Gifts that Give

Are you already sick of holiday shopping and it isn't even December? Take some of the stress away AND give gifts that keep on giving: make donations to charities for your friends and family. I know, I know, tearing open an envelope on Christmas morning just doesn't have the same magic as a beautifully wrapped gift. Here are a few suggestions for having the best of both worlds:

MAKE LIFE A LITTLE SWEETER
Make a donation to Heifer International. I chose the Gift of Bees, which provides struggling families worldwide with the ability to earn income through the sale of honey, beeswax and pollen. Heifer International provides an adorable gift card, which I paired with a jar of locally produced honey. I packaged it in a recycled coffee can with shredded paper and a bow made from vintage fabric. These touches are simple and inexpensive, yet are more personal and fun to open than a gift card alone.

Here are a few other suggestions for jazzing up Heifer International donations: Give yarn, knitting needles, and accessories nestled in a recycled container (cigar boxes, wide mouthed jars, and plant pots are just a few ideas). Add to this a share of a knitting basket, which provides wool producing animals to families who can raise themselves out of poverty by shearing,spinning, weaving and selling woolen goods.
Looking for a cute donation for kids? Opt for the Flock of Chicks. Pair this with a recycled egg carton filled with simple handmade or store bought yellow felt chicks and some shredded brown kraft paper. Little kids will love it!

PLAY WITH WILD ANIMALS
One of personal favorites that I donate to every year is Defenders of Wildlife. This is really a no brainer, since they have an 'adoption' program, complete with a stuffed toy, photos, and fact sheets. There is sure to be an animal of interest to that child or soft-hearted person in your life. Choose from penguins, wolves, snow leopards, sea turtles, and lots of other imperiled animals. It doesn't get much simpler than this!


THE GIFT OF WARMTH
This year, my kids and I recycled our old sweaters into simple mittens and discovered that felted wool is remarkably warm and cozy! Try pairing a donation to a local homeless shelter or 'Coats for Kids' program with a one-of-a-kind scarf, baby soaker pants, or pair of mittens, all of which are true beginner sewing projects. Pin on a handmade gift tag (mine was made from a vintage greeting card), directions for making the woolen gift, and a short description of the charity. The recipient will be reminded of this selfless act every time he/she uses it.

These are just a few of the great worthy causes out there, which, with a little creativity, can be exciting to give AND to receive.

M&Z Sneak Peek!

Ooooh la la! This unique purse will soon join Max and Zane's cool collection of vintage, recycled, and indie designer bags. Like many of our goods, there's only one, so snap it up soon!

Avocado Green

Max and Zane strives to be Avocado.
No, we are not talking about the fruit used to make guacamole... we're talking about the color green. Like the green of that cool seventies refrigerator.

April and I personally and professionally try to live eco-conscious lifestyles. Not to say we will never be spotted at Starbucks using paper coffee cups- we are human, after all. But we do what we can to try and be green with our purchases, what we eat, and how we live our daily lives.
A huge part of what I consider being green is limiting wastefulness. This means not filling a dumpster with remodeling debris to have a 100% green kitchen. When my ugly laminate countertops are finally beyond repair, I plan to replace them with fabulous Paperstone. But throwing perfectly functional countertops into a landfill, even if it means replacing it with something "green", just seems flawed.

Undoubtedly, there needs to be a cultural shift towards green living. The green bandwagon that is attracting big corporations such as WalMart and BP, though, is a double-edged sword. There is value in a greater awareness and availability of eco-friendly, Fair Trade, and organic goods and alternative energies. But being "green" needs to be more than a marketing tool or a trend- after all, trends come and go. It needs to be a lifestyle.

In my mind, green living is steeped in recycling, re-purposing and reusing. But this doesn't necessarily mean you have to fend off all traces of consumerism. Thats crazy talk! There is so much cool vintage, recycled, and repurposed stuff out there. Don't simply go green, go avacado.

Five Simple Ways to Do Something Good

Here at www.maxandzane.com , we don't snub our noses at folks who aren't using a composting toilet or don't live off the grid. We appreciate the changes you make, however small. We know that we are all creatures of habit, and breaking even small habits take effort! Here are a few ideas for how you can make a difference by altering your life in small ways... for a big impact:

1.WHEN YOU NEED A CHANGE, GO COMPACT FLUORESCENT
"If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars." (www.energystar.gov) Nuff said.

