Maybe I watch too much Sci-Fi TV. Maybe I’m just a little weird. But I sometimes worry about a post-apocalyptic future. Ok, I laughed out loud writing that, but deep down I do worry about it. That said, whether it is the end of oil or the rise of the zombie plague, some day we might have to upcycle. Some day we might only have used materials to make new things. It won’t likely be in our lifetimes, but some current upcycled products make me think about this. These products kind of scare me, actually. The following indie crafters are totally upcycling like it’s 2142.

Toothpaste Tube Pencil Case ($3.75) from Drygoods:

We are in serious trouble if we need to recycle toothpaste tubes into pencil cases. At least we will still have pencils, but still!

This awesome necklace is for when the only wood left in the world has to be cut from old furniture.

Mamoo UpCycled chair leg necklace ($24) by zoradelldesigns:

Plastic bags will replace all the sheep and we will have to make our scarves out of this plastic yarn from Ivy Tea Kettle:

In the future, precious (or semi-precious) stones will no longer come from the Earth. Instead, we will only have ancient Legos. These Upcycled Lego Man Earrings by Isis that cost $5 today will be worth 1 million dollars in 2142.

Makes you think about upcycling in a whole new way, doesn’t it?

Tina Seamonster blogs her life and craft at I Like Seamonster.com. She has no time for the future.

It has been two weeks since my first post about learning to use my new woodburning tool. During those first few nights of learning, I didn’t think this follow-up post would be as positive as it is about to be. I didn’t think I would get the hang of it, I didn’t think it would be as fun as it is. I thought I would go running back to my trusty Gocco printer to finish my pieces for Artomatic. I was wrong and this is rad.

In the past few weeks, I have completed about 25 pieces, only ruining about 3! So far, I have only mastered transferring words, not images. Words are easier because you can concentrate on transferring each word, one letter at a time, making sure not to burn the paper into the wood. This is done by using the tool with one hand, while gently lifting the paper as you transfer. It is kind of how you check to see if a fake tattoo has transferred to your skin. Hard to explain. The instructions on the tool actually explained it, but until I messed it up a few times, it was hard to figure out. Transferring images has proven more difficult, so I am still working on that.

This piece is a combination of the star stamper that actually burns stars into the wood and the laser transfer (with multiple fonts):

Close up of the little stars:

Here is how it looks on the wall!

While this piece came out the best so far, the message is a little too cheerleader-y, so I held it back from the two shows I am making these for this month. (I wrote the text after having given birth to twins, so cut me some slack!)

You can see how the transfer really works well on the unpainted wood. I have found, though, that painted wood can be a little more difficult. A few tips so that you can learn from my mistakes.

1. Only let the pen/tool heat up for 5 minutes. Don’t turn it on, go off to watch Battlestar Galactica and come back an hour later. That thing will be too hot! It will then ruin the first half of whatever you are about to do. Along those same lines, don’t try to use a tool that hasn’t heated up.
2. If you plan to paint your pieces, do so the day before. Your paint needs to be completely dry before even trying this.
3. Don’t forget to reverse your images on a computer and then print them out. This can easily be done in Photoshop.
4. Read and follow all of the instructions on the package. I didn’t and this is what caused stress the first night.

Here are a few pieces that were painted before using the tool to transfer laser prints:

You might notice on these that the tool will sometimes transfer a faint clear bit when you run it over blank paper. I tried to minimize this by cutting my designs out very close to the ink. It isn’t a big thing, but might bother perfectionists. Transferring onto the painted pieces takes a bit more patience than the bare wood ones. Don’t be afraid to mess up and if you do, just paint over it and try again.

Of course, this tool can do like 20 other things. I urge people with drawing talent to try it out as a pen! I would love to see something other than deer heads and cowboys drawn on wood! I would really love to see what people with actual artistic ability can do with this tool. Don’t hesitate to comment on the blog if you do try it out. Along those lines, let us know about any kind of new craft you are trying to learn.

Tina Seamonster blogs her life and craft at http://www.ilikeseamonsters.com. Oh! You can see a whole wall of these finished pieces at Artomatic, 8th floor (SW, B7).

I feel like all of the best upcycled products are bags. I’ve reviewed bags made out of old t-shirts, bags made out of contruction fencing and now here are bags made out of the hated plastic grocery bags. With all of these bags made out of waste, there is really no reason for anyone to ever purchase a non-upcycled purse or tote.

So, fused plastic bag bags. Some of the bags that I am going to show you today are made by fusing together all those unwanted plastic grocery bags. I think what makes these bags cute to me is that some of them are made with grocery bags from regional stores that we don’t have here, so they aren’t the usual ugly Safeway bags. It helps to have some bags in colors other than Safeway tan. Take a look at this green one ($45) from Scary Carrie Creates:

This lunch bag ($14) from Kim Quilts saves 9 plastic bags from a landfill. It is made by using a unique folding technique, then they are quilted over to ensure they are more durable.

