Friday, November 23, 2007

A Public Service Annoucement, or something...

For crafters:
I love making stuff, and I'll admit, I can get awfully worked up over a fabric store or row upon row of beautiful scrapbooking paper. But, now and then, and a lot more, recently, I start thinking about how much "stuff" we all consume. Do we really need all that stuff?
So, in addition to the "Handmade Pledge" which some of you may have noticed in the sidebar, I'd like you all to consider reusing and recycling materials. Don't buy new fabric when you could reuse old fabric, make or print your own paper rather than going nuts at the scrapbook store, and go through you crafting closet, drawer, room, whatever, and see what is already in there that you can use this year.
I don't want to give anyone a guilt trip... just something I have been thinking about for myself lately. I think the key to throwing away less stuff, is having less stuff to throw away.

Send me your comments. What is your best crafting "recycle or reuse" idea?

Happy belated Thanksgiving, enjoy the weekend with family and friends.
Cheers.

3 comments:

Julie said...

I always save Christmas cards that I get in the mail and then use scrapbook scissors to cut them into small gift tags. It works great, they look pretty and no two are the same, plus I'm recycling!

Susan said...

I like to go to Salvation Army and buy books by the bag ($2-3). I rescue the mutilated children's books that no one else will buy (covers torn, etc) and then turn the pictures into cute cards, etc. I made a jar for Mom from one of these. Have you seen it? It has little rabbits on it.

I also save interesting paper from junk mail or product packaging.

The Restless Knitter said...

so interesting that I've just stumbled across this post when the very same idea has been plaguing my mind. In practical ways and artistic I've made a pledge to myslef to stop consuming and start re-using. As a textile artist it's so easy to be seduced by new and beautiful fabrics rather than looking to already accumulated stash gathering dust. Plus I think it's more of a challenge to use whats available than starting from scratch.