Tip Tuesday: Recycling

Recycling

Reduce, reuse, Recycle... I think crafters of every ilk have conservation in their bones. We are always looking for interesting ways to use scraps and snippets. Here are some of the design team's favorite recycling tips. We hope you will enjoy them.

Tip #1
One of my favorite things to do is make Seredipity paper. Take all your scrap pieces of card stock and patterned paper that are too small for much else and glue them in a random way on a piece of card stock to totally cover the cardstock. Now cut or die cut shapes! This always seems to come out beautifully.

I use my reject cards as components for serendipity paper, too. I tear them up and glue the pieces onto base card-stock, then I add more images, color splotches, bits of glitter, paper lace, patterned paper, etc., and then cut the resulting paper into squares or cut into shapes. Sometimes I will run bigger shapes through a paper crimper or put into an embossing folder (if the paper isn't too thick)for a really different effect.

Tip #2
Use cereal boxes as inexpensive chipboard. Great for making chipboard squares as they cut easily with a guillotine style paper cutter. Just use the unprinted side. They will also cut well in die cut machines with steel-rule dies (the thicker dies like Sizzix Originals or Bigz... not thin dies like Spellbinders or Cottage Cutz)

Tip #3
I love to recycle the heavy paper coasters used to serve beverages on (I especially like the ones I get at Chili's). Covered with patterned paper they make fabulous covers for mini books or for post-it note pads, and the round ones make terrific Christmas tree ornaments! They also can be cut with many kinds of dies, and they take paint well.

Tip #4
Use old magazines and catalogs to craft on. The pages provide protection for the work surface and padding for stamping. Just tear off a page when it gets messy. ---- Also, old glossy catalogs are great for when using glue sticks. Apply glue over edges and dispose of sticky page immediately.

Tip #5
I like recycling plastic packaging (Tim Holtz also had this idea). I cut the fronts out so I have a flat plastic piece to work with. I use them for thicker plastic die cuts. I look for bubble packaging too as I can use it for shaker boxes.

Tip #6
Long, narrow scraps of patterned paper can be cut into long triangles and rolled into paper beads to exactly match a project. Just coat them with a clear sealant once they are made (or dip them into melted UTEE.)

Tip #7
Recycle gift wrap. Gift wrap can be used for backgrounds. Also, punch shapes to be used as embellishments. Or use gift wrap to make paper flowers.

Tip #8
Some food goods come in shiny metallic wrappers. I like to use the wrappers as special elements in my stamping. For example, I recently used a piece of a wrapper with a mirror stamp to give a real mirror effect. I also have used that same kind of wrapper as an ice pond for some skaters.

Tip #9
I like to recycle containers to help me organize my stamping stuff. For example, I had a bunch of clear boxes that that a friend gave me, that stamps from a home party stamping company came in. I found that 10 Copic reinkers will fit in one PERFECTLY. I now have my growing collection of reinkers sorted into those containers and placed in a drawer. I also saved my clear plastic spice jars; I washed them really well, removed the labels and the shaker pieces in the lids, and used them for storing eyelets, brads, jewels, etc. Since they are clear, I can easily see what is in them and I have them handy in a spice rack I bought at a flea market for a buck.


We came across a wonderful blog post (not in English) with some FABULOUS little houses made from recycled milk cartons. We thought we would share!

http://annespaperfun-aksh.blogspot.com/2010/12/julehus-scrappehuset.html

(Note: this blog is in no way affiliated with FranticStamper. It is just a page we enjoyed!)

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