How About A Green House For Your Dog or Cat? Modern Indoor Kennels / Planters.

The Kokon Kennel and the K-Bannette Kennel are indoor homes for small pets that are modern, ecologically friendly and double as decorative planters for flowers and greens. Created by Sebastian Haquet and Thomas Lanthier of Pousse Creative, the small pet homes can function as stylish modern hideways for dogs and cats or as litter boxes hidden from view. They come with flower pots or planters in the top and a comfy pillow. A plastic tub can easily be inserted to hold kitty litter.

The Kokon Kennel



This modern home for your small dog or cat can serve as a hideaway with comfy pillow, which comes with the product, or as a litterbox (simply fill a plastic tub with gravel). The back has a door which opens easily to clean the litterbox or interior of the space. A planter is integrated into the top of the kennel so you can cultivate plants and flowers for natural decoration.





Made of roto molded plastic and environmentally friendly (recycled and recyclable), it's available in white or brown. Made in France. Buy it here.

The K-banette Kennel


Sold in an easy to build kits, the K-banette is made of wood, is ecological and respectful of the environment. It comes with four flower pots that fit into the top of the kennel. If you decide to use K-banette as a litter box, simply fill a plastic tub with litter gravel. To easily change and clean the tub of litter, you just have to open the trapdoor in the back for access.





Available in natural wood or white laminate with a taupe front panel. Made in France. Buy it here.


above: Sebastian and Thomas of Pousse Creative

Founded in 2010 by Sebastian Haquet and Thomas Lanthier, Pousse creative is a company based near Lille in northern France. Thier brand has a desire to create simple and innovative products that enhance the connection between Man and Nature.

Pousse Creative

How To Turn Your Dog Into a Live Chia Pet This Halloween.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of dressing up dogs. However, The Flirty Guide (Stacie Tamaki) shares with us a way to make this terrific "Howl"ween costume, turning your dog into a live Chia Pet. All you need are some plastic aquarium plants, muslin, fabric, elastic straps, felt and a willing participant. (Note: a "green" version of this costume is possible by using organic materials and eco-friendly felt as shown in the photo at the beginning of this post, courtesy of Inhabitat).



Needed elements for the Terracotta legs:
•An inner liner made of muslin
• An outer layer using terra cotta colored fabric
• Two straps and a cross strap connecting the first two together. The first straps are attached at the top of each leg, suspender style, to hold them up once you slip all four legs onto your dog.



The Steps:
1. Sew an inner leg liner using muslin or another fabric that is thin enough to bend if your dog wants to sit or lie down.
2. Sew and outer terra cotta leg with appropriately colored fabric that is also thin enough to fold and bend for your dog's comfort.
3. Make sure they are both the same width at the bottom. Drop the liner inside the terra cotta layer and fold the terra cotta layer under allowing you to sew them together with a single pass of your sewing machine.
4. Now stitch the two layers together at the top in only two places where the strap will fasten along the outer side of your dog's leg and directly across from it on the other side. This holds the two layers together without binding them completely and eliminates the need to make the pant legs fit your dog's leg perfectly. This way the pant legs can loosely fit, be comfortable and look great!
5. Once you've stitched the top of the legs together sew the felt strap along the outer side of the pant leg.
6. Do one leg first, then slip the other pant leg on your dog's other leg and pin it into place along the strap you're attaching them to. Make sure you can slip it off, bending your dog's leg to do so, and you've got the perfect length to trim the strap to.
7. Attach the other pant leg same as the first.

Elements for the covering and foliage:
• Felt to make a blanket or body cover and fabric for lining so the plastic plants do not irritate your dog.
• Plastic aquarium plants that come attached to grids (available at Petco) or organic plants for the green version:


To attach the plastic foliage, pull all of the foliage off the mats. Then make a horse blanket out of green felt and strategically cut holes in the felt using an x-acto knife. Push the prongs of the grid through the holes and reattach the foliage alternating the two different types of leaves. Then line the entire costume on the underside so that none of the plastic will poke through and make your pet uncomfortable.

And Voila! Ch Ch Ch Chia.... Chia Dog!


Images and instructions courtesy of the Flirty Guide Blog.

