I’ve been cranking out the bread lately. Something about being without an oven for so long has made me go a little overboard. Or maybe I just really appreciate what I have and actually use it. It’s been about a loaf a week for a while now and I think I’ll keep it up. While baking your own bread is delicious, easy, and cheap, it does have the very wasteful side effect of chewing through plastic wrap.

{Basic White Bread from Beard On Bread pictured above}

You see, freshly baked bread, just like any other bread, will go bad when left exposed to air and it’s wonderful “wild yeasty beasties.” So I wrap it up tight. Maybe too tight. I’m going through like a roll of plastic every other month, not very Craft Leftovers spirited.

I’ve thought it over quite a bit and tried a few different things and here’s what figured out works best to keep my bread fresh and not blow through so much plastic wrap. What’s funny is that I wrote up this whole post intending to make a reusable bread bag. All the directions typed up and ready to go even.

Then I realized we only had about 2 slices left of the two loaves I had baked on Tuesday (we had company and we devoured it together). Okay, not so bad, I’ll bake some more. So today I baked a new loaf of bread–altered the Homestyle recipe so it’s just one loaf instead of two (Beard On Bread cookbook) and it turned out splendidly.

{Homestyle bread I baked today}

And then I realized that I was out of wax paper – which is what I had originally conceived making my bag out of. Then I thought oil cloth would be great–until I realized I was out of that too!

I was getting ready to wrap up the bread in plastic wrap, in defeat, when Jason says, “Why doens’t home baked bread get put in a bag like store bought?” Completely oblivious to my internal war–my mind vs. stale bread vs. wasteful plastic wrap usage–that had been raging for the last 3 days. I said, “Well, it should be, and that’s what I’ve been struggling with. I want to make a reusable bread bag, but the ziplocks are too small to fit a whole loaf and I don’t have any wax paper or oil cloth or vinyl right now.”

His response was pure genius:

“So why don’t you use the bulk bin bag from Wheatsfield that I had the rice in?”

Brilliance!

It’s free, it gives another use to a produce bag, and Wheatsfield bulk bin bags are made in some kind of fancy pants eco friendly way (100% post consumer recycled industrial resin). And it’s big enough to fit the bread and even comes with a twist tie.

Moral of the story?

• Don’t over-think solutions to easy problems.

And

• Make sure to take a look around the house before you run out to buy a half yard of oil cloth.

And

• Don’t get stuck thinking there’s just one solution to a problem, there are always multiple solutions.

Future Reusable Bread Bag

Now, I am trying to scale down our garbage, so we will not have steady flow of bulk bin bags for much longer. I’m going to take my food containers and have them weigh them out before filling them up. Eventually I will have to make a reusable bread bag. But that day is not today. I will keep my eyes peeled for some free oil cloth so when the time comes I’ll have some, but until that day, I’ll work on other fun things–like the little zine library boxes I’m working on after I finish this post. :)

Actually, I’ll take this opportunity to ask: Does anyone have some cute oil cloth they want to send my way? I’ll swap you for it. Maybe some yarn? Or a zine? Just email me at kristin [at] craftleftovers [dot] com.

Happy crafting!
Kristin Roach

For a long time now I’ve wanted to make a stamp (or label) that I could mark every craft leftovers package with. I was thinking the Craft Leftovers name or the yarn ball logo or both.

First I tried just carving a linoleum block, but that didn’t really have the ease of use I was looking for – though I do love my yarn ball block. It was two hard to use on a rubber stamp pad, so I had print it just like any regular ol’ block print.

Hmmm, I thought maybe in the stamp aisle of the craft store they would have “make your own stamp” kit, nope. I finally did track one down in the print making aisle at hobby lobby. But it was really expensive. Then I realized, hey, I have that type of carving block in my stash of print making supplies.

So here is what you need to make your own stamp that can be used with any regular ol’ ink pad along with a few substitution options if you don’t want to get the ez carve block.

Materials

• 1 – EZ Carve Block (dick blick or mastercut brand works well)
• 1 – carving tools, or an X-acto craft knife works well
• Fine tipped marker (like a Sharpie or prismacolor marker)
• Pencil
• Wood block 1/2″ X the dimensions of the stamp you make (mine ended up being about 1/2 x 4 x 4″) – birch plywood cut down works nicely, I had some scraps left over from some paintings I did.
• Wood block 1/2 x 4 x 2″
• 5 – 1/2″ nails
• 5 – 3/4″ nails
• Small hammer
• Wood glue

Directions

Step One: Draw out the design of your choosing onto one side of the block. I wanted some text, so I printed it out and used a glue stick to attach it to the block. It’s tricking carving text so don’t go too small if you opt to include some in your own design. Position your drawing in one corner of the block to preserve as much scrap block as possible. I want to make some other fun little stamps with the leftovers from this later :)

Step Two: Use the X-acto knife to cut the design out from the larger block. Don’t go right up next to the design, leave at least a quarter inch.

