recycling project no. 1

You know those newsprint ads that we all get in the mail? I really really really dislike it when I see those things in my mailbox. They're ugly and a waste of ink and paper. I toss them in the trash the first chance I get. For whatever reason I've been trying to come up with a way to make such an ugly thing something a little more than just garbage. I finally got an idea today after my brain started trying to solve the problem again. The trigger was that yet again I had a 'lovely' stack of those things in the mail. Here are the results.

I cut the newsprint into thin strips and randomly glued them onto the same recycled cardstock I use for my cards.



When I covered an area that I thought would be enough for the project I cut out a section to use for wall art. I also cut out a silhouette that started as a flower but became something a little more abstract and placed it over my newsprint composition.



Framed and pretty!



I left the fringed edge to use for a card and the last two pieces could be turned into anything else but I opted for bookmarks.



I'm sure the newsprint will age and the colors will change but that may make it look more interesting. And that's it. I finally have it out of my system - at least until a new stack comes in the mail!

Sorry for the picture quality. Most were taken in the kitchen where the lighting is poor. There are a couple more on my flickr page.

I think this project also may have been inspired by the 'green' blogging that's going on this week. Here's a list of others who are blogging along this theme.

Edit: Thank you to Whip Up for mentioning my project and welcome to those of you visiting via their post!

28 comments:

  1. Patricia, what a fantastic idea! I love it!

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  2. I came over via whip up, and think this is superb. a fantastic idea.

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  3. I absolutely love this! I love the idea of turning something so ugly into something so beautiful.

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  4. Me encanta la idea
    Me gusta todo lo que tenga que ver con reciclaje.
    ¿Puedo ponerla en mi blog?

    Ilove the idea
    I am very interesting in recycling
    ¿ can I use in my blog?

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  5. I also came via Whip Up, I love this idea. So clever, you are one talented girl! Would you mind if I gave this a go?

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  6. awesome idea!! i really love when people take trash and make it into beautiful artwork. kudos for coming up with this idea!! :)

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  7. stunning. your brilliant, Patricia.

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  8. What a stunning idea - it really works! Im all for recycling!

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  9. That's just freakin' brilliant!

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  10. Whip up sent me this way--great idea, lovely execution!

    I thought your cutout looked very tree-like; how appropriate!

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  11. How lovely!
    the first thing I thought when I saw the picture was, "oh, stripes!"
    I love stripes.
    Thanks for the idea!

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  12. Thanks for saying we can try this!! I love it, it's great!!

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  13. what an excellent idea and you've created such tasteful pieces! great job :-)

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  14. Wow -- look at that. Most excellent.

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  15. They look fantastic! What a creative use of junk mail - we get oodles of it too and it doesn't usually make it past the recycle bin in the front yard - I'll have to keep this in mind.

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  16. What a wonderful idea! Never figured junk mail could be turned into something that beautiful! I really love it!

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  17. Excellent idea, I may have to borrow it.

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  18. What a GREAT IDEA, Patricia!!! Very inspiring!

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  19. I totally love this idea, yup I am going to steal it for my Christmas cards this year. Thanks for the idea.

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  20. Think this is super! Want to know if you'd like to give a step by step as a guest blogger on our site, www.craftynation.com -

    Look forward to hearing from you!

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  21. Ooooh, so pretty! I may have to try this some time in the future!

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  22. WOW!! MORE MORE!! i like this idea. great for those things we seem to be throwing away all the time. I think you really need to expand this section. Then just maybe everyone can have something they recycle. Heck, in a perfect world your ideas will be printed on the back of our junk mail to inspire people to keep these things out of the trash and start making them beautiful! Thank you. I will be posting your blog on my site randomblogging.com. I hope that is ok and then i will try to do one myself because it looks like fun.

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  23. Quite interesting. The picture frame thing is a great idea. I would probably try to be a little more color coordinated if I had the time.

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  24. Amazing ... what a great use for junk ads.

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  25. I have a question. It looks like the background you created isn't flush to the cardstock you cut the abstract flower out. I really like the effect but I wonder how the heck you achieved that space. Is it a certain type of frame? It there an extra widget in there or something?

    thank you for your help!

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