof. The cost – under 10k!

Wouldn’t this be perfect for a little summer getaway home in the woods? 

—Looking for more Tiny Home Pinspiration?

Savvy Rest | Organic Wool Pillow | Review

Are you a hot sleeper? I am – especially in the summertime in Florida. Between the heat and the humidity, I have a hard time staying asleep. I will wake up several times throughout the night to flip the pillow to the cool side. Do you do this too? That was until, I received a set of standard organic wool pillows from Savvy Rest.

The mister and I have been testing them out for a few months, so that we could give you our overall opinion on the pillows. Our opinion in short – these organic wool pillows are fabulous!

Since wool is a natural insulator from both heat or cold it stabilizes your temperature. It also promotes moisture evaporation which is perfect for the humid Florida climate – allowing me to sleep all night long without flipping the pillow. Hooray!

I also feel very comfortable sleeping with my Savvy Rest organic wool pillows because they are toxic-free, I never have to worry about chemicals while we sleep. The mister is especially smitten with his wool pillow, he said that it his favorite on our bed. He likes the comfortable, firm feel of the pillow – and I am not sure if the pillow has anything to do with this, but the mister no longer snores at night! That right there is worth every penny!

Next, on our list is to replace our mattress with an organic version (saving our pennies!) When it comes time to make the purchase, I will be consulting Savvy Rest’s great section on their website to help me choose the right mattress (they also have videos!)

And, since Mr. Sweet Greens has a back injury (he likes a very firm bed) and I like a super-soft bed, I love that Savvy Rest can customize a bed that will work for both of us!

Savvy Rest has a great selection of organic mattresses, bedding, pet beds, and pillows – if you are in the market for new pillow or other bedding option, I would highly recommend them. 

Do you have organic pillows or an organic mattress? Have you noticed a difference in the way that you sleep?