Step Three: Carefully carve the general areas out of the block. I like to make a smooth cut along the edge of the design, and then carve up to that point. It helps to keep the block from tearing or splitting into the design. As advertise, these little blocks carve up like butter, which is great, but also a little tricky to control sometimes.

Step Four: Details. There is no other way to do it than the tried and true method of going slow, be patient, and don’t cut deep. Just a little bit at a time, cut closer and closer to the design. With the areas where there’s paper, I “traced” the letters with the X-acto knife and then used my smallest carving tool to carefully sliver away the block.

The yarn ball took about 15 minutes, the letters = 2 hours. So worth it though. I love the handmade feel.

After you carve out all those little pieces, ink it and stamp it. Cut more into the block until it’s just perfect.

More alterations and ta-da!

Mounting it: Let’s make it long lasting!

Then it’s time to mount that baby. Mounting the carved stamp will help it to last longer. The ez-carve blocks are really floppy and flexible, so any find parts (like the letters of the tips of the knitting needles) will eventually crack off or the block may split – no good. Plus mounting has the added bonus of making it even easier to stamp with! And it’s easy, so why not right?

Step One: Find a piece of wood you would like to use for your mount. I used birch plywood, but really, anything will work pretty okay. I like the 1/2″ thickness, but more because I have a load of it than it being the best thing for

Step Two: Lay the carved stamp on the piece of wood and measure out where you need to cut down the wood. Since I was using a little piece, I just needed to make one cut.

Step Three: Take another piece of scrap wood that is smaller than your mounting piece (I used the scrap from my cut), smear some wood glue on one side of the small piece, press it to the back side of the mounting piece, and nail it in place using the 3/4″ nails, this is your handle. Clean up the wood glue with a damp paper towel before it dries.

Note: At this point, you can seal the wood with any kind of water proof latex paint (exterior house paint works great, and the miss-tint pints are really cheap). That way when you wash your stamp, the wood will stay protected.

Step Four: Put a few beads of glue on the back side of the stamp and press it against the block. Lay the piece stamp side up and nail a couple of the 1/2″ nails through the stamp in the recessed area.

And the great thing about using these blocks, is you really can use any stamp pad, making it much easier to use than a lino block – and a lot quicker to dry.

Happily, from now on, every package leaving my studio will have a Craft Leftovers stamp on it. Hooray!

Happy Crafting!

Kristin

I hope to find a use for every single scrap of clothing and office supplies, but it’s a little unrealistic. An item that frustrates and annoys me may be the perfect thing for someone else.

Find a new use for an old thing: Redress!

In the case of the office, studio, or wardrobe, try to think outside of the box and look at things in a whole new light. Sure you grew out of that shirt years ago, but could you remake it into something fresh? Could you use that thing-a-ma-jig as a fun and functional coat hook? Try to find a way it can fill a need in your home or studio that it may not have been originally designed for.

{photo by Karen Liao – awesome contributor and CL online editor}

Cut two shirts and stitch them together for a new one. A skirt can become a shirt. Cardboard can become drawer dividers. Foam core can become fabric panels. The options are endless…unfortunately even I get stumped.

If you are coming up empty on ideas, move on to the next.

Give someone else a chance: Donate!

Just because you can’t find a use doesn’t mean someone else won’t see it as the perfect thing for their home, studio, or wardrobe. We mostly think of the Salvation Army, but there are many other great charities that resell everything from clothing to office supplies. Check the yellow pages and pick the one you like the most or best suits what you have to donate.

{photo from wikicommons - I have a soft spot for The Salvation Army because of things like helping after the floods here in Iowa.}

If your clothing is in good shape, you can consign it for a little spare cash. It’s not a ton of money mind you, but it could be used to pick up some “new to you” threads at the same shop or a thrift store.

And Freecycle.org and CraigsList.org are great resources for passing your things on to others.

I keep a trash bag in the hall closet to put anything destined for the thrift store in it. When it gets full, about once every two weeks, I drop it off.  I pair it up with the trip to the recycling center and the library which are all on the same side of town.

Too beat up or just not the right type of thing to make a donation? Move right on.

Give it new Life: Recycle!

Sometimes you have loved an item so much that it’s completely unusable and would end up in the trash even at the Salvation Army. Old clothing can recycled into rags, pot holders, and dishrags. Weaving rag rugs is a great way to use up old cut up clothing.

