Spring Time is Kite Time... Make your own

I remember heading to Woolworth's as a kid (that shows my age, sigh) and looking through all the cheap plastic kites... There were Spider-Man, Holly Hobbie, Dinosaurs, flowers...so many to choose from. This was a sure sign of spring time! 

Well, welcome to spring! And what a great way to get it started... making a kite from grocery bags or lunch sacks.  Here's how we did ours...

Grab a kid (if you choose too) and these items...

• Large brown paper grocery bag or lunch sack
• Strong string
• Scissors
• Hole punch
• Masking tape
• School glue or paste
• Paint (any kind) (we used all natural dyes made from fruits and veggies)
• Crayons, markers, or colored pencils
• Paper streamers or crepe paper that you can cut into strips
• A few found objects (bits of paper, glitter, buttons — nothing too heavy)

1. Begin by taking the hole punch and making four holes in the top of the paper bag— one in each of the corners. Use masking tape at each hole. If you put it on after you punch, use a pencil to punch through the hole. This will ensure that your holes don't tear through.
2. Next, cut two lengths of string about 30" each.
3. Tie each end of the strings through a hole in the bag. The goal is to create two loops.
4. Next, cut another piece of string — again around 30". Loop this new piece of string through the two loops you created and tie in a knot. This piece of string will become the handle of your kite.
5. You are now ready to decorate the paper bag kite using paint, markers, or whatever else you desire. You can paint designs on the kite or turn the kite into a fish by adding eyes, gills, and fins. You can glue different items to the kite but be sure not to load the kite down with heavy items -- or it will have a hard time staying up in the air.
6. Use paper streamers as kite tails and glue them to the bottom of the paper bag. You can make your own streamers by cutting crepe paper, newspaper, tissue paper and even plastic bags into strips. 
7. Once the glue and paint is dry, the kite can fly. Hold on tightly to the string handle and run so that the wind catches the kite. When the bag fills with air it will float and flutter behind you.

The Garbage Lady, Finally an Introduction

Hi all! Thought I'd tell you a bit about how myself and my vision for Good Garbage. My name is Lynn Quire, born in Louisville and raised in Southern Indiana now back, residing in the wonderful area of Old Louisville. I am an avid advocate for reduce and reuse. A self-taught sewer and crafter, I mainly love to create  bags from shirts, pants and other various reused material. I have worked in business from the time I was 18 and have a love of learning new things. This has given me the opportunity to learn businesses inside and out from accounting to human resources to information technology. With this love of learning also comes a passion for teaching.

I have been involved with many non-profits, volunteering, fundraising and organizing events. Though mainly my focus has been on school and youth organizations, I have logged many volunteer hours teaching various skills and working at area events.

As Executive Director, I will be working hard to take the message of reducing and reusing across our community by working with reuse artists, teachers, community centers, other non-profit organizations and Corporations through workshops, classes and camps for preschoolers to adults. My goal is to get our community to stop and think before an item is tossed or recycled as to the other lives that item could potentially have; if not by you, by someone else.

In turn, this will help the community, especially teachers, obtain inexpensive materials for their classrooms, art and craft projects and masterpieces.

During this time I will be searching for the perfect place to call home for our retail store, workshop area, gallery and boutique. I'm always up for a challenge and this one is a dream I'm making a reality. 

You can reach me at Lynn.GoodGarbage@gmail.com or 502.437.9021. I would love to hear about places (Community centers, senior centers, after school programs or summer camps) where I can share the Good Garbage message and ideas on reuse projects and crafts. I believe the only limitation I have is the imagination...and seems there is no end!!!

I am plowing through fundraising and events, shedding blood, sweat and tears, to make Good Garbage: Center for Creative Reuse an Institution in our great city of Louisville!!! 

It's Time to Start Those Seeds... And Reuse That Shredded Paper

Today is looking to be a very cold day and we are expecting ice this evening! Yuck! But I know spring is right around the corner. My friends at Timebank and various blogs are talking gardening and I realize I'm missing my garden, badly. Moving to an urban apartment, I don't have a great green space I can just till up and community gardens have waiting lists. This year, though, I have decided I'm not going to let that stop me. I am planting a container garden! 

