Question

Does anyone have a pattern for a basket or bowl made of bottle caps?  My grandfather made one when he was about 8 or 9 back in 1928.  I believe they are strung together with wire – maybe bailing wire or picture hanging wire.  The one he made is about 10″ across and 8″ high – not including the handle. I’d love to make one!

Joan M via e-mail

I found two projects online that might help you. The first uses metal bottle caps to make a lampshade.  This project has excellent instructions on drilling and wiring the metal bottle caps and these instructions could be adapted to make a basket. You can find the wire frame to make a lampshade, basket, bowl, or box online where wire art or stained glass supplies are sold.  You can also use traditional basket weaving techniques. The second project used plastic bottle caps to make a basket. Again, I thought the instructions and information could be adapted to metal bottle caps.

Lamp Shade With Metal Bottle Caps

Plastic Bottle Cap Basket

Maria Nerius, Resident Craft Expert for FaveCrafts.com has been an avid crafter since childhood and enjoys crafting as her profession too. Read her new column Cashing in on Your Creativity in Crafts ‘n Things magazine.

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Ask Maria “Bottle Cap Basket Instructions?”

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With the 40^th anniversary of Earth Day quickly approaching (April 22^nd), I thought I would share some ideas on how to make eco-friendly scrapbook layouts. You can use eco-friendly craft products, such as post-consumer recycled paper, to make your scrapbook layouts. You can also reuse household waste in your green scrapbook layouts and save money on materials.

Of course, one of the greenest ways to engage in scrapbooking these days is with digital scrapbooking. We were very impressed with Serif’s Digital Scrapbook Artist.  With digital scrapbooking, you eliminate product packaging and transportation, even if you do eventually print your scrapbook pages. (I would highly recommend sharing scrapbook pages with family and friends online!)

General Tips for Eco-Friendly Scrapbook Layouts

• Purchase durable scrapbooking tools and products. Repair broken tools instead of buying new.
• Buy local whenever possible. You’ll support your community and reduce fuel consumption in transportation. Attend local craft fairs to find scrapbook products.
• When purchasing any new products for scrapbook layouts, separate the recycles and non-recyclables. See if you can use the non-recyclables, such as plastic sheets, for creative projects. Whenever possible, try to purchase products with eco-friendly packaging.
• Save every scrap of paper for future scrapbook layouts. You can turn paper scraps into homemade sheets of paper or use for a variety of other uses in scrapbooking.
• Use freecycle to find scrapbooking products and tools that others don’t want anymore. You can also use craigslist barter to swap scrapbooking materials.
• Instead of tossing, donate unwanted scrapbooking materials to local schools, senior centers or scout troops.

Eco-Friendly Paper for Scrapbook Layouts

• Paper Bags- You can use plain, brown grocery bags as the base for a number of scrapbook layouts. Cut out shapes, paint, stamp or even burn the brown bags for a variety of effects.  
• Cereal Boxes- Cereal boxes are a perfect weight for heavy cardstock or to make chipboard shapes. Paint the background or let the fun shapes and bright colors show in your scrapbook layouts.
• Corrugated Cardboard- You can use corrugated cardboard for the covers of scrapbook albums or sturdy scrapbook paper. Paint or color the indentations for a fun, striped look.
• Junk Mail- You can make your own paper at home with junk mail. You will need fine screening and a few other materials, but the process is pretty easy.
• Paper Trunk- This scrapbook company offers recycled cardstock and packaging.
• Jillibean Soup- This scrapbook company prints on kraft paper, made from 100% recycled stock.
• K &Company Lotus Collection/ReMake Collection- These two scrapbook collections are printed with soy-based inks on recycled paper. The packaging is made with recycled and reusable materials.