{photo by Zaf on WikiCommons}

Paper, cardboard, bottles, jars, and just about anything else can be taken to your local recycling center. If you have curbside pick up, (envious!) all the better. Make sure all your bottles are rinsed and dried. Sort your drop off by type to make the whole process smooth.

We have a great program here in Ames called Cycles. They ride to your office/home/studio and pick up on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly schedule. They are in such high demand that the owner has a waiting list (including me). He’s getting more work than he can hire people for. This is pretty amazing considering it’s a paid recycling service in an economic downturn. Maybe we are all on the upswing. Maybe people are starting to give a crap about the environment. Hopefully both!

Find your local recycling options on Earth911. They have many great recycling tips and articles. Take a look around their site for more info on what your trash gets recycled into.

How do you redress, donate, and recycle? What works best for your home/office?

Best wishes!

Kristin Roach

The April Stash Bust is pretty dear to my heart. In fact, Craft Leftovers is pretty much the April Stash Bust year round. If you’ve jumped over to the “about” page it reads:

“I am driven to create, but not to create more waste. From the studio to the kitchen, I make a point to look at what is on hand first before running to the store… Join my mission to not only de-stash, but also to find fabulous uses for all those leftovers, to live your life creatively!”

How does that apply to the rest of my life?

I had a pingback to the April Stash Bust kick off post last week that prompted me to write today’s post: the April Stash Bust as it applies to community projects! I’ve mentioned Ames C.art only randomly the last few months, so you may have missed it. I started a local non-profit art organization named Ames Collaborative Art. We call it Ames C.art. :)

In my capacity as Creative Director, President of the Board, Fundrasier, and Chief Instigator, I’ve been given a lot of oppertunities to make a difference in how our organization impacts the community.

{Ames C.art charity sewing workshop – made 25 hats and 17 scarves for the emergancy shelter project in Jan 2010}

We started out like most art groups do–disposable cups, plates, napkins, etc. When I saw us pitching cups and scraps, it really bothered me. But how could we avoid it? Are we going to tell new members, “Tough luck, no drink/cookie/cupcake/food for you?” Nope. We decided to encourage our members to bring their own mug if they want something to drink. We’ve asked them to bring their own place setting if they want to share in the potluck fun.

How do you get people to sign on to that? Well, we are a pretty creative group of people, so we came up with some creative solutions.

1. We have a “kitchen kit” that includes some mugs and saucers from the thrift store to let new members use. It also includes a “wash kit” that has dishsoap and a wash cloth in it. Everyone washes the dish they use or we rotate wash duty responsibilities. (I’m working up a wash kit tutorial for Craft Leftovers. It will make an appearance later this week.)

2. We have an Environmental Impact Fine. We have a few disposable products leftovers that we continue to use until they are gone, but every time a member uses one, they have to pay a 25 cent fine.  Everyone gets one free pass, but after that it’s a fine or no drink. It’s a low amount, but it helps people remember for next time.

3. We are going to start listing “bring your own mug” in each of our event listings so people know ahead of time and expect it. If there’s food, we include “bring your own place setting.”

4. We are writing a pattern for a fabric place set holder that your silverware, mug, and bowl fit nicely into. It will be free to download from the Ames C.art website in June. And we are going to have a sewing workshop on how to make one with the supplies included later this year.

There are some things though that are unavoidable.

We are kicking off our first large scale public art project at the end of April–a great community mural! It will be 12 x 80 feet! Amazing. We will have to purchase brushes, rollers, paint, buckets, drop clothes. There is no way around it. Or is there?

While we will have to purchase some supplies, we are also doing a drive for used materials–brushes, rollers, buckets, drop clothes–that have been gently used can be donated at a drop box. Hopefully many of our supplies will be used! We are also borrowing scaffolding from a local business instead of purchasing our own.

You may not always be able to make it a 100% reuse project but many times you can make it at the very least 10%.

The main point of the April Stash Bust is to work on making your impact smaller. You can scale back a little or a lot, but the main thing is that you are trending down your consumption. So like Lisa (the pingback I mentioned at the beginning of the post), if you have a project you know you have to purchase things for, look for other ways you can make the event a little more earth friendly. The main thing is that you do your best and feel awesome for resisting the urge to purchase unnecessary things.

Happy stash busting!

