flip & tumble's eco-thrift gift guide Here at flip & tumble, we're all about simple ways to integrate a bit of green into our lives. While we think our reusable shopping bags are really the perfect gift for everyone on your list, we do realize that you may need a little more diversity. We found some other ways to eco up the holidays, and hopefully spread a little green in the process. For the final cut, all of our ideas had to 1) be eco, 2) be thrifty, 3) be fun, 4) something you'd actually want to give. So pick your faves and get going! Oh, and we're also trading free f&t's for any more genius ideas. tea set It's tea time! A warm cup of tea on a cold winter day. What could be better? So, get all your favorite blends and a few nice boxes. Divy up the tea to make a few of these sets. Sweeten the deal with some sugar cubes or a small jar of honey, and viola you're done. herb garden Start your growing. Fresh herbs make for tastier food. (Hint: this is a great gift to give those that cook for you). 1) Buy 3 herb plants at your local nursery or hardware store 2) Cut the bottom off of 3 milk cartons 3) Paint them white, it will probably take a few coats 4) Cut out a letter for each herb and glue it on the front recycled paper notepads These notepads make the perfect use of that 2nd side. Throw in some old love letters, report cards, or those lyrics you wrote back in the day. The more embarrassing, the better. It's like giving a little piece of you away, along with eminently useful pads of scratch paper. 1) Cut a short stack of paper into a 4.5"x4.5" square, blank side up. 2) Find some old cardboard, and cut 2 more 4.5"x4.5" squares for the front and back cover. (the back of a cereal box works great) 3) Staple the stack together. Score a line near that staples using the back of a butterknife. This will allow the cardboard cover to open more easily. 4) Decorate cover with lines, doodles or even photographs. Polish it off with a rubberband. sparkle and shine This one's perfect for all those green friends who have the best of intentions, but not so much time. We all know how toxic and bad for us most cleaners are, so go au natural by putting together a kit with these time tested and ubercheap recipes. For the kit, you'll need a box of baking soda, a bottle of vinegar, dish soap, a spray bottle, a squeeze bottle, scrub brushes, a bin, and some old t-shirts to cutup for rags. Here's a pdf with the recipes that you can print out to include with the kit. Happy cleaning! food cards Mmm. food. Waffles with fresh fruit on a Sunday morning, oohy goey mac & cheese, cupcakes with cream cheese frosting... Okay, can you tell I'm hungry? These super-simple food vouchers are the perfect excuse to make something yummy, and treat your loved ones. bottles etched A little etching cream and some simple patterns turns these recycle-bin ready bottles into top notch vases. Cut out your pattern on masking tape, apply to the bottles, and etch away. big blue bag recyclers We love IKEA's big blue bag for everything from hauling laundry to stashing sleeping bags. They're big and roomy, and hold up to just about anything. For this thrify idea we're turning our beloved blue bags into handy dandy recycling bins. Check out instructions here. pillows Get with the times. Ditch the duds. You know the ones. They're at the back of your closet, gathering dust, and when you shake them off to take a better look, you kind of wish you hadn't. To turn them into fun little fluffies, pull together some colors and patterns that look good together. Sew into pillows. wrapping It's all about the presentation. Half the fun of gifts is the surprise of ripping open the wrapping to find what's inside. A thorough rummage throught the blue bin, with a sprinkle of creativity, and poof! eco-rippable wrapping. score! Got any genius eco-thrift ideas that are so awesome that you just have to share? Send them on over and if we agree that it’s totally genius we’ll post it and you’ll score 6 reusable shopping bags for your gift list. Please send your idea with a photo or video to hello@flipandtumble.com