Of course, I don't want to just go buy plants...I want to grow from seeds! And NOW is the time to start them... So I found this great way to reuse shredded paper or torn newspaper to make seed starters. It was so easy! 

You need: Blender, Newspaper, Water, Strainer, Muffin tin, and the sun preferably or an oven will do. 

Tear the paper in about 1" squares (doesn't have to be precise) or use shredded paper and fill your blender about half way. I don't have a blender, so I used my 'shake maker.' Fill the rest of the way with water. I let it soak for a little bit because the newspaper soaks it up. Blend until its a soggy mess paste. Add water or paper as needed.

Pour in the strainer and press most of the water out,until just moist. You don't want it to be completely dry. Then just put a bit of the goo the muffin tin, spreading it up the sides and making sure your bottom is good and covered. You don't want too thick, but you do want it strong enough to hold your dirt. 

I would have preferred to use the sun's heat to dry these, but the day I decided to make them was cold and rainy. I set the oven to 250 degrees and put the muffin tin in. I honestly didn't time it and at one time I turned the oven off because I could smell them baking. Later, I turned it up to 350 because they weren't drying fast enough. My suggestion is to turn it up to 400, then turn it off and put the muffin tins in. Best time is after you bake something and you can put them in when you've finished cooking and use the heat left in the oven. 

Once completely dry, they pop right out of the tin. Fill with compost, soil, seeds and give them sun, water and love. When ready to put them in your garden, the whole thing can be planted. Happy Gardening!

For more awesome repurpose, reuse and recycle ideas, follow us on Facebook, Twitter (@GoodGarbageSDF) and Pinterest! 

Keep up with our Materials List & Wishing for a Scale

Be sure to check out the list of materials we accept HERE and start saving for us. I'm planning to get out in the community very soon with educational talks and make-and-take projects and I need inventory, especially items on the wish list. The list is updated often so keep checking back.

We are looking for businesses to partner with too. Things like corks, wine bottles, colored pop and beer bottles, bottle caps, scrap vinyl (signs), etc. If you have a business or know of a manufacturing business here in town that has something unique that is cast off as seconds or scrap, let me know. We would love to sit and see if we can join forces to keep as much as possible out of the landfills.

Also note the Terra Cycle Brigades we are collecting for. These will help raise much needed funds for our education and community programs.

And at the top of our Wish List is a scale! Something big enough for us to weigh bags/boxes of items as they come in. A postal scale that would go up as high as 50 pounds and have a clear view of the weight. We will use this to log the weight of all donations and be able to see the tonnage we are keeping out of the landfill. We have so much already in our storage facility, I'd really like to get that all weighed soon. Anybody have an old one they want to get rid of?

Email me with any questions or info.  

~Lynn (Lynn.GoodGarbage@gmail.com)

The PosSOUPbility Experience

What on Earth is posSOUPbility?

PosSOUPbility is an easy and fun way to bring our community together over food to support new and emerging projects that create innovative ways to celebrate, and/or benefit people, places and things in the Louisville area.  Applicants and projects can be based in a variety of fields and disciplines - the only requirement is creativity!

Somewhere along the way of building Good Garbage, I came across this wonderful group. I wanted to be part of it, not just as a presenter, but to go listen to all the new innovative happenings around this town I love! 

Anne had spoken with Nick Covault, one of the wonderful people behind the event and he really was excited about Good Garbage and our vision and encouraged us to apply. And we did. Since we are currently still completing the piles of paperwork to become a non-profit, and building our followers, we thought this would be a great way to one, get our word out to like minded folks, and maybe even possibly get enough money to buy a used trailer so we could start a mobile popup shop and give us something to pick up large donations with.

Compassionate Louisville
Trackers

The application process was simple. Once they receive the applications, they are looked at by a blind panel and three are chosen to present at the event. This was their year anniversary celebration and word is getting out. They had a record six applications. We were one of the lucky ones chosen to present, along side Educational Justice and Compassionate Louisville Trackers at First Unitarian Church on Sunday, January 27.

Anne and I worked long and hard on our presentation. We practiced and edited and practiced again. We had a lot of fun with sharing our vision while sharing a few laughs with our audience, and from the video, +Rhoden Streeter,  did for us (and we will share once it's edited properly), and the grand response we received afterwards, it seems we did exactly what we set out to do. 