Eco-Friendly Embellishments for Scrapbook Layouts

• Plastic packaging- Use the plastic packaging from scrapbook materials or kitchen goods to make clear windows in your scrapbook layouts.
• Puzzle Pieces- When you lose a few pieces from a puzzle, use the remaining pieces for your scrapbook layouts.
• Soda Cans- Colorful aluminum soda cans are a great material for scrapbook layouts. You will need sharp scissors and a piece of sandpaper to remove any burrs. You can also emboss the metal with a pointed tool.
• Stamps- Try making your own rubber stamps at home or make simple stamps with recycled materials such as old sponges or foam plates.
• Creatively Green- This craft company offers a variety of green materials for scrapbook layouts, including 100% recycled cardstock, eco-friendly felt flowers, wood embellishments and ribbon made from junk mail.
• Die Cuts with a View (DCWV)- This company offers chipboard shapes and letters made from 70% post-consumer recycled paper.

This is a post from: FaveCraftsBlog

Eco-Friendly Scrapbook Layouts

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Earth Day crafts using recycled materials are a fun way to celebrate the green holiday. You can make gifts with free Earth Day crafts for upcoming occasions such as Mother or Father’s Day and save a few dollars. With Earth Day Crafts, you can re-purpose materials already in your home for decorative and/or functional purposes. Earth Day crafts are also an education tool for all ages on the values of reusing, repurposing and recycling. Pull out those old tin can and torn jeans and start crafting!

Here are our 9 Earth Crafts to enjoy:

1. Plastic Bags- To be truly green, you should be taking your reusable shopping bag to the store instead of acquiring disposable plastic bags. But, if you do forget, there are several things you can do with the plastic bags instead of sending them to the landfill (where they will not biodegrade). You can fuse several plastic bags into a sturdy reusable shopping bag with your iron. Here’s how: Take 3-4 plastic bags and cut off the bottom seam and handles. Keep these to make more fused material for handles and embellishments.  Sandwich the bags between two layers of parchment or freezer paper and iron for about 15 seconds on each side. Use the fused material to sew up a shopping bag.
2. Plastic Bags- You can also use the occasional plastic bag to make yarn (called “plarn” by many crafters).  Cut the bags into 2-cm wide strips and knot the ends together to create a continuous strand. You can also loop ends together to create double-stranded plarn strand. Use for a sturdy door mat or any number of projects.
3. Old Sweaters- Felt old or damaged wool sweaters in your washing machine for a material for a variety of crafts. You can create toys, pillows, brooches, potholders, coffee cup sleeves and more with the homemade felt.
4. Old Jeans- Make a coffee cup cozy or sleeve from two layers of denim. Reduce the number of paper sleeves you use at your local café or slip on your own cups or mugs to protect your hands. Measure around the cup, cut and sew with a standard seam allowance.
5. Old Jeans- Cut out the pockets from the seat of the jeans. Add magnets on the back and use to stash craft supplies, a notepad and pencil for shopping lists, business cards, coupons or other items on your magnet board or fridge.
6. Old Jeans- Use old jeans to create quick hotpads. Cut two squares from the legs and insert a layer of quilt batting between the denim. Turn under raw edges and sew closed. Stitch a decorative shape in the middle of the hotpad to keep batting in place.
7. Wine Bottles- Coat old wine bottles with a coat of chalkboard paint. Decorate with chalk and use as vases or accent pieces.
8. Aluminum Cans- Aluminum cans become shiny embellishments for scrapbook pages or homemade jewelry. Wear gloves and use a sharp pair of scissors to cut off the top and bottom from the can and cut down the length. Cut out your object (such as a flower) and use sandpaper to remove any burrs. You can also emboss lines (such as leaf veins) into the shape before sanding. Use either the silver or color side for different looks.
9. Pop Tabs- Use pop tabs and elastic cord to create fun bracelets with this tutorial. 

This is a post from: FaveCraftsBlog

9 Earth Day Crafts

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One of our favorite designers here at FaveCrafts Heidi Borchers sent over a video about her new Coffee Cup Art campaign. Making art out of Starbucks coffee cups, Heidi is on a mission to get Starbucks to recycle in their coffee store fronts.

