Recycled Magazines into Bags...

 
This week, I have been cleaning house one room at a time. I found lots of magazines throughout, so I kept the arts and craft issues, set aside some for donating to local nursing homes and waiting rooms and then set aside the rest for recycling or shredding. These are three of the bags that I have made using magazine pages and packing tape. The one on the left is the first one I made and was very pleased with the out come. The one in the middle is a clutch purse made during my ustream show this past week. The one on the right only needs the handles added which I will use from an old purse that the bottom has seen better days. I have already sold one like the first one I made, which enabled me to make more. =)

This is the clutch which has a vintage pearl with gold trim button decorating the outside of the bag.

I added snaps to the inside to secure the closure.

Inside there is a divider panel to create two compartments inside the clutch. 

I made this clutch during a live streaming show.

This is the inside view of the bag on the left, the first one that I made. I added 4 pockets to the inside, measuring my cell phone, favorite pin and notebook to make sure they fit nicely inside.

I did add some embellishments to the outside of the bag after I took photos. Lace, decorative ribbon, both made the purse really beautiful.

The bag on the right has some cute embellishments and bling added to the sides.

I filmed the making of this bag on my Stickam site.

More bling added to the other side of the bag. Once I add the handles, 

I will be donating this bag to a friend's community studio for auction at the grand opening.

This was such fun to make. I hope you find ways to recycle, reuse and recreate.

Watch for a coming video showing in detail these awesome bags.

Love, Blessings, & {{{Hugs}}},

RHC

www.RitaHutchesonCobbs.com

www.twitter.com/RitaHCobbs

Beautiful Box with Handmade Matching Cards & Envelopes

This was such a wonderful project to make and timely as well. I made this in one day, 10 handmade cards all from scraps, 10 handmade matching envelopes all inside a matching box, shaped like the old fashion cigar boxes.

The box came in white from Michael's and needed very little done to it. I did spray it inside and out with Marshmallow Glimmer Mist before adding the papers and embellishments. The doily I bought for 99 cents at a thrift store, but didn't include it with the gift box and cards that went to a friend's Secret Sister.

I used flowers handmade by Tammy Beaver and hardware from Tim Hotlz and Stampin' Up. The butterfly was embossed and layered using a Martha Stewart punch.  The lace and ribbon were scraps from my stash as was the paper I used for this cards.

The closure was totally fun for me. A simple ribbon with a bullet button and hanging from the swivel clasp is an old earring piece that I had saved from a broken set.

I added a cute die cut with ABC/123s to the inside laying over the handmade envelopes. This was from the packaging Tammy sent with the flowers. Recycle, reuse, recreate is my theme! =)

I hope you have enjoyed my newest creation. You can see the video on my youtube channel also. Thanks for stopping by and remember to make gifts for others giving them a creative touch of uniqueness and love.

Love, blessings, & {{{hugs}}},
RHC

Chicken & Rice CrockPot Recipe

This recipe is totally amazing! This is a new recipe that I created for the CrockPot and feed 8. Everyone in the family loved it....

1 - 6 qt CrockPot
5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, frozen
1 large bottle of Buttermilk Ranch Dressing (whatever brand you wish to use)
2 cups of white instant rice

Spray the CrockPot with cooking spray. Place the chicken breasts, frozen, in the crockpot. Pour the dressing over the chicken and cook on warm for 13 hrs. Add the rice and cook 2 more hours. Wow...it is awesome...Start this at bedtime tonight and it will be ready for supper tomorrow night...ummmmm

Love, Blessings, & {{{{Hugs}}},
RHC

What I have been up to this week & a Mailbag Haul from Cathy...

I am just so excited about the creativity spirit that has been flowing this week! I have completed several unfinished projects, created some new items as well as scrapbooked 18 pages!! Someone gently warned me, "don't get burned out", I could see how that might happen but to be truthful, I have had videos that needed editing and posted as well as some projects that needed to be completed and that is what you will find on my youtube channel and a couple of them featured here. =)  So, I have had so much fun and want to share them with you.

Starting with the photo above, this is a recycled screw/bolt plastic container. It took a week to make, allowing each element to thoroughly dry before starting on the next area. It was a simple design with elegant embellishments to be used on a key chain or wearing as a pendant. My son brings home packaging they no longer use a work or throw away as a challenge to me. This one was the most fun for me. Loved how it turned out.

A bus mini album that would be great as "a teacher's gift", someone commented on my video, as a travel book, or as a mom's taxi/van mini album. Regardless, it is a recycled children's book that was chewed on and damaged. I refurbished it into an adorable mini album with working wheels.

I apologize for the side view of this mini album, but I don't know how to rotate the photo in my blog feature BUT I was way to excited to go fix it in another software...I wanted to share how I recycled a candy box into a container for a mini album! You can see the pages on my youtube channel listed as "Sugartwist". Fun and again, functional when it could have been in the trash.  What fun I had making this mini album.

My sweet friend SPatches, Cathy, sent me a mailbag goody that just made me smile! Everyone knows how much I love my CrockPots who are affectionately called "The Slutty Sisters Pimping Food".  Within 5 minutes, I already had 7 recipes flagged with stick notes that I plan to make this week. Cathy has sent me some of the many scraps and Silhouette die cuts that I have used on many of my projects over the past few weeks. Thanks, Ms Cathy, I will treasure this have no doubt.

It is such fun to reuse, recycle, and recreate. I love finding ways to do this especially after saying LIVE on my ustream show that I wouldn't buy any art supplies but adhesive until my birthday, that is 169 days until my birthday LOL. So far, so good...I am finding the challenge not only fulfilling but also doable. What will I create next, maybe a clean house and yard, or maybe not. =)

Love, Blesssings, & {{{Hugs}}},

RHC

What a week...& it's only Wednesday....

I have been so excited this past week at the amazing things that are happening in my neck of the woods! Not only have I gotten several unfinished projects completed, but I have started some new ones excepting challenges (literally) from my son. Joel works for a materials center that puts curriculum kits together for teachers. He brings home the empty boxes or some wrapping just to see if I can create something from them. Well, I did...but you will have to wait for the videos later this week. =)

Friday, I shared my first ever art journaling show live via Ustream. It wasn't a class since I am not experienced in that medium, but it was wonderful sharing time with friends and having them give me pointers along the way.  Then on Saturday, for the first time, I attended a crop and actually scrapbooked! I was so pleased with inspiration I had received on several streaming live show and the ladies attending the crop that I have now completed 15 pages of my theme. Loving it!!  

This has been an awesome week, and indeed it is only Tuesday...can't wait to see what the rest of the week will hold.

Love, blessings, and {{{Hugs}}},
RHC