Halloween Decor Etsy Recyclers Guild Style

Ghost made of coffee filter with google-eyes and marker mouth hung onto a piece of thread tied to a recycled brown paper bag wrapped around a stone and twisted to make branches.

Bat made from recycled egg carton snipped and painted black with google eyes and white painted cardboard fangs attached.  Also is strung onto a piece of yarn.

Check out this fabulous team treasury: Trick or Treat Down Candy Cane Lane

This blog post was a contribution by Andrea of Storybook Artifact.

Using Recyclable Materials in Your Samples

I love to include free samples/gifts and plenty of embellishments in my customers' packages. I also find that this is a great opportunity for me to take advantage of recyclable materials. I find myself reusing packaging stuffing (styrofoam popcorn, bubble wrap, air pockets, etc.) along with other embellishments (i.e. ribbon or chiffon drawstring bags) from packages that I have received from Etsy shops or other online purchases.

My latest craze, however, has been to utilize and get creative with materials that I generally don't find in packaging. I love to make little wrapped candy-eyed treats for my storybook cookie samples. Pictured above is a sample of one of my Cow Jumped Over Macaroons.

I simply wrapped the cookie in cellophane/plastic wrap, and then re-used a mesh/netted veggie sack that I cut to size and tied off with ribbon.

This blog post was contributed by Andrea of Storybook Artifact. :-)

Meet Susan of SM.art Designing

Susan makes really amazing one-of-a-kind purses out of used book covers. Her book purses are all super cute and all have character because they're made from vintage books. She lines each book purse with lovely fabric and adds extra details to make the bags stand out.

Tell us a little about yourself:

My name is Susan Temple and I live in Connecticut with my husband Charlie and our two corgis, Peanut and Tulip. I am a Graphic Designer by profession for over 30 years. I design marketing materials for all sorts of client including banks, hospitals, even a WNBA team, and I love my job. And I also LOVE to make book purses!

When did you first start crafting?

I’ve been crafting for as long as I can remember. I always knew I would do something creative. When I was young I wanted to be the person who illustrated the sewing pattern catalogs. The ladies at the fabric shop would save the out dated catalogs for me and I would draw the pictures over and over. I learned to sew when I was 13 and I made all my clothes for years. I made coats, suits, even a bathing suit once. I love to hand make! The satisfaction of saying I made that, the choosing of the materials, the creative process, it’s all therapy for me.

Please describe your work in detail. What’s your favorite type of crafting/art?

Right now my favorite craft is my book purses. But I have gone through periods of different crafts. I do a lot of jewelry. For years I cross stitched. I love decorative painting. My husband bought me a jig saw one year! But my first love remains fabric and sewing. Although I don’t really sew the book purses, my understanding of construction has really helped.

I hunt for books in used book stores, salvation army depots, yard and tag sales. I never, ever use new books because I respect the original intent of a book. It’s meant to be read and cherished. But after that, why should it sit on a shelf collecting dust? However, rare and fist edition books are also a no-no in my book (pun intended). Those are special and should remain intact. There are some gorgeous old readers I found that would make incredible purses, but no way. They need to remain intact as a reminder of our heritage.

My creative process is Zen like... I get into a groove and before I know it hours have passed and I hardly knew it. I have a little transistor radio that I put on NPR and just zone out. I am incredibly lucky that I have a ‘craft room’. I am also extremely lucky that my husband is a very talented cabinet maker. I had a craft cabinet that was around 25 years old and it was literally falling apart. He recreated (and improved on) a new cabinet for me. And come to think of it, having that new cabinet gave me the space and comfort to really explore my craft. I am very blessed.

How has your work evolved from your earlier work?

In terms of my book purses I have become faster, my decisions are easier to make because I’ve paid attention to the process. I know what works and what doesn’t, and I know that I need to stay true to myself. I have only been doing these purses for a year and just recently I feel as if my “apprenticeship” is over and now I am reading to explore the next level. I’ve been experimenting with embellishments and options for handles. I am working on designing my own handles out of reclaimed wood. It doesn’t take a lot of fabric to make a book purse so I’ve been keeping my eye out for fabrics from thrift stores. If a shirt is made of a beautiful fabric, why not? The more recycling the better.

