Green Thoughts: All That Glitters...

...Would be better if it was actually gold, rather than glitter. Gold after all is a natural product that comes out of the ground, whereas glitter is made of plastic. Anybody who has been reading the news and watching BBC's seminal Blue Planet II series will be aware that there is too much plastic in the world today, and that plastic glitter is particularly nasty stuff. Why? Because most plastic items have to actually fall to pieces first before they turn into those pernicious "nurdles" or mermaid's tears that are finding their way into the food chain, whereas glitter is there already. I'm not against plastic as such, just our abuse of this useful material and we don't need glitter really, do we?

As crafters we mostly love the stuff, and children love it as well. Some nurseries have already banned it but if you are looking at that matte Christmas card and thinking it looks bare help is at hand in the shape of BIODEGRADABLE GLITTER!

Yes, you can have your cake and eat it with this substance as it is not plastic and does not harm the environment. If you live in the UK you can buy it here and it is not just for cards. Release your inner fairy (or unicorn) and adorn yourself with it, great for Christmas parties and festivals. It is also the sort if think you can use if you make melt-and-pour soap like I do. These people really care about our planet and are supporting Plastic Oceans website which you can check out with this link. They even got a letter from David Attenborough thanking them for their support!

Now we can sparkle with a clean, plastic free conscience.

If you want some ideas as to where to put this glitter I have just made available some new Christmas card designs. These all fold pancake flat for cheaper mailing and are mostly letter rate (the fan is larger). Journey To Bethlehem with O Little Town: