DIY Life

Now that you are wrapping your sandwiches in an eco-friendly vinyl wrap, you can go a step further and carry those wrapped sandwiches in a neat woodgrain oilcloth lunch bag, courtesy of Derek and Lauren over at Design*Sponge.

To make the lunch bag, you'll need 1/2 yard woodgrain oilcloth, scissors, a sewing machine, thread, a ruler, and Velcro sticky dots. Derek and Lauren cut the pine woodgrain into three pieces, then sewed the pieces together. After turning the bag right side out, they attached the Velcro sticky dots, and the job was complete.

While many of the commenters like the oilcloth bag, a few think that the lunch bag really isn't eco-friendly at all. I think the bag is awful cute, and would argue the fact that if you use the bag every day, then it really is environmentally friendly, simply because you aren't using and tossing a paper bag every day.

One of the best parts about summer is outdoor dining. There is something so refreshing about eating outside under an umbrella, enjoying a fresh breeze and the scent of flowers in the air.

For all the pleasures it offers, though, eating outdoors does present a few problems. Sturdy plastic dishes and flatware are a must. And you are not too likely to leave your condiments out on the patio table throughout the hot days. This means many trips to the kitchen for napkins, extra forks and condiments.

Designsponge recently featured a clever, cheap, and super cute solution to help cut down on kitchen trips and make outdoor summer dining a bit easier and more stylish.

The Internet is quite obviously a fabulous resource when it comes to shopping. You can literally find anything anywhere in the world you might need for any possible purpose. For many people this concept is wonderful; however, for those of us who have problems making choices, this can be a problem. I know when I am looking for something decorative for my home and open my computer to begin the search I am all too often at a loss. So many decisions and choices. It is quite overwhelming.

For those of us who do have shopping issues or choice dilemmas, Design Sponge offers a great comprehensive guide to online sources for everything from furniture to wall hangings. The links have been contributed by a wide variety of Design Sponge devotees and reflect an even wider range of tastes. I like this aspect of it because it gives a little bit of everything, and for those of us who struggle with decision making it feels as though the pressure has been taken out of the shopping. So the next time you need a great reference for where to purchase lighting or curtains, stop by and take a peek.