They had a record crowd and amount of money to give away. They collected $1490, which at $10 per person, means there were 149 paying supporters. WOW 149 people paid to eat some fabulous soup and to see the small projects happening in Louisville! How awesome!!!! For us, that meant there were a minimum 149 more people we got our vision out to. There was one person in the audience that couldn't stand the odd dollar amount and offered up another $10 right before the winner was announced to make the take and even $1500!!! This means that the winner received $1350. PosSOUPbility holds 10% to cover their costs, but if that is more than needed, they will add it to the amount the next winner receives.

Nick Covault, Organizer

Educational Justice, Winner

Unfortunately for us Educational Justice won, hard to beat out the needs of our kids. But you know what? You will not find any disappointment here!!! What we took from this event is exactly what we wanted. We got to meet so many wonderful people, garner lots of support, and make Louisville aware we are on the road to build another way to assure waste that could end up in the landfill, will have an alternative home, a place teachers, artists and crafters will be able to access inexpensive materials to help keep the arts alive, as well as a source of education on reducing, reusing and recycling! 

Thank you Nick, Beth and all the other volunteers for the wonder thing you are doing with posSOUPbility and the opportunity you are giving all your presenters and the Louisville community. Please check posSOUPbility out on their blog possoupbility.blogspot.com or on Facebook. Their next event is on April 7, 2013. Be sure to mark your calendar!!!!

(Photos all courtesy of posSOUPbility)

Friend's Question and Prepping for the Drawing

Good morning everyone!!!! What a beautiful day here in Louisville! Hope everyone is getting out to enjoy it!  

We absolutely love when we get great questions on how to recycle or repurpose items. We know we have people really thinking! This morning I got an email from one of our friends asking what to do with glass candle holders with a little wax left and an assortment of old wax.  I suggested simmering the candles holders in a pot of water to melt the wax and to melt the other wax and combine them into one or more of the containers and add a wick to use as emergency candles. Do you have other suggestions? Please share in the comments! 

Right now, I am currently preparing for the drawing we are having since we hit 200 fans on Facebook, by writing everyone's names on paper and placing them in a bowl. There are three ways to enter between now and Noon. One - become a Facebook Fan, two - join as a follower of our email and I made a post on Facebook this morning. If you like it I'll add your name one more time to the drawing.  

Right now I'll have drawings for two sets of t-shirt shopping bags. During the course of the day... who knows what else I'll draw for! Depends on just how crafty I get during day! The winners will be posted here and on Facebook this evening. Good luck to everyone and thank you again for all your support. We are looking forward to opening the first and only Creative Reuse Center here in Louisville!

Good Garbage Gab: A BREAK FROM BEING CRAFTY

Good morning Gab followers!!! I have so many exciting reuse and repurpose projects for the upcoming year... But I thought I would give you a break today. As much as I love crafting, I said Good Garbage Gab would be about finding ways to repurpose all sorts of things. 

Today's topic? Dryer Sheets! Do you know how many ways you can reuse a dryer sheet before you decide to toss it? Well, there are LOTS!!!! Some I've used, some I haven't, but can't wait to try. 

• Keep some used dryer sheets in a container in your car for wiping the dashboard. Place one under the driver side seat to give it a fresh smell. 
• Use them for cleaning bug splats from your windshield. Just wet one or more softener sheets and wipe over splats. Wait a couple minutes, wipe again and then flush with water. 
• Place a used dryer sheet near the trashcan at your next barbecue or picnic; it will repel bees and flies. Also, wipe one over your arms and legs to repel mosquitoes. I've even heard of golfers keeping on in their back pocket to keep the bees away. 
• Soften the soles of your feet by soaking your feet in some warm water and rubbing them with a used fabric softener sheet.
• Place them in the rafters of your home to keep spiders and other bugs from nesting.
• They're great for removing stuck on foods from your pots and pans. Fill the grimy pan with water and drop the sheet inside. - - Let soak for about an hour and wash as usual.
• Use old dryer sheets to easily wipe up messes like talcum powder and flour.
• Use old dryer sheets in the bottom of flowerpots to cover the drainage holes.
• Use them instead of paper when doing 'paper piecing' for quilts. First ironed them smooth, then trace your pattern onto the dryer sheets. They’re lightweight, don't add bulk to your quilt & they smell great.
• Use them to remove pet hair from your clothes and furniture.
• Use them to remove soap scum on your glass shower door, or use to wipe windows when cleaning.
• Used dryer sheets make great dusting cloths for your wooden furniture.
• Use just like you would a Swiffer sheet on your floors to pick up dust and pet hair.
• I have used them as the interfacing when using my small embroidery/sewing machine.
• Use as stuffing for small sewing projects like felt ornaments.