2. WAIT A MINUTE!
Do you know that cutting your morning shower short by just sixty seconds can save up to 2.5 gallons of water? Its true! That's over nine hundred gallons a year per person! If you just can't hack not singing in the shower for a minute less each day, consider switching to a water conserving shower head. They've come a long way, baby. Max's family didn't even notice when she made the switch.

3.GO VINTAGE
Need a potato masher? Looking for a unique gift for cousin Ed? Shopping vintage is thrifty, we all know that. But when you buy second hand items, you don't contribute to the pollution and depletion of natural resources that often go hand in hand with the manufacturing process.
By buying vintage, you have endless possibilities for one-of-a-kind gifts that won't end up in someone's junk drawer. Last Christmas, Zane searched out a 1951 Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook to replace her mom's copy that had completely fallen apart. She wrapped it in a vintage tea towel and finished it with a bow of old lace trimming and a recipe card gift tag. While it didn't cost much, the sentiment behind it brought Mom to tears!

4. DITCH THE PLASTIC BAGGIES
Use reusable washable containers for lunches and leftovers. We love our pyrex dishes with lids, which can go from fridge to table easily. Recycle your yogurt containers and other plastics to pack kid's lunches. If your kid objects to a used cream cheese container in her lunch pail, use waxed paper. Zane uses bits of rainbow yarn or crazy colored recycled rubber bands to make sure waxed paper stays closed.

5. EXPLORE YOUR INNER MARTHA STEWART
When wrapping gifts this year, try skipping the wrapping paper, ribbons, and gift tags. Be creative!
Old maps, glossy magazine ads, wallpaper samples, sheet music,vintage fabrics,and old calendar pages all make excellent wrapping materials. Kids love making their own wrapping paper by stamping the back of brown paper grocery bags with a festive theme.
For gift tags, we love using whatever there is around the house. Cut up cereal boxes, sand paper, postcards, even tree bark... you'll be amazed at what you can create with a pair of decorative scissors and a hole punch!
Skip the plastic/metallic ribbons and bows- how tacky, anyway- and try using something that can be reused by the recipient. Giving a gift to a person who sews? Use a cloth measuring tape in lieu of ribbon. A handman? Try using recycled wire! Yarn, shoe strings,cording, strips of fabric, recycled belts, and even plastic newspaper bags cut into strips make excellent ribbons. If your material won't make that fancy bow you love, tuck a piece of fragrant evergreen or dried lavender in the center to compliment your homemade gift tag.

If being crafty is just too much to handle on top of the holiday craziness, we recommend using a high quality recycled wrapping paper like the amazing designs from Fish Lips.

Remix

You don't have to be best friends with your sewing machine or circular saw to reuse items in creative ways. Max and Zane are always finding new ways to use discarded or under-appreciated objects. We see endless possibilities in junk!
There's no need to run out to the local department store for household items. Use your creative eye and some elbow grease (and maybe a stapler and hot glue gun) to repurpose objects to fit your lifestyle. Here are a couple of project ideas: Zane's photo lampshade, Max's chalkboard children's desk made from an old kitchen table, and Zane's wall of postcards made with recycled sheet metal.
Got crafty ideas of your own? Send us a pic!

Vintage Indie Holiday Gift Guide

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat...check out Max and Zane in the Vintage Indie Gift Guide. This is an excellent resource for those of you who want to support indie crafters. And don't forget to visit Max and Zane for our complete line of handmade goodies. Remember, gift giving doesn't have to mean contributing to pollution, sweatshops, and excess associated with large scale manufacturing.... go vintage, handmade, and recycled!

Cool Vintage Find

Looking for that special item to secure your position as an entertaining goddess? Check out this newly listed vintage find: a set of eight vintage glass tumblers in a very cool gold tone carrier. Put some Frank Sinatra on the hi fi, your best little black dress a la Audrey Hepburn, and invite your friends over for cocktails. Tom Collins, anyone?