She also has some larger bags ($22). The quilting really makes them cute:

A few more plastic bag finds:

Fused Wristlet ($12) from HoneyBearRecycles

Recycled Plastic Basket Organizer ($15) from Curious Doodles.

Wanna do this yourself? Personally, I wouldn’t do this myself because I worry about the fumes. I mean, how safe can it be to use an iron to fuse these plastic bags together? I would rather let others do it for me! But if you are interested in trying it out, there is an awesome tutorial on the Etsy Labs website, here. Check out a tutorial for quilted fused plastic bags over at Craftastica.

Tina Seamonster blogs her life and craft at I Like Seamonsters. She has too many bags.

I have always felt like sort of a one trick pony when it comes to crafting. I gocco. I used to do other stuff, but when I got my Gocco Printer about 5 years ago, I stopped doing much else. Nothing matches it when it comes to ease of use. And my lifestyle only gives me small units of times with which to make stuff, so the Gocco makes sense.

But this past month, I decided to venture out and commit to two art projects that would require that I use up lots of Gocco screens and bulbs. Like, lots. This was getting expensive and stressful, so I decided it was time to learn something new. I started researching ways that I could transfer lots of words onto wood. Stories from my blog, twitter posts, all kinds of stuff. I wanted each piece to be relatively one of a kind, I wanted the freedom to be able to randomly make a piece of wall art the way I would jot down a note in my Moleskine notebook. I wanted to be break free from the Gocco.

A call to the factory where I was buying irregular bits of wood for these projects helped me discover the wood burning pen/tool. You know, the kind of thing that Boy Scouts use to draw deer heads on patches of leather? Apparently everyone’s older brother had one of these things. Still not sure what I am talking about? Here’s the page from the catalog that I ordered mine from:

You can totally pick these up at any craft store for about $35, but those places stress me out with all the scrap booking stuff, so I try to stay away! For about another $20, you can pick up a set of alphabet stamps! This was my first idea, to burn in my silliness one letter at a time. That was until the woman taking my order told me about the transfer tip for the tool. It sounded too good to be true. With the flat tip of the pen, one can transfer laser prints onto word, fabric, leather, whatever. Just reverse any text, heat up the pen to 750 degrees and you are in business!

My first night of learning was stressful. Here I am working on my first transfer:

And after about an hour of working on it, this is what I got:

Not great, but not bad either!

Note to self (and Crafty Blog readers): Do not ever try to learn a new craft 15 days before needing 40 new pieces for two different venues. Don’t do this to yourself. Even if the instructions on the box make it look like anyone can wield the wood burning/transfer tool, know that it is not this easy. And if you only have two hours a day to perfect your new craft, odds are you will not perfect it in time to actually finish said 40 pieces. Ok. End rant.

My second night of trying out the tool yielded slightly better results, if still not perfect. Here is a “finished” piece:

Each time I use the tool, I learn something new and get better at it. This past weekend I got some help with my twins and was able to work for about 3 hours uninterrupted and finished about 6 pieces (photos to come once Artomatic opens!).

I am energized by my ability to pick up something new and encourage everyone to step out of their crafting comfort zone and try something different.

What is your dream skill? Mine is actually quilting, oh my, who has time for that?

Tina Seamonster blogs her life and craft at http://www.ilikeseamonsters.com. The title of this blog is what she was burning into wood today.

It is totally too bad the Crafty Bastards application doesn’t require video submissions. Check out Cousin Loomis’ plea for Spooky Daddy to get into Crafty Bastards:

I would totally watch Sesame Street again if Cousin Loomis replaced Elmo. Ok, maybe not Elmo, maybe just Telly or Grover.

Are you making creative videos with your handmade goods? Be sure to share them with us by emailing us at craftyupdates@washingtoncitypaper.com.

KB’s car-free thrift store shopping post yesterday reminded me of something I always forget. You can shop vintage on Etsy.com! Well, the shopping is car-free, but the shipping isn’t. Still, vintage on Etsy goes beyond crafts and supplies. One of my favorite vintage items to search for are eye glasses. Just search for the words: vintage eye glasses. You will get lots of weird stuff, but in the mix you will find all the granny specs that you are looking for.

Take a few minutes to wade through the listings and you will find a really nice assortment ranging from $10 to about $40. Take them with you to your eye appointment, get your own lenses added and you will be so green! Not to mention you get super cute specs without paying $300 for designer frames.

I bought this pair last month for just $10. They were purchased from a retired ophthalmologist who found them in his closet. They were sample glasses that were never used and dated from the 60’s or 70’s.

Here is another pair that I found this morning for $35:

I am thinking about picking these up because they remind me of my great grandma:

And lastly, the Chigal shop seems to always have vintage eyewear:

Ok, enough shopping for me today. I promise I will be back tomorrow to show you something that I am actually making!