Grab an old Kleenex box or the like and start collecting those used dryer sheets. Let us know if you have other ways you might reuse those dryer sheets!

You can find more at Recyclebank. Recyclebank is a great interactive way to learn how to be green. You earn points and can redeem for things such as coupons, gift cards and magazines. To join click HERE. 

Lynn's Calendar Repurpose Project

This weekend was the most productive I have had in a good while. I completed two repurpose projects. One is an old, wooden window sash which I will post about later. The other is the calendar repurpose I spoke of in the last Good Garbage Gab. I had a stained glass window calendar given to me as a birthday gift last year. It is so pretty, I just had to find a use for it and I needed some art work for my living room, so I put the pictures of that calendar to good use.


Looking around I realized everything I have hanging or sitting is square or rectangle, I needed something different. It hit me... I had a box of old scratched records someone gave me a long time ago, and I also had a bunch of those OLD AOL "1099 Hours Free" CD's sent out when you had to pay hourly for dial-up internet. I put some of both of these items to great use in this project.

I cut circles out of the calendar trying to use every bit I could that had the beautiful stained glass pictures on it. I decided on four big ones and was able to get 20 small ones. Using Mod-Podge, I glued them on the old records and CD's.

With this many, I knew exactly where they were going to go. My couch sits on a wall that used to be a flue for a fireplace and there was big empty spaces on either side. I just knew these would work wonderfully to fill in those spots.

Here's a close up of each grouping and then an overall picture... I LOVE IT!!!! New pretty artwork for me and pictures from a calendar that I love, preserved.

Did you work on a calendar reuse project this weekend? Or any other repurpose project? We'd really like to hear about it! Email us pictures and we will feature your's in an upcoming Good Garbage Gab!

-Lynn

Celebrating Our Friends and Creating New Ones

T-shirt bag given away at DIY Louisville Ornament Swap

It's hard to believe that we have been at this already for nearly 4 months, but yet at the same time, it is hard to believe we have only been at this for nearly 4 months!!! In that time we have been out passing out brochures and business cards at  the Flea Off Market, Trolley Hops, the Bluegrass Bioneers event, the Mighty Kindness Festival and numerous other events and shops. We have had lots of coffees, some lunches and wonderful conversations. We have been able to meet some of the most amazing and talented people in Louisville and made lots of new friends along the way! We are very lucky! 

Today we hit 149 fans on Facebook! WOW is all I can say. But...I want to see now, how quickly we can hit 200! Please share our Facebook page and our Blog with all your friends and family and coworkers! We also would love to see you sign up to follow our blog. We will be posting lots of information here and as much as we love Facebook, it may not always get there and we would hate for anyone to miss out on all the great things happening with Louisville's first and only creative reuse center! All you have to do is enter your email address to the right of this post, confirm the email you receive and that is it!

Once we hit 200 Facebook fans we will be giving away a set (or two) of really cool t-shirt grocery bags and maybe a few other neat, repurposed items! If you also start following our blog you will have a second chance to win. We will announce the winner by the weekend after we hit the 200 fans! 

Photo courtesy of D.I.Y. Louisville 

Happy New Year!!!!!

We hope you had a wonderful Christmas, or another holiday you may have celebrated this season! We've had sicknesses, birthdays and lots of family time this week and still working hard to start the new year off right for Good Garbage. Good Garbage Gab will continue next week! 

Remember to continue saving things like bottle caps, corks, plastic containers, tp and paper towel rolls, and other items on our list found HERE. 

Wishing you a happy and safe New Year from our families to yours!

Like us? Well be sure to share our page with all your friends and family! We will have so much going on in 2013, everyone will want to continue watching us grow!! 

