I’m so excited! We’ve been at this for almost a year, in that spirit I thought I’d do kind of a recap. Here are my favorite ways to reuse, repurpose or recycle. Enjoy! And as always, please send photos or comments – we love them!!!
Cardboard – Draw on it, paint it, or cut it down. Use as a substitute for chipboard or wood in your art.
T-Shirts – Cut down old, stained or ill-fitting shirts into ribbons. Crochet a rug, knit a scarf, or even wrap the scraps up to make little birds or other amigurami.
Wool Sweaters – Save or collect thrift store wool to make Christmas ornaments, soft animals or applique.
recycled wool sweater monster
Jeans – Even when the fit or color doesn’t suit anymore jeans can be used. Try tacking them down on a piece of burlap or old towel to make a warm, soft bathroom rug. Jean is great as a backing fabric for mini quilts or mini ATC cards.
Aluminum Cans – Cut the cans into flat rectangles and wash – heavy gloves are a must. When dry, trace butterfly or bug outlines, circles and squares over interesting patterns or colors. Cut and attach to walls, furniture, punch holes and decorate a light or make jewelry.
Upholstery Samples – Embellish with stitching, applique, embroidery. Use little scraps to make unique jewelry; add a few grommets and you’re on the way.
Buttons – Inherited from grandma, picked up from the thrift store or harvested from your old clothes. Paint, draw or glitter for interesting embellishments to hats, shoes or jewelry. Buttons make great eyes for wool or felt monsters.
Baby Clothes – They can be very expensive and so easily stained but needn’t be discarded. If staining is minimal consider some simple applique to cover stains. Heavily soiled items can be cut into ribbons and used much the same way as t-shirts.
Books – Picked up for pennies, the pages make a great background for ATCs or collage; I even use them as part of my jewelry packaging. If you want to make the type a little more subdued, just try a single coat of gesso paint.
Junk Mail – Create collage, cut and glue into hanging stars; my girls don’t need coloring books with all the paper we get in the mail. We’ve even sent out Christmas cards in junk mail envelopes.
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This Recycled Life 