green crafting: recycled books

Last two weeks was my summer vacation. I tried a no Internet policy and spend my time crafting and reading. I succeeded in the crafting and reading part. The best that I can say is that I have no more book reader's block! That is a big thing. For a year I just could not put myself towards reading, not even a children's book! Which is very strange for me, because I am a big fan of reading. Anyways, I managed to finish one book and start another during my vacation. And I am loving it once again.
(Did you somewhere expect a but, well, here it comes:) But I did not quite succeed in the no Interet thing. The first week went by with just two or three times checking my e-mail, but the second week I was my old Internet-addict-self again. Sorry. But there are too many great blogs out there! And so much inspiration!
With my freshly lifted book readers block, I stumbled upon this great idea for the recycling of books: the living garden of knowledge in Métis, Quebec. It is made with 40000 books, in the middle of a forest.

This inspired me to search for more great things made with recycled books. I mostly found prints and paintings on old book pages, like this one from owlstudio on Etsy:

And this faery tale one on an old dictonary page by DreameryStudio on Etsy:

Garlands are always a great thing to make with recycled paper, like this lovely garland made from an old book by bibliocide on Etsy. (You should really check out this shop if you like the recycled book/paper theme!)

But what amazed me most during my search on Etsy where the sculpures, especially this one by Kenjio:

And the best recycling idea is this last one: vintage playing blocks combined with pictures from cowboys out of an old book. This makes a great toy! These 77 cowboy blocks are hand-recycled by ownbackyard on Etsy.


Happy crafting!
Love, Inkie

Are you inspired? Please show us your creations at our Flickr group.

Do you want more green crafting? Check out my posts about recycled sweater pillows, recycled maps and recycled paper crafts.

green crafting: recycled maps

While cleaning my house, I found a big box filled with maps. A lot of these maps I am never going to use again, they are old or from places I probably won't visit again. But I think they will be a great addition to my craft supplies. The first thing that came to my mind was using it as stationary (as an addition to my vintage map stationary that I bought a couple of years ago). But a little search on Etsy and other places on the web gave me a lot more ideas.

What do you tink of these?

Map heart garland by lovefromchloe on Etsy

Vintage map magnet by pommesfrites on Etsy

Recycled NYC subway map by ecoist

Gift tags by Milomade

Maps & Butterflies by Image Surgery


I also found some cute DIY's:
- Map coasters
- Vintage map bangle
- Butterfly art
- Vintage map treat bag
- Map lamp

Happy crafting!
Love, Inkie

Are you inspired? Please show us your creations at our Flickr group.

Do you want more green crafting? Check out my post about recycled paper crafts.

Buttefly Mobiles and a Butterfly Collage

Google the term 'Butterfly Mobile' and you get an enormous response with gorgeous examples of butterfly mobiles that would be perfect for a nursery, kids room or birthday party decoration. I have seen many versions of this basic idea starting with the 'no longer available' white butterfly chandelier from pottery barn kids:

Project nursery has a great DIY based on this white version too:

Craftstylish has a great idea for using fabric butterflies to create a mobile for a wedding decor item:

Mimi Bella Boo has a great way to create a mobile using sticks as the hangers:

I always love to see the creativity with felt over at Bugs and Fishes by Lupin:

Ali Edwards has a version of the butterfly mobile:

I selected some of my favorite versions and these are only a few of the varieties out there!
(p.s. Paper Craft magazine has a very simple version in their magazine this month) I will not be taking credit for making this post into a DIY.....I just wanted to show you my inspiration and what I created based on all of the ideas out there!

Okay so I have seen this idea zillions of places. Anyway, my friend commissioned me to create a large canvas butterfly collage for her. I hand cut a bunch of butterflies and punched out a bunch more. I painted the large canvas, adhered the butterflies with glue dots, covered over the entire surface with modge podge, let it dry. Viola! A gorgeous butterfly collage that I am sure my friend will love--it is for her daughter's room!

When I was finished with the collage, I had some small punched butterflies left over so I decided to make a mobile with them.

I had a small blue emboridery hoop, and my sewing machine.

I made strands of garland and then I tied them along the hoop.

 Viola! A gorgeous butterfly mobile that I plan to surprise my friend with!!

I had a lot of fun sewing the garland and I know it is something I will do again....
 Design Sponge has a great idea for using this same sewing technique to decorate packages!

Hope you enjoyed this post. If you decide to make something similar, post a link in the comments, I would love to see what you create!

DIY -flowers part 3-

Well hello, we meet again :)

Today we're gonna make some flowers, ready?!

