Monday, April 20, 2009

Reduce, Reuse & Recycle!

In honor of Earth Day which is officially celebrated this coming Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009 I thought I'd thought I'd turn it into a week long event and bring you a variety of "Earth friendly" tips, techniques and ideas :)

Today I wanted to talk about recycling things...all sorts of items that can be possibly found in your trash right this very moment!

I know there are those of you out there that love "Being Green"...... honestly even if it is for a totally different reason, Pack-Rat's around the world are thrilled that they are no longer looked down upon or thought to be crazy for "recycling" found objects ~ LOL!! We're now fashionable for saving all of those bits and bobs that everyone (besides us) thought was rubbish.

Finally all of my hording tendencies have been justified in three little words - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle!!!!

Ahhhh, it's so nice to have people finally listen!!

Now, what can you recycle? Just about EVERYTHING!!!!

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I save loads and loads of goodies that might come in handy one day. Everything from bottle caps and tabs, worn out metal parts and pieces (scavenged from dh's work bench), old shell casings from dh & sons guns (these are great soldered onto various trinkets to make charms!!), buttons, labels, findings and cloth pieces from old clothing or jeans, chains from anything from old toys, mechanical parts or honestly anywhere I can find them, labels or tags from newly purchased items, boxes, packaging, and well, you get the idea...

Just about anywhere you look there is something that can be salvaged from the trash heap.

Today I wanted to share two quick ideas on what you can do with some of your found goodies...

Pop Tab Buckle or Ribbon Slide

I know you may have seen this idea before but I never grow tired of it. You never have to worry about finding an embellishment to match your fibers ~ just go to your stash of embossing powder and there is sure to be just the right color you need!

Supplies:

Pop Tab

Embossing Ink - Ranger Industries

Embossing Powder - Ranger Industries

Heat Gun

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Instructions:

1. Pounce the tab on the embossing ink pad and make sure it is completely covered with ink.

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2. Place the inked tab into desired color of embossing powder. Remove using tweezers and place on the non-stick craft mat.

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3. Heat to melt the powder.... Let cool and it's ready to use!

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To use, simply slide the tab onto a piece of ribbon or an assortment of fibers!

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I also wanted to talk about a few other goodies you can save from the garbage man to add to your "must save" list.

One of my favorite rescued items I save is packing materials - be it cereal boxes, cardboard backing, acetate material, etc. It's all very usable with a bit trimmed here and there. I love to cut up cardboard boxes that food and other products come in. Depending on the size of the box I make a variety of foundations for ATC's, Moo cards, Gothic Arches, Fat Book (4x4) pages, cards and more! Some of the acetate bubble packages are also great to make shakers or memorabilia holders that you have to pay 2-10.00 for the "for sale" type variety of the same thing!! All for free!!!!!

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I have another thing I love to save that comes in very handy is the front and back acetate pieces from clear stamp sets. Now that I store all of my clear stamps on Stamp n Stash stamp storage sheets I end up with two very sturdy, usable pieces of acetate ~ usually one clear and the other printed with the rubber stamp design (which comes in very handy - see below).

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The last item I wanted to talk about today is foil from candy or other items. It comes in all shapes, colors and sizes and is just begging to be used on all sorts of projects! This piece is from a white chocolate bar I rec'd for Easter but think about gum wrappers, Hershey Kisses, the little wrapped chocolates, and more.

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Totally Recycled ATC

Supplies:

Chipboard (cut from a cereal box)

Foil (from a candy bar)

Acetate sheet (from clear rubber stamp set)

Alcohol Inks - Ranger Industries

Instructions:

1. Apply desired colors of Alcohol Inks to the candy foil.

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2. Trim images from clear stamp set acetate sheets.

3. Cut ATC foundation from cereal box.

4. Apply a layer of adhesive on the ATC foundation and adhere the foil.

5. Attach the acetate images to the ATC.

Always & Forever Recycled ATC

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How's that for some fun stuff!

The ATC ended up taking about 2 minutes to make since I already had all of these goodies saved up for just the right project.

Way cool huh?

Now, it's your turn to see what you can come up with :)
Remember....any posts this week are eligible for the
100,000 hit give-a-way!!

