If you’re interested in upcycling or creating art from recycled items, take another look at an item most people throw away; bags. Here are some ideas:
Paper potato bags. There are different types of potato bags but the ones we buy have two layers of paper, brown and white. The paper is quite sturdy. I use the white paper (the unprinted side) to paint and use as backgrounds for various projects. The brown paper is ideal for tearing into strips and using as backgrounds for my art and mixed media projects.
Paper shopping bags are along the same line. A quick search on Google brings up a variety of ideas on how to use paper bags in your crafts and art projects. You can make paper roses, baskets, greeting cards, bows, book covers; the possibilities are unlimited.
Mesh produce bags. These are great for adding dimension and interest to mixed media projects or for covering certain elements to make them more interesting. They can be adhered by gluing bits of fabric or paper over them. Mesh bags can also be used as a stencil. Tape your mesh over the area you want to paint and use a drybrush technique with a brush or sponge to put on some paint.
Plastic bags. Plastic bags pile up pretty quickly at our house. Thankfully, we have several places where we can recycle them. However, there’s another option. I discovered today, that plastic bags are very versatile and are a popular item to upcycle. They can be crocheted into rugs, woven into baskets, molded into containers etc. I’m especially interested in the tutorials on how to make flowers out of plastic bags.
Snack bags. I’ve never even thought about saving my potato chip bags. That is, until I started doing research for this article. Who knew you could make purses, wallets, book covers, bracelets, scarves etc. Time to do some experimenting.