Tina Seamonster rarely sleeps. She blogs her life and craft at http://www.ilikeseamonsters.com.

Absolutelysmall has a new Chickenpants video. What more do you need on a Friday?

Are you using video in fun or interesting ways to showcase your handmade goods? Let us know! Email us at craftyupdates@washingtoncitypaper.com.

Where do skateboards go when they die?

Novia Scotia!

That is where 2ReVert creates one of a kind jewelry pieces out of 100% post-consumer recycled skateboards. Post-consumer means old, used, broken skateboards. If you think the idea is brilliant, wait til you see the results. These pieces are not only a crazy great use of trash, they are beautiful and stylish. The photos speak for themselves.

To add to the “wow,” their pieces are also incredibly affordable, ranging from $18 to $30 in their online shop.

I’ll never look at a skateboard the same way again!

Tina Seamonster rarely sleeps. She blogs her life and craft at http://www.ilikeseamonsters.com.

If you are looking for something to do this weekend in D.C., we’ve got a few suggestions.

On Friday, Crafty Bastard Matt Hollis will be showing a new free-standing sculpture in “The End of Nature” art exhibit at the Warehouse Gallery. About the show:

In this wide-ranging group exhibition, artists take a melancholy, hopeful and sometimes humorous look at what they will miss most after “The End of Nature.”

The End of Nature at the Warehouse Gallery
Opening Reception Friday, April 11th, 6-9pm
1017-1021 7th Street NW Washington DC
Metro: Mt. Vernon Square Green/Yellow Line

And Saturday, you can do some shopping over at The Shop at Civilian Spring Trunk Show.

About the shop:

Tucked in the back-office of Civilian Art Projects, The Shop presents Civilian visitors with a ‘curated shopping experience’ featuring hand picked items by local artists and designers.

Unique items available at the Shop include limited edition hand-printed tees, small works of art by local artists, limited edition art books, videos & dvds, letterpressed notecards, leather wristbands, silkscreened ties and scarves woven from recycled clothing.

Featured artists include Erik Jackson, Lisa Marie Thalhammer, Cynthia Connolly, Betsy Packard, Bookish Lady, FIsticuffs, Anita Walsh, Angela Jerardi, Linda Hesh and Richard Chartier (just to name a few!)

Many of the artists will be on hand to talk about their work at the trunk show.

The Shop [at] Civilian- Spring Trunk Show & Reception!!
Saturday, April 12- 11am – 4pm
406 7th St. NW (3rd floor)- Just 2 blocks from the Verizon Center and Chinatown Metro.
For more information call 202-347-0022

My closet is full of old t-shirts for bands that don’t exist anymore. Unrest, Braid, Jawbox. Heavens, we must own every shirt that Q and Not U ever printed. Most of these shirts are too big or too small or too old or the wrong color or just plain don’t say anything about us anymore. But whenever my husband and I are trying to get rid of clothing, someone always says, “No, I love that shirt!” or “Remember that show?” And we keep them. And we carry around our memories in dozens and dozens of pieces of sentimental clothing. We will never wear them again, but we can also never part with them. Hostages, we are.

zJayne has come up with a way to recycle these old t-shirts, by turning them into reusable grocery bags. In her shop she writes, “Paper or Plastic? How about neither. It takes as much petroleum to make 14 plastic bags as it does to drive a car one mile.” I love the idea of dumping plastic bags, but always forget to bring my own bags. And I don’t think that buying a non-plastic bag to replace my plastic bags at the store is really helping anything, just adding more lame bags to my house. But, this, repurposed old t-shirts into bags. This is cool. This is smart. This has character. I picked this one up from zJayne’s shop last week:

She doesn’t waste any piece of the shirt either, as she turns the sleeves into cute little wristlets.

I have been testing the bag out for sturdiness all week by actually using it as a diaper bag. This means it gets filled to the brim with pointy toys, sippy cups and fish crackers. It is awesome. And we use the little wristlet to safely carry our twins’ inhaler. (Seriously, how did this become my life?).

The bags are so well made. They have reinforced bottom corners and a stitch tucked at each handle. The raw edges which do not fray give them a neat urban look. zJayne suggests that you roll a bunch up and keep them in your car or your desk drawer. She even gives discounts if you want to buy a bunch. You can pick up one bag for $5, 2 for $9, 3 for $12 or a dozen for $48.75.

Since upcycling is meant to combat the way we consume and waste in our society today, this product is awesome because it not only repurposes the old shirts, but also solves our plastic bag problem. I would love to see these shirts for sale in every grocery store in America.

But first, I think it would be rad if zJayne would sell a PDF tutorial so that all us DIYers could give new life to our closets full of sentimental t-shirts.

Tina Seamonster blogs her life and craft at http://www.ilikeseamonsters.com. She makes stuff because she is no good at sports or drinking.