Maps, Wait! They Don't Love You Like I Love You! - Upcycling Old Road Atlas Maps in Your Gift Wrapping

♩♪♫♬Pack up, I'm straight, enough, 

Oh, say say say...Oh, say say say...

Wait! They don't love you like I love you
Wait! They don't love you like I love you
Ma-a-a-a-ps, wait!
They don't love you like i love you...♩♪♫♬

As I'm feeling eco-friendly, cutting up an old atlas, and wrapping my Father's Day gifts with beautifully colorful maps, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs song "Maps" plays out in my head and I can't help but smile...I love maps! They're so symbolic to me; they capture the reality of the world around us, natural landmarks, and the endless possibility of travel...potential journeys to an infinite array of destinations! Admire the beauty of maps and save them from falling into the depths of the landfills by giving them one last breath of life and a loved one something to smile about.

The upcycled paper gift bow fashioned from recycled atlas road maps was so incredibly easy to make; I discovered how to make them from this informative step-by-step tutorial HERE! My father-in-law treasured his homemade upcycled maps gift bow so much, after opening his gift he wore the bow as a boutonnière!

Would you rather support an eco-conscious crafter than try your hand at making these upcycled gift bows yourself? Well, look no further than the fabulously handmade shops on Etsy; above is a picture of a set of beautifully hand folded gift bows made from old outdated road maps by Etsy shop Pollinator Handmade! Perhaps one day I too will make up some of these handmade repurposed lovelies and add them to one of my creatively upcycled shop sections in my Eco-Friendly Freckles shop.

This blog article was contributed by the Etsy Recyclers Guild Team Captain Jessica of Eco-Friendly Freckles

Transform Old Calenders and Containers into Repurposed Decoupage Gift Boxes!

Yes, these delightfully adorable homemade gifts cost only pennies to make! I upcycled an old cocoa tin and a plastic eclair container and transformed them into repurposed decoupage gift boxes ready for an endless variety of little treasures to place inside...For these Mother's Day gifts, I am going for chocolates for my favorite seasoned motherly matron and baby girl clothes for my dearest friend and new mother to a precious baby girl...I'm not naming names, but you know who you are! All I did was use my favorite trusty decoupage craft medium "Mod Podge" and I cut out some beautiful images from a darling old calender with artwork from Barbara Ann Kenney that I received from my sweet and thoughtful mother-in-law Beverly (Etsy shop owner of Maddie's Trinkets and Bobbles). The completed products remind me of cottage chic lovelies that I would expect to find in a quaint little local mom & pop brick and mortar boutique filled with feminine frills and delicious sweets!

 

 This blog article was contributed by the Etsy Recyclers Guild Team Captain Jessica of Eco-Friendly Freckles

Crocheted Toys with Bamboo Blend Jubel Handmade

$14.29 Crocheted Butterfly Toy

Crocheted Elephant, $28.57

Two girls in Austrailia are making crocheted toys. Not only are they cute and adorable, but they are made with environmentalism in mind. The yard is a cotton/bamboo blend and fibre filling. Karina & Hannah say their designs are " made to last with eco friendly materials. We aim to start making accessories in the near future..."

Find them at Jubel Handmade. 

Eco-Friendly Freckles Upcycled Decoupage iPhone Covers Featured on the ETSY BLOG!!!

 

I'm a little late at sharing this on the Etsy Recycler's Guild team blog but I'm still excited!!! The editor of BUST magazine and writer for Nylon, ELLE.com, Time Out New York, Daily Candy, and Etsy, Lisa Butterworth has posted her article about handmade techie accessories and she features one of my upcycled decoupage iPhone covers, as well as one of my interview quotes! 

“With the ever-changing forms of technology in iPhones, my creative expression is inspired every time a new version comes out,” says Jessica Woody of Eco-Friendly Freckles, whose decoupaged smart phone cases feature Jane Austen quotes, mod Barbies, and Victorian imagery.  

This brightened my day and is great exposure for my Etsy shop! You can check out this Etsy blog article by clicking on the picture below...

This blog article was contributed by the Etsy Recyclers Guild Team Captain Jessica of Eco-Friendly Freckles