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Eco Heidi Video: Starbucks Recycle Campaign

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For the March Giveaway , we are giving away a gift basket of craft products from Earth Safe Finishes with a total retail value of $100.

Gift Basket Includes 1 each:

• Gel Glaze
• Acrylic Paint-Glacier
• Fabric Magic
• Perfect Paint-White
• Acrylic Gouache
• Marine Varnish Gloss
• Sealer
• Colorant (Black, Blue, Yellow, Red)

Contest ends April 1, 2010. You can enter once daily, so return often to improve your chances of winning!

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3 More Days to Enter: March Giveaway Earth Safe Finishes

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[Editorial Note: I'm posting this on behalf of Celebrate Green! Info at bottom]

March can be a drab month–waiting for winter to end and the first signs of spring to emerge. That’s why, whether you’re Irish or not, celebrating St. Patrick’s Day is a cool idea–especially if you make it eco! Here are some simple, fun, affordable ideas for you and the family that will make those not included green with envy!

1. Gather your friends and neighbors for your own St. Patrick’s Day walking parade. Whether it’s around a cul de sac or down a street or two, you’re sure to have a great time if you dress in green and wish everyone the luck ‘o the Irish as you pass by! Encourage participants to make hats out of whatever they have around the house or before the parade, ask guests to bring an old white/beige t-shirt and meet at your house. Cut shamrock shapes into potatoes and stamp on the shirts with eco-friendly fabric paints.
2. Decorate at least one room in the house with the spirit ‘o the green. Gather everything green you have lying around from books to clothing to flower pots etc., even green sheets. Set the timer for ten minutes and let the kids decorate the room. Then have a party there! Put on some Irish music, learn a jig and celebrate.
3. Skip the corned beef. It’s not really Irish anyway! (According to the History Chanel, no one in Ireland ate this except for a few royals. But when the Irish immigrated to New York’s lower East side, they were looking for a cheaper alternative to bacon and probably learned about corned beef from their Jewish neighbors.) Since one of the most Earth-friendly habits you can get into is eating less (or no) beef, focus on the veggies. Cabbage is great if people like it, but if they don’t, potatoes are usually a favorite.  How about setting up a potato bar and color the taters green with pureed veggies like kale, spinach, arugula, or pea pods. Add spice with green salsa or more interesting taste with sage.
4. End a party or St. Pat’s family dinner with homemade organic oatmeal cookies and pistachio, lime or mint ice cream/sherbert/sorbet.
5. For evening entertainment, borrow or rent A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. The story centers on an Irish immigrant family in Brooklyn in the 1900’s and their young daughter’s struggle to stay positive in the midst of poverty. Better yet, choose to start reading the book of the same name on St. Patrick’s Day.
6. If you want to enjoy the occasion with a touch of beer, always a St. Paddy’s Day favorite, check out the many organic alternatives.
7. A few quick, easy, no waste games for your gathering:
8. See how many words two teams can make from the longest place name in Ireland: Muckanaghederdauhaulia
9. Have everyone try to guess the meaning of Irish words like: handfasting, sean-nos, or a jaunting car. Answers and more words are here.
10. Here’s an Irish children’s game: One child is Mr. Fox and the other children line the wall. Mr. Fox stands about 10 feet away with his back turned. The children in the line say, “What time is it Mr. Fox?” He replies, “one o’clock.” Then the children walk slowly toward the fox, repeating the question and answer until the Fox says, “Dinner time.” The fox chases everyone back to the wall. It anyone is tagged, he/she is now the Fox.

Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson are mother and daughter and co-authors of Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family, available at www.CelebrateGreen.net

This is a post from: FaveCraftsBlog

Guest Post: Eco-Friendly St. Patrick’s Day

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St. Patrick’s Day isn’t the craftiest of holidays for me.  Let’s face it.  How many shamrocks can you stand to make out of green construction paper?  I’d much rather be cooking corned beef and drinking a tall mug of Guinness!