Where do you get your inspiration?

I was inspired to create my first book purse by my sister, who is an avid reader and aspiring writer. For her birthday her husband gave her a Kindle. My thought was-- what a perfect way of transporting a Kindle than in a purse made from a book cover. I gave her the purse as a gift and she loved it. Her reaction made me decide to make a few more, just for myself. But then an obsession was born! What keeps me inspired are the covers of the books and fabrics, some are plain but to me I see the possibility of adding this fabric and that ribbon, envisioning the final purse. Nature inspires me, I find the seasons in New England to be my inspiration lately.

Where are your products sold (online/stores)?

I sell my book purses online in my Etsy shop. They are also available at a gallery in New Haven, CT called Elm City Handmade. And I am very excited to announce that they will also be available this spring at The Flying Pig Gallery and Greenspace in WI. I also sell by word of mouth, and through connections on Facebook. It’s growing everyday.

What advice can you give other crafters when selling their items?

I’ve sold things that I’ve made on occasion, but nothing I made was ever accessible enough to market. My father was always encouraging me to sell my crafts, but it’s really hard to make any money from crafting. You have to work super fast with materials that don’t cost a fortune to be able to meet a price point people can afford. My book purses were the one thing that put me where I could make a modest profit and put out an affordable product. But the best thing about any craft is the enjoyment of doing it and I really enjoy making the purses. It marries all my skills as a graphic designer and crafter in one unique item. Plus my love for books! If there is one thing I am guilty of it is I WILL judge a book by its cover. As a graphic designer I just can’t help it.

One thing I know for sure is if you want to succeed, you must love what you do. You also must be the best at it and price it correctly. Never, ever sell work you are not proud of.

Describe yourself in three words:

I was going to say Very, Very Loud... but instead... Caring, Logical and Talented

Is there is anything else you’d like to share with us?

I think the best thing I learned about this particular journey is to overcome my fears. I worried that people wouldn’t like my purses, or they wouldn’t be good enough. I really had to move though that in order to set up my Etsy shop. My friends and family are incredibly supportive with their advice and compliments, which really helped. I cannot stress this enough-- do what you love. If you love it, and that’s all you get out of it, then you are far ahead in the game. That’s my advice... Oh and always keep a bowl of ice water on your craft table when using a glue gun! Happy crafting.

You can find Sm.art Designing online at the following places:

Sm.art Designing on Etsy
Sm.art Designing on Facebook

This post was contributed by Heather of Texas Vintage Things.

Meet The Recycle Ben by LEUCKIT

Good Ole Dog $110


Shop Name: The Recycle Ben by LEUCKIT

Name: Donna Provo Leuck

Location: West Lafayette

LEUCKIT says, "I became an artist when I was five years old. The draft sent my brother to Vietnam. I drew him a picture everyday. Unfortunately, they where all of “Bozo the Clown.” He still has them so, they must be good. I have since broadened my horizons. I grew up in “the region.” That is Northwest Indiana. I put myself through college. I attended The American Academy of Art in Chicago. I had the privilege of studying under some very awesome teachers (Mr. Dowdy, Mr. Thiery, Mr. Cushing, Mr. Parks, and Mr. Shapiro) and the privilege of learning along side some very awesome students. (Bobular, Steve Tarpey, John Figler, Nathan Greene, Amie’ Lamair, Amy O’Brien etc.) I work from my home. I have a very patient and understanding husband and three very talented children. I do not limit myself to one medium. I love to take something that nobody has use for and reinvent it into an art piece that will be useful or at least bring a smile to your face!

Whose your favorite clown $110


Her shop announcement states, "Welcome!!! Thank you for your interest in my artwork. i love what i do. So, every piece i make is a labor of love. Hopefully you will see something you just can't live without."

It's Not Easy Going Green $110


You can find The Recycle Ben by LEUCKIT on Etsy here and her blog can be found here.

This blog post was contributed by Heather of Texas Vintage Things.

It's a vintage & recycled holiday!

'It's a vintage & recycled holiday!' by TexasVintage

A selection of vintage & recycled items from the Etsy Recyclers Guild team. Happy holidays! To find more items from our team, search WASTENOT!

