Green Options

I am having such a great time discovering artists using recycled materials in their crafts. I was so excited about this recycled glass artist, I could barely wait until Monday to share it with the CAGW readers!

John Bassett has been making these amazing glass panels and sculptures since 1979, long before green crafting was all the rage. John creates his works of art out of used bottles, chandelier parts, and other glass scraps. John [...]

I forgot how much fun it is to make a collage but after seeing this collage by Justyn Hegreberg, I can’t wait to dive in!

Justyn’s work is so interesting and original because he uses recycled photographs (mostly doubles and blurry snapshots collected from Craigslist) and a paper shredder to create his signature look.

I love this idea to use a paper shredder to cut the paper, just think of the possibilities!

My new favorite word is “upcycle. “A German chemist Michael Braungart and architect William McDonough coined the term in their 2002 book, ‘Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things.’ To upcycle simply means to use waste products to make useful things.

Upcycling is what Tsia Carson, one of the brains behind SuperNaturale, is all about. In case you have not seen it yet, SuperNaturale is a fantastic site dedicated to all things DIY with an online magazine, bulletin boards and blogs. Carson’s book ‘Craftivity: 40 Projects for the DIY Lifestyle,‘ is based on her website and features 40 projects to turn your trash into treasure. As Anda from Etsy Storque says, “After only a few pages, you should be itching to visit a local thrift store, the back of your closet, or the dumpster behind your apartment for interesting (and free) supplies.”

I have just discovered Smencils and had to share them with the world! Smencils are gourmet scented pencils made from 100% recycled newspaper. You can even see the layers of newspapers when they are sharpened! The Smencil World website not only offers original Smencils, but also a colored variety, mini kits and home kits for the do-it-yourselfer!

They can customize for business or events and work with organizations to make fundraising kits. What a [...]

Valentine’s Day has become more of a headache then heartfelt for most. Poor men are inundated with commercials claiming that if they don’t go to a mall jewelry store, their lover’s family and friends will be completely disappointed in them. That little jewelry box must also be accompanied by chocolates, flowers and a card. And, don’t forget the reservations, guys! No wonder men are not much into this dreaded day. Is this really what women want? Here’s a suggestion for this year: avoid the commercialized, boring routine and have a green Valentine’s Day!

No worries if you don’t know the first thing about making gifts - it is easier then ever to find cool, recycled, handmade gifts online. Online boutique Zanisa is a great place to find all sorts of recycled, organic and sustainable gifts like this necklace from designer Liana Kabel, made from recycled Tupperware! And of course, Etsy is the fantastic place to find original handmade gifts. Check out the daily Valentine’s Showcase for ideas.

Even if you are not a crafter, this recycled heart project from A Little Hut, is totally achievable. All you need is a paper egg carton, some red paint, background card-stock and a box frame to create something that your lover won’t soon forget.

We have all had that indecisive moment at the home improvement store. Standing there, staring at the wall of paint samples for what seems like hours, every color starts to blend into the next in the same way that too many perfume samples start to smell alike. There is so much pressure, you might have to live with this color for the next 10 years, or more! There is only one way to handle this - pick up a handful of samples to take with you to stare at in the comfort of your own home. Once you have selected the perfect color, what happens to that leftover stack of color? It’s time to craft! (Please note: I said leftover - I am not endorsing stealing stacks of chips for crafting purposes!)

When I discovered Lisa Solomon on The Beholder, I fell in love. I would have never guessed that embroidering a simple paint chip could look so sophisticated. Her series of paint chip art plays with the fantastic descriptive names given to paint colors such as this one, Sparrow.

Another fantastic use for your reject color ideas is this colorful and functional card holder craft from Design Verb. There are incredibly detailed instructions and step-by-step photos on his blog.

So, the kidlets are home from school today, bugging you for something to do, and you are hiding on the computer, catching up on blogs? Why not turn the computer off (after reading this, of course) and work on a junk mail craft together?

Paper bead making is a great craft for your little fashionista and is pretty simple to do. Using only junk mail, a toothpick and glue, this project is an easy way to get in a casual lesson on green living.

First, scour your junk mail pile and old magazines for colorful shiny paper to create your beads. The shiny varnished paper is pretty strong, brightly colored, and somewhat water proof. It is also more expensive to recycle, making it perfect for a project like this. Once your paper is selected, simply follow the following easy steps from HGTV:

The book “50 Simple Things You Can Do To Save The Earth” listed stopping unwanted junk mail as its #2 recommendation. Some interesting junk mail statistics from the book include: Each year, 100 million trees are used to produce junk mail; 250,000 homes could be heated with one day’s supply of junk mail; and Americans receive almost 4 million tons of junk mail every year. Yikes! And I thought these unwanted ads were just an [...]

According to The Environmental Literacy Council, plastics make up 25% of all waste in landfills when buried. It is a good thing that crafters are finding ways to appropriate this versitale and plentiful material into their creations.

Take, for example, these adorable bird coin purses from Etsy seller Bird Versus Bird which are made from vinyl scraps from a sign shop. Imagine how many vinyl banners from State Fair corndog stands are [...]