Recycled Paper from Jeans and more!

On a whim, I googled "make paper out of denim" and guess what?  You can TOTALLY do it!

 There are actual sites out there that show you how! This site has easy, clear instructions on turning those bluejeans into stationary.  If you want to make your own paper from other things, Hub Pages has a great tutorial along with great how-to videos!  Here is another site explaining papermaking.   You can make your own deckle  too .

 Basically, a deckle is a frame with a screen in it inside of another frame with a screen.  AND....get this...you can make paper from DRYER LINT!  No kidding!

  I've used lint for doll and pilllow stuffing and with wax for fire starter,



 but THIS one excites me...Think of all the different colors you can get!

 Go to This website to see how to use your lint!  This site has a lot of great pics as well as another tutorial on making your own deckle.

I haven't made my own paper yet, mostly because I have a small house and this seems like a project better suited to my back porch, but I DEFINATELY have it in my to -do  list!  The thing I'm most excited about is the use I have for the paper!  I am going to embed wildflower seeds in it and cut it into tag sized sheets.

 Then I'm going to attatch it to my items for sale. Then people can plant their tag, water it, and watch it grow! If your interested in using seeds....check this site out .

There I told you about it....now get making paper and share your links to what you made!

My latest Baby Bib

Ok, I'm thinkin I might have caught the Bib Bug.....they're cute, they're small, they're quick, and they're fun!  Here is another Bib I made....hmmmm....what will I make next????? hehe

This bib is made from a pair of grey denim jeans I that I rescued from a resale shop that had slated them for trash.

I edged and embroidered it. I had SO much fun putting the embroidery it!

I made the trim by placing a transparent ribbon over another one. All I needed were some little scraps...glad I kept them!

I cut the seams out of the jeans and embroidered them with turquoise on top and light pink on bottom for contrast.

I made button holes, put the jean seams through them, and knotted the seams.

And...VOILA....a super cute, scrappy, upcycled bib!

Fast easy Baby Bib ...or....Mean Green Blue Jeans! (pt 5)

Ok....I SERIOUSLY think I need to go to UPCYLEaholics Anonymous!  Except....that would mean I think this is a PROBLEM and I need to STOP.....NO WAY!!!!!!!  hehe

Here is a bib I had a blast making!  Sorry about my crazy tutorial...follow if you can!

Trace a plate on a piece of card stock.

Trace the bottom of the plate over the top of the circle (neck cut-out).

Cut it out and label it so you don't  pull it out someday and say "what is this thing?"!

Use the template to make a cut-out from your old jeans.

cut scrappy strips and-- an embellishment strip(not pictured)

Serge baby, serge!

make button holes, attach embellishment, and SERGIFY(technical term..hehe) !

Cut open button holes, lace in serged straps, and tie knots.

Enjoy your cute little bib!

Upcycled bag / purse tutorial ....or... Mean Green Blue Jeans! (pt 4)

The idea for this project came to me in the middle of the night and is the reason why I now keep a notebook by my bedside! I couldn't stop thinking about it and ended up writing it down so I wouldn't have it floating in my head (or floating OUT of my head!)  In fact, my husband had to threaten to TAKE the notebook away from me because the ideas wouldn't stop comming out of my head! The pics are almost in the form of a tutorial, but , I tend to not work from patterns a lot, so, help yourself to copying it, but be prepared......no measurements!

Look...A pair of jeans...I think I'll make a purse...a HUGE purse!

But, I don't want it to be bulky, so I'll cut off these parts...

And these...(maybe these will be inside pockets when I'm done!)

I think I'll leave the pocket liners.....yeah, i will!

These two paisley fabrics that I got from a resale shop will work!

Hey, these cut-outs make great patterns for the fabric....I'll just cut the fabric bigger for seam allowances!

One from the pre-quilted paisley for the outside and one of the cotton paisley(cut facing away) for the inside of the purse!

I'll fold under the edges and iron them....then I'll attatch them with a zig-zag stitch!

Not until I fold and iron the inner fabric so I can pin and sew them at the same time though! 

I will lay them over and under the jean and sew along the edges.

Sewing around the front pocket insert is tricky, I'll have to sew the inside and outside seperate here so I dont sew through the pocket!

Whew, that was tricky!

I could just sew the bottom together and then sew off little triangles at the edges to make the bottom, but the CIRCLE is what was in my head last night, so thats what I'm gonna do!

I'm folding the circle twice to find exact centers.

Four center points are needed.

Now I'll attatch and sew the bottom. (wish I'd had my serger out here, then I could have finished the edges nicer!)

I kinda forgot to take better pics of the part where I sewed on the straps and belt, but here are some close-ups!  I just cut long rectangles, sewed, and inverted them.  Then I attatched them inside the pockets in the front and just under where the belt would cover in the back.

I did the same for the belt, but I didn't sew it down, I just laced it through the loops and knotted it.

Here is the back end of my gigantic purse.

And here is the front! (modeled by my oldest daughter...which makes it look even bigger!)

I would LOVE to see your version, so comment with a link to yours!

Denim Upcycle Aprons .... Mean Green Blue Jeans! (pt 3)

Here are the aprons I made from them for Christmas presents:

My mom's apron also has the pockets and ruffle from a ripped apart miniskirt!

The two on the sides are my daughters.  Their aprons are made with scraps from jumpers I've made.  The one on the left is actually a half apron.

Pay no attention to the handsome man on the right...He's my dad and his apron was OBVIOUSLY not made from the jeans!( I'll post on that one later!)

Scrappy Upcycled Apron ...or... Mean Green Blue Jeans! (pt 2)

Here is the apron I made for my friend from her hubby's jeans!

I had my daughter model it!

I have fun making things obnoxiously uneven!

I cut the side seams from the jeans to make the side and neck straps.

The but pockets were much cuter cut apart and set slightly uneven!

I had to make sure I left the tag! 

 I made button holes in the neck and sides to push the side strips through and then I just tied knots in them to keep them in!

I used my serger( AMAZING invention!) to attatch all the edges...LOVE the random pocket!