Good Garbage Gab - Creative Wrapping

One week until Christmas!!!!! I'm so excited!!!! How about you? Are you ready? This coming week I will be busy finishing up some handmade gifts, picking up the last few stocking stuffers, baking and  wrapping gifts!

There is nothing more fun to me than watching kids and adults ripping into a beautifully wrapped present. That is a big part of the fun for me! I really hate buying Christmas paper. Spend a fortune for it to last all of a minute before it's tossed in the trash. So, what alternatives are there? Just look around! You can use newspaper, comics, brown paper bags, and book and magazine pages. Add special touches by making your own bows from the same papers or scrap fabric. And if you are just dead set on bags... Then make your own from newspaper!!!

If you are making goodies like muffins, cookies, or candy, use some of these fun containers: aluminum box wrapped for muffins, Pringles cans wrapped for cookies and a toilet paper roll for candy! 

For instructions and more ideas, check out our Pinterest page. There you will find some great ideas for all kinds of repurposing! 

Please send us pictures of all your wonderful repurposed holiday crafts! We would love to share them on our blog and Facebook page! And if you use store bought wrapping paper (and don't fret, I am too, as I have paper I have purchased over the last 10 years I'm trying to use up), be sure to save the cardboard tubes. We will be using these for some wonderful gardening ideas and future crafts after the first of the year!

Anne and I want to wish you and yours a very, very Merry Christmas!!!! 

Holidays . . . A Time for Giving!

While you are trimming your tree, entertaining your guests, shopping for and wrapping all those wonderful gifts and before you throw things away, stop and take a look at what you are tossing and see if it could be re-purposed. Check out our list Good Garbage Accepted Materials and see if it is on here. You will also find the link on the right side of this page at all times. It is updated often and always current. At times you will even find a wish list attached to it.

Set aside a box and fill it with these items instead of throwing them away... Bottle caps, can tabs, corks, wine bottles, excess wrapping paper, toilet paper and paper towel rolls, decks of cards with missing cards, game pieces to old games and left over scrap from all your handmade gifts... there's a multitude of items we could use for art projects. 

If you own a business (and even if you don't) and you want to reduce your waste, take this list to work with you and see if there is anything you can donate. Maybe it isn't on this list but you think it could be re-purposed... Email us! We will be glad to talk to you about it. 

After the first of the year, we will have some days we will be setting appointments for drop offs! Thank you for your wonderful support!

Our First Showing of Support!

We have our first showing of support!  Along with two more commitments of $50 each! I will keep updating as we continue to grow!  No amount is too small! - Thank you! Thank you!

Securing Our Spot in the Louisville Sustainability Movement - We Need the Community's Help!

Imagine if you will... A retail shop whose shelves are filled with a colorful array of left over, unused and recycled crafting material donated by artists, crafters and corporations from over-runs and collection drives. Glass - tiles - marbles - fabric - paper - buttons. On the far wall sits a grandiose display of artwork made from materials you see on the shelves—created by everyone from preschool kids to adults—being showcased for everyone to see; some even for sale. Then,  tucked away in a corner you can hear children and adults laughing while learning how to re-purpose a plastic bottle into a spider for a Halloween decoration or learning how to take wire from an electrical cord and make a pair of earrings. THIS IS OUR PASSION... 

Our mission...To provide a sustainable means for collecting scrap material before it enters the waste stream and making it available to the community for creative reuse.

You've been watching us over the last couple months here as we work on building shelves, sharing ideas and talking to just about everyone we come within 20 feet of. The behind the scenes meetings, hashing out ideas, brainstorming, researching and making educated decisions have been continuing beyond what we have been posting here.

After researching many options and existing reuse centers across the country and meeting with various people around town—from the Center for Non-Profit Excellence to civic leaders, to artists, teachers and environmentalists—we have decided to pursue a fiscal sponsorship with SCRAP USA (SCRAPpdx) in Portland, Oregon. Our mission and vision are closely aligned, and they have a sound business model, proven track record, and many projects all over the country. They will give us ongoing administrative help, access to grants, and the ability to begin functioning as a 501(c)3, tax-exempt charity, as soon as they approve our application, which could be as early as January 1, 2013.