Hi there, it’s Karen again! A few weeks ago, Kristin let me share a few of my attempts to “fancy up” my wardrobe. This week I have two more projects to write about. Last time, I wrote about my two tactics: embellishment and reconstruction. I thought it might be interesting to see how both techniques can be used on the same shirt for different results.

the shirt

A few years ago, I was running errands with my kids and saw this shirt. (Yes, it’s another wrinkly picture.) It came in a few different colors/patterns and I couldn’t decide between two. Time is of the essence when out with my boys, so I tossed them both in the cart and hoped for the best. Unfortunately, I wore it a few times and decided that something wasn’t quite right. The neckline and fit are a bit off for my build but not so bad that it can’t be worn.

embellish it

I got my hands on a copy of Crochet Adorned by Linda Permann and kept being drawn toward the “Pretty Petals Tank.” It’s a really fun and inspiring read with clear instructions. Even as a beginner, I was able to crochet the pattern below.

(I found this picture on the web. Nice, eh?)

Somehow, I connected my not-quite-right shirt with this tank top. I followed the Permann’s instructions for the crochet and then used the elements to change the neckline on my shirt. I had to use fewer of the motifs but I like how it turned out. The most difficult part of the project was finding a yarn that was a perfect match. I ended up with a yarn that was close enough. Since the shirt is a gauzy fabric, it’s passable.

reconstruct it

For the second of the two shirts, I decided on a reconstruction. What I ended up doing was rather simple but it took three tries to get there. The second shirt had this fun pattern. I’m not a tall person–5-ish feet. So I think the print was too overwhelming. Still, I thought if reduced the visual impact it could work. First I tried using some elastic to make an empire waist. That didn’t look right. In the photo below you can still see the crease marks where I added and then removed a casing for the elastic.

A few months later, I was out shopping for my kids and found the blue tank in the picture. It was ultra cheap and the right size and color. Instead of trying to make a “new” shirt, I decided to make a dress. The rough sketch shows where I made my cuts. I used the bit from the bottom of the shirt to add ties to the sides of the dress to give it a bit more shape.

It took two attempts to get it right. The ties aren’t visible in the picture, but are sewn on the side seam where the two fabrics meet.

And, sadly, this was the best picture I could get. I probably should have dusted the mirror too but dusting is in the same category as ironing. You get the idea, right? It’s a very light and airy dress. It’ll work nicely for a beach coverup on a sweltering summer day. It’s not to early to talk about the beach is it?

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Karen Liao is a lifelong crafter and online editor for the Craft Leftovers blog. She sells her handmade goods for charity in her etsy shop, TurtleStar.

Sometimes taking the day off is the best way to refresh and get new ideas. “Well yeah,” you are saying. Like everything else in life, easier said than done.

Yesterday I came to the point where I had to decide between going to my painting class or writing a post. (The weekend was insane. As was yesterday morning, so it was go to class or write.) I don’t often do things that are just for me. I don’t often do things where I’m not the one hosting/teaching/facilitating/in charge/responsible. Well, no more.

I started taking a painting class at the local art center 4 weeks ago and it has been an absolute delight. I’m an oil painter by training, and it’s been forever since I’ve used acrylics. When I was given the chance to learn from a great artist who specializes in drawing (my favorite!) and acrylic painting I jumped all over it. I knew I was overloaded with obligations, but this was so important to me I just couldn’t say no. I figured, “Hey, once a week for a couple hours, for 5 weeks, I can swing that.” So I did!

(second one is a wip, yarn is so hard to paint, still working on)

I had two great discoveries. Here’s the first:

I decided that I need to do something just for me. Something I’m not planning on sharing with anyone, or making money from. Something that’s creative and challenging and interesting. Music. Cello.

Did you know I play the cello? Well, I do. I started in 2003 and took lessons for 2 years solid. I was getting pretty good. Then I moved to college and my cello got all out of tune. I couldn’t find a teacher or a violin shop in Dekalb, so it sat out of tune and neglected. I took it to a HoShaw violin shop here in Ames shortly after moving here (about this time last year actually) and it’s in pretty good shape. I’ve been playing around with it in the studio off and on, but you can only get so far on your own with a stringed beauty like this when you don’t know the basics.

I always thought I would start taking lessons again. I always wanted to. Intending and wanting and thinking are not doing. It’s so easy to let an instrument, or a loom for that matter, sit collecting dust for years and years. But before you know it, I’m old. I’m 70. And I’m still thinking “I’ll learn to play the cello someday.” Screw that.

It takes a long time to get good, so I better start working on it now. I’ll never have time to play the cello. There will always be crap in the way, keeping that “I should” an “I should” instead of a “I am.” Well heck. It’s official. I am taking cello lessons! Hooray! I just got off the phone with an instructor and starting March 22nd I will spend a half hour each Monday taking a lesson.

