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Handmade Holidays: Recycled Gift Tags from Greeting Cards

Becky Striepe — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:00:13 +0000

The weather is getting colder, and we have a handmade holiday on our minds! Handmade gifts have heart, are better for the environment, and, if you opt to buy, it supports independent artists!

If you want to have a totally handmade holiday, now is the time to get started. Over the next couple of months, we’ll be posting about recycled gifts and giftwrap you can make yourself and great handmade finds for sale!

To get things started, check out Sheryl of Twisted Limb Paperworks’ awesome video tutorial for making your own gift tags from last year’s Christmas cards:

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Tutorial: Security Pattern Business Card Envelopes

Jackie Hernandez — Wed, 13 May 2009 13:30:22 +0000

Presentation is everything. Your business card is no exception. Make yours stand-out with a unique, handmade envelope. These stunning, memorable envelopes are made from repurposed security envelopes. Read on for the complete instructions to make your own.

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Tutorial: Stitched Cork Coasters

Jackie Hernandez — Wed, 06 May 2009 16:53:38 +0000

Mom always said, “Get your feet off the coffee table!” and “Use a coaster!” Why not give her some new coasters for that precious coffee table this Mother’s Day? These stitched cork coasters are an inexpensive and super easy gift. Read on for a complete how to for making your own.

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Tutorial: Linen Canister Cozy

Jackie Hernandez — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 22:20:59 +0000

Remember this fabulous Forsythia linen swatch I ordered from Cicada Studio? Well,
thanks to Ohdeedoh’s post about de-branding the kitchen counter with pretty canisters, I was inspired to make over my stainless steel canisters. I love stainless steel, but it can seem very clinical. I decided to warm up my canisters with linen cozies. Read on for the complete how-to…

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Recycle Grocery Bags Into Eco Packaging

Jackie Hernandez — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 16:28:44 +0000

I have used brown paper bags in the past to rewrap boxes for shipping, but I never thought of making shipping envelopes from brown bags. This genius packaging idea reuses plastic grocery bags for waterproofing and brown paper bags to make the outer envelope. My favorite part is the stitching to close it up. No glue or tape necessary!

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Just In for Spring: Forsythia Linen

Jackie Hernandez — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 15:40:37 +0000

Just in for spring Cicada Studio has added a new linen swatch to the shop. The cheerful Forsythia swatch is printed on a generous 13 x 17 inch swatch of 100% Belgium Linen. I first featured designer Michelle Engel Bencsko in the Top 10 Modern, Eco-freindly, Printed Fabrics on Etsy. One thing I love about indie fabric designers is there ability to come out with new patterns more frequently and Michelle never disappoints.

Her fabulous linen swatches are the perfect size for a multitude of craft projects. Read on for some great ideas.

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Tutorial: Inside Out Notecards - Part 2

Jackie Hernandez — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 14:42:14 +0000

I am still looking for ways to transform my stash of plain boring notecards. I showed you how to use fabric scraps and stamps to “recover” the card and how to make inside out notecards with craft punches in Part 1 of this series. Now I want to show you how to make inside out notecards using your own cut out design instead of craft punches.

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Tutorial: Woven Button Coasters

Jackie Hernandez — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 13:05:56 +0000

Many crafters are creating new and unique ways to use vintage and collected buttons for both home decor and fun craft projects. I instantly thought of my mom when I saw these coasters. She has an enviable button stash ripe with various colors and sizes just waiting to be woven into useful coasters.

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Turn Envelopes Into Gift Bags

Jackie Hernandez — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 11:22:23 +0000

Whenever you buy a greeting card it comes with an envelope, whether you intend to mail the card or not. If you are not mailing the card, then the envelope is really just a waste of paper. Instead of needlessly stuffing the card into an envelope just give the recipient the card and use the envelope to make a “baglet” for a lovely gift. Rather than buying a new card at all, consider a makeover for a plain notecard and a used or found envelope to make a gift bag.

