Believe it or not, there are just as many reasonable excuses to make a paperboard person as there are days in the week. Maybe even more.
1. Exploring the parallelism in packaging is too fun. Really. If there’s a perfect right leg, then there’s another perfect left leg nearby.
2. You’re able to free special people who might otherwise spend their final days in the recycle bin. Not that there’s anything bad about recycling. We do need cereal boxes of tomorrow.
3. It’s relaxing. Yip. Doing something silly you choose to do is the meaning of relaxation.
4. No money down. In fact, no …read more

Just don’t call her a tea bag lady. She’s sensitive.

Ms. Twinings is proudly composed of a paperboard tea box and some tea tags. Everything is reused except the glue holding her together. I thought about making the movable variety, but she seemed like the wild type with all that caffeine.
Why make a paperboard person?
I’m so glad you asked. Please check back and I’ll give you all the extremely valid reasons for taking 10 to make one of these.
PS – That thing on her chest is a magnet. Ms. Twinings is occupying my refrigerator door.
Image via me.

This is a lazy junk creation. I don’t just mean lazy in the sense that I didn’t have to use glue or scissors, but I was too lazy to get up and play with my cat.
So, there I was in my red recliner with a J Jill catalog I didn’t want. And there was kitty sitting in the floor whining for attention.
I started tearing out pages, one by one. I wadded them up and threw them across the room for my cat, Choco. He loved it. He even managed to catch a few between his paws.
After the …read more

Forgive me. I like the lighting on my balcony, and I wanted you to see my petunias!
Things I learned: It’s better to be patient and get thicker cork board instead of settling with what’s available on your first trip to the craft store. And Elmer’s Stix All Gel Cement doesn’t come out of the tube quite as easily as it should. Finally, be very careful when cutting cork as it can be delicate.
Keep reading after the jump for a list of items used and directions. Plus, why did I make this anyway?

Things I learned:
Fortunes from cookies aren’t so great for decoupage as the ink runs.
However, thinner paper is much easier to work with.
Cat hair finds its way onto anything I try to paint, especially if it’s white.
Things I used:

After rinsing a used ketchup bottle, I decided it had a different destination than the recycling bin.
Cats love a puzzle. And better yet, I didn’t have to spend anything to make this toy. I already had the toy mouse to go inside.
This is a very easy reuse project, plus if you save the bottle cap, your options widen even more, but we’ll talk about that in a bit.
What I used:
Clean wide-mouth ketchup bottle
Elmer’s glue (non-toxic)
Jute
Sharpie
Scissors
Tea tags
The junk project:
-Remove bottle label by soaking in hot water. After the bottle is dry, plan your design.
-In my case, I decided to make a …read more

Earlier today, I unloaded my fun Tea Tag Confetti post. You thought it was fun, right?
Here’s a project that requires a little glue, but it’s lovely for a tea sipper.
Simple directions for Tea Tag Bookmark:
-After selecting your favorite tags, arrange in pattern. I used six tags.
-Apply small amounts of glue to bottom tips of tags and begin building the bookmark.
-Wipe away any excess glue on both sides of bookmark.
-Tie a ribbon or a used tea string to the top.
-Let rest between magazine pages, layered with books.
-After just minutes, enjoy your new junk creation!
I chose a stained tea string for a …read more

The magazine I chose to cut up (in places) was the August 1953 Show magazine, which sold originally for .10 cents. I made more tags than I’m showing here, but the lighting at my place is just weird. Most of the photos were blurry. Too bad, but you get the idea. In case you missed it, check out how to make these.

For my first tag, I choose an ad for the New! 1953 “Space Commander” Vibro-Matic Walkie-Talkies (2 Phones only $1) Thrills & Fun Galore!
Then I picked some images from the story, “Degas Comes to Harlem.” I like the round …read more

I’m sure this idea may exist somewhere in a book, but my love for old magazines inspired me to make my own vintage gift tags. Most of the materials for making these are reused, with the exception of glue and maybe whatever you use to tie. Think of it as saving trees with your gift-giving.
Here’s what you need:
-Some vintage magazines (I got mine for only $1.25 each at an antique store)
-Hole puncher
-String, hemp twine or ribbon (use whatever you have)
-Glue and scissors
-Cardboard/paperboard to reuse (excellent sources: pizza boxes [store bought ones with the pizza wrapped so it doesn’t get …read more

Yesterday I unveiled the baked orange cup recipe. Now, here are the many uses of a baked orange cup. Don’t forget to check back tomorrow for what I did with the other larger half of the baked orange.
1. Fragrance for drawer or linen closet (Add small amount of essential oil.)

2. Display for your smashed tourist pennies

3. Office supply storage