Alternation: The Perfect Eco-Chic Gift for Creative Sewers and Knitters

Do you have a person in your family that loves to sew or knit? If so, there is a great book just for them that shows you how to create new clothing and accessories out of old ones. This is a book written by two fellow Clevelanders, Shannon Okey and Alexandra Underhill. Both of the authors are extremely creative people as well as extremely interesting.

Alternation reflects their varied talents. To purchase Alternation, you can link directly to the page on Lake Erie Artists Gallery's website, and I will ship it right to you, or you can buy it directly from Amazon in the U.S. or Amazon in the UK.

Both Shannon and Alexandra are very into recycling and reusing old materials in new ways. Shannon is an expert knitter and crocheter. She has written several other books on both topics, the most well known is the knitgrrl series. For more information on Shannon's books, click here.

Alexandra Underhill (also known as Xan) is most well known as a costume designer, dancer, and stiltwalker. She also is a proponent of eating raw foods. If you see a woman on a pair of stilts, and her hair is blond with other colors mixed in, chances are that it is Xan. This is her first book.

Making New Products from Deconstructed Buildings


There is a movement afoot in Cleveland, Ohio connected to the construction industry that is very forward thinking. And one of the key players in this movement is a company called A Piece of Cleveland.

What APOC is doing is fascinating. They are working with construction and demolition experts in deconstructing buildings in order to recycle the reusable wood, bricks, and metal to make into new furniture, and other custom items.

APOC has been successful selling their custom work as well as a burgeoning retail line. To read more about APOC, click here.

Did You Know? Eco-Chic Green Fact #3

Reusing packaging material saves more energy than recycling. By avoiding extra packaging, you save both energy and landfill space. Yard and kitchen waste (leaves/grass/vegetable scraps) are 30% of trash. Reduce this amount by composting. Also be sure to re-use plastic bags, or better yet... refuse plastic bags when you really don't need them.