Happy Earth Day readers! It’s a grey, semi-rainy day here in middle Tennessee, but that won’t stop us from doing a few things in our own piece of good earth. I’m weeding my front flower beds in between rain drops while enjoying my Primroses and thinking about how best my family can reduce our footprint for our Earth Day cause this year. 

From time to time my husband receives supplies for his cabinet business wrapped in long sheets of white packing paper.  He knows better than to recycle this paper (or any packing paper really) before asking me if I want it for craft and D.I.Y. projects.

This thrifty do it your self-er usually says yes!  Sometimes I get brown paper, sometimes I get tissue paper, but my favorite of all is the perfectly white pieces of packing paper.  I roll them up and squirrel them away for special occasions.

Inspiration struck when we were planning my tweens birthday party. Anybody who has ever hosted a birthday party/sleepover knows these wonderful tweens can power through activities almost as quickly as they can hoover a bag of Doritos. Almost. 

So a Mom’s got to be on her A game or she will hear the dreaded “I’m bored” or “what else can we do?” words. Not good when one is celebrating a birthday. So my daughter and I jammed packed their schedule, but my ace in the hole was letting them write on the table!

 Craft Set Up:

Setting this craft up was easy-peasy.  First, we placed a festive plastic table cloth on our dining room table. Then rolled out the white packing paper and taped it down on the ends and sides. Don’t worry if your upcycled paper has a hole or two in it, just tape over it. Next, set out your writing supplies. We had a bucket full of markers and a pencil case full of colored pencils and pens. There may have been a few crayons in the mix as well.

You are good to go! Once all the guests arrive, let the birthday child announce that they can write on the table and be ready with your camera for their reactions! The girls attending my daughter’s party practically knocked each other over to get to the table to start. 

Out of respect for privacy, I won’t share their happy faces here, but I will show you the end product.

As you can see, these girls LOVED this craft. They came back to it again and again. They wrote and laughed and talked their way through dinner and dessert here. They came back after playing flashlight tag and they sat here again doodling while eating their breakfast and waiting to be picked up. 

The best part for me was seeing their faces. Once the party guests had gone home, my daughter and I saved a portion of the paper with special birthday messages on it. 

Finding free packing paper ideas:

If you haven’t started recycling the packing supplies that come in with your products, now is a great time to start with the holidays rapidly approaching. You can also ask your family members to save longer sheets of packing paper for you.  You could even ask a local business if they receive boxes with packing paper. I’m sure they would be happy to give you some as most businesses just recycle it.  

However you come by your paper, I hope you and your kids will get a chance to write on the table soon! 

Please share in comments: Do you set up craft/activity stations at your kids birthday parties? If yes, what kinds?

It’s a rainy morning here in middle Tennessee, but I for one don’t mind the rain. April showers do bring May flowers and there’s just something so fresh and serene about an April morning after a little rain.

I’m sitting at my desk, looking out my the window and I can see our trees filled with birds and squirrels, the edge of our pond with our resident musk rat and all the green, green grass and I am thankful for this piece of land we call our home.  

Here's a sunny day picture from my front walk.

In honor of Earth day we decided to plant peach trees this year. It was a good family day, with all of us pitching in to pick the right trees. 

Marking off the area we wanted to plant them and assisting my husband in whatever way we could while he dug the holes. 

We also attended Nashville’s Earth Day Festival this past Saturday. We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect weather day and the festival was very well attended. We walked around all the vendors gathering information on recycling, protecting our parks and streams and talked with local gardeners at the Farmers’ market.  There was good music and food and lots of happy families and dogs. If you are looking for a wholesome, family fun day that is budget friendly, attend an Earth Day Event this weekend. 

On the 26^th, we are going to take the girls to our local library where they are having an Earth Day Celebration as well. We may even bring home a new Dogwood tree to plant since they are free.

Celebrating Earth Day is as simple as getting outside and being a part of nature. Go for a walk, plant a tree or flowers, visit a local park or farmer’s market, start recycling, pick up trash, and get involved in your community by volunteering to beautify a green space, school or help out at your church. Check your local newspaper or your cities website to find out about Earth Day events in your area. Or go to the Earth Day Network for valuable resources.

Please share with me in comments: Do you celebrate Earth Day? What will you be doing to celebrate this year?