In addition to our application, SCRAP has asked us to show proof that our Creative Reuse Center will have community support. A key part of that is to raise $1,000 in start-up money. This does not go to the sponsor, but serves as seed money to help us take our message to the streets through classroom demonstrations and workshops, environmental and arts & craft events all over Louisville, and to help us open our Creative Reuse Retail Store. Any money we receive in this campaign is not tax-deductible, nor does it give any ownership or provide any return on investment. It is an investment in OUR community to serve under-funded groups and support another part of Louisville’s sustainability initiatives.

We have started an email campaign and are now asking you, as our followers and those who would support the store either by donations or as patrons, please consider supporting us in this initial $1,000 campaign. Our goal is to send our application for fiscal sponsorship to SCRAP by December 1, 2012, so any amount you contribute before that would be greatly appreciated. We would like nothing more than to meet with you personally, discuss our vision further and to pick up your contribution. No amount is too little.

We are also always on the lookout for a building where we will be able to set up a retail shop, workrooms, etc. Have or know someone who has space that could be donated to us for a year? Or dirt (and I mean DIRT) cheap? Let us know.

Thanks for your time and thanks for your continued support by following us on here and on Facebook! Please be sure to share us with all your friends!

Anne Walker & Lynn Burgan

Anne.GoodGarbage@gmail.com

Lynn.GoodGarbage@gmail.com

We accept checks or you can contribute using PayPal (anne.goodgarbage@gmail.com).

We can begin by doing small things at the local level, like planting community gardens or looking out for our neighbors. That is how change takes place in living systems, not from above but from within, from many local actions occurring simultaneously. 

Grace Lee Boggs

Good Garbage Gab November 12, 2012

Everyone has a lot of old t-shirts. Some are favorite teams you just can't get rid of; Some are your old cleaning, painting, crafting shirts that no one else would want; Some are just plain ugly ones that someone got you as a gift and you can't get rid of them because Aunt Mae might just ask you to show off that t-shirt she brought you back from Looneyville, Texas (it's real, look it up). Well I have a couple great ideas to share with you for ALL those t-shirts.

I'm sure first thing that comes to mind is a rag... good use, but there are lots more. I mean, if the shirt is so badly gooped up then not even sure it would work for a rag. And then there's the t-shirt quilt which is a great thing and I am planning out one now, is pretty labor intensive. Good Garbage Gab is all about getting you thinking and giving you easy ways you can start reusing things around your house. So, no t-shirt quilt instructions here today.

The first thing I ever did with an old t-shirt was make a grocery bag. This is so simple. All you need is a sharp pair of scissors and the simplest of sewing machines. You can sew them by hand, it just takes a bit longer.

Turn the t-shirt inside out and lay it flat. Pin the bottom. Sew with a good tight stitch all the way across to close the bottom of the t-shirt. I generally line up and sew just at the seam for the original hem. 

Then cut the sleeves off at the seam. Then you can just eye the next part, or you can use a round plate or bowl to mark the rounded cut you will make at the neck. The part of the shoulder that is left are your handles.

marthastewart.com

Turn it right side out and there you have it. A reusable bag. I take these to the grocery, carry my lunch in them, and have even used one as a purse (vintage, way too small, I'm A Pepper t-shirt). I even took the sleeves and made little drawstring bags to store them in. 

I also made some scarves, even a no-sew one. But I have to find those pictures lost on another computer that is currently down. I will try to find the right thumb drive I have them backed up on and will post another time. Maybe as we get closer to Christmas and you are looking for a last minute gift for someone! 

TerraCycle - Outsmart Waste -Good Garbage has brigades

We are a TerraCycle supporter! TerraCycle's purpose is to eliminate the idea of waste. We do this by creating national recycling systems for previously non-recyclable or hard-to-recycle waste.  Once we are completely set up as a non-profit, we will benefit from the brigades by turning our points into money donations for Good Garbage. Check out Terracycle.com for more information on how this works.

Set up an additional recycling container in your home and start collecting the following. Let us know if you do and we will work with you to get your items picked up when your container gets full!