But since Caley (one of the editors of FaveCraft) asked me to provide a St. Patrick’s day DIY, how could I say no?  Last year, I had the opportunity to actually meet Caley in the most unlikely of places.  DUBLIN IRELAND!  I was there for the U2 concert and she had emailed me about contributing to the website.  We ended up having tea in Temple Bar and talked a lot about what influenced our crafting.

So I guess it’s fate that since we met in Ireland I’m providing a St. Patrick’s Day DIY.  The only thing I could think of was a terrarium.  I’d made one with a little fimo clay gnome some years back and I thought switching out the gnome for Lucky the Leprechaun would be perfect.  However, living a mile high in a little town in Montana doesn’t exactly provide one with a wealth of houseplants for a terrarium.  How about NO plants at all!  Not this time of year.  I was reduced to using some dried moss I’d stored away from a trip to Idaho and running to the grocery store for alfalfa sprouts!    That’s what living in a small town does to you.  You learn to improvise and use what you have!

This is a simple project and one that soon sparked my own imagination when I thought it’d also be fun to start your own indoor sprout herb garden.

Lucky is easy to create.  You’ll need green orange, black, yellow, and flesh colored clay to create Lucky.  And if you’re wanting to create the rainbow for the pot of gold, you’ll need white, blue and red clay.  I found a little glass jar at the thrift store.  If you’re actually making a terrarium you’ll need some carbon (found at pet stores) and some potting soil and a small houseplant.

Construct Lucky.  I’m sure most of you can look at him and figure it out for yourself, but I’ll write the instructions anyway.  Remember to wash your hands when changing to different colors of clay as they can intermingle with each other.  I rolled out the hat in green clay to look like a tall cylinder.  Then pinched out the bottom brim.  Roll out a thin small piece of black clay . Flatten down and wrap around the top portion of the hat.  Then make a yellow buckle.  I formed a tiny square, flattened it and used a toothpick to shape the outline of the buckle.

Using flesh colored clay, roll out a ball that will be Lucky’s head.  Make a couple of eyes with black clay and a nose from the flesh colored clay.  I simply rolled out two small balls of black and one of flesh.  Then attached them by pressing down with a toothpick.

Now, you’ll want to make the body.  Pinch off a large portion of the green clay for Lucky’s chest and roll it into a large square shape.  Pinch off four smaller pieces of green clay and mold them into two arms (sleeves) and two legs (pants).  Attach them all together.  Pinch off one small piece of black clay for Lucky boots.  Attach this to the bottom of his pants and roll the end of a toothpick in the middle to make it look like a pair of boots.  Next roll out two small pieces of flesh colored clay and roll into balls.  Attach under his sleeves as his hands.  The beard is made of orange clay and shaped by making a long ‘V”.  Attach it to Lucky’s face, use your toothpick to make his mouth and use the ends of the toothpick by dragging it on the clay to make it add ‘hair’ texture.

Make your pot of gold by rolling out a ball of black clay and pinching the top out for the rim of the pot.  Then roll out a small piece for the handle and attach.  Make tiny balls of gold and put them inside the pot.  Make your rainbow by rolling out different colors.  Attach all together and flatten.  Then attach the rainbow over the pot of gold.

There you have it!  Lucky the Leprechaun Terrarium -or- Herb Garden!

Erin Go Bragh!

xo,

Maize Hutton
www.maizehutton.blogspot.com

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Guest Post: Lucky the Leprechaun Terrarium

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FaveCrafts was contacted recently by a company called Verve, which makes all-natural Glee Gum and Make Your Own Candy Kits. These kits include Make Your Own Chocolate, Make Your Own Chewing Gum and Make Your Own Gummies. Now while we certainly love the DIY focus here at FaveCrafts, I took a moment to check out the website because of the company’s eco-friendly, global focus.

