Recycle???? Let's Go Green!

Do you keep things just because you know there is something great waiting to happen to it and can't figure what?   Linda Cain, a Tim Holtz Design Member, is recycling Ranger packaging and making beautiful fall arrangements.   Here are her directions....

This is clear acrylic packaging from the MANY, MANY, Idea-ology pieces I order from Ranger (just can't throw it away.) I've use it from any number of things, and just cut off the outer edges. Here I used Tim's Alterations Tattered Leaves die to cut about 30-35 leaves.

Then I applied color with Alcohol Inks on a Blending Tool with Felt to the backs. I used various fall colors, Sunshine Yellow, Terra Cotta, Lettuce, Pesto, Rust, and Cranberry to name a few, leaving patches uncovered.

Then I applied color with Alcohol Inks on a Blending Tool with Felt to the backs. I used various fall colors, Sunshine Yellow, Terra Cotta, Lettuce, Pesto, Rust, and Cranberry to name a few, leaving patches uncovered.

Then use a permanent fine tipped marker to add the leaf veins on the front.

Heat the acrylic (the veins are absent here to show better how this curls) you'll see it start to bend. Take it and mold however you like as it hardens quickly. If you don't like the results....heat it again.

Then I applied Adirondack Metallic Paint Dabbers in Gold and Copper, plus Lettuce and Butterscotch Acrylic Dabbers to the back where the blank spots occur.

Turn them over, and this is what you get. You can use several colors on the same leaf, just keep experimenting until you get the results you like. Then apply some metallics to the front on the edges for some more contrast.

I used a 6" round donut shaped piece of chipboard for the wreath base, and hot glue to adhere the leaves. (I've had this forever..no clue where it's from) Start at the center and build up and out leaving an open spot in the center. I punched holes at 10 and 2 for adding a ribbon to hang the piece.

The center ribbons were looped, tied around the 2 floral picks from Crafts Direct, and then the ends snipped. Use a piece of chipboard to cut a circle slightly larger than the wreath center. Punch a hole in the middle. (Should resemble another smaller donut shape.)

Thread the pick stems through the hole, then glue all this to the back of your wreath. Since the smaller CB is slightly larger than the hole of the big one...glue the edges.