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Don’t Scrap The Selvedge

Jackie Hernandez — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 17:34:03 +0000

Self-proclaimed crazy selvedge lady, Jodie Carleton of Vintage RicRac, never lets a scrap go to waste. Not even the selvedge. She developed her own process for turning fabric selvedge into “cloth”. She has used selvedge to make everything from a dress to pillow covers. Her latest project was this selvedge reupholstered chair. I have never been so inspired to be more creative and less wasteful.

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Green Scrapbooking: Paint Chips

Julie Finn — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:31:20 +0000

There really are a lot of options today for those who would like to enjoy the craft of scrapbooking without contributing to wasteful or destructive world practices. Not only are there more green scrapbooking products on the market, but there are also other products, such as archival sprays, craft punches, decorative scissors, and a wide variety of adhesives, that allow us to utilize many more recycled elements in our work than we may previously have considered.

As an example, we recently underwent a project in our house to paint our girls’ room as a rainbow (I know, I know–little girls). This entailed the collection of a variety of paint chips in rainbow colors, which were then left sitting, unwanted, after the rainbow project had reached its conclusion.

What to do? What to do?

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Portable Breakfast: Bake Pancake Muffin Cuties

Julie Finn — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 19:37:06 +0000

My girls love themselves some pancakes, but there is something that I just cannot handle about standing at the stove for half an hour flipping pancakes first thing in the morning. It’s like I can feel my life passing me by while I stand there, flipping and flipping and flipping.

Instead of flipping and flipping and flipping these days, now I bake my girls these pancake muffin cuties–they’re pancakes, baked in the oven instead of on the griddle, and they’re delicious, portable, and amenable to the same yummy variety of toppings that makes pancakes so awesome.

Here’s how I make them:

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Get Sewing and Save Some Trees

Becky Striepe — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 12:48:10 +0000

We use a lot of paper in our day to day, but it doesn’t have to be that way!

[Creative Commons photo by Eunice]

Americans go through 700 pounds of paper products per person on average every single year. That’s a lot of trees! On top of things like paper towels and tissues, billions of menstrual products end up in the bin. In 1988, a field study found that 6.5 billion tampons and 13.5 billion sanitary pads and their packaging end up in America’s waste stream annually. You’ve got a weapon to fight all this waste right in your craft room: your sewing machine or even a simple needle and thread! Here are a few ways you can stitch your way to less waste.

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Upcycled Draft Catcher

Kelly Rand — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:30:54 +0000

I live in an old row house. I love its little quirks, sounds and somewhat original architectural details. What I don’t love are the drafty doors. Now that the weather has turned once again, I’m reminded of these drafts.

Loosing heat out of these cracks not only ups your electric bill due to having to heat the house more to compensate for this loss, but it also contributes to our carbon footprint. So here is a quick and easy tutorial on how to upcycle an old long sleeve shirt or sweater and make, what I call a draft catcher. This is a temporary band-aid fix for the larger project of having the door replaced, which us renters might not be able to do.

Start by sorting through your pile of clothes destined for the scrap pile or Good Will. Look for a shirt that has long sleeves and a pattern or color that you like. I found a shirt that I had long wanted to make into a pillow.

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DIY Vinyl: Paint It and Hang It!

Julie Finn — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:49:34 +0000

Yes, yes, record bowls are pretty sweet, but they’re really only righteously cool when the record itself is something cool–the St. Olaf Choir Sings Feliz Navidad, say, or The White Album, or Songs and Games to Develop Gross Motor Skills. When the record isn’t classic or cheesy or thematically-appropriate or doesn’t fit in with your personal style guide, don’t make a bowl out of it and don’t throw it out–slap some acrylic paint and some glitter and sequins on that baby and hang it up in style!

You will need: a record album, gesso, acrylic paint, embellishments (see below), your choice of sealant/varnish, your choice of hanging mechanism (see below)

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Make Modeling Dough from Dryer Lint: A Tutorial

Julie Finn — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 03:25:38 +0000

As much as I love many things about autumn, moving my clothes drying indoors is not one of the things I love. My clothes dryer holds fewer clothes than my clothesline does, it takes longer to dry them than a really sunny day does, it doesn’t leave my clothes smelling all nice and fresh and outdoorsy like the actual outdoors does, and it costs me money! And dryer lint? That just pisses me off.

