Reduce, Reuse, Etcetera and So Forth...

Hey internet, do you know what the best thing about this fridge magnet is?

It's not that I made it myself, nor is it my delightfully simplistic cityscape (taken from a vivid memory of my childhood) although those are both really awesome qualities.

The best thing about this fridge magnet is that it started it's life as some newspaper and one of these:

I stopped one day and thought about how many plastic gift cards and the like I throw out in a year, because they aren't recyclable, regular rubbish is the only place for them.  I figured I must throw out about twenty cards every year, just on my own.  I know that's a high number, but I basically buy as much as I can with gift cards, which I usually win or earn by clicking things or doing other menial things online.

The awesomeness that is free groceries gave way in my heart to overwhelming plastic guilt and I decided that something beautiful must be made from these cards.

What's flat and gift-card-sized?  Magnets!  That's what!  And I already quite enjoy making fridge magnets, and have lots of magnetic strips.  Another plus to using gift cards as the base to my magnets is that I won't be buying sheets of plastic and sheets of canvas anymore (at least not for these) so there's even less waste, as all those materials come in plastic packaging.

I've put a shout out to my family and friends to send me their empty, expired, whatever plastic cards, and as I finish each magnet I will be putting it in my Etsy shop, here.

I would love to here about some of your reduce, reuse, recycle art and craft ideas, too!

Lots of Love,

Cassandra Louise.