I've used: plain chipboard, felt, plastic, paper, woodgrain (adhesive foil),

acrylic paint, a paint brush, buttons, hotglue gun, and embroidery thread.

don't you just like a plate of those :)

These are all the flowers that i made!

1. your own flower paper, that you can use for scrapbooking!

I used a white printing paper and painted flowers and dots with acrylic paint on it. I find it easier to paint a bigger paper at once than a few little ones. Once you're done just fold your paper and cut it in as many pieces as you want! I made a very easy background this time, but you can make it with bigger dots, hearts etc.... have fun :)

2. a plastic flower with button

Find some firm plastic, draw a flower, cut it out and paint the edges with acrylic. If you like you can sew or glue a button in the middle.

3. a flower from felt with button

Choose a color of felt that you would like to use, draw a flower, cut it out and sew a pretty button in the middle.

4. a woodgrain flower with button

I've used one white printing paper and some self adhesive woodgrain foil. The woodgrain foil is sticky, so it's easy to paste it on the white paper. Then i drawed flowers on the woodgrain, cut them out of the paper and added buttons in the middle with my hotglue gun.

5. a chipboard painted flower with button

Find some chipboard (you can even use a empty rice box if you like) and draw a flower on it & cut it out. I've used a lighter purple for the flower and also a darker one for the edges ;) Add a button and you're ready.

You can make a cute scrapbookpage with

your handmade flowers :)

These are my woodgrain flowers :)

I used several to make a cute little photoframe and

i also used one as a hairdecoration!

I hope you have enjoyed this post :)

If you have any questions just leave a comment!

Wishing you a lovely day :)

XOXO.

Vera

green crafting: recycled paper crafts

Three weeks ago I showed you how you can use old magazines to bring some spring inside your house. Today I want to show you some more ways to use recycled paper for your crafts.

Garlands

There are many ways of making paper garlands, like:
-Cut out shapes and sew them together into a garland
-Use stripes of paper to make a paper chain garland

You can find some great examples here:
-Valentine garland
-Christmas garland
-Sewn recycled paper garland
-Paper chain garland
-Laura's garland

Jewelry

I found some great examples of jewelry made with or out of recycled paper. What do you think of this jewelry from recycled magazines? Or my favorite: a bangle, decorated with a vintage map?

Gift wrapping

I am not the person that has piles and piles of nice gift wrapping paper. Sometimes I buy some with a nice pattern, but most of the time I have none. So the gifts I give are usually wrapped in someting else. Magazines, paper bags, newspapers, plastic bags, even an old coloring book. I used it all. Maybe next time, I will even use some extra recycled paper to make a cute bow or flower to put on the package.

Do you want more?

What about placemats?


Wall art?


Or even yarn made from newspapers?


Happy crafting!
Love, Inkie

Are you inspired? Please show us your creations at our Flickr group.

DIY - flowers part 2-

Hi :) I hope you're enjoying our creative blog! Last week i showed you how to 'pimp' your t-shirt with a flower ribbon. Today is part 2 of my little DIY serie about flowers. The coming weeks i will keep on showing you how to make (simple) flowers with different materials. This week i used crepe paper, but you can also use normal paper or blotting-paper or make a combination with them. I also made a paper giftbag. Cute to use as a pretty- little-garden-spring gift with bulbs inside ;)

DIY -flowers part 2-

Make your own crepe paper flower

& papergiftbag

Supplies for the flower

-siccors

-crepe paper

- brads

- marker/pencil

Supplies for the paper bag

- paper/ wrappingpaper (not to thin)

-crop-a-dile

-some ribbon

-eyelets

Just draw as many flowers as you like on the crepe-paper and cut them out. Then use two or three of them and secure them with a (cute) brad in the middle. I added my flower on the little paper giftbag that i made. There are a lot of different ways to make your own paper bag. If you do like to make one yourself i've found a few internet sites! You can look here , here or here.

I made holes on top of my bag with the crop-a-dile and used eyelets to make it pretty. A little cute ribbon to finish your bag & add a giftcard if you like.

I also found this site, it's just perfect if you don't know how to make your own! Click on the bag you want, just print the one you like and glue the prints together.

You can make as many flowers as you like and use them in your scrapbookalbum, on a gift, add them to a giftbag etc. If you made a prettty little giftbag or flowers, feel free to post them on our flickr site, here's the link :)

ta da, your giftbag is ready madame!

one of the printable bags, look here

i also found these pretties on Etsy

The last two peeks i found on weheartit, just a little more paper flower inspiration :) Anyone interested in a origami flower post?? Just let me know :) I hope you have enjoyed this post & see ya next week!

XO. Vera