Vintage 1970 Gold Lunar Star... recycledwares $15.00	Vintage Santa Bank Made in J... AlpenglowVinta... $15.00	Vintage Santa Embroidery Pie... RecyclersGuild... $4.00
Pop Art Santa Brooch pin for... RetroChaletStu... $12.00	Big Poinsettia Holiday Pin W... WanderingLydia $12.00	Christmas Ornaments Silver R... Retreauxgirl $20.00
Upcycled, Whimsical Garden P... rekindleme $15.00	Custom Adult or Teen Size Sl... FeltedWoolies $46.00	Holiday Santa Upcycled Hair ... junck $2.50
Christmas Morning Necklace/C... modernshadesof... $21.00	Hot Pink Samsonite Suitcase ... RetroChalet $42.00	Victorian 1874 Blue Aquamari... HHDollhouse $139.99
Coca Cola Bottle Cap Upcycle... TheWeepingWill... $4.50	Large 50s Vintage Matte Gold... TexasVintage $45.00	Snowflake Christmas Stocking Revivalvintage... $5.00

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

Pay it Forward Recycled Treasury on Etsy from our very own Retreauxgirl

'Pay it Forward - Recycled Gifts Under $10' by Retreauxgirl

Pay It Forward Day! Pay the Earth forward with recycled gift items for under $10. Recyclers Guild Team- Wastenot

Arm Warmers-Made from Recycl... thepainteddais... $10.00	Cork Chalkboard Ornaments or... HearthDesign $6.00	Retro necktie cellphone/coin... TheFloatingMar... $2.00
Green Gerlz Coffee Cozie Mad... kentuckygreen $6.00	Coca Cola Bottle Cap Upcycle... TheWeepingWill... $4.50	Red and Gray Swirl Wool felt... FeltedWoolies $10.00
Upcycled Eco Tawashi Set Wynsome $5.75	Fluffy pouf. Ring promirta $5.00	Snowflake Christmas Stocking Revivalvintage... $5.00
Raw Records Bottlecap Vinyl... NickelCityGirl... $5.00	Cherry Wallflower Sandwich S... WasteNotSaks $7.50	Recycled Red Colored Vinyl ... colerainecreat... $7.95
Recycled Red and Black Coke ... urbanwoodswalk... $8.00	Pop Art Daisy Pendant - red ... RetroChalet $9.95	Mushroom Lady Bug Christmas ... WanderingLydia $8.00

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

Recycled Wares : Keeping Vintage Alive

I'm a vintage junkie, and I was thrilled to learn of Nerrissa from RecycledWares joining our group.  She is from Fort Worth, Texas and does her part to rescue and re-offer these way cool vintage items. 

Check out this great 60's can for only $16 in her shop .

When I first joined Etsy, vintage was something they weren't 100% sold on.  Vintage sellers had to unite and fight for the same "type" search results as the other categories.  There was a time we were in fear that vintage would go away.  Etsy did love vintage items, however, their aim was a handmade (and supply) marketplace.  It's no wonder that because repurposing and reusing vintage items is a way to reduce the carbon footprint - that it was bound to stay.  (Maybe in part by modern day divas like Rachel Ray  with her retro kitschy items and Martha Stewart who show that vintage can be functional as well as decorative and go hand in hand with crafting and other daily activities...) 

Imagine Rachel Ray whipping up something in this mod enamelware casserole at $30.

Nerrissa says, "With so many items being discarded, our mission is to rescue as many items as we can (within reason) and present them to the arts & crafts and collector's world. We work with local businesses and families to find items that are no longer of use to them. All the treasures we find are in good condition, but just need a second home. The space in our home and our budget will only allow for so many rescues, but you can be certain, that if you find it within our marketplace, it was a rescued ware."

  Martha Stewart could transform these 93 vintage swatches, $10 into a masterpiece !

Nerrissa keeps busy promoting her shop, and has opened two new shops on Etsy. House of Mirth offers the best in Clay, Wood and Paper Arts and Paper Picker which offers the best in vintage paper.  

Find our more about her here:

FLICKR:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/recycledwares/

BLOG:
http://recycledwares.blogspot.com/

Or go visit her Etsy shop now!