13 Creative Uses For Garbage
Wow. After I found that bit on crocheting “plarn”, I found quite a few more really cool uses for plastic grocery and shopping bags. Imma try for 13 really cool and long term uses for them, instead of hokey reuse-once-and-they-end-up-in-the-land-fill-anyway type uses. Let’s see if I can make 13. I’ll cheat and start with a couple links for methods to create the craft material to create with.
1) Make plarn from plastic bags. Use the link on my last post or check out another way to do it here
2) Fuse your plastic bags to make a heavier “fabric” for other projects. And another comprehensive pictorial tutorial on fusing and sewing the plastic fabric.
Plarn projects:
3) Plarn rugs! I think these would be awesome in the kitchen! I’m on it! A round one:
4) This artist asks that we don’t repro her images without permission, and I don’t have time to write and ask, so please do go see her simply awesome plarn sea creatures!!
5) A Plarn Clothespin bag for all you freaks like me who actually like to hang your laundry out!
6) Plarn Gift Bag
Now we’ll do a few of the crafts made from fused plastic bags
7) How about a very chic necklace?
8) How about a serious tote bag?
9) Or a raincoat? (sorry; no instructions. Just fuse your bags and get a pattern!)
10) Here’s a great Rain Bucket Hat and Tote with instructions!
These next few aren’t fused nor plarn, but they are pretty cool ideas.
11) Funky Bangle Bracelets:
12) I like the idea of this lamp. It’s got me thinking of doing some hanging garden lanterns…
13) But really… my absolute favorite are these mandalas by Virginia Fleck that my darlin’ betmo sent me to see. (She’s right. These rock! This artist rocks and her statement about the work is … hehe… incredible.)
The artist says the following about her work:
“My wall-sized mandalas, created from sections of used plastic shopping bags, analyze the activity of consumerism as a spiritual encounter.� This visual experience of repetitive designs, indicative of meditative objects and advertising graphics, stimulates the viewer to yearn for more.� Participation in the activity of consumption offers affirmative feelings of redemption.� Consumerism is the global religion.� Salvation can only be obtained through active involvement in the pursuit of this article of faith. Our affluent lifestyle is displayed by the numerous bags with recognizable symbols that contain and brand our passions.� Abundance and fertility are manifested in the size and quantities of our possessions and attest to our belief in the American Dream. Our hunger is insatiable; our fervor can be witnessed.�Nirvana / paradise is easily obtained and owned.”
See more of Virginia’s work here at her site
That’s my TT! Thanks for visiting! Don’t forget to stop by The Eclectic Witch for 13 “Strange” Magickal Ingredients in my Cupboard!
I’m off to visit now!
32 comments for this post
These are very creative ideas. I’ll bet young women and girls will really like the bracelets.
Amazing.
Happy 13
Wow, great ideas! Thanks for stopping by!
How cool is that!
Very creative. Great list. Happy T13!
My neighbor and I were recently discussing making rag rugs out of old t-shirts. And I have also heard of rugs made out of plastic bags. Recycling is a great thing!
I want to make that rug!!!
Ooohhh….great new idea! I gotta try these! =D Thanks for sharing!
Those are fabulous. I love it when people acutally REUSE things. It is so much better for everyone.
Love the plastic bag. I’m a freak, too, when it comes to hanging laundry out to dry. I so enjoy hanging it up…BTW, I love the Anne Lamott quote that you have in your sidebar. Happy TT! Rikki
Wow, that’s cool. We usually use them to pick up dog poop…. You are much more inspired! :)
I stumbled this post – it’s great! I use my plastic bags for picking up after my dogs on our walks but I always feel wasteful throwing them away, knowing that they’re still filling up landfills. These are much better uses for them.
Cool 13, I’d never considered doing any of this with my millions of plastic bags.
Who’d a thunk you could make such neat and pretty things from plastic bags???
Great post!!
How cool. I’ve got to check into this more.
These are GREAT!! I luv the clothespin bag especially! It’s gotta be great in the ‘elements’, right?! Way to go green!!
(Have a wonderful weekend ahead!)
Hm. I totally agree with the “reuse and recycle” idea, but I can’t really say that I like any of those things. Except maybe the tote bag, although I can’t really see the point of using plastic bags to make, what, another plastic bag? Ho hum.
Personally I just reuse plastic bags as often as possible, which in most cases is quite a long time. I have 2 big ones that have been with me literally for years and that are still in good shape. But to each his own I guess.
I’m totally digging these. We use plastic grocery bags for garbage (why buy garbage bags when these are free???), but are slowly shifting to reusable bags. We’ve got like seven of them between us two adults, including at least one insulated one.
Anyway, know what this made me think of? My T13 where Kerri made stuff out of used guitar strings. Check it:
http://blog.westofmars.com/2007/12/19/thursday-thirteen-59-wired/
And yes, I like your Witches blog — I’m learning a lot from it.
Wow, and I just use mine for holding cat litter. I’m trying to go green by using fabric bags for grocery shopping, but I have lots of plastic bags. Maybe I’ll try one of your suggestions. Thanks.
Wow! That is amazing, I really liked the sea creatures link, they were really amazing. You’re not alone on hanging laundry, I love to do so, it gets me outside & in the fresh air while I’m doing something worthwhile (as opposed to lying in the hammock & reading a book- my other favorite outdoor activity)
wow, those are all made from plastic bags? the ones from the market? that’s pretty cool.
The plarn rug reminds me a little too much of a nylon hose rug project I had going for about 20 years. Not going there again! Generally, if I didn’t use my reusable bag to begin with, I drop my plastic bags in the recycling boxes in front of the stores where it can be turned into that deck planking stuff.
I started carrying my own bags in Feb of 08. I still have two sleeves of them after using them this past year for various things.
Thanks for visiting my T13
Some interesting ideas… so much to do with them aside from carrying purchases! Of course, we re-use ours until they usually start to utterly full apart… but when they do, I have ideas now!
Definitely different and original.
Hello again ~
I personally love the last one too
Its superb !
What cool ideas!! Happy TT and thanks for stopping by:)
AMAZING! The creativity is endless!! I missed that gene!! I can’t even think of a creative leftover let alone something creative out of garbage!!
Awesome! I am definitely giving some of these a try.
Happy TT!
Amazing! Whoever thought one could put an old Tesco bag to such good use?
Great recycling ideas! The mandala is esp. impressive!
Great ideas! I like the funky bangles.
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