Repurpose Art

I love to re-purpose an old item into something new. Most people wouldn't think twice about tossing an old, used cardboard box into trash. I'd rather save the old box and make it into something useful. Saving the planet from another piece of garbage in a landfill is only second to my reason for saving this box. I thought it had a unique character and feel to it. Today, instead of tossing an old box, I re-purposed it into a keepsake.

The entire box is covered with scraps of paper. To give the box and the paper durability, I covered it with two coats of matte medium. I added two Velcro strips to help secure the lid. The box can be used to store note cards, or keep sakes.

My second project this weekend involved note cards. During my bi-weekly trip to Michael's, I found a pack of 25 plain note cards (with envelopes) for $4.99. I also found some vintage scrapbook paper. I used stripes of hand-torn paper to enhance the plain note cards. I'm really happy with the outcome.

I love paper. Of course, its primary purpose is to use for communication, but when we use paper for embellishments the possibilities are endless. With just a little bit of paper, these plain note cards take on a new life with color. The box, above, goes from a piece of trash, to a piece you want sitting on your desk.

The third re-purposed project involved wire, a wooden bead, glass beads, and paper. I saw this project in a magazine. I've never attempted jewelry making, and after trying my hand at bead making, I remember why. My clumsy fingers and my lack of patience are two hindrance to working with small objects.

I like the idea of taking the wooden bead and covering it with paper and enhancing it with the glass beads and wire. I may try this again, sometime.
My art journal is filling up. I've been writing quotes/quips that I've heard from my colleagues, as well as continuing to add favorite movie clips and lyrics from special songs.  My favorite addition is a piece I drew by accident. I wasn't paying attention to the position of my book and actually drew the flowers the wrong direction on the page. When I realized that I was drawing upside down in the book, , I knew exactly which of my favorite quotes would work best with this mistake.

Worry Is The Misuse Of Your Imagination

Here are three other additions to my art journal. The vampire quote was overhead during a work meeting. The last entry is a quote from the series Twilight. And, for debate sake---I'm a fan of the books, not the movie.

I love my art journal. The release it gives me is keeping me sane in a very sanity deprived life. At first, I thought this book was something that I would not share. But as the book takes on a life of its own, I love sharing my pages. I was showing the book to a co-worker and telling her the origin of several pages. She said "I hope someday I say something that will make it into the book." 

My art journal is now re-purposed into a collection of sanity in an insane life.