Thursday, March 31, 2011

Day 83 March 31 winged heart

This is an origami piece.  I used the dust jacket from the book I am reading and it is all one piece.  I like that it has a little pocket that you can put something in.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Day 82 March 30 denim roll necklace

I used the same technique on this necklace as the magazine roll necklace but I used strips of denim from old jeans.  It is very soft and pretty.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Day 81 March 29 denim belt bag

To make this bag I cut off the bottom of some jeans and sewed the top. Then I transfered two belt loops to the back and a button hole from the waistband for a closure.  Add some lining and a button and I got this little belt bag for my stuff.  Everything but the lining and button came from an old pair of jeans.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Day 80 March 28 scrap flowers

Spring is in the air but we did have a foot of snow last week and the flowers are not out yet. I made these from some material out of a box of scraps given to me.  I fused together different pattern material with wire in between to shape the petals.  Each one is unique and beautiful.

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Day 79 March 27 cork pen

Drill holes in some wine corks and insert pen.  You will find this writing instrument very easily in your bag or purse.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Day 78 March 26 phone cover


My daughter replaced the protective cover that was on her phone and I needed one for mine.  We have the same phone but I didn't like the blue color so I decoupaged some cool material onto it, snapped it on and now it is exactly what I wanted and like no other.

Friday, March 25, 2011

Day 77 March 25 bottle cap table

I save everything and I have a lot of bottle caps.  One of the things I have done with them is cover this little table.  I used resin to make it somewhat smooth.  I really like it!

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Day76 March 24 newspaper flowers

I think these would make pretty hair ornaments for a luau party. They are made from newspaper and cardboard and buttons.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Day 75 March 23 playing card hair ornaments

Playing cards make cute flowers.  I added one to a bobby pin and it looks very cool in your hair.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Day 74 March 22 record clock

I love the jackets from old record albums.  I added clock workings to this one and hung it on the wall.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Day 73 March 21 t-shirt sandals

I made these on a very simple loom - my toes and my fingers.  They are made from strips of t-shirts and  cord.  Cost? Nothing!

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Day 72 March 20 salt shaker vase

If you have a salt shaker- you have a vase.  Add  some flowers made from fused plastic and buttons and you get this cute little decoration..

Saturday, March 19, 2011

day 71 March 19 6-pack tote

Take an empty 6-pack holder and turn  it into a tote for your art supplies or silverware or whatever.  I decoupaged and stamped and painted these.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Day 70 March 18 watch pendant

In honor of Daylight Savings Time I made this watch pendant necklace.  I deconstructed a broken watch and made a collage of watch inner parts and old dictionary page inside.  I then added some random broken chains and made it a necklace.  It is very interesting and fun.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Day 69 March 17 t-shirt scarf

I thought I needed to add a little green to my outfit today because it is St. Patrick's Day.  I made this scarf out of some old green t-shirts.  One of them was an old Ireland t-shirt that I outgrew.  Happy Leprechaun Day! I hope everyone finds their pot of gold.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Day 68 March 16 dog food bag carry bag

With two little dogs and one cat I buy a lot of pet food.  The bags of some of them are a thick plastic and with a little cutting and sewing make sturdy carry bags.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Day 67 March 15 belt loop rings

When I made the rug yesterday, I removed the belt loops.  So today I made rings with them.  These are a variation of the button rings I made before but they are out of denim and I used the belt loops insead of elastic.  I really like these.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Day 66 March 14 jeans band rug

I have a lot of jeans to work with and what do you do with the waist bands?  I sewed them together and made this cool rug. It still doesn't cover the ugly linoleum floor but it helps.  It could also be a table mat. 

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Day 65 March 13 book bracelets

Remember making these out of Juicy Fruit gum wrappers?  These are a little bigger version of the same thing. I used book pages, magazines and maps.  They are really fun to wear.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Day 64 March 12 t-shirt sleeve pouch

I made a bag out of a t-shirt by cutting off the sleeves so now what to do with the sleeves?  How about some little pouches.  I used the hem  and inserted another piece of t-shirt for the tie closure and sewed the bottom.  To decorate I combined some letters from various other t-shirts to make words.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Day 63 March 11 beach glass ornaments

I love to collect beach glass on the beaches of Grand Traverse Bay.  I simply wrapped some pretty pieces with copper wire and added some beads.   Then I made hooks from some salvaged electrical wire so they can be hung from a tree or in a window or whatever.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Day 62 March 10 packaging charms

I bought a big container of cinnamon rolls the other day and when I was done I noticed the plastic was #6 - the same as Shrinky Dinks.  So I got to work and made these charms on this key fob. I put one of the stamps in the photo so you could see how much it shrinks.  I wrote my blog site on one with a thin sharpie others are stamped.   I  used a paper punch to put the holes in them before I baked them to shrink them. These are so much fun and have a lot of possibilities.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

media frenzy

Well maybe not a frenzy but for me I have had a lot of publicity about this blog and I would like to send out some thanks. 
I was in the Traverse City Record Eagle and I was on Michigan This Morning with Michael Kasiborski on 9/10 News and Fox 32.
I can't say enough about the Grand Traverse Conservation District and the Boardman River Nature Center and all they do for me.  I am teaching a class there on March 19th at 1pm about recycled art.  I hope to see some of you there. 
Please leave any comments and suggestions in the comments section and I hope to get this computer problem solved soon.  Images have been a problem to download and they are so important.

Day 61 March 9 button rings

I have a lot of buttons and some of them are very old.  I put a few of them together and added a wide piece of elastic and they make wonderful rings.

Day 60 March 8 shoe hook

Who has a shoe on their wall?  It makes a great hook for scarfs or jewelry and you can put your keys or jewelry in the toe.  I covered an old shoe with pretty cloth and painted the tray it is on with chalk paint. So you can leave messages on the tray. And it is metal so it is magnetic too.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Posting

I am having major computer problems so posting is a little off.  I may have to post ahead of time or a little behind, but they will get posted.  Thanks for looking.

Day 59 March 7 cowboy bowl

I saw this done on a much larger scale.  I melted a package of cowboy and Indian toy figures into a bowl.  Kind of weird but cool.

Day 58 March 6 happy toys wreath

This wreath is made from happy meal toys and other thing that are glued onto a wreath form and them spray painted silver.  Add  a bow and it looks great for any season.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Day 57 March 5 button flowers

These are so cute and I am glad you can see them.  They are simple to make and look great

Friday, March 4, 2011

Day 56 March 4 zipper flower brooch

These brooches are made from zippers and buttons.  They look great on a sweater or coat.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Day 55 March 3 bottle bracelet

These bracelets are made from an empty conditioner bottle, some scrap paper, gesso and some copper tape that I embossed.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Day 54 March 2 suitcase dog bed


It has taken me a while to get the dogs picture in this and surprise! - I got both of them!   This is made from an old suitcase that was going to be thrown out that I attached croquet balls to for feet.  I then added a little cushion inside and a few blankets and toys and the dogs have a very cool bed.  And if you close the suitcase it can be used to store those dog toys and as a foot stool.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Day 53 March 1 grocery bag pouches

You could make these out of newspaper or magazines or book pages.  These are made from paper grocery bags and music pages.  I used the music paper because I didn't want to have the print on the bag showing.  They can be filled with candy and used for party favors or gifts or hung on the wall for dried flowers. They are very easy to make.