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The other day I was cutting the tags off a new blouse and found that it HAD the ribbons sewn into the inside for keeping it on a hanger. They are 22" long, 1/4" wide and silky light grey. Yea - beautiful ribbon to add to my collection.
__________________ "The earth laughs with flowers" Ralph Waldo Emerson
LOL And the long Q tips...I just look at them and wonder what I could do with them - lol. Help! LOL
I use the Wooden sticks on cards (minus the cotton tips)! They make fabulous clothesline poles for all those sets with baby clothes or beach towels n bathing suits etc. I just posted one this morning. It's at the top so just click on my blog link to see it! You can also use shish-ke-bab sticks from the grocery store.
They also make good stir sticks for UTEE or making Tim Holtz UtEE 'snow' which is very thick n messy. Then I just throw them out.
__________________ RebeccaEdnie Mixed Media Artist, Paper Crafter, Jewelry Designer SCSDirtyDozenAlumni Www.Boxofchocolatescrafts.Com YouNeverKnowWhatI’mGoingtoMake
Last edited by Rebecca Ednie; 07-20-2011 at 09:16 AM..
I was just saying this same thing to myself yesterday. My daughter was at the doctor and I saw some cotton gauze and thought, hey I could use that for stamping! LOL!
Man, this thread makes me laugh. I am a crafty hoard-o-saurus too. My hubby had knee surgery & I couldn't wait until I could save the rest of the silk tape & gauze to drag back to my hoard. Shameful! lol
I've been saving the huge pastic containers that have disinfecting wipes in them I'm not sure yet how I'm going to alter them. They're tall enough to hold paintbrushes, markers and I'm sure alot of other things. With the cover unsnapped very tall things can be put in there. What tall things? I don't know. I'll think of something.
Boy does this hit home!! My DH throws nothing away now without asking if I can "glue it to a card!" I don't have time to search out all the "throw-aways" I use, but here are a few that were handy:
Coffee Sleeve-
Bottle Caps-
Security Envelopes-
Placemats collected after dinner-
Tissue Box-
Have reached the limit for this post, so will add a few more to the next one.
I save pretty tissue boxes, especially the square ones, for "trash" when I have a stamping class or event. They are sturdy, pretty, and FREE...I also empty them and reuse them if they are not soiled. So now you have a another reason to save them, too. Sometimes when I am stamping alone, I use one for trash, one for paper scraps, and one for card stock scraps. I have small hands that can easily reach in to retrieve the scraps I need, but you could always make the hole bigger if needed.
I, too, use my scraps for punching assorted shapes. I filled little bags of 100+ punches last year and sold them at a craft fair for $1 each. They were all made from scraps I punched while watching TV with hubby.
Ou! What an ultra clever idea. Thanks! I save pretty ones & refill them with tissue from new ugly ones. Keep wanting to decoupage some to make them more sturdy. lol
I've been saving the huge pastic containers that have disinfecting wipes in them I'm not sure yet how I'm going to alter them. They're tall enough to hold paintbrushes, markers and I'm sure alot of other things. With the cover unsnapped very tall things can be put in there. What tall things? I don't know. I'll think of something.
The good news is that we KNOW we're not senile, the bad news, our kids who are adults (when the hell did that happen?!) seem to think no matter what that we ARE senile and of course, they know more than we do. I like to shock the you know what out of them (2 daughters) every now and then and tell them about some things I did when I was young (er). What I hear is MOM! Too much information. LOL. Isn't it amazing that they think we currently have NO LIFE, that we're inept, and they can do it better? NOT!! They should be happy I haven't told them everything. They couldn't take it - lol. I always thought it was just MY kids but I hear more and more stories from people that sound very much like mine. When I'm up in craft Heaven looking down I am going to be laughing my @#$ off watching them go through the same experiences we have now with THEM. You know what they say about payback
My favourite response to my adult daughter in those situations, is:
"Contrary to your popular belief, I was not dropped onto this earth as a 45 year old overweight tired mother of 2 kids and two dogs - I do happen to have lived a life prior to this conversation. So yeah, I do happen to know a thing or two about [insert situation here]!"
Also, it depends on what stage in life your kids are - with my newly adult daughter in university now, I have gone from knowing everything when she was small, to not knowing much when she was a tweener, to being dumber than 2 bricks (or dumber than dirt - you pick) as a teenager, and have now graduated to just being dumber than 1 brick now. I am hoping that as she enters her twenties and thirties, I will once again become the wealth of information that I used to be....I can only hope!
__________________ Elizabeth
---------------------------------------
Hand over the chocolate, and no one will get hurt!
Hmmm...I never thought of using the pictures on tissue boxes for cards. But I have some with a great lake scene with a kayak that would be perfect for some masculine cards. Great hint!
Had some trouble with my second post, so will start over with the additional ideas:
Canceled Postage Stamp-
Foil Top from Wine Bottle-
Old CD's-
Paint Chips-
Old Key-
And we haven't even scratched the surface:
Pop Tops, Mesh from Veggies, Bib from Dentist, Plastic from Nesties Package, Catalogs and Magazines, Paper Bags, Wallpaper, Paper Napkins, Game pieces, Sandpaper, Corrugated Cardboard, Soda Can Metal.
