Tuesday, May 04, 2010

What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday: Fused Plastic

A couple of days ago a lady from a TV show called to ask me if I had a project to re-use the election banners after the elections. Here in the Philippines, we are going to elect a new president and senators, etc. on May 10, and you can't believe what a mess our politicians are making of our streets!
No that's not my desk! That is what our streets look like! If you want to have a positive mindset, it's really like a gigantic "fiesta"! But really, what are we going to do with all those banners afterwards?

I got some banners a few days ago and experimented- first I cleaned it up, then I put two printed sides together:
I then fused the two plastic banners together by ironing them, putting a layer of paper over it to protect my iron:

I folded some parts to make it thicker and ironed it again.

Amazingly, acrylic paint sticks! I had a fun time painting it! It had a sort of "coagulated" texture that made the paint on it interesting.



Then I sewed it up, putting buttons and to reinforce the sides, I piped it with leather.



Of course you can also do this with PLASTIC BAGS! There are too many plastic bags thrown into the garbage! They end up in our oceans and rivers and do so much damage!

What's on my desk? This. I'm going to make my second project with fused plastic- a journal.
If you'd like to take a sneak peak at what other people have on their work desk, head over to Julia. I guarantee you'll want to join in on the fun!

You may want to see other do it yourself projects at Market Yourself Monday at SumoSweetStuff, Motivate Me Monday at Keeping it Simple, Just Something I Whipped Up Monday at Girl Creative, Making the World