plastic bottle vases

It seems like you can make just about anything out of trash bags and plastic bottles, huh? How about this pretty flower vase from a plastic bottle?

magazine picture frames

Go here to see how you can recycle discarded magazines by turning them into colorful picture frames.

This is one of the projects we'll be talking about at our exhibit on the 22nd and 23rd. Be sure to stop by!

knitted plastic shopping bag?

Knit a reusable shopping bag out of recycled plastic bags! Seriously, no joke! I think it takes quite a few plastic bags to make one of these, but I know we all probably have more than enough lying around, begging for a purpose!

How to cut a plastic bag for knitting

Bag pattern

egg carton flower lights

Shabby-chic, anyone? This is another project that we're working on right now, and they look awesome. Try making your own decorative flower lights made out of recycled egg cartons and Christmas lights.

hexbox

Soooo gorgeous! A classmate just made one of these out of a cardboard Coke box, and it looks great! Learn to make stacking hexagonal boxes out of recycled cardboard.

paper star garland

Ok, these things are incredibly adorable, and I've always wanted to know how to make them! I don't know about you, but I've always got tons of little paper bits lying around after every art project, so now I'll be making these little stars to use them up.

Also, for your crafting ease:

t-shirt bag!

As of this Wednesday (and Thursday!) we'll have our exhibit up and we'll be showing you (yes, YOU!) how to make nifty crafts like this. But if you have a really, really good reason for not being there, you can use these instructions and make one or two of your own. Now lets' get to upcycling!

Method I
Method II


1. Turn T-shirt inside out and pin bottom of the T-shirt along the hem. Using a sewing machine, sew bottom of T-shirt closed. Flip shirt right side out and lay flat on table, making sure all seams are lined up.

2. Place medium-size bowl about half-way over the neck hole. Using a water-erasable marking pen, trace along the edge of the bowl. Cut along the outline, making sure to go through the front and back sides of the shirt, in order to create an opening for the bag that's larger than what the neck hole allows.

3. Line up the hems on the front and back side of the sleeve and cut, making sure to go through both sides of the shirt. Repeat on the other sleeve. Tip: A jersey shirt would also work well for this craft, as it is already sleeveless, and it's made of a great mesh material.

And voila!

bar recycling

A friend just sent me this message regarding our upcoming reUSEABLE project:

"One thing I've really noticed is that the bars around here don't have recycling. Think of all those bottles... I know people get drunk and probably wouldn't always pay attention not to throw trash in the recycling, but past a certain time at night all the waste in there is plastic cups or glass bottles. Just a suggestion as one of the goals."

While it might be a little late in the game to incorporate this aspect of campus recycling into our actual exhibit, she makes an excellent point. Does being drunk excuse you from doing what you can to help the environment by trying to be a little less wasteful? And is there any way to do anything about this, or is it a lost cause?

Facebook action!

If any of you are Facebook inclined, we invite you to take a moment and join out reuseABILITY group!

location, location, location

Interested in seeing more of the upcoming even reuseABILITY? Here's a look at our soon-to-be exhibit space--the atrium of UMd's ArtSoc building:



And keep an eye on these areas, because you'll see some super promotional pieces appearing here during the coming week!:

LOOK FOR THIS!

Alright, kids, start looking for this image around the University of Maryland's College Park campus soon! We're getting close to our big event....

...stay tuned! 

informational exhibit experience

Now more than ever we must all be aware of our individual impact on our environment, and it has to begin with you. 

Waste management is a critical environmental issue that must be dealt with now. Luckily, it's fun and easy to find new ways to reuse items you might otherwise consider trash, and the University of Maryland design team is here to show you how! 

Within the next month we'll be assembling an interactive exhibit on the College Park campus, so if you're in the area, be sure to keep an eye out! We promise, you won't be able to miss us! If you're not lucky enough to see our work first-hand, check back here for great reuseABLE ideas and activities so you can take part, too.