Recycle: repurposing disposable items into art
We've been urged to recyle to save the planet, but often recycling focuses on just reusing items for their original purpose. I like to take would be trash items and find new, upscale uses for them.
Paper Products: Paper products, from TP rolls and corrugated cardboard, to the pasteboard of cereal and cracker boxes, are the core materials for making masks and sculptures. Colorful boxes may be used instead of painting. Most chip bags are silver on the inside, so they work well for larger areas.The sealing tabs on diabetic pen needles are also silver on the back, making them great for creating the look of scale armor.
PET plastic soda bottles: I have yet to explore all the things I can make from the PET plastic that is used for soda bottles. My favorite use is creating Chiluly-inspired flowers, and assembling them into fairy tiaras. PET also makes great icicles.
Coffee shop cold cup logos: We buy a LOT of the chocolate slushies (not coffee, but still caffeine)--when I saw the stack in our recycle bin, I was inspired to try repurposing them. That was the origin/inspiration for my "Queen of Caffeine" series.