A Hip Eco-Friendly Hammock For Dogs (or cats) From Pet Lounge Studios.

Well, since I blogged about a hammock for cats awhile back (shown below) , it's only fair that I give equal press to this one for dogs (although cats can use it, too).


above: the Cat Hammock Coffee Table Combo

The Bambu Pet Hammock (patented) by Corey Drew, designer and founder of Pet Lounge Studios, is an eco-friendly pet bed made with an exotic strand bamboo material, which has the look of a cross between teak and rich mahogany.



The sling-like cushion is secured with stainless steel anchors and carabineers. One of the additional bonuses of the stretched cushion is that it will help relieve the pressure points often associated with arthritis in pets.



The washable cushion is made with upholstery grade ultra-suede and is also reversible. The supporting canvas has minimal stretch and is designed for pets up to 30lbs in weight.



Dimensions:
Frame: 34"L x 25"W x 8"H
Cushion: 27"L x 21"W x 1"H

Pet Lounge Studios is using the Kickstarter forum as a way to launch the Bambu Pet Hammock and an elevated diner they also make at a special price.


Bambu Hammock Retail Price: $169.99 plus shipping
Kickstarter Price: $125.00 plus free shipping
(within the Continential United States)

Bambu Diner Retail Price: $99.99 plus shipping
Kickstarter Price: $65.00 plus free shipping
(within the Continential United States)

Bambu Hammock and Diner Retail Price: $249.98 plus shipping
Kickstarter Price: $190.00 plus free shipping
(within the Continential United States)

Limited Edition Bent Wood Bracelets & Cuffs By Gustav Reyes

One of the standouts at this year's Smithsonian Craft Show (which ran from April 14-17) was the contemporary jewelry of Gustav Reyes. On the Craft Show website, they only show his rings, but it's his limited edition series of coiled, twisted and knotted wooden bracelets that really appeal to me.

The modern and elegant bracelets and cuffs by the Chicago based woodworker are formed by hand using a cold bend process and finished with natural bee's wax. The Cherry, Walnut, Maple and Rockelm woods can be rejuvenated by simply applying more natural bee's wax. Several of the styles are available in multiple wood options.

Walnut:




Cherry:



Rockelm:


Maple:




above photography by Lauren Bost

Prices range from $120 to $320. Available from Artful Home.

"My training and personal development have led me to believe that humans surpass biological processes by creating. The desire to create is the vehicle by which we, as humans, extend our minds and souls beyond the limits of our physical selves."-- Gustav Reyes

As a young man, Reyes attended the Art Institute of Chicago, where his understanding of art was greatly broadened. He also studied at the Chicago Bauhaus Academy, where he developed an understanding of the finer aspects of woodworking. His formal training and years of dedication to his craft have allowed him to find the point where nature breathes through the form.

Vac From The Sea. Electrolux Turns Marine Debris Into 5 Vacuums.

Vac from the Sea is a project initiated by home appliance maker Electrolux, aiming at raising awareness about the immediate need for the world to take better care of plastics and support the heroes that do.



From Electrolux:
The environment is a concern and responsibility of everyone and marine plastic pollution is an issue much too big to just leave to politicians. Electrolux is in the homes of millions and can help raise awareness and affect many consumers. Plastic is the main raw material when making a vacuum cleaner. From a sustainable business point of view, Electrolux relies on an increased global supply of recycled plastic.

A limited number of vacuum cleaners will be made from marine plastic debris – harvested from the Pacific and other sites where the plastic problem is immense.

Below is the "green" Ultraone vacuum by Electrolux followed by 5 of the vacuums produced with the debris garnered from the aquatic environments (individual images below courtesy of inhabitat)





Depending on the local plastic situation the gathering of plastics will vary – from diving among coral reefs, clean-ups closer to shore to scooping up plastic directly from the water surface. The vacuum cleaners that are to be produced from the material gathered will be put on display for the world, decision makers and consumers to see.



At this point, there is no plan to actually sell the units produced. Separating the plastic cocktail is a great challenge and plastics in the ocean tend to act like sponges for other toxins.


The locations where plastic will be collected are in the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, the Baltic Sea and the North Sea.

The gathering of material will be documented on their site.

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