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Waste not, want not
Belinda Spiwak has a plethora of ideas for reusing and recycling items to add interest to your “green” wall hangings.
- Used Tyvek® envelopes can be painted, glittered, and manipulated. You can change Tyvek’s shape by putting a heat gun to it.
- Dryer sheets can be painted (both sides) and put under the heat gun to dissolve parts of it. This will create the most wondrous holes and give the sheets a stiffer texture.
- Caution: Be sure to do any burning outside or in a well-ventilated area while wearing a respirator.
- Paper towels can be used as an alternative to fabric. They can be dyed and painted; add mica for shimmer. Tip: Dry iron for a softer feel to the paper towel.
- Postmarked envelopes can be cut up and sewn on. You may want to adhere muslin or another thin fabric to the back for added stability.
- Take a second look at old clothing before donating it to charity. Can you cut off the closures such as buttons, zippers, clasps, or snaps to use in future projects? How about the fabric itself? Does it have a great feel, rich color, or cool pattern? A novel way to use any type of fabric is to turn it inside out and use the “wrong” side.
- Cut up and re-use old upholstery fabric, draperies, placemats, and tablecloths. Cut the scrap pieces of paper or fabric into smaller sized tags or shapes. You can also create mini-mosaics.
- Cut or tear old fabrics into thin strips and use as an alternative to new ribbon or yarn.
- Root around the garage or tool box for small, old, rusty, and broken pieces that you can sew on as embellishments. Do the same thing with your sewing supplies. You will be amazed at what you will find. Look at the things you’ve had forever and never used, or did not know what to do with. They just might complete the look of your wall hanging.
- Leftover tea or coffee can be used to dye your muslin or paper. The stronger the tea or coffee the deeper the color. Add more water if you want a fainter look. Spray on the coffee or tea with a water bottle or use a paint brush to apply the liquid. You can also dip the paper into a container with the tea or coffee but remove it quickly so the paper does not start to dissolve.
- Tip: Wet the muslin with water first so it will accept the coffee or tea more readily. Let the tea or coffee pool in areas so you will have darker, splotchy areas. Spread on old newspapers to dry.
- Take a second look at children’s game parts and small toys before you retire them. Save them as embellishments or use them as charms.
- A broken clock, old typewriter, or other electronic device can be taken apart and the smaller parts used.
- Anything metal or wood can be painted or cut down to add to your wall hanging.
- Save the metal parts and fittings from old purses and totes to be used as embellishments.
- When you are painting paper, fabric, or embellishments, line your work surface with muslin first to catch the drips. You can later add more paint to the muslin to be used in your wall hanging.
- If you are having work done on your house, ask for scraps of leftover metal or other building materials.
- Brown packing paper and tissue paper can be crumpled, then painted as a colorful background to your wall hanging. Crumple and straighten the paper a couple of times. You can spray on the paint or brush on a thin acrylic wash. Add a little Pearl Ex powder to the wash to give it a little extra shimmer or use with mica or another sparkly element. Stamp on the paper with permanent ink and repeated images of the same stamp for added interest to your wall hanging.
- Old costume jewelry, chains, pendants, charms, and spacers make nice additions to your work. I have often bought jewelry on clearance for the sole purpose of making it into something else.
- When you have your next art play date, ask your art friends to take a look around your house for ideas on items to incorporate into your art. They might see something that you might have missed because you see it everyday. A fresh view might help you repurpose something or reconsider it for an art project.
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