Come on, get crafty!

Part of my "auto-greenify"/"Triple-R" process has involved some creativity. I have an arts and crafts tendency (I know I'm not alone on this!), and I've been getting my hands on a couple of projects that were fun to make. I hope you enjoy today's "episode" of Recycle, Reuse, Reinvent. (As well as The Partridge Family's "Come on get happy!" tune)


Project #1: Our Signature Green Giftwrap 

Materials needed: 
-Newspaper sheet (black and white)
-Adhesive tape
-Silk single-colored ribbon*
(20" were used for this item, but it'll depend on the gift's size)
-Scallop Scissors
-Blank Index card

Process:
Place your gift in the center of the sheet, face down. Wrap the longer sides around it, one by one. Use a small piece of tape to secure them in the middle. Fold and tuck in the next two [shorter] sides, and secure each with a small piece of tape. Take out your ribbon and wrap it around the gift-  perpendicular to the longer side if it's rectangular. If it's square, go for the middle, or get creative. Wrap it around the gift, and turn it over. Tie the ribbon, and voilà! 

Remarks: 
This is incredibly easy, green, and quite a statement! I used a sheet from an old issue of The Wall Street Journal that I had around my house (the paper is thicker, so it folds better). The ribbon I used was from an old gift I was given (yes, I keep my ribbons, bags, and boxes). The note card you see there was made from a plain index card, I folded it in half, and then I trimmed off about 1/2" with a pair of scallop scissors. The note is hand written, and I added a color accent to match the ribbon.
What I loved about this giftwrap is that it is unique, and the black/white background with a nice punch of color to accent it makes it look very nice.  If you have never wrapped a gift before, here's a tutorial.
On a scale from 1-5, 5 being the highest level of difficulty, I'd give this project a 1.




Project #2: Recycled T-Shirt Necklace

Materials needed: 
-Old cotton t-shirt
-Sharp scissors
-A steady hand (could help)

Process: 
For the necklace: As you'll see in the picture below, it is quite simple: place the t-shirt on your working table, flatten it out well, and make sure the edges are straightened out. If needed, take out a ruler and mark the t-shirt's side for every inch. Start cutting the t-shirt pieces, setting each one-inch strip appart, and open (so it looks like a circle). Take the bottom seam out for later. Continue until you reach the bottom seams of the sleeves.

Grab your pile of fabric strips and start stretching them gently, so the edges curve in. Once they're all set, cut a small strip of fabric from the remaining t-shirt (go for the sleeve), stretch it to a single strip (not round like the ones before), pull it so the edges come in as well (it should look like a slightly thick or poofed up ribbon). Then, with one hand, accomodate the circular strips, and use the ribbon to tie them up. (Start in one side, and tie it around closely, then knot the ends and tuck them in).

For the rest: Now, you probably just sacrificed that old t-shirt you loved, but couldn't wear anywhere, so why not make the most out of it? Next, we decided to use the remaining fabric to create a set of cotton napkins/handkerchiefs (see pic 2) by cutting the sleeves off, and then cutting them into four rectangles.   The remaining top part of the t-shirt was turned into a handy kitchen rag: Cut a slit around the t-shirt's neck (so it creates a fabric tunnel around it). Grab the remaining bottom seam strip (from earlier), clip it on a bobby pin, and start passing the fabric strip inside the neck's tunnel, using the bobby pin like a needle with thread. Once you're done, remove the bobby pin, and do a basic knot with both ends of the fabric strip. Tie it tight, and then make another knot about 4-6" up the strip, e presto!

One T-shirt, three items: What a DEAL!

Remarks: 
I got this idea from Cucumbersome's Recycled T-Shirt Necklace Tutorial and decided to make it. It turned out to be extremely easy, and fun to make (except for going through the process of deciding which old t-shirt to sacrifice). The rag and the napkins have been very useful, both in my kitchen (rag), and at work (these napkins now travel in my lunchbox).
I made the necklace twice: first with the white t-shirt you see in the pics, and then with a plain black t-shirt. The white one had some old event's printed design on, and it made the stretching part a bit more difficult. The black one had no paint on it, so the strips curled easily. Given that cotton rocks, I don't really use it as a necklace, but as a short scarf instead. Let me tell y'all: It's been great for the movies!

I hope you enjoy these two super easy projects! We'll be posting two new ones soon.
Enjoy the craftin' & keep up the green work!