11 Tips & Tricks from Published Green Crafters

Upcycling or Green Crafting is the art of turning something old into something new. It's an amazing way to help save our environment, keep more garbage out of our landfills and creatively challenge yourself.

As a member of the green crafting community, I thought it'd be fun to share some tricks and ideas from other published green crafters. Seeing the amazing things others are inspired to create goes a long way in inspiring me.

1. The best all-purpose adhesive:

Gel medium- Lynne Moncrieff

A hot glue gun

Aleene's Original Tacky glue

Rubber cement

2. Quick and easy upcycled gifts:

Dolls from old shirts

Leather belt bracelet

Themed gift baskets from Starbucks four-pack glass bottles in the carrier

3. All-natural or eco-friendly cleaning:

Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day products

Lemon juice, salt and sunlight

Bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar

4. Green crafting with plastic:

Use a heat gun to mold and shape plastic

Braid it for rope or rugs

Cover it with chalk paints

5. Natural elements to incorporate:

Leaves and stones

Twigs, branches, feathers and seeds

Wildflowers, antlers, wood and seashells

6. Most used item to green craft with:

Recycled paper of any kind

Glass bottles and jars

Aged books

Old quilts

7. Most effective technique for removing labels:

Goo-Gone or Citrasolv

Baking soda and cooking oil

White vinegar

8. Organizational advice:

Photo storage boxes

Clear plastic stackable drawers

Constantly evaluate your stuff

9. Lessons from green crafting:

You don't need to buy the most expensive new supplies

Don't buy more than you really need

Never give up on an idea or recycled material

Before throwing something away, stop and ask if it can be repurposed

10. Favorite place to go thrifting/antiquing:

Flea markets

Thrift stores

Brass Armadillo

The Nesting Cottage

The Curiosity Shop

11. Favorite things to do with twigs:

Make a unique candle holder

Frame a mirror

Decorate your Christmas tree

Use it with ink as a pen