I just stumbled across this great little Etsy shop called Dozi. Shop owner, Wendy Chung, makes cards, calendars, paper packs, and workbooks featuring her original modern and simple designs. Dozi is Chinese for “bean”, and symbolizes Wendy’s love for the small and simple. Read the rest of this entry »
Paper N Stitch is an amazing online exhibition space created specifically to promote talented artists, designers, makers selling handmade goods, and indie boutiques. The exhibition space is currently curated monthly and showcases the best of the best in handmade highlights on an international level.
The Paper n Stitch Blog is a constant source of inspiration too. Shown above is the Studio Fuller shop from their recent reviews, and below are their picks from Blue Thimble’s hand screen prints and textile art.
It is no secret that scrapbooking uses up gobs of paper. Crafting a green scrapbook is definitely an uphill battle. We’ve shown you recycled papers, handmade embellishments, even how to use leftover paint chips, and now I give you recycled kraft scrapbook paper.
Jillibean Soup offers cute, unique, eco-friendly scrapbook papers printed on 100% recycled Kraft paper. Printing their debut line on kraft paper was so important that they custom-manufactured folio size kraft paper that is acid-free and lignin free. I personally love the look of the brown kraft paper in the background. Read the rest of this entry »
Die Cuts With A View (DCWV) has just released the Green Stack collection made from 70% post-consumer recycled paper that is also acid-free and lignin-free. The debut Green Stack paper pad features 24 woodland designs complete with squirrels, owls, and a little faux bois. The collection also includes a matching Green Stack Chipboard Set with 105 shapes and letters made from 70% post-consumer recycled paper.
The DCWV website has a great idea gallery with sample pages from each collection, like the Guess Who sample page shown here which features the Green Stack collection. Check out the other awesome Green Stack sample pages after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »
Here’s another great example of good design, craftiness and a nod to the environment, all in a small card.
The Baltimore Center for Design has a utilitarian goal, one that will bring together the city’s designers for the purpose of discussion, and to provide community members a valuable resource. As an up and comer, the Center for Design is all volunteer run, with little to no budget. Though this is a challenge it has not stopped them from moving foward with all the things that a resource like this needs, all with an environmental bent.
Their business cards are made from the extra runs that a print shop uses to get their press set. These test sheets usually end up as waste, but not in this instance. Working with their local printer they were able to source these test prints for free!
To personalize the cards, the Center for Design used label paper and printed up their url and attached the labels to the cards. The result is a simple and easy way to make buisness cards.
“Always reach for the sky–or swing your way there!” is the title of this handmade art card from Cards for Africa made by talented Rwandan artists and youth groups.
“Our Touch the Sky card is lovingly handcrafted in Rwanda by young people who have been orphaned by genocide or disease. All the paper is handmade from local Rwandan office waste, making it environmentally sustainable, too.”
Cards for Africa exists to:
“Why Rwanda? Rwanda is full of potential, but 10 percent of the population has been orphaned by disease and the 1994 genocide.” Read the rest of this entry »
This is a guest post by Becky Haas, an amateur crafter/environmentalist who also tries to make a living as a professional musician. You can also find her at the craft blog Sew and So.
I’ve caught myself contemplating this quite a bit lately–whether it is actually possible for a craft that relies so heavily on paper to be done in a way that’s eco-friendly.
It seems that scrapbooking has a few extra challenges that makes it difficult to find supplies that are made from recycled materials. For one, the paper used as the base of the page has to be sturdy enough that it can handle having photos and other potentially bulkier items adhered to it–generally cardstock weight. This eliminates most, if not all, homemade and handmade papers. because they tend to be more fragile and tear easily. But the bigger challenge I’ve found in finding basic supplies is that most scrapbookers want stuff that is acid- and lignin-free.
As many of you know, I’ve been on hiatus planning Strange Folk, which took place this past weekend in O’Fallon, IL. We had amazing weather and an estimated turn-out of 10,000 people. On a shoestring budget, I set out not only to lessen this event’s impact on the planet, but also to wisen the public to the ways of upcycling.
The first part of this equation poses many obstacles. For instance, enough cash to order all the marketing materials I need printed on recycled cardstock with soy based ink from a company across the country (because no one does that locally) and offsetting the carbon emissions it takes to ship them to me. But that’s just the beginning. I’m truly starting to understand the woes of the organizers of this year’s Democratic National Convention, even if they had $70 million to work with. Pfft… pocket change in terms of going uber-green. Read the rest of this entry »
I love those NetFlix commercials where all the different movie characters deliver themselves around the neighborhood. Maybe the fantistic voyage the actual envelopes take is less evocative than portrayed, but you have to give them props for the clever design that allows the movie to be returned in the same packaging. All you are left with is a puny flap of paper, and I’m happy to report that you can now put it to good use.
Netflix Origami has over a dozen different well illustrated examples of folded critters, containers, and more. Thinking ahead to the holidays, many would make great substitutions for bows on small presents. The cube and heart would be cute tree ornaments too!
If any of you get Blockbuster instead, I’m wondering if those flaps work for this as well? Experiment and let us know in comments.
Cradle to Cradle by William Mcdonough & Michael Braungart may be the world’s most environmentally friendly book. Not only will it give you an entirely new perspective on how we manufacture things, but you can read it while snorkeling. The pages are made of non-toxic plastic resins and inorganic fillers combined to form a durable, waterproof paper that is infinitely recyclable. These characteristics also exist in a new substrate being produced by Natural Source Printing called FiberStone.
From their website: “FiberStone is made from 80% Calcium Carbonate (CaCOз) with a small quantity (20%) of non-toxic resin (HDPE- High Density Polypropylene). The Calcium Carbonate comes from limestone collected as waste material from existing quarries for the building and construction industry.”
The bottom line is that no trees are cut down, no water is consumed, no bleaching chemicals are used, and no air pollution is created. Along with being waterproof and recyclable, it is also tear resistant. They offer a wide range of products such as marketing and packaging materials as well. Does this sound like a dream come true for some of you struggling to find ways to reduce the environmental impact of your creations and microbrands?
I asked a representative from the company a few questions with the indie craft community in mind… Read the rest of this entry »
Crafting a Green World
Crafting a Green World features do-it-yourself projects that incorporate reused, recycled, and natural materials. Find knitting, sewing, crocheting, and other project ideas for eco-friendly and fashionable clothes, crafts, gifts and more.
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