Home sweet cargo home.

Super innovative and modern. Love the way some of these designers think. Shipping containers made into modern homes. 

Here's all the photos.

Outdoor installation of fish constructed using discarded plastic bottles

Source: thisiscolossal.com via Neille on Pinterest

Doing a remodel? Not know what to do with your old materials?

Santa Barbara's Demo 2 Design specialize in architectural reuse. Materials may include doors, windows, plumbing and lighting fixtures.
Marborg and Demo 2 Design have recently teamed up. Now your materials from deconstruction can be picked up from your site, diverting it from the landfill and giving it the chance of another life in someone else's home.
Click here for hours of operation or to shop Demo 2 Design's inventory.

Turning Plastic Bottles into Flowers

Notice the displays in Anthropologie windows lately? Many of them are decorated with ornate, brightly colored flowers made of - plastic bottles. How very creative - love it.

Here's some ideas on how to make your own bouquet, or visit Instructables.com

1. Cut around the bottom grooves

so that you have one piece that looks kinda like a flower.
2. Punch some holes, or use a hot needle to make holes.
Gather some string, fishing line, dental floss, or metal craft rings.
3. String them together and VIOLA! You have an instant wall hanging, doorway curtain, or privacy blinds for your window.
Also, you can also make a hole in the middle of them and insert a LED into each of them for some pretty flower lights!

Some facts about plastic, pulled from earth 911.com:

*Plastic bottles take 700 years to begin composting

*90% of the cost of bottled water is due to the bottle itself

*80% of plastic bottles are not recycled

*38 million plastic bottles go to the dump per year in America from bottled water (not including soda)

*24 million gallons of oil are needed to produce a billion plastic bottles

*The average American consumes 167 bottles of water a year

*Bottling and shipping water is the least energy efficient method ever used to supply water

*Bottled water is the second most popular beverage in the United States

Last Minute Gift Ideas!

For the Conscious Shopper.


One of the funnest gifts that I assembled for someone was a personalized basket. This included a reusable woven shopping basket (perfect for the farmer's market or a picnic). I filled it with local goodies ranging from honey and salsa to a bottle of wine. Other local products that are perfect for filling a gift basket are chocolates, lotions, soaps and candles. Here are a few one-stop-shops for these kinds of gifts.

• I love The Isla Vista Coop. It is jam packed with all sorts of products. You are certain to find something for someone here.
  
• Santa Barbara Gift Baskets has wonderful local items to choose from-even for those with a more discriminating taste.
• Similar to the I.V. Coop but closer to downtown-the Santa Barbara Tri-County Produce is where you can find dried fruits, great local wines, coffee and sweet treats from around our area.
• Find unique jewelery and other worldly gifts at Arcoboleno Trade. This is a fair trade gift shop that helps support artisans in developing countries and promotes sustainability.
• A great item to stuff in your gift basket are these Reusable Produce Bags. Perfect for your friends that shop the Farmer's Market.
  
• Don't forget that local coffee shops carry reusable coffee mugs. Wrap one up with some coffee or tea and it makes for an easy and thoughtful gift. One of my favorite coffee shops in town is Vices and Spices. They have a large selection of tea, coffee, jewelry and fine soaps. Located at 3558 State Street Santa Barbara, CA 93105-2628 - (805) 687-7196.

Change the way you present your present. Reuse special paper for wrapping your gifts. Calendars can make great wrapping paper that can be quite pretty and interesting to look at.