Green Crafting without having to spend too much $green$

I'm a huge list maker.  My memory isn't great, so I feel a lot less stressed when I have everything written down so I won't forget something I really need, or really want to do.  That being said, I have long since transitioned from post-its and note pads to this awesome iphone app called Paperless.  I started out with the free version and then finally bought the real version so I could have more listing capabilities.  As we speak, I have 8 separate lists going.  One of them is affectionately called the "Someday" list, and until recently I had two craft projects on there that I was just dying to do.  Because of the month-long limbo of moving, subsequently unpacking, and settling in I just now got a chance to sit down and focus on my beloved crafts.

I credit Pinterest with my recent ability to actually execute my creative musings.  I've always had grand ideas but no real ability to make the beautiful things in my head a reality.  I think that's why I focused on candles.  Even if they didn't come out exactly how I envisioned them, they were still useful and functional.  With moving and all I haven't bought any wax, so without that creative outlet I was left to my own devices on pinterest looking for other potential projects.  

I saw this pin and fell in love with idea.  I enjoyed the fact that it used recycled materials and that it was three dimensional and used negative space.  I have been collecting paper towel and toilet paper rolls for various boy crafts for a while so I just kept on collecting (much to Adam's dismay) until the crap closet at the old house was overflowing with them.  Besides empty rolls you will need some spray paint, a hot glue gun, cheap canvas, and some paint for the canvas (I used leftover sample paint from the kitchen in the new house).
 

Materials

Painting

Note to self:  Don't use spray paint in the garage with the door closed.  Nothing bad happens except your significant other comes home and yells at you for trying to kill yourself on paint fumes.

 

It was simple and it turned out beautifully if I do day so myself.  

The best part is that it was all for the bargain price of the canvas and spray paint ($7.50).  As the actual pin shows you can also do the project without the canvas and just hang it directly on the wall if you really want to be frugal about it!  I chose to use the canvas because I wanted contrast.  

It's hard to tell in the grainy picture but I picked the sample color that was just slightly darker then the wall paint we chose.  I also picked a spray paint color that was as close to the trim color as I could find.  I wanted it to blend but still be noticeably pretty.  I think I succeeded. :)

The other craft that I really wanted to make was a wreath for the door of our new house.  Growing up my mom use to trim the root systems off the giant ficus trees across the street to make the base for a wreath, and then glue seasonal things onto them.  Talk about the ultimate hippie!  We had one for every occasion and I want the same thing for my home. Follow me on pinterest and check out my DIY and craft idea boards. As you can see, I have been pinning a bunch of different wreath ideas for months.  I finally got around to buying the wreath base (no untrimmed ficus trees around here, unfortunately) and some burlap ribbon at Michael's (for about $7 total) and was on my way.

I knew I wanted to make an anytime wreath to start with and I was gravitating towards the fabric flower ones.  I have a bunch of scrap fabric from other crafts (pottery barn knockoff pillows, lavender sachets, dog bed covers) and an old red cloth shower curtain I saved for a rainy day.  With some cursing, youtube tutorial videos (this girl sounds like a retard but her flowers were the easiest to make and came out the best in my opinion), and a hot glue gun I was able to make this:

Sorry I don't have any "in progress" photos but in my agitated state I didn't think to take any pictures.  The color palette is perfect for fall but I really just picked my three favorite colors and went for it.  I'm currently making one for my mother-in-law who recently moved as well.  Maybe some day I will find the patience to finish it!

So far, it's held up pretty well in the brutal weather conditions of South Florida.  We'll see how it goes!

There you have it.  Two beautiful "green" crafts for under $20!  I bet you are just green with envy!

Next up, how (and why) a sedentary hippie starts to run.  I promise it isn't because something is chasing her.  Stay tuned!