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This neckware is created by Etsy seller Johnny Vegas Originals. Lots of different colors and styles available for sale in his Etsy shop. Can you imagine anything more comfortable to wear?

This creative craftster cut up her t-shirts and made yarn out of it which she then knitted to make dishtowels. I’m sure they are nice and soft and absorbent! See her tutorials here>>

Save the planet in more ways than one by passing up the paper or plastic dilemma at the grocery story and making your own bags from recycled T-shirts. Here’s the tutorial>>

How cute are these ruffle shirts – made from recycled Tshirts?

Tutorial 1: http://thirtyhandmadedays.com/2011/03/ruffly-tshirt-tutorial-from-just-another-day-in-paradise/
Tutorial 2: http://jaynsarah.blogspot.com/2011/03/anthropologie-squeezebox-top-diy.html

Cool pompom tutorial from Craftaholics Anonymous to create a bit of whimsey wherever you may need a bit of fun in your life. You will never look at an old Tshirt in the same way again!

Lots of beautiful flower tutorials ready to be created in a variety of fabrics >> Most are ready for purchase for $6.00 each.

Want to create an entire bouquet of flowers? Perfect for your relative or friend who is allergic to the real deal. These look beautiful and they are fun to make!

Create your own wedding flowers>>

Hat tutorial! Perfect for babies and their delicate noggins! Click here for the tutorial>>

What about these simple Upcycled / Recycled T-Shirt Bangles? Nice and detailed Tutorial available here>>

Tutorial from Martha Stewart living includes a video for step by step instructions. These are elegant and casual at the same time. They will go with everything!

I want to try creating a one-of-a-kind scarf, the possibilities are endless to make something fun and colorful. Here’s the tutorial>>

Check out the eco-friendly wreath collection 2011>>

From Brazilian artist, Gueth Freitas, beautifully painted handbags made from recycled records. She paints on the black vinyl records with “nanquin” a Chinese ink …her designs are bold and punchy! She paints enough of the surface to give is a strong graphic look, however, if examined closely your admirers will see the classic tracks of the record. If you would like to give this as a gift, Novica includes and “artisan card” which tells the story of the artist and the materials used…it is a nice touch. There are several designs and different sizes available at Novica.com.

Earrings and pendant necklaces are also available from this artist using the same process of painting on recycled vinyl records. These items are playfully named “Samba Symphony” and “Samba Swing” and “Copacabana Melody”
Click here for availability and prices from Novica.com

This tactic can be used today to tackle the many problems in the world. The trick is to start small. Help others, do little good things, and see what the impact of those things are. Never underestimate the power of putting a smile on someone’s face. That smile could change the person’s entire day, and they could go on to do something brilliant that in turn helps thousands of people. All because you did something small that put a smile on their face.

In that vein, I bring you recycled rubber bands:

Recycled Rubber Band Notecards

Rubber bands seem to come “free” with everything. And they multiply like rabbits in the junk drawer. Especially if you happen to purchase produce and flowers at the market.
CLick here for instructions to make these cheerful notecards>>

Recycled Rubber Band Jewelry

Fantastic jewelry from recycled rubber bands created by an architect from NYC.

View and purchase at M2′s Etsy Shop

Rubber Bands Created from Recycled Bicycle Tires

Made in Switzerland of recycled bicycle tubes. The once flat becomes useful again.
$8.00 at Plasticashop

This next artist (from Etsy) creates everything from bags, purses and mittens to fun holiday decorations. This item featured is what they came up with for the leftovers.

The colors caught my eye ..how couldn’t they? This is a garland made from wool scraps ready to decorate your window or bulletin board to remind you that life is happy and good!
$24.00 at MaddyAndMe’s Etsy Shop (check it out for lots of handmade knit felted wonderfulness!

This artist is working with many recycled materials, the wool felt being only one small component. I fell in love with several necklaces made up of many beautiful arrangements.


This etsy artist combines handmade felted wool beads with recycled vintage glass and plastic beads. Artful color and texture combinations!
$20.00 at ThreePeat’s Etsy Shop

This artist from the Netherlands, works with vintage woolen blankets and felted Merino wool. You can see more of her work over on Flickr – www.flickr.com/photos/kyroushka/



Prices range from $25.00 – $40.00 at Eexterhout’s Etsy Shop

This artist uses hand dyed salvaged wool that she then felts into these wild colorful necklaces. They look so simple but they have the ability to be the finishing item to pull the perfect outfit together.

$22.00 at MaisyandAlice’s Etsy Shop

Aren’t all these necklaces delicious? Interested in trying your hand on hacking up an old sweater and turning it into fashionable neckwear? During my travels, I found a few tutorials listed below:

Tutorials for making felt beads from recycled sweaters

• From The Hive and Rebecca Parsons>>
• Funky Felter’s Helpful Tips for Making Wool Felt Beads>>
• How to Make Felt Beads from WoollyFabulous – $4.00

From North Salt Lake, Judson Jenning’s ipod holders (called the iFork, of course!) are completely adorable. He creates all kinds of wacky art from spoons and forks and you can see his wares on his site www.forkedupart.com and can connect on his Forked Up Art facebook page. Judson also has an etsy store where some of the product is a bit more edgy.

Another etsy artist working with recycled forks is the Fork Whisperer. Beautiful spoon rings and fork bracelets.