My favourite response to my adult daughter in those situations, is:
"Contrary to your popular belief, I was not dropped onto this earth as a 45 year old overweight tired mother of 2 kids and two dogs - I do happen to have lived a life prior to this conversation. So yeah, I do happen to know a thing or two about [insert situation here]!"
Also, it depends on what stage in life your kids are - with my newly adult daughter in university now, I have gone from knowing everything when she was small, to not knowing much when she was a tweener, to being dumber than 2 bricks (or dumber than dirt - you pick) as a teenager, and have now graduated to just being dumber than 1 brick now. I am hoping that as she enters her twenties and thirties, I will once again become the wealth of information that I used to be....I can only hope!
You gals are too funny! I have 2 daughters as well who think I am looney (losing it) and are appalled at my craft/storage area. They don't understand, but my two grand daughters do and they are turning into great card makers! Thanks for the laughs everyone.
__________________ My word for the year 2024 is CLEAR
This thread confirms that i am not crazy. I don't throw anything away, and my craft room is getting really ful. Even my DH is asking before he throws things away if there is something i can do with it. He needed so big washers for something he was working on, and he didn't have any. He comes in and says " don't you have some of those big washers, i thought i saw some on your desk". Too funny, now he is asking me for things.
He clean out his shirts the other day. I made 2 piles, one for goodwill, one for thrash, before i could put the shirts in the trash, i had to take all the buttons off so that i could use them later on cards.
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STOP!
I'm never gonna get anything done if I keep coming back to read this thread! Heehee! I am loving the hilariousness, the guilt, the elation and how much we are all so alike in our "sickness!" Thanks everybody for making me know that I am one among.
No-one in my family is allowed to throw away tissue paper or any other kind of gift wrap, as I will iron it and use it for SOMETHING! My older sister had a dream once that she told me about- there was a large family party and I came in with a wheelbarrow of craft items I had made... we laughed uproariously as it was pretty much true - except for the wheelbarrow- I don't have one... and no, please don't send me any wheelbarrows. I DO have a stamp of a lovely long wheelbarrow....hmmmm
People give me scraps of wood, bits and piece of the most unimaginable things. I smile and accept them. My boyfriend saved some leather jackets( he left a message on my answering machine) , and I am thinking and thinking "what does he think I am going to make with leather jackets?", and then I found out he was talking about leatherjackets or daddy longlegs- the insects! I spray painted them with gold paint and glued them on to a matte frame with a photo of his son and himself, and he thought it was BEAUTIFUL!!!!:rolleyes: Actually it was quite attractive. hahaha
LOL I always look at the long Q tips and the gloves. I have 150 gloves why should I even be looking at them! And the long Q tips...I just look at them and wonder what I could do with them - lol. Help! LOL
I don't know about the gloves, but I just used Q-tips for handles on my pinwheels. Cut ends off of two and then put the banner saying Happy 4th of July around where they met. lol Didn't want to buy a whole bag of lollypop sticks I may never use. After all I might need the space for something else. ;)
I just got some CTMH stamps and did the usual open the package and smell the stamps. I love that smell. In fact, I'd probably buy that scent if it came as an air freshener. Sick, I know!
PM me your name address and when I go through my scraps I will put some in an envelope and mail them to you. I save my scraps thinking I will use them and eventually I do a cleaning out of some of them. I'd be happy to send them to you.
I do need to be very careful how many of these great ideas I share with my kids. I am 70 and I don't want them to think I have gotten senile LOL
I'm 70 too and my daughter doesn't do any crafts except for beaded earrings and she just rolls her eyes when I describe my latest ideas and toys! Diane
My friends laugh at all my recycled/repurposed crafty goodies, but they still want to use them when they are here to play. My grandson saves his gum wrappers for me because they are brightly colored foil. They make great balloon punchies! I'm training him right!
I LOVED this thread.... it is so nice to find like minded people to validate that you are as "normal" as they are!:-) I got several ideas from this thread and will make sure some of my crafty friends read it as well.
By the way...I just read a thread where they used the gauze as a fish net (with distress ink) and little sheells ect ect and I saw the pic of the card...VERY cute!
Thank goodness this compulsion to collect now has a legitimate name......crafting! Next to my computer is a single bed, and on it are many and various boxes (I might use them one day for something). Worse, inside several boxes are small tins and packets and empty makeup containers waiting to be converted to something beautiful! I too use the ribbons from inside clothing, my mothers old button box is a dream (although it has to be a special card to a special person to use some of the buttons), and labels on clothing these days is really exciting - either they are thick and can be painted and reused or they are brightly coloured and can be incorporated into something with the strategic placement of a flower or similar. So glad to know I am not alone.....
