Jewel Box from Empty Cassette Boxes

I had all these cassette tape boxes and saw a box like this on instructables Well I didnt have the original inserts, but I did have an abundance of pictures. I took the xtra pictures of my nephew and made this Jewel/ storage box for my sister. You can use it for all kinds of things, like candy on a coffee table, or a trinket/jewel box, someplace to put the keys in the entry hall....

This is my first attempt so it is kinda rough.

I am going to put a false bottom in to cover the spots from the glue

Next time I want to figure a way of HINGING the top. Right now it is removable. ( lays on top unsecured)

CHECK THIS OUT!

I am going to make me one of these with all these mags we got coming in now for Christmas....OY! Paper Overload

Living with lindasy has an EXCELLENT Tut for this.

Book Page Wreath!

More Recycled Box Ideas.

I made this scratch book.

I have seen people making these, and thought there was a great idea, but I didn't have a binding machine.

I finally seen one made with the rings. I had to try to figure out what rings they used, but eventually after a few keywords in a search I found out they were binder rings.

Well I eat cereal and buy things in a box and I am always looking for ways to re-use or effectively recycle them.

One thing I am always looking for is scratch pads. I tend to write ideas, shopping lists, and stuff all the time and am always looking for something to write on. I used my printer paper cut down, ( the scraps are the perfect size to make to do and shopping lists on.)

I pinked the edges to distract form the uneven cut.( Even with a rotary cutter I can't cut straight!

Not to bad. I quite Like it.

Pictures, Pictures and More Pictures

Did I mention I am bombarded with Pictures? HA! ( Yea I think I did.LOL) Why do we take so many? Have film and digital on 2 PCs! Professional and amateur.

When my grandparents Died I got to inherit everything since I was the packrat I guess they felt it was safe with me? Who Knows. I am glad to have inherited the pics and the genealogy info ( what little of it there was.) Problem was, most of the pics weren't transcribed. I have pics of people that are most likely dead and buried and if there is any family I don't think they know their family members were recorded anyway.

Some of these pictures were taken so far away that it is impossible to clearly see who was there, ( as if they were capturing a memory of the event rather then the people involved). But don't we all do that, that's why we take so many damn Pictures.

Well I hate throwing pictures away, I feel guilty. So I finally set out to tackle the mountain of pictures of people I don't know, HAHA!

First step: Sort and cut -out and trim.

Come Back Tomorrow to see how this goes....

PART 2

Recycle FAIL

I am all for recycling, and reusing but this is wrong. But if you want to see how it was done go to Crooked Brains website. The have a tutorial.

Pictures....Overkill....Repurposing?

Why do we take pictures? I found myself thinking that the other night.

I have been wanting to gain some control of my clutter, one thing I have been putting off is organizing my photos.
Some are already in boxes with index cards, somewhat organized, but the boxes are old and falling apart.

I really wanted to do scrapbooking but cannot get myself in the MODE....UGH very detailed and would definetly put me in the zen mode if I would just allow myself to go there....Life was so much easier before I got a PC. It seems the PC has sped up my brain processors somewhat, not to mention years of anti-depressants ( which left me with a form of Adult add! Damnit)...Anyhoo I am digressing....

Back to the pictures.

I figure we are trying to capture a moment in time, that is so fleeting and slipping away so quickly. Preserve a memory forever, as it were.

As for me I learned early on to take 2 or 3 shots to ensure a good photo..That was before digital, where we can just hit Delete. (SHHHHH don't tell anyone but I got TONS of digital pics too, They are on 2 different PCS)

NOW I am being overrun with photos.






I decided that I needed to pair down. I have tons of pictures where the subject in question is..well... Questionable....

"HMMMMM... What exactly was I trying to capture here?"

Not to mention blurred photos and tons of duplicates. When my daughter was young I took tons of photos. The labs used to run specials on duplicates and since we always share our pics, especially with gramma well.... We always ticked the box for dupes for a penny or half price, or whatever....

Now that my mom has passed I inherited her photos, which means i have dupes, and trips of everything. UGH!

DOES anyone know how to repurpose photos?

Not only that but I also Inherited the pics from my grandparents when they passed...I have a tote of black and whites of PPL I CANNOT IDENTIFY! HELPPPPPP!

So I am surfing the net and the green sites and there is very Little in way of crafting or repurposing old photos. (NO I dont want to digitize my 2,000 pictures! I still LIKE Tangible things.)

I am open to suggestions People....Anyone???? ( Cue Crickets)

Ok so I got this idea when looking at some of the pics to make coasters or postcards. Does anyone even use Postcards? Not to mention snail mail.

Placemats with the old black and whites would be super I think. Most of the ppl I am sure are all passed away since the pics were from the 40's - 60's mostly. ( we are talking adults in the middle age range) Alot are my family and their friends and some are just people who got in the shot of a lake or beach or pool. So I don't think there would be an issue with image usage and royalties and such, and alot of ppl like nostalgic things.

I tried the coasters already. Here are some Prototypes. I made 6. 2 with a deckled edge, 2 with a pinked edge and 2 with a straight edge.




Ok. I guess the real test comes when I use them. I used clear contact paper. I glued the picture to a piece of cardboard from a cerealbox.



I'm just wondering if I should have used laminating plastic instead since it is thicker and offers a better seal. I will see how these hold up.

Meanwhile If anyone has any ideas on repurposing pics pleaseeee Let me know....I have tons.

Grow your Own.

I'm Growing PET Bottles!

Actually We had freeze and frost warnings again, Yesterday for early this morning, (Someone please tell Mother Nature it is May 18, OK?) I was saving the bottles in hopes to maybe make a hothouse/lean-to for the garden, or maybe a chair. But I am also using some of them to make beads. Anyway they came in handy as an emergency cold frame for the plants. Covering each plant was a big pain in the ass, especially since I had to do this last week too. I had just put the bottles/frames away when I had to haul them back out.

Doncha love the debris? They flew off the Elder Tree. We used to call them Helicopters, or propellers. They fly off the tree like propellers. They all landed in the garden.

Anyway I promised a post on my trash can.

This was one of those paper/cardboard barrels, usually seen in the garment district and such. I inherited it when I took the excessive fabric remnants our school/church had left after a harvest fest one year. I have two of these. I decided to cut one down and make a waste can. This is the beginning. I coiled paper from the news and inserts as well as the magazines we get at xmas.
My attempt at being decorative...My square insert.

Finished with the coils. Now it is sitting there waiting for a topper. A band or something around the top. I tried folding the aluminum cans but it didn't work for me. I was thinking a copper band would look nice but I don't wanna pay an arm and a leg, it defeats the purpose of upcycle/ repurpose/ frugal. Try and try again I guess.

Is it May Already?

Wow . Summer is almost here. So what have you been up to you may be asking?

WELLLLLLL.......Besides the gallbladder problems and the subsequent surgery I had back in march ( yeah, happy birthday to me, you had a gallbladder!) to remove the nasty organ, and the depression that followed.....( same thing last time I had surgery too...Hmmmmm...I see a pattern here....no more cutting...or drugs)..I have been trying to create things from my waste products.....NO not that waste, the waste from the packaging this family uses.

Like soda Cans, plastic bottles, ( shut up! I have to buy my water, the water here sucks and the cheap-o filter systems are just as bad....you gotta buy the cartridges talk about waste, I dont even know how to repurpose those things. I would love a burkey ( sp.) wanna buy me one? costs around 200.00 last time I looked.), video tape and plastic supermarket bags.

Now I know I posted about crocheting those pesky bags into bag,bags... but sometimes I forget to bring them and worse still my oldest and her husband still bring them home...they never use the re-useables...grrrrrrrrr.....I feel like the garbage gremlin, going around cleaning up their waste all the time.

So I am always trying to find creative and dare I say it lukrative outlets to upcycle.

My first attempt at a mobile.....

CAN ya see it better here?

Soda cans cut into tear drop shapes. I punched a hole in the top and bottom, used eyelets and strung them with 30 lb test line. The small glass beads are clear crystal chips that i PURCHASED at the craft store in the jewelry dept.I alternated long and short lines and then added the chip lines in between, in addition are 2 lines of faux bali beads.

I liked it but it looked too industrious. It was too heavy as well, didnt swing too well with a light breeze. Also it was not very frugal. Crimp beads and eyelets are expensive.

My next attempt............

My daughters fingers...LOL she is holding a dark background to help me get the shot...

Ok so I can't get a good shot. These are cut into hearts and hung on 8lb filament with blue dangles for added weight. The 8lb test however, is too light. So this keeps tangling...My next attempt is a heavier weight line which is in progress.

The 30 lbs test line I could not tie I had to use crimp beads b/c the line was too thick and heavy. The 8lb test I could tie and it stayed and I did not need to use eyelets either ( more money saved).

Next.....my trash can.

Flowers Anyone?

Empty Soda Cans

Green Crafting

I think I posted this over the summer. I have finally finished it. They are Friggie magnets. I do believe I am the only one doing this and will be putting them up for sale soon, after I tweak a few things.


This is an Empty Soda Can I turned into a Suncatcher. I just cut off the top flipped it over and hung scrolled craft wire thru it and then made beaded Dangles.

Recycle! Post consumer Wreath

Recognize those bags? Yup Target bags, and maybe one or 2 burlington coat factory bags too.
A metal hanger ( drycleaner) and the bags are post consumer. I purchased the Floral Picks and ribbon.

Christmas is coming.

So... it is that time of year again. ( I promise this year, NO mandolin without the guard..:P)

I have to explain, I have been very much concentrating on Upcycling. This is a passion for me, always was. I was shunned however as a child and my parents called me a garbage Picker, and a few other names.

Today I thumb my nose at anyone who criticizes me.

I am NOT however an al gore environmentalist. I dont believe that our SUVs cause global warming, in fact what they call global warming is nothing more then sun activity, the electro-magnetism that comes with it and ( maybe even a lil GODLY Wrath).

I do however think we produce way to much garbage, and our plastic-industrialized living is killing us quickly.

That being said, I approach green living from a selfish and non selfish stand point.

Selfish being ( not self centered) but HATING Corporatism. The conglomerates that are bleeding us dry with electric bills and heating bills! HATE THEM!

Non selfish being I think we need to help ppl to help themselves and see that all the crap they are eating chock full of preservatives are killing them and others thru the use of manufacturing and the crap being belched into MY Air.

Did you know we don't break down as fast as we used to when we die? We ingest ( thru mouth and skin) so much formaldehyde and other preservatives it is taking us longer to decompose today!

Now that I have explained my approach, I prefer the term organic living over green since green has come to being identified with the chicken little al gore worshippers.

Organic is what us old hippies were called.

Now with that outta the way......Here is what I have been doing.....

For Christmas.....




I will be uploading my pics of my re(up)cycles soon. I switched PCs and have files everywhere now.

Protypes

I have been seriously considering volunteering to teach some craft classes this yr at the school. So I have been doing protypes of different things, and doing more recyling or upcycling ( whats the diff?).