Here’s the second:

This is the leftovers that came from painting. So I’ve been using those little disposable palettes because I had some around from years ago. I ran out. What to use for my palette? I didn’t want to leave the studio because that would have taken time away from painting. I didn’t have anything proper to put my paint on. So what should I use?

Kind of like with the curling ribbon in the ebook, frustrated, I looked around my studio and said “show me your secrets.” There it was, a new source of palettes: the back sides of the mailing labels!

Check this out. This thing is the same exact material as disposable palettes! I’ve always wondered what to do with these things because you can’t recycle them. You can’t use them for most paper crafts because they are so shiny. You can’t even test print things on them because the toner doesn’t stick to the gloss.

And even better, I can save my palettes that the paint has dried on and use them to use in future collages or drawings or other crafty projects! It’s a full circle kind of thing. As I get more orders (thank you!) for Craft Leftovers Monthly, I use more shipping labels. I’m so excited these won’t be just tossed in the trash any more.

Happy crafting!

Kristin

I’ve always been frustrated by the massive amounts of junk mail I receive each week. Hey, I’m trying my best to do my part to keep the earth full of trees and green and happy. Well, once it’s in my house I sure don’t want to just send it to the landfill. Even recycling takes more energy. Well heck, what to do? Thankfully there are all sorts of ways to keep the majority of your junk mail out of the recycling bin and/or trash. Here are a few of my favorite ones.

Recycled Magazine Coasters on How About Orange

Recycled Magazine Baskets on How About Orange

Postcard Journals on Design Sponge – what to do with the pretty mail you get. Those art opening cards can be really great for these.

That reminded of the little project I made awhile back:

Pocketbook sketchbook on Craft Leftovers. Haha, just had to keep with the format, right? :) Anytime you get junk mail that’s only printed on one side, you can cut them down and make one of these little guys. In fact, I think I’m going to make another one as I’ve been wanting a pocket sized sketchbook lately.

cut, cut, staple

*poof*

Check out this little guy I made just now. See how easy that was? Even my little tiger cat baby likes using it. He drew a self portrait.

Pocket sketchbooks are great!

Seriously though, it’s always nice to have a little pocket-sized book to jot down drawings, ideas, and notes in. You never know when you will get a flash of brilliance. It’s best to be prepared.

See? Totally not junk. What do you like to make your junk mail into?

Kristin

Last week I told you about my search for a new lunch box.  I took a look around with *cough* what’s on hand before I ran to the store to purchase new fancy lunch box supplies. Read more →

I really enjoyed the book 1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse: Remake, Restyle, Recycle, Renew  by Garth Johnson; it is exactly what it says. With about 4-9 pictures per page it is the largest catalog of creative people I have ever seen. So inspiring!

It’s grouped into 6 different categories: paper, collage + assemblage; couture + soft goods; jewelry + adornments; geek craft + man craft; housewares + furnishings; art, interiors + installations. I love the use of books in the image above, that lamp and vase are stunning.

This one is just plain fun and considering it is that particular shade of kelly green that I do love so much, it immediately caught my eye.

The section of installations was really interesting. I enjoyed the rainbow effect of this clothing cast off installation.

And why hello there Lee! Lee of Do Stuff is featured all over the place, and rightly so. I love her work and how she sources her materials from left over and cast off clothing.

Diane of the Crafty Pod also has a project tucked into this mass of reuse projects too! Awesome! They featured this neat project she posted about awhile ago. You can check out how to make your own fabric journal from stash journal on CraftyPod.

If you are looking for a book for how to’s, this is not the book; but if you are looking for a book to inspire you literally a 1000 times over, this book is perfect and I highly recommend it. You can sneak it into your christmas amazon order to get that free shipping no problem right :) 1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse: Remake, Restyle, Recycle, Renew (1000 Series)

See you all tomorrow!

Happy Crafting!
Kristin

I have always really liked this pattern because it’s so simple to make. And when you are recycling a skirt for fabric, it uses up that part that is hard keep in tacked. Use a little bit of bias or hem tape or ribbon to cover up the raw edge inside of the clutch and you have one really nice finished clutch in just a few minutes. Perfect.

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I think I had overly ambitious plans for the weekend. I didn’t anticipate how completely worn out I was – creatively, physically, and mentally. By the time Saturday night rolled around I was in a craft coma of somekind and didn’t do anything for 4 hours straight. That just doesn’t happen…. well, I guess it does. It’s just been awhile since I’ve so completely let myself rest. It was awesome and perfect and I feel so much better now. I have a lot of updates and fun stuff so I’m going to write it up as a second post.

Happy Crafting!
Kristin