Even though Earth Day was last week, there is still one week left in Earth Month! And since every month is "Earth Month" here at Creative Green Living, Tom's of Maine asked us to partner with them to tell you about their great line up of products (some of which are only available at Target) AND share a fun upcycled project with you as part of the #lesswastechallenge.
Why I like Tom's of Maine
I like that all Tom’s of Maine natural personal care and oral care products are made with no artificial colors, flavors, fragrances or preservatives, nor are they tested on animals. Most importantly, they are also phthalate and paraben free.
I am also a big believer that better-for-you products need to be available to everyone. Tom's of Maine is widely available, including at every mom's favorite store: Target. Since there is a Target in or near just about every town in America, I would say that is pretty darn accessible!
I will be the first to admit that everyone needs to balance green choices with what works for your family so if you need to buy something that comes in a plastic bottle, you won't get any grief from me - especially if you can Reuse it or Recycle it when you are done!
Tom's of Maine body wash bottles are a great size for crafting with! For this particular project I was inspired by my kids' love of Moana to make a battery powered nightlight that looks like the sun setting on the beaches of Motunui. This project works with anything you can cut out a silhouette of, though, so let your imagination run wild! Fairies, jedi, a favorite animal, you name it!
When you use the Target Cartwheel app, you can save even more at Target and they often have specials running for Tom's of Maine products. Click here to see the latest Cartwheel offer.
Let's talk about packaging!
When you remember the "three R's" of reducing your footprint: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle don't blow by that first one, "Reduce." Tom's of Maine has some minimally packaged products: namely their bar soaps. If bar soap is a product that works for your family, all you'll have left at the end of the day is a paper soap wrapper that you can turn into scratch paper or a paper airplane! That's awesome!
Tom's of Maine body wash bottles are a great size for crafting with! For this particular project I was inspired by my kids' love of Moana to make a battery powered nightlight that looks like the sun setting on the beaches of Motunui. This project works with anything you can cut out a silhouette of, though, so let your imagination run wild! Fairies, jedi, a favorite animal, you name it!
Supplies
- Empty Tom's of Maine Shampoo or Body Wash bottle
- Scrub brush
- Lemon essential oil
- Craft cutter such as a Silhouette Cameo (or follow this tutorial)
- Palm tree silhouette (I downloaded mine from the Silhouette Design Store)
- Black adhesive vinyl or contact paper
- Vinyl transfer tape
- Craft knife
- Craft glue
- Battery powered tea light
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Directions
STEP 1: Remove label
Remove the label from your empty Tom's of Maine bottle by first peeling away from the container.
STEP 2: Cut out Silhouette
To design your silhouettes, first measure your bottle with a soft tape measure. The Tom's of Maine body wash bottle I used measures 7" in diameter and 7" tall. To fit the bottle, the finished design should be between 7"-7.25" wide and no more than 7" tall (although shorter is ok).I want my nightlight to have a tropical feel inspired by Moana so I downloaded a palm tree design from the Silhouette design store, added some circles that I "welded" to the trees to make sand mounds.
STEP 3: Apply Vinyl to Bottle
If you cut your design out with a Silhouette, peel away any excess vinyl from the backing (this process is called "weeding"). If you used the "I don't own a fancy craft cutter method", lay your cut out design on the table in front of you.Lay a 7" x 7" piece of vinyl transfer tape over the top of your design and smooth it out with a scraper or the side of a credit card. Peel the tape away from the backing (the vinyl should go with the tape).
STEP 4: Add light
To make a space for the light, use a craft knife to carefully cut away the neck of the bottle.
Enjoy!
Recycled craft projects are just one way you can reduce the amount of waste your family puts out each week. Got other ideas? Join me on social media and share how YOU can take on the #LessWasteChallenge by using the hashtag along with how you are reducing your family's waste. Visit Toms of Maine’s website for more information.
Want more garden crafts made from recycled plastic bottles?
Check out 25 Garden Projects from Plastic Bottles
About the Author:
Carissa is a lifelong crafter and mom of two creative boys. The owner and lead writer for Creative Green Living, she is also the author of two e-books including the best-selling beverage cookbook, Infused: Recipes for Herb & Fruit Infused Water, Tea and More as well as the forthcoming hardcover cookbook (spring 2017), Beautiful Smoothie Bowls. You can also find her projects featured in magazines like Kids Crafts 1-2-3 and Capper's Farmer. Her goal is to empower families to make easy projects and healthier choices that are beautiful and fun! Follow her on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter or join the Creative Green Living community group.
This is just sheer genius!!!! So pretty!
ReplyDeleteEach shower is truly an experience, and I love, love, the smell of the steam right after I open the shower door. (BLACKWOOD FOR MEN)
ReplyDelete