Prices range from $39.90 to $149.99

Created by Jeremy & Jenni Eversen from Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, this item is called the “I Love Forking Bracelet Cuff” ….it seems that fork artists have lots of fun! $34.99 at Jjevensen’s Etsy Shop. Check out the website, JJEvensenArt.com to view more examples of silverware jewelry, coat hooks and windchimes.

Here are some resources:

This is the bible for learning how to make jewelry from flatware …only problem is that it is usually out of print and unavailable.

This is a product created by Maryann Cherubino which consists of a several high quality videos showing you how to make bracelets and necklaces with recycled forks. The videos cover: materials, tools, preparation, bending forks, using stones, and making bracelets and necklaces.
This group of videos costs $29.99 at Making Fork Bracelets.com

What better way to say “I love you” than this fabulous pair of mittens made from recycled sweaters? Warm hands equals a warm heart.
$16.00 at MerchantShip’s Etsy Shop

Hand stitched heart magnets made from Eco-Fi felt which is made from 100% recycled plastic bottles. Love the colors!
$28.00 for a set of 10 at WhatNoMint’s Etsy Shop

Valentine Love Pillows from reclaimed antique quilt fabrics from the 1940′s appliqued on linen. A beautiful hand-made gift for the one who deserves your “x” and “o”.
$20.00 at RobinsEggBlue’s Etsy Shop

Handwoven vintage glass button bracelet from buttons from the 1960′s. Featuring one big heart at the center and created from elegant white buttons.
$15.00 at HeyCaryAnn’s Etsy shop

This is a unique and fun gift, a coffee teaspoon in an elegant pattern. Says “I love you a Latte”. Perfect for that cute little “hard to buy for” coffee drinker in your life.
$15.50 at Sycamore Hill’s Etsy Shop

This heart has been around the block a few times in its former life as a skateboard. Cut, sanded, and sealed for its new life as a great piece of jewelry. I know a certain someone who will completely appreciate the pink, silver, white and black scuffed up graphic hanging delicately from a sterling silver chain.
$28.00 at Sevenply’s Etsy Shop

Recycled Silver and White Topaz ring that has “I promise” etched on the inside of the ring. How romantic!
$50.00 at PunkyBunny300′s Etsy Shop
Click here if you are interested in seeing more recycled eco friendly rings>>

Lavender Heart Sachet Valentines day Dream pillow filled with aromatic, soothing, relaxing fresh lavender and made from recycled embroidered linen. Beautiful, elegant and ecofriendly.
$8.00 at Herbolution’s Etsy Shop

A 5″ x 7″ print from a recycled vintage children’s storybook. Give the words every girl wants to hear!
$12.00 at CrowBiz’s Etsy Shop

For a great tutorial on how to make beads out of recycled newspaper>> Imagine the possibilities …necklaces!! earrings!! and bracelets!!, oh my!! All created from materials that cost nothing!

Recycled Newspaper Bags

From Amazon, Oenophilia Yesterday’s News Recycled Newspaper Weave Single-Bottle Wine Satchel Made with recycled newspaper pages …a great way to deliver a bottle of wine or sparkly as a housewarming or hostess gift.

Recycled Newspaper Pencils

Pencils made directly from rolled up newspapers. You can actually read the newsprint on the side of pencil since they are manufactured by using whole newspaper sheets rolled around HB high-quality #2 graphite. There is no mulching or mixing with toxic recycling chemicals. Available at TreeSmart

Recycled Newspaper Shoes

Handcrafted with the help of cottage industry artists in China from recycled Chinese language newspapers that are woven into a lattice pattern. The eco-friendly nature stop there when they are “dipped in plastic” for durability. Still, wearing the news on your feet will keep a few pages of the newspaper out of the landfill. Designed by Colin Lin for “All Black” and available at Moxsie

Recycled Newspaper Handbag

Designed by Denise Marques, these bags are100% handmade by a Fair Trade co-op in Brazil. Available at Uncommon Goods

Handspun Recycled Newspaper Yarn

Concept created by artisit, Greetje van Tiem, but Doug Gunzelmann, over at Green Upgrader created a step by step tutorial on how to create your very own recycled newpaper yarn.

Recycled Newspaper Coffin

Made by hand from recycled newspapers and finished with paper made from 100% mulberry pulp, the Ecopod is available in a range of colors with and without screen printed motifs, plain white, or gold.

Recycled Newspaper Logs for your Fire

Step by step instructions on how to make logs from recycled newspaper available at Instructables. Warning: Be prepared to be attacked by advertising over at Instructables.

Recycled Newspaper Jewelry

Created from recycled stock market listings …do they even list those in the paper anymore? Available at Newspaper Jewelry

Recycled Newspaper Clutch

From Ecoist, a recycled newspaper clutch. I always have a soft spot in my heart for Ecoist because I think they were the first to make handbags out of newspaper and candy wrappers …they are high quality too.

Recycled Newspaper Ornaments

Made from recycled, black-and-white newspaper pages, these Star Urchins are the artist’s modern interpretation of a Polish folk art decoration, a style of ornament making that dates back beyond a hundred years. $40.00 for three ornaments at Kissa Design’s Esty Shop

Recycled Newspaper Bangles

Narrow wood bangle bracelets that have been decoupaged with scraps of Indian newspapers. Each piece is one of kind and hand crafted in Squishy Sushi’s Etsy studio in San Francisco, CA.