Good Garbage will be a collector for the following brigades:

• Cell phones - Standard cell phones, smart phones, iPhones
• Cleaner Packaging - Pumps, triggers, pouches, and flexible cleaner product packaging (no bottles)
• Colgate Oral Care - Toothpaste tubes, toothpaste caps, tooth brushes, floss containers
• Dairy Tub - all cream cheese tubs/lids, sour cream tubs/lids, cheese tubs/lids, yogurt tubs/lids, butter tubs/lids, margarine tubs/lids, any other dairy product tub, foil tops, plastic tub tops, and other type of packaging on all dairy tubs.
• Inkjet - Any inkjet cartridge accepted
• Personal Care & Beauty - lipstick cases, mascara tubes, eye shadow cases and tubes, shampoo and conditioner bottles, bronzer cases, foundation packaging, body wash containers, soap tubes, soap dispensers, lotion dispensers/bottles/tubes, shaving foam tubes (no cans), powder cases, chap stick tubes, lotion tubes, face soap dispensers, face soap tubes, face lotion bottles and jars, eyeliner cases, eyeliner and lip liner pencils,  concealer tubes and sticks, hair gel tubes, hair paste jars.
• Toner Cartridge - See this link for types http://www.terracycle.com/en-US/brigades/inkjet-brigade-r.html

TerraCycle then converts the collected waste into a wide variety of products and materials. With more than 20 million people collecting waste in over 20 countries TerraCycle has diverted billions of units of waste and used them to create over 1,500 different products available at major retailers ranging from Walmart to Whole Foods Market.

Our goal is to eliminate the idea of waste by creating collection and solution systems for anything that today must be sent to a landfill.

(from http://www.terracycle.com/en-US/about-us.html)

What we did this weekend...

Anne worked this weekend on finding ways to reuse these plastic red discs that we received from the Printing House for the Blind, looking for a fun and creative craft project for our up coming booths at local arts and craft fairs. Aren't they just AWESOME?!?!?!?!

I went picking Friday near Waddy, Kentucky. A wonderful lady let me go through a vast collection of office, Christmas and crafting supplies that were her Mother's. After I chatted with her more about what it is we are doing exactly, she showed me some place mats and a gorgeous bowl her Mom made out of Christmas cards. She ended up giving me the bowl, which we will have on display at our booths.

As we secure spots for our booths, we will be sure to update everyone so you can mark it on your calendar! 

Be sure to like us on Facebook and watch us grow!!!

-Lynn

Good Garbage Gab, October 19, 2012

Welcome to the first edition of Good Garbage Gab, where we offer useful tips and crafts for re-purposing items that you may normally just throw away (or hopefully recycle), or save not knowing what you can do with them. We may  also showcase local reuse artists and give you links to articles we think you might find interesting. We are doing this to get your motor running and thinking about the various ways you can reuse everyday items to keep them out of our waste streams.

     In order to keep from scaring off those new to repurposing, I thought it would be nice to start slow and easy. So I'm offering up a simple tip and a simple craft.

 2-Liter Bottle Canisters

You can use these for tons of items: Coffee, tea bags, sugar, crayons, markers, cotton balls, q-tips, change, and a host of other things. I like them because you can see what is in them so easily and when something is on the top shelf, with me being so short, that comes in quite handy. No guessing...

    What you need: Two 2-liter Bottles, washed, dried and any labels removed, Sharp knife such as an X-acto knife and a sharp pair of scissors.  

    Using the knife, cut the two bottles to look like the pictures here. Using the scissors, trim the bottles neatly.

Place the shorter one on top of the taller one and there you have it... a lidded, clear canister.

Another option is to paint them like these and use them as piggy banks, or whatever you can dream up! Both designs were painted with Rust-Oleum 2X satin spray paint and then details added with acrylic craft paint. 

Be sure to recycle the left over plastic!

And if you thought that was easy... Here's something even easier. No craft skills involved.......Button Earring Holder

You know all those extra buttons you get on a new shirt? Or the ones you take off a shirt before you reuse it as a rag or for other re-purposed items? Use them to keep your matched earrings together in your jewelry box or when taking  a trip in your jewelry bag. 

Did you go DUH?!?! Why didn't I think of that? Yeah, me too. 

Hope you enjoyed this new feature of our blog and can put to use the ideas we share. If you have something you've done and would like to share, please let us know by emailing or commenting here. Share our blog and Facebook page with all your friends and let's all work towards a better Community!