Thank goodness this compulsion to collect now has a legitimate name......crafting! Next to my computer is a single bed, and on it are many and various boxes (I might use them one day for something). Worse, inside several boxes are small tins and packets and empty makeup containers waiting to be converted to something beautiful! I too use the ribbons from inside clothing, my mothers old button box is a dream (although it has to be a special card to a special person to use some of the buttons), and labels on clothing these days is really exciting - either they are thick and can be painted and reused or they are brightly coloured and can be incorporated into something with the strategic placement of a flower or similar. So glad to know I am not alone.....
Your think the name for this compulsion is "crafting"? Hah. I think it is more likely "hoarding". hahaha
I recently used an item I bought about 12-15 years ago- you NEVER know when you are going to need that special something, do you?
The other day I was cutting the tags off a new blouse and found that it HAD the ribbons sewn into the inside for keeping it on a hanger. They are 22" long, 1/4" wide and silky light grey. Yea - beautiful ribbon to add to my collection.
I always save those ribbons -- great source!
Am I the only one saving onion bags? I'm not sure what I'm going to do with these nylon net type bags but I'm sure they will come in handy soon LOL
My favourite response to my adult daughter in those situations, is:
"Contrary to your popular belief, I was not dropped onto this earth as a 45 year old overweight tired mother of 2 kids and two dogs - I do happen to have lived a life prior to this conversation. So yeah, I do happen to know a thing or two about [insert situation here]!"
Also, it depends on what stage in life your kids are - with my newly adult daughter in university now, I have gone from knowing everything when she was small, to not knowing much when she was a tweener, to being dumber than 2 bricks (or dumber than dirt - you pick) as a teenager, and have now graduated to just being dumber than 1 brick now. I am hoping that as she enters her twenties and thirties, I will once again become the wealth of information that I used to be....I can only hope!
There is hope! I went thru this with my daughter and now she asks for my advice on things again; had to wait until she was in her 30's tho [she's 42 now] and tells her friends about all the things I've done that are again wonderful!
Diane
Well, I might have taken things to a new low...or high, depending on your point of view.....
Not only did I save the ribbons inside a new blouse I just bought, I saved the clear plastic stretchy ribbons that are used to hold up strapless items - I stamped it with a word sentiment over and over with stazon, and wrapped it around a card - looks really cool! Sorry I can't post a picture because I gave it away last night.
__________________ Elizabeth
---------------------------------------
Hand over the chocolate, and no one will get hurt!
I pulled the last tissue out of my regular kleenex box this morning, looked at the empty box, and said - "I bet someone can tell me what to do with this"
So - what are ya'lls ideas?
__________________ Karen - proud owner of 3 cats and a 80 lb, German Shepard Owner of an unorganized scrappy place I CAN ONLY SHIP IN THE USA
I pulled the last tissue out of my regular kleenex box this morning, looked at the empty box, and said - "I bet someone can tell me what to do with this"
So - what are ya'lls ideas?
See the last picture in post 46. The "woven" pieces are from a tissue box.
I have been saving the fortunes from fortune cookies for a collage or just to use as a sentiment on a card. I am going to make a Harry Potter birthday card for a friend. I still have the ticket stub from when she and I went to the first Deathly Hallows movie last year and plan to incorporate that into her card.
I just noticed my post should have said " I can't use this one------"
I had a struggle with myself to throw out a Puff's tissue box that had a great print on it. My first thought was I could die cut that print out and use it on a card. Then I came to my senses and looked at all the paper I have and closed my eyes and threw it in the recycling bin LOL
LOL....I did the same thing....GMTA
__________________ That's me with a hummingbird sitting on my finger while another enjoys some nector.
And with all the paper I have, I have asked other stampers to send me their scraps of dsp (which I don't buy much of) so that I can punch flowers out of it! Begging for scraps, that's me (shameless, I know!). I couldn't believe when ladies were saying they throw scraps away! If it's bigger than a penny, It goes in my scrap folders!
I have often wondered what the cut off size is for scra[ps, and now i know! (lol) I too save everything.
__________________ Millie I joined the Fan Club... So Many Stamps...So Little Time!
OK call me wasteful, but there is no way I am saving scraps that are the size of a quarter LOL
I throw it out if it is not large enough to stamp a greeting and cut it out with a Spellbinder tag die
__________________ "I have not failed . I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work" --Thomas A. Edison
OK call me wasteful, but there is no way I am saving scraps that are the size of a quarter LOL
I throw it out if it is not large enough to stamp a greeting and cut it out with a Spellbinder tag die
But just think Barbara- you could still use some of the scraps with small punches for circles, squares, leaves. Just think of the possibilities. Nya ha ha
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vdoyle8
I always save those ribbons -- great source!
Am I the only one saving onion bags? I'm not sure what I'm going to do with these nylon net type bags but I'm sure they will come in handy soon LOL
No you are not! I save net bags, too. Here is a card I made with one of my "repurposed" black net bags. It held a dozen little skulls that I use with my wire tree, for Halloween decos.
Thanks for the laughs, memories and ideas!