My kiddos, however, love themselves some dryer lint. It’s the older one’s special job to help me by emptying the lint catcher in the dryer, and when she fills her little pail full, we make dryer lint modeling dough. Here’s how:

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DIY Denim: Give Your Recycled Bunting Some Personality

Julie Finn — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 00:40:30 +0000

Okay, so remember when I said that there’s nothing more festive than a bunting? Well, I lied. There is one thing on Earth that is more festive than a bunting: a PERSONALIZED bunting! Follow along with me as I totally become the birthday party hero by making personalized buntings for two of my daughter’s little friends (You know what they say about November birthdays, right? Happy Valentine’s Day!).

You will need: your recycled denim bunting, freezer or sticker paper, pre-washed wool or acrylic felt (wool felt will shrink a lot!), matching thread, a glue stick, a free-motion presser foot if you’ll be doing machine-applique

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DIY Denim: A Festive Recycled Bunting Tutorial

Julie Finn — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 01:29:34 +0000

You totally know that a bunting makes a party more festive, right? There’s nothing happier than those little triangular flags, gaily waving in the breeze. But do you know what would make a happy little bunting even happier? If it was made from your skinny jeans. Live in the moment, my friends; love your body, and I’ll show you how to upcycle your old jeans into some party flags.

You will need: a pair of jeans; double-fold bias tape (or you can make your own!); cardboard; rotary cutter and mat; sewing machine and thread

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New Life for Old CDs

Becky H — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 21:18:31 +0000

This is a guest post by Becky Haas, who is an amateur crafter/environmentalist who also tries to make a living as a professional musician. You can also find her at the craft blog Sew and So.

I have a confession to make…I’m addicted to music. I guess it comes naturally, since that’s what I spend a lot of my time doing. So I always love it when I stumble across a craft project that uses music-related materials, like Kelly Rand’s recent article on things to do with old cassette tapes.

By this point, I don’t have too many old tapes lying around, but what I do have is a lot of CDs–most of which I still listen to. But we all have those CDs that are too scratched up to play properly, or came free in the mail with unwanted software, or have those songs that seriously tempt you to throw the disc out the window if you hear them just one more time, if it wouldn’t be considered littering. So here’s a couple of ideas for things to do with them.

My first thought was jewelry, and it turns out that it’s pretty easy to transform an old CD into that. Here’s what you need for a very basic set of earrings and a necklace:

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Printer-Friendly Grocery Shopping: Brown Paper Seed Packet Business Cards Tutorial

Autumn Wiggins — Thu, 29 May 2008 06:01:40 +0000

We all forget our reusable shopping totes from time to time. Instead of putting yourself on a green guilt trip, pick paper over plastic (ask your friends and relatives to also!), and upcycle those bags into some not-so-shiny seed packet business cards. Since I focus on the environmental impact of crafting, I decided any self-promotion should reflect my agenda. Plus, I’m ever enthusiastic about combining gardening with crafting. This is what I came up with, and they’ve gotten rave reviews. The process involves some unorthodox methods, but such is the way of the eco-craft ninja…

Gather your materials and ideas. Here’s what’s involved:

An inkjet printer
The seed packet outline template (download here in JPG or PDF file formats)
Embellishment option 1: A graphics program such as Adobe Photoshop or GIMP (free open-source software)
Embellishment option 2: Decorate the packet post-printing by hand
Embellishment option 3: Do both!
Paper grocery bags
Iron and scrap fabric
Scissors
Ruler
Pencil
Glue stick
Paper creaser or popsicle stick
1 can of wildflower seeds
Optional: rotary cutter with dedicated blade
Optional: stamps, stickers or other embellishments(as long as they don’t poke holes in the paper)
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