I found two etsy artists that are doing amazing work with fused plastic from recycled plastic grocery bags. … true trash to treasure!

First is San Diego artist, Emily Grace from Emily Grace and the Yellow Suitcase. Her designs are made from heat fused plastic which is then hand-stitched to wire and then combined with sterling silver chain and occasionally some vintage beads. The pieces are soft and pliable and can be left lying flat or gently sculpted into a more three dimensional shape for special occasions or the perfect neckline.

Necklaces are available for $90.00 at Emily Grace Suitcase’s Etsy Shop

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The second artist working in fused plastic from recycled plastic bags is Cynthia Del Giudice located in the Argentine Pampas outside Buenos Aires, Argentina. Cynthia combines delicate flowers made from recycled plastic grocery bags with cultured freshwater pearls and sterling silver chain. So dainty and beautiful …and what a lovely conversation piece to raise awareness of plastic pollution.

$200.00 at Cynthia Del Giudice’s Etsy Shop

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Here’s a few good tutorials for fusing plastic. Don’t forget to work in a well-ventilated area….the fumes can be toxic!

• Fusing Plastic Bag Tutorial via Etsy Labs
• Video Tutorial from Etsy
• Make Sewable Fabric from Plastic Bags via Craftster

Surfing around the web this morning, I’m getting totally depressed reading about the amount of plastic crap that is choking our oceans. And seeing all the plastic crap that infiltrates my life everyday. It is so hard to avoid it! To lift my mood, I am finding inspiration from these necklaces that were created by designer, Barbara de Vries from plastic that she finds along the beaches of the Bahamas. Her website (which will soon be open to online shopping) can be found at: http://www.itsamanmadeworld.com/

Orange Cross Neck Piece – Not for Sale

Black Weave Necklace – $250.00 – Made from a segment of black grid

Turquoise Grid Neck Piece – $450.00 – Created from a turqoise blue crate that had been rolling around in the ocean for years and strung on found blue fisherman rope.

A percentage of the proceeds of these jewelry pieces will go towards the Cape Eleuthera Institute. An organization based in the Bahamas, which researches resource management and sustainability geared to marine and island life.

If this is your thing, more recycled plastic jewelry from the oceans can be found here.

And here are a couple of sites that are helpful for learning how to live with less plastic:
Fake Plastic Fish, The Rubbish Diet and My Zero Waste. This post was inspired by reading Plastic Pollution Coalition’s Facebook Fanpage.

Picture this skirt with a pair of flipflops and a plain white t-shirt…maybe throw on a cowboy hat too. Created from vintage tablecloths and bias cut for a flattering look. These old tablecloths are perfect for wearing this summer….soft and comfy and colorful.
$128.00 each at Ekochick

One of a kind and hand crafted from used oak wine barrels. Apparently the chemical properties of the oak itself affect the color, flavor, and texture of the wine in the wine-making process. Over time many of the oak properties get “leached” out of the barrel and after 3 to 5 vintages the barrel is ready to be discarded. Stil Novo Design steps in and turns this unfortunate waste into many beautiful ‘green’ idea. Old world integrity at its finest.

$395.00 for the Green Chair and $185.00 for the stool at Stil Novo Design’s Etsy Shop