I would like to have a list of as many as possible (if not all) blogs and websites about recycling, in one list. And while the list is growing, I will post it here for everyone to see and be visited by whoever wants to visit. It is my way of endorsing another recycling site. We all are one, right?

Anyway, I need your help, though. If you own one or several that has a recycling niche, or if you know someone who owns one or several, might as well let the world know by posting a comment under this post.

It may take time but I will personally go to each of the recommended blog/website to pay a visit.

I’m sure this will be fun and of a worthy cause.

What are you waiting for? Let me know of the sites you know!

Have you ever needed a deep bowl for grapes or berries but instead you just have a plate which is not enough to hold everything in?

When you have finished off the grapes or berries, would you rather have your container collapsible to save on space? Isn’t collapsibility great especially when you have to bring them along like in picnics or just let it stay in your bag so you have something to pull out at the time needed without even taking notice that it is in your bag?

Introducing, my new creation, the Multipurpose Side Expander.

Get the idea? Once you’re done, fold it up and keep it back in your bag or in a drawer, which takes very small space.

You can also use it as a vase. Put some floral foam and you can make your table flower arrangement. There are lots of other uses. The important thing is, it’s collapsible and you can bring it anywhere and bring it out to use it when needed at the right time, without taking up a lot of space.

The best thing about it? It’s about 95% recycled. It’s functional so you can keep it as long as you need to keep it. It’s made of juice foil so it’s actually waterproof and doesn’t easily tear. Just don’t cut it with a blade, of course.

As of now there are 2 sizes and also available for sale.

Order now and be ready for the holidays, birthdays and anniversaries ahead. Perfect as gifts too!

Multipurpose Side Expander (Octagon)
Diameter 1: base 7″ and top 9.5″

Multipurpose Side Expander (Octagon) - 1 dozen

Multipurpose Side Expander (Decagon)
Diameter 2: base 9″ and top 11.5″

Multipurpose Side Expander (Decagon) - 1 dozen

Delivery within 7 days for single orders, 2-3 weeks for dozen orders. Shipping takes about 1-3 weeks via Express Mail Service.

It is good to see that more and more people are concerned about the environment and opting to recycle and/or patronize recycled products.

We know that we can recycle non-glossy paper to make another batch of “new” paper, which saves our trees. Bottles are also recycled to make new bottles. Some plastics are also recyclable…

There are some materials, though, that are harmful if recycled to make them “new” like polythene plastics, foil, rubber, glossy paper, and some others I can’t think of right now. These should not be incinerated, otherwise they will harm the ozone layer.

So what do we do with them? Those materials are best put into craft to make something functional so they are still useful and would have no need to throw them out in the first place.

That is why most of what I craft have something to do with juice foils, tetra packs, rice sacks, snack foils, and other stuff I pick up around. Rarely do I make stuff that are mere displays. I always think of something functional to be incorporated. That way, you will want them to last longer.

When you get the hang of recycling, maybe you can save for some miami heat tickets.

I’ve been busy with many stuff including crafting. One that I’ve done is this Multipurpose Woven Glossy Paper Basket.

I’ve been keeping several pages of 18×24 inches of rejected glossy uncut brochure for about 2 years. When I got hold of it, I thought it would be best to make a basket which is very good for grocery shopping or for traveling. You can also put packed lunch or toys. Put some floral foam inside and you can arrange flowers for stage display. Put some marbles and artificial flowers to decorate your home. A lot of things can be done using this multipurpose basket. Best of all, it’s recycled. You can make this a project for those who go for a home health care agency.

Size: base is 8×8 inches; top is 13×5.5 inches; height is 8 inches.

Finish: plastic varnish; color: mahogany.

Accessories: ornamental toole (lavender) with ornamental button.

Shipping and handling: to the US takes about 3 weeks. (Will ship anywhere.) Will be in a box roughly 14×10x14.

This is for sale and posted at Ebay. It’s one-of-a-kind and there will be nothing like it. There could be something similar in the future but that is yet to be known.

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I was told my pics look pale. They look fine here but it’s probably my monitor. The pics looked dark in their original form, but then, it’s most likely my monitor so I’ll post the original pics below so you can see the real shots, taken only from an ASUS V80 camera phone, by the way.

Last June 14, 2008, I was asked to be the resource person during our regular monthly UCG-Manila Women’s Club Knowledge Channeling the next day. I asked if they were interested with making backdrops out of styrofoam. They were, but the next day when I was preparing my stuff, I found out our styro-cutter was malfunctioning so I had to think of another. I asked our President to bring some used newspaper. Solved.

Below are pictures I took (except for the first one, so I can be in the picture). I can say it was a successful crash training.

