Celebrate Earth Day

Friday, April 22 is Earth Day. Try to recycle useful objects into your art, not just for one day, but everyday! There are some beautiful and unique items that are usually discarded, but can make your art one of a kind. I've just finished a bunch of notecards using pictures from out dated calendars. Look around you and try to see the potential in everything! If you need some more ideas, take a look at my related blog posts.

Using Vintage Photos for Journals

If you don't know what to do with those old photos you've collected, here's an idea for you. Make them the cover of a journal. Here are two wedding journals that I've made using Victorian couples. This type of photo is very common and can usually be found quite cheaply. But they make great themed journals. Use your imagination and salvage some of those vintage photos!

Creating with Discarded Vintage Books

Vintage books contain wonderful images. I attempt to salvage them by creating one of a kind notebooks, notepads and journals so that these priceless images will not be lost forever. I always use books that are in poor condition. Good vintage books and collector's editions should always be kept intact for future generations. Here's an example of a small notepad created using the pages of a vintage Alice in Wonderland book.

A nice addition to these notebooks is the use of entire pages from the original books randomly inserted between blank pages. They may be more images or interesting quotes from the story line.

Recycle Your Old Books

I loved recycling old books into journals. I use the Zutter Bind It All to punch and bind 50 to 100 blank pages between the front and back covers of unwanted books. I also use vintage books that are in bad condition, but have great graphics on the cover. These books could also be put together using standard binding techniques, or even by punching holes and tieing with twine or ribbon.

Recycled Embellishments

You can find all kinds of commercial embellishments to finish that special card, but if you want to be truly unique, bypass the ready made embellishments, and dare to be different. Some of my favorite places to search for one of a kind items for my cards are flea markets and garage sales. They're also the best place to find alterable items.

To create successful art you must see things not as they are, but as they could be. Look for vintage photographs and postcards. You'll be amazed at what people are giving away for almost nothing. Vintage ephemera - newspapers, magazines, books, menus, maps, travel brochures, etc. can all be used in your creations. Don't overlook things like small hardware and jewelry pieces. They can be attached to almost anything. Rip things apart - don't always look at the whole piece - there are some extremely interesting components to other people's "junque". Old games - scrabble, dominoes, mahjong, etc. provide alterable items as well as embellishments. Look for inexpensive books, records (if you're old enough to remember what they are!), boxes, tins, clipboards, picture frames, and anything else that you can recycle.

Some other unusual embellishments that I enjoy working with are cancelled postage stamps (make sure to watch your mail!), flattened bottlecaps, buttons, mesh bags from vegetables, broken jewelry pieces, puzzle pieces, playing cards and fishing items (not the hooks!). Keep your eyes open for any small item and save it - it might come in handy later. Using these types of embellishments will make your cards and other creations truly one of a kind.

One final thought - my rule which I have broken too many times and later regretted it:

If you pick something up twice it better go home with you.

Leave it behind and you'll be sorry later that cheap treasure got away!

Postcards

Enjoy these vintage images that I found as postcards at a local flea market. I picked up 15 different postcards which are themselves copyrighted 1990. What a great look into the past! I already have plans for them in some upcoming projects. Stay tuned....

Thrift Store FINDings

Sometimes you just get lucky. Here is just a sample of the bag of jewelry pieces I recently found at my favorite thrift store. They are all vintage pieces of pins and earrings. The great thing is that the backs have already been removed so I don't have to struggle with removing unwanted clips, pins, etc.

I've already been playing.. Here's a couple of magnets I made from 1 1/2" earrings. The vintage images are enclosed in a rollabind disk and sealed with Diamond glaze. The added rhinestone finish them off nicely. I'm very happy with the way they turned out...

Recycled Playing Cards

One of my latest finds in my thrift store excursions was a deck of Coca-Cola playing cards, used but still in perfect condition. I put them to good use by repurposing them into cute retro notepads. This first example is meant to be used as a keyring - never be without paper in your purse again! There are also lots of other uses. Hang it by your phone with phone numbers..... Or on the kid's backpack.... Or anywhere you need information fast. I have one hanging on my desk with my website passwords!


The next is a notepad bound with Rollabind disks. A perfect little pad to carry with you anywhere. The nice thing about both these items is more paper can be added at any time. Never discard the covers - only the used paper sheets inside!



For more information on making recycled notepads, visit my Squido lens, Re-Creative Crafting.

Recycled Calendars

Yearly calendars, given away free as advertising, are filled with beautiful images and photos. I've been saving mine for years, but have never really done anything with them. Well, I've finally gotten around to using them for envelopes and matching cards. Here's what I came up with.

For the envelope, I used a template from Green Sneakers, but you can easily make your own template by unfolding an envelope, tracing, and cutting it out from cardboard or plastic sheets. I mounted the photo page on a white paper sheet prior to cutting, as it was slightly smaller than the template. The extra lining also makes the envelope a little stronger if you are sending it throught the mail. The resulting white border on the envelope came out great. Since I had leftovers from the calendar page, I used the same picture to create a matching card. Don't worry about writing an address, just use a white label stuck on the front.

I tried using Lick and Stick glue for the flap, but it didn't stick to the glossy paper. So I'm using clear 1" stickies that I made from a clear plastic sheet and my Xyron.

I love the look of these envelopes and cards. They're fast, easy, and best of all - FUN!

Recycled Computer Disks

I've finally figured out what to do with those obsolete 3 1/2" floppies. They make great little desk calendars. I printed a year's worth of calendars on cardstock and used two metal eyelets to hold them between two disks. The calendars can be used freestanding on a desktop or closed like a book. This is just a basic calendar, but you could stamp images or decorate the pages in any way you'd like. And it's a great way to make use of something that would just be thrown out.

Recycled Postcard Notepad

Just though I'd share with you another of my recycled items. The cover of this notepad is made from a recycled postcard mounted on chipboard. I used 24lb 50% recycled paper for the pages.

Re-Use, Re-Cycle, Re-Purpose

Everywhere I go these days I am looking at things in a new perspective. I'm trying to see things not as they are, but as they could be. I'm transforming vintage buttons into pendants. I'm creating magnets from game pieces and vintage findings. I'm saving junk. I'm looking for odd hardware and breaking thrift store china. Why? I want to save unique treasures from the past by crafting them into new usable items. My present project is vintage inspired magnets, using bottle caps, Rollabind disks, and any small piece of interesting recycled treasure. I'm also breaking up china to use in mosaics. And I have plans for old silverware, used Christmas cards, cups and saucers, and more! This mosaic tray is a work in progress made from a wooden thrift store purchased base and broken dinner plates. Once it's grouted and the wood is finished off with a sealer, it will make a great presentation tray.

If you'd like to see some of my newest magnets, read my post about them on All Vintage All the Time. I'd also love to hear about your recycled projects.