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Bags O’ Plastic

February 21, 2012 in Tutorials and DIY

 

 Plastic grocery bags plague me.

I used to stuff them in an old applesauce cup box from Sam’s Club. Recently they have been scattered on the floor of my pantry because the paper bag that I kept them in was too easy for Kamikaze to reach. (Plus, he is really into throwing anything he can get his tiny fingers on).

I’ve seen the cute stuff sacks that you can sew or buy to hang and keep the bags contained-I like this one from mystudiobellingham. Right now my schedule doesn’t allow for the sewing of one, and the budget doesn’t allow for the buying of one. I know I could buy and use reusable shopping bags. I’ve had these in the past and they always end up being at home when I am standing in the checkout line.

My solution for this plastic bag plague? An antibacterial wipes container. I can stuff lots of plastic bags in it and place it one the shelf in the pantry (out of the reach of tiny hands.) I decided to label mine with some permanent markers. I did this for two reasons. 1. It just looks better. 2. The family can find them without asking me where they are.

So instead of throwing that container away, save it, decorate it (or let the kids do it), and use it for something useful.

I did use my black copic marker and it did not dry as fast as the colored Bic permanent markers. Be careful as you are writing or sketching as it can smudge easily. Once it’s dry, it won’t smudge or rub off.

How would you decorate yours?

Check out this post at Alderberry Hill. It appears that they glued a piece of scrapbooking paper onto their container.

 

 

 

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My Favorite Thing About Toy Packaging (A Lesson in Creative Recycling)

December 20, 2011 in Uncategorized

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I heard a song on the radio the other day called Toy Packaging, sung by Sara Groves. My favorite verse in the song is:

“In the old days you could hold a box and shake it
Hear the pieces rattling around
My eyes tear up at these grommets, tape and twisty ties
Remembering that beautiful sound”

This song reminded me of my favorite part of toy packaging. (Yes, I actually do love one aspect of toy packaging.) Twisty Ties.

These are not just normal twisty ties. These are the king of the twisty tie family. These are the one item that should not be put into the garbage bag with the wrapping paper and torn boxes. These should be collected and cherished.

Why am I so geeky about these twisty ties?

There are several reasons. They are versatile. They are reusable. They will last forever, or at least until your husband accidentally throws one away (which should be strictly punished in my personal opinion.) And most importantly, they are a reward for the mind-numbing task of taking the toy out of the packaging, because anyone who has completed this feat of mental and physical strength knows that there absolutely should be some type of compensation.

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Here are some ways I have used these “rewards”:

  • to make wreath bows: use twisty ties instead of wire or pipe cleaner
  • to hang pots in the pantry (see picture below)
  • to contain cords on chargers, near the computer and by the entertainment center
  • to close packages, like chip bags or frozen vegetables
  • to hang necklaces: see picture at bottom for this space-saving tip
  • to hang hoses or extension cords on the garage
  • to hang quilting hoops in the craft room

So this weekend, after you have exerted the energy to open the toy packaging, take a minute more to collect the twisty ties. You’ll be thanking yourself for the rest of the year.

Necklace Tip:

To save space and prevent tangles, use a twisty tie to hang four necklaces on one hook.

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DIY – Recycled Christmas Cards

December 1, 2011 in Tutorials and DIY


As Seen On:

I have thrown away many Christmas cards over the years, but last year, I decided to keep them with the hope that I could turn them into new cards this year. I started by choosing 4 cards that had colors that coordinated well. I tore these up into pieces that were roughly the same size.

Next, I glued the pieces onto cardstock that I had already cut to the right size for small cards.

Once the glue is dried, the fun begins. You can use the sewing machine, embroidery thread, tissue paper, paint, markers, stamps, or images printed from the computer to finish the cards. Here are some examples that I did.

(Above) After I had glued the pieces on to resemble a patchwork pattern, I used the sewing machine to stitch straight lines along all the edges. Make sure you set the stitch length to be long or you will end up cutting through the card. I glued on a piece of tissue paper, wrote Merry Christmas on a piece of white cardstock and glued that on. To finish I glued the button that I had threaded a piece of ribbon through.

(Above) I painted around the outside edge of the card pieces with white craft paint. Once that dried, I zig zag stitched around all the edges. I used a stamp from a Stampin Up stamp set, and added color with my markers.  I mounted that to a piece of yellow card stock and glued the whole thing down.

(Above) For this card I wildly stitched around the three card pieces I had glued down. Then I cut the letters JOY out of another card and glued them on to each square.

The great thing about this project is you can get really detailed, or keep it really simple. Plus, it’s a great way to make a handmade card for Christmas inexpensively.

Here are the samples that I designed.

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