Above: Plastic varnish is applied to give stability to the finished product. It usually lasts more than a year.

Above: The varnish was not enough to apply 4 coats to every basket.

For the past 3 days I was on a project. I was thinking of making a sewing kit of some sort out of tetra packs but laid it aside when I was almost halfway. I saw a problem with the design so it’s almost like redesigning it later on. Since the design’s purely in my head (no drawing effort), it’s ok.

Instead, with the same tetra pack collection (Chuckie Chocolate Milk Drink), I made a wallet. My Nescafe wallet is over a year old (don’t know when I can make one of its kind again) so I wanted to make something I can use…or sell.

This is pure handcrafted. No sewing machine involved. Blisters emerged at the tips of my sewing fingers, sewing through the tetra pack. It’s 3-partitioned with the upper portion for cards (ID, credit, etc.), the middle part for paper bills and the lower zipped part for coins and other small items that need to be in closed (zipped) location.

Below are more pictures with and without the contents.

Above: See the thickness? The dangling thing is a 5-centavo coin in the Philippines. And since my surname is Cinco (which is Spanish for five), I made it my signature item. It has a hole in the middle naturally (I did not punch the hole).

Above: All 3 partitions seen. The top partition has Velcro to attach to the outside of the bottom partition when closed.

Above: The out side.

Above: Front side, closed.

Above: Back side, closed.

Above: Opening…

Above: Fully open, without contents.

Above: Top portion, close up.

Above: Middle portion, close up. Notice the 4 eyelets (2 on each side) which was intended for charms or other-hanging-whatever like the coin.

Above: Bottom zipped portion, close up.

Above: Outside portion.

Above: The tetrapack design (Nestle Chuckie Chocolate Milk Drink).

Above: Paper bills can be inserted as such or like below.

Above: Cards and bills and other notes can be inserted in the top portion.

The wallet is made up of 3 tetra packs, Velcro and bias. I have no pattern as I was designing in my head, as always. Besides, I don’t usually repeat what I’ve already done so if you’re interested with this, let me know, then I can sell it to you before I auction it. It’s one-of-a-kind and will probably not be repeated.

by Cecile Cinco

I have 30 pictures of the process of weaving or braiding this container you see pictured. It can be a container of anything that fits, actually. Put your pens in or a water jug.

The series of pictures are detailed. Since a picture paints a thousand words, I believe you can follow it. I’ve used rice sack strips in this case but in the past I’ve always used old newspaper or better yet, glossy magazine, which is a great way to recycle those glossy paper than to burn them.

The problem is, I’ve loaded the pictures in one of my Facebook folders which are only accessible by “friends” so anyone who is my “friend” can learn how to do it.

What I’d like you to do to get that set of pictures is send me a Facebook friend request with a message that you’d like the BASKET WEAVING INSTRUCTIONS so in that way I know where you came from when your name would not be familiar. If you don’t mind befriending me, I don’t mind befriending you either. If you mind, I have no plans of pushing myself to anyone who does.

Just search for my name and you’ll find me there. Remember to include the BASKET WEAVING INSTRUCTIONS message, or something to that effect.

Did you know that rice sacks are not only for holding rice and later for trash? I used to make it as my base for almost all my sewing craft products because it makes the outcome tear-free, especially when I’m using snack foil and tetra pack. Rice sack alone is also good but it’s more costly since I use the design of the sack to make it artistic and at the same time, functional, while being eco-friendly.

Below is the pics of the step-by-step process of the laptop bag I created (the only copy of such design) which was sold to a chat friend in the US for $80 in 2005, if I remember right.

In case the pics don’t show up, you can see them at picasaweb.

Today is such a wonderful day,

Thanks to the Stumblers that came my way;

Visits here were unusually high,

Please do visit again by and by.

This site attained top 1 in the Arts category and top 46 overall (rising from 1k+ levels)…mostly because of you, my Stumblers.

Last week I rummaged through my precious trash (trash for them but precious for me). I sorted them out and gave a compact space. I threw out all the trash trash and saved the useful trash.

It was then that some creations stirred up my imagination and produced the following:

1. A fancy earring made out of beads, cloth and crochet thread for hair and an earring hook.

2. A shoe that hangs from my cellphone holder where I can put some coins and a key. I also folded a large amount of banknote. Quite a small place to hide something very important.

3. A heart-shaped wallet for my 2nd daughter. It can hold some money and whatever small enough to fit inside. It can also serve as a gift “box” and it can hang around the neck using a neck band.

4. Another wallet formed as a blouse. When my eldest saw the heart-shaped wallet, her imagination ran wild and actually asked me to make her one that is shaped as a blouse/shirt with sabrina neckline and it has to be lavender! She even offered her old real blouse which she has not been using for quite a long time now.