To make their products, Verve purchases natural chicle from communities in Northern Guatemala. These communities have been economically depressed since the rise of synthetic resins for making chewing gum. By purchasing natural chicle, Verve supports a sustainable industry and provides income for these communities. In addition, Verve’s green focus also means that their products come packaged in 100% biodegradable cardboard.

I was happy to see that the website provides Lesson Plans to go along with their Make Your Own Candy Kits. These kits are a fun activity for kids and also teach valuable lessons about the environment and our global community.

This is a post from: FaveCraftsBlog

Link Love: Glee Gum

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When all the presents have been opened on Christmas (or after the eight nights of Hannukah), you are likely to find yourself with a mound of crumpled and torn wrapping paper. While your first thought might be to throw everything away, think again!  With crafting, you can recycle that wrapping paper in your own home, reduce the amount of waste coming from your household and save money on future paper crafts.  Use a simple technique to create your own paper from leftover gift wrap. Be green and frugal at the same time!

Making your own paper at home is very similar to what happens at a recycling plant, but homemade paper will be thicker and a bit rougher. Homemade paper is nonetheless lovely and demonstrates an extra special touch when used for homemade cards and other crafts. Here’s how to make your own paper from leftover wrapping paper.

Materials:

• Leftover wrapping paper
• Blender
• Newspaper or Couch Sheets (highly absorbent blotting paper used in paper-making)
• Smooth Cloth (also for blotting)- A plain tea towel would work well for this purpose.
• Rolling Pin
• 12 x 8″ Non-Rust, Fine Mesh Screen (or size of paper desired)
• 9 x 13″ Flat Baking Pan (or slightly larger than screen)
• Instant Starch (optional)
• Hot Water- Boil a kettle or large pot of water.

Instructions:

1. Separate the wrapping paper into groups of similar colors. Do different color batches to specific certain colored paper. For example, use red wrapping paper to create homemade paper for Valentine’s Day cards.
2. Tear and shred the paper into very small bits. Kids will love helping with this step. You can also run paper scraps through a paper shredder if you have one in your home office.
3. For interest, you can also add glitter, dried flowers, colorful threads and leaves to your pulp mixture. For a beautiful color, add leftover poinsettia leaves to a white paper pulp.
4. Place 1/2 cup of shredded paper into the blender. Add 2 cups of hot water. Mix in the starch if desired. Cover and blend the mixture on medium speed for 30 seconds-1 minute. You want a pulp with no paper bits left.
5. Put a double layer of newspaper on the counter and place your blotting cloth on top.
6. Pour the pulp into the flat baking pan. Slide mesh into the pan and move around until the screen is evenly coated with pulp.
7. Slowly and carefully lift the screen from the pan keeping it level. Let drain for a minute over the pan.
8. Place the screen, pulp side up, on the blotting cloth. Put another blotting cloth over and a double layer of newspaper on top of everything. Your are basically sandwiching the paper screen between blotting materials.
9. Roll your rolling pin over the “sandwich” to squeeze out excess water.
10. Remove the top two layers of newspaper and very carefully flip the screen sandwiched between the two blotting cloths. Do not touch the paper yet. Allow to dry for 24 hours.
11. Carefully remove the paper from the screen
12. Enjoy your homemade paper! Turn the paper into Thank You cards after Christmas, birthday cards, scrapbook pages and much more.

This is a post from: FaveCraftsBlog

How to: Make your Own Paper from Leftover Wrapping Paper

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The clear stamps in this set are all on the theme of recycling, nature and helping the Earth. One of the stamps is a border of different images. You will need an acyrlic block to mount these stamps, but if you have a fondness for environmentalism, check this set out.  Learn more and enter to win the stamp set here.

Contest ends October 30, 2009. You can enter once daily, so return often to improve your chances of winning!

This is a post from: FaveCraftsBlog

Product Review and Giveaway: Go Green Stamps

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