24 comments:

  1. Totally Cool!! I will admit I am not a "collector" of items, if anything I go in the other direction that I can't afford what it cost me in space...with that said. I refuse to "throw away" something that I know I will use in the immediate (1 month or so) future, i.e. saltine, cereal (cut up) boxes, and kleenex boxes in the whole make wonderful "trash" boxes for my paper craft pieces then when its full the entire thing goes to the paper, recycle bin. Right now I'm saving beer bottle tops. Congrats on the success of your blog and keep up the inspiration.
    ~Jill

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  2. Wow Roni!! That is awesome!!!!!
    I do keep a "stash" of recyclables!!!
    Love, love, Love your blog!!!!
    thanks.
    Tammy

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  3. Roni,
    just LOVE your blog! Im a major "pack rat" cant wait to see your other ideas! Youre motivating me!!

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  4. You are a girl after my heart. I just have to quote you again here so we can all enjoy these great words one more time:

    ~"Pack-Rat's around the world are thrilled that they are no longer looked down upon or thought to be crazy for "recycling" found objects ~ LOL!! We're now fashionable for saving all of those bits and bobs that everyone (besides us) thought was rubbish. Finally all of my hording tendencies have been justified in three little words - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle!!!! Ahhhh, it's so nice to have people finally listen!!"~

    Ahhhhh... yes! So TRUE!

    *** warning, I am gonna ramble a bit, but everyone (except for Roni! *wink*) can just scroll down past this post.

    I love, love, love to reuse and recycle. In fact I wish I had a video camera here so you could see my average creative session. My studio is in the garage, as you know, so I am constantly up and down from my work bench outside around the corner to my recycle bin tubs, sorted into plastic and glass, metal and cardboard / paper (of course – so anal!). LOL I love to grab cardboard and acetate of course. My other fav things are jar lids (for collage, magnets, etc.), jars and other containers to use for storage (small bits like buttons, charms, etc.) and small plastic cups and tubs which make great mixing containers for paint, glue, UTEE coloring and so on.

    For April I am doing a green charm swap with a mutual friend (you know Debbie / Kitten on your RL DT) so I am making charms totally from recycled materials like you mentioned in your post.

    So once again, your timing is perfect! I am looking forward to this week of recycle, reuse projects. So fun!!

    (((( hugs ))))

    Phinny

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  5. Yes, I try to recycle as well...my stash of boxes is getting too large tho. This past year I donated a closet full of clothes to the Salvation Army...but believe me...it was so hard not to snatch the buttons off things (as some were unique) and the jean labels too, but...what good would they be to someone if I trashed them lol...I have a stash of pop tops as well to use. I keep every bit of ribbon I find as well. I also kept these tubs that soup comes in..they are plastic with lids. I think they will make really cute easter baskets next year for my great niece and nephews. I love your ideas and ty once again for sharing with us. Cher

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  6. Yes, I try to recycle as well...my stash of boxes is getting too large tho. This past year I donated a closet full of clothes to the Salvation Army...but believe me...it was so hard not to snatch the buttons off things (as some were unique) and the jean labels too, but...what good would they be to someone if I trashed them lol...I have a stash of pop tops as well to use. I keep every bit of ribbon I find as well. I also kept these tubs that soup comes in..they are plastic with lids. I think they will make really cute easter baskets next year for my great niece and nephews. I love your ideas and ty once again for sharing with us. Cher

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  7. I don't know how anyone can craft without cereal boxes and other recycled materials. I always have a stack of something to go to the basement. I'm like my grandson in that I usually have something in my pocket (bottlecaps etc.) that I find along the way. Diane

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  8. What a great idea. I never thought of using stuff I normally throw away. I can't wait to try it!

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  9. Love the pop can tab idea. I'll have to start saving them. I run into some interestingly shaped cardboard packing stuff at work so I grab and stash them. Know I'll reuse them sometime

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  10. You're a girl after my own heart. My friends call me the recycling queen and I've been doing it much longer than it's been PC. I love your recycled ATC!
    Susan

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  11. sigh, I have found my people. No more being stared at while gazing lost in thought in the supermarket aisles....thinking, "if DH would make dinner tonight, I could sure reuse that packaging...it would make the best (fill in the blank) ;-) One of my favorite classes that I ever taught was a "trash to treasure" card and scrapbook class, where people were challenged to look around them for inspiration. I love your blog! We call it the Magpie syndrome in our house (so much nicer than trash hoarders ha, ha) Magpies unite!

