Trash to Treasure Tuesday: A New Feature on Cynchronicity

I had to giggle during my last Cynchronicity Live Crafting WebTV show because I was showing everyone that I had purchased some glitter (a big step for me – I’m not very glittery or blingy) and one of them commented that they were guessing that the only reason I bought it was because it was in such a cool container.  I suppose they know me pretty well! 

It’s not that I’ll make a purchase simply for the container – well unless maybe it’s from the dollar store – but I might just pick one type of glitter, for example, over another because one of them came in a container that I liked and could envision remaking into something else.  In the case of this glitter, that wasn’t so.  While I do like the container, I picked it because it seemed like the least messy way to use glitter and most likely, in 10 years or so when it’s empty, I’ll just refill it with more glitter.

But that whole conversation rang through my head more than once in the past week as I encountered items during my day to day activities and was excited by the thoughts of what I might be able to reuse them for.  For example, any time I receive a package in the mail, well, of course, I’m tickled pink to get the package BUT I’m almost just as thrilled if I open it up and find such treasures as bubble wrap (I paint it and then stamp with it to create patterns on art backgrounds) and corrugated cardboard (which I add to many projects like greeting cards for texture) in it. 

Then there were these boxes.  A couple years ago I received some holiday dishes and mugs in them and I’ve been storing them in the boxes ever since.  But now I have a china cabinet of sorts in which I can display them so the boxes are empty.  These boxes are wonderful and sturdy so they certainly are not being sent to the recycling bin!  I’m picturing them turned into some lovely shadow boxes to hang on the wall and use for display of special items. 

Oh and then this box from chewing gum.  It’s got that cool little flap there and I just feel like there’s got to be SOMETHING adorable I can make from this!  (Am I the only crazy one who saves stuff like this???)  PS – Juicy Fruit Dessert Gums in the Apple Pie flavour is positively addictive!

Finally, the one night I just didn’t have the energy to cook dinner so I ordered takeout.  With my meal, I received a box of Lindor chocolates.  The moment I saw the box, I was inspired by the idea of making it into a little holiday house to sit on my mantel or as part of a centerpiece display.  Then I opened the box and unwrapped a couple of the chocolates. 

Well, the chocolates were delicious but I was just as delighted by their wrappers.  I have a tendency to save those metallic wrappers from chocolate eggs and such at Easter and use them in place of those pricey metallic papers sold at scrapbooking stores. These, however, have some bits of clear cellophane with something resembling snowflakes stamped on them and on one of the wrappers there are some adorable little snowmen figures.  I can see all sorts of applications for these such as adding them to greeting cards, my mixed media collages, and more.

What are your favourite items to recycle and use in creating your art and craft projects?  Stay tuned to see how I incorporate these items into my creative endeavours!