Today, September 30, 2012

Today’s project: Plastic bag upcycle

Previously, I’ve mentioned the over-abundance of environment-killing paper and plastic bags that populate our household.  Not because we don’t have those cloth ones (cuz we do…too many of them, in fact, because I’m the sucker who keeps buying one when I’ve left mine in the car) or because I refuse to use the cloth ones (I would use them, really…if I could remember to bring them in with me) or because I have some weird hatred of the Earth and am doing my part to slowly poison it with plastic bags leaching evil things in a landfill…BWAHAHAHAHAAAAA!  Ahem. 

Actually, it’s really just because I’m a dork and forget to bring them into the store with me.  That’s it.  Sorry conspiracy nuts.  Go back to your theories of nuclear weapon domination by New York cockroaches.

So, I’ve managed to dwindle the paper bag pile by a few with my organization box:

and my hat box:

But those pesky plastic bags were yelling at me. ‘Hey!  What about us?  We can be valuable too! NOT FAIR!’

I hear you, plastic ones!  Today you are vindicated!

It’s beginning to be fall here in Michigan and the trees are really showing some lovely fall colors.  Pretty reds, yellows and oranges.  This always puts me in the mood to decorate the house.  However, there is that issue of my cheap nature and limited resources.  Pishaw! I scoff at you, limitations!  I will show you – I will make a fall wreath out of a wire hanger, plastic bags and flowers from the dollar store! BWAHAHAHAHAHAAA!  Ahem. 

Maybe I shouldn’t listen to ‘Dr. Horrible’s Sing-A-long Blog’ while I type my entries.  Hmmm…NAH!

I originally got this idea from something I saw in a magazine a couple of years ago (I tried to find it on their website, but didn’t have any luck…sorry…there’s one for you, conspiracy nuts.)  They used sandwich baggies for their version.  I did once and I think it turns out really pretty and is great for a winter wreath; it kind of sparkles.

Of course, I didn’t have a bunch of sandwich baggies lying around…but guess what I did have a bunch of lying around? 

Since I wanted to make a fall wreath, I used the brown bags; I have several white ones too, that I think I will use for a winter/Christmas version.  Or maybe I’ll use those for something completely different!  See?  I’m un-pre-dictable!

So…yeah…here’s the bags:

Step one:

Take apart the wire hanger:

And form it into a circle:

Step two:

I cut apart one bag into two pieces:

And then tie each piece onto the circle:

Step three:

Repeat step two about a gajillion million times:

Make sure you really fill in the wire form – this makes the best look over all, I think.

Step four:

Got these from the dollar store:

And then glued them strategically on the wreath:

Here it is in action:

That’s it.  I’ve got about 30 less plastic bags in my garage and a pretty cool wreath on my door.

Now, if you will excuse me, I need to get back to building my bunker in the back yard for when the evil cockroaches have their uprising and nuke us all….

 

Pic: getitbyte.com