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  12. Awesome ideas :D My biggest problem is where to find the space to stash all the potential craft-making-trash though...

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  13. i have always been a fan of recyclables and maybe an atc made up of these are really awesome! i would love to try it too! i have some 5x7 order forms from scrapbook mags which are most often than not-- thrown away so i think it would be great to incorporate it.

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  14. I love to recycle tags from all sorts of goodies and decorate them with some stamps and lace.
    Margriet

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  15. Hallo Roni!
    Thank you for your GREAT,GREAT blog. I visit it several times a day. You give me a tons of inspiration.

    This tab give me more ideas....(I'm not at home so I can't try it first)
    I think it's possible to use it with empty cola-boxes to. Cut off top and bottom and split the box so you get one sheet of metal. Punch out two different flowers (eksampel: retroflower in two different size, and make a hole in the middel so you can use a brads to stich them together.Maybe you must rub it with sandpaper before you emboss it.
    Emboss it in two different colors and put them together with brads.Do it the same way with a leaf-punch.
    If somebody have tryed this before it would be nice to hear about it.
    Thanks again for all the inspiration you give us.

    Trine from Norway
    PS: Sorry for my bad english writing

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  16. Very cool ways to use up "junk"! I save plastic packaging as well as cardboard boxes, etc. Very cost saving!

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  17. I do this all the time! (Which is why I'm "Scrappy" Pam LOL!) My DH even asks me before he throws anything away, "Can you do something with this?" There may be those who think my studio is trashed, but I know better. ;)

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  18. Hey Roni,
    I was just reading this article and getting that familiar buzz of excitement like I always do when I read a new technique on the web I want to try. Usually this is followed up by "oh but I don't have X product and now I need to go buy it", which somehow leads me to spending 3 hours and a lot of money on eBay.. ahem. Only this time, I started to think "oh man I don't have a ring pull! I wish I had a ring pull cos that is such a cool technique and why do I always gotta buy new stuff and etc etc".. then I realised I had a can of Dr Pepper right there in my hand! lol.. Anyway, I am going to try out the slider thing right away - I never knew it! Thanks for such a cool technique :) - Annie

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  19. Recyclers Unite! I admit it I am a hoarder! I get it from my grandma and dad. I freely admit I have at least 20 pairs of scrap (ripped up from working) jeans stacked in my closets because I know I can do SOMETHING with them....help me with some ideas girls! I also emboss, spray paint, Alcohol Ink, or paint pop tabs with Nail polish...you can also do brads with the same idea as Roni shared. My stash has tons of recycled items in it!

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  20. It is great to finally have our "I'll keep this it may come in handy" habits justified. :-D There is something on my blog for you. Juliet

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  21. LOL as the saying goes, "Waste not, want not" I`m a hoarder from way back, & recycle & reuse everything I can...T4S

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  22. I am a "saver" of special "trash" just like you, Roni! I saved a bunch of foil wrappers from Valentine Kisses and the cute papers that come out of the top~ they say "I love you" and " Happy Valentines Day". They will be in my cards SOMEHOW next February.
    I made a scrapbook page last Sat. with See's choc. foil wrapped around egg shapes cut from a recycled cereal box. Free embellishments that are more personal because it was a part of our Easter celebration!
    You are always so inspiring and confirm my Packrat nature!

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  23. just wanted tp add that for the pop top thingy's you dont have to use the embossing ink/medium. If you just heat the pop top thing first and dunk it or sprinkle the embossing powder on it it will stick to the heated metal.

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  24. What a great idea. I never thought of using stuff I normally throw away. I can't wait to try it!

    You are always so inspiring and confirm my Packrat nature!

    I love these gals comments. They fit my thoughts precisely!!! Anyway, I am going to try out the slider right away. Thanks for such a cool technique

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Thanks for your thoughts and comments!