Happy Earth Day everyone! In honor of the day in which we appreciate and work towards taking better care of our environment, we decided to share some fun ideas for reusing your resources in your crafts.
Recycled Paper & Plastic Notepads by Teresa Natividad
We go through a lot of paper in the office. Most of the paper we use is printed only on one side, so I will often use the blank side as note paper. I thought I would make decorative ones for Earth Day!
Create your own recycled notepads in just a few easy steps:
1. Die cut used copy/office paper using any fun shape that you prefer.
2. Also die cut a coordinating piece of cardboard for the backing, and another out of clear plastic packaging for the front.
3. Decorate the clear front piece as desired. I used Alcohol Ink in various techniques. (For the shield, I dripped Alcohol Ink and tilted the plastic several different ways. For the tag, I used an Alcohol Ink Applicator Tool. For the ticket, I dripped Alcohol Ink, then used the Distress Marker Spritzer Tool to blow the ink around.)
4. Gather all pieces together and hold with binder clips. You can also use Tim Holtz Ideaology Tissue Tape to hold the pad together.
5. Brush Multi-Medium in Matte across the top and let dry.
6. Remove binder clips and write away!
Organic Materials with ICE Resin® by Susan Lenart Kazmer
Susan Lenart Kazmer loves to use organic materials and found objects in her jewelry pieces. You can find her using feathers, sticks, fallen flower buds, pencils, game pieces and many more in a lot of her work.
Dried Flowers Bezel Necklace by Jen Cushman
One of the best things about ICE Resin is that its a perfect art medium to use with organic and natural elements. Dried flowers, sticks, stones, bones, wings and more can be embedded and encased in resin for truly unique mixed media jewelry and art.
Its been said The Earth Laughs in Flowers. For me, ICE Resin smiles when it gets to play with lovely pressed petals and sweet blooms.
The most important step for using real flowers is to make sure they are thoroughly dried and pressed. If any moisture gets trapped in resin, organics can mold. For light colored flowers whites, pale yellow, etc. it helps to brush a thin layer of Susan Lenart Kazmer ICE Resin® Paper Sealer on the dried petals before encasing them in resin.
I hope you enjoyed this beautiful and natural recycling project.
If you happen to be at the Bead and Button Show this June in Milwaukee, check out my
Floating Petals workshop. Be sure to stop by the ICE Resin booth to see this necklace live and in person.
We hope this inspires you to reuse some of your materials the next time you create! Happy crafting!
