Upcycling Packing Tape Spools and Celebrating Earth Day

Welcome to Viva Las VegaStamps! and Happy Earth Day! Today we are proudly participating in LeslieRahye's Second Annual EARTH DAY Bloghop. Susan here to bring you my regularly scheduled "INKY" inspiration - with a RECYCLING twist for Earth Day! What do you do with the cardboard core from clear packing tape??? Stamp, ink and alter them and turn them into a fashion statement of course!!!

I've made a CHIC artistic bangle out of a recycled cardboard packing tape spool that I have collaged with hand-stamped paper misted with an iridescent shimmer mist, then adhered and sealed using Sakura 3D Crystal Lacquer. The feature of my bangle is a fortune that I saved from a fortune cookie and a couple other stamps to create a decorative texture.

I cut a section away from the tube and cut the edges rounded.
I sanded the edges with an emery board.

On a strip of scrap patterned paper, I stamped I used Viva Las Vegastamps! patent stamp #1687 with waterproof royal blue ink.

I misted paper lightly with water to moisten.

Gently crumple the paper to break up fibers to that it is not so stiff - AND - it will give a nice suede texture.

I also misted with some bronze and also an iridescent mist to add extra shimmer and to bring out detail of distressed paper. I set aside to dry. 

I painted base layer of antique gold acrylic paint to the bangle.

Completed painted cardboard bangle - which looks lovely just like this! But this is just a starting off point...I want to make it more "ME". So I'm going to make it all painted and inky, too! 

Now I adhere the stamped and painted paper I prepared in the beginning. I cut lines into the paper around the rounded sides to get a smooth wrap-around. I mounted my fortune to a rectangle of chipboard and adhered to bangle with Sakura 3D Crystal Lacquer. 

I finished off by painting entire bangle in a nice coat of Crystal Lacquer and stamped punched and mounted a couple of accent detail stamps; "Leaf Background #4366" and "Tribal Mask #15962". 

My "Art-cycled" CHIC Bangle

My bangle is all artsy and recycled! It looks lovely...and is the perfect home for my GOOD FORTUNE "You feed your body every day. You must also feed your mind".

Thanks so much for dropping by. HAVE YOU HEARD??? Receive FREE SHIPPING now on your order at the Viva Las Vegastamps! store by using the coupon code "FREESHIPPING". If you would like to see more of my creations please visit my blog, sbartist : painting in the dark HERE.

Please scroll down to click on the squares below to continue to all the fantastic artists on the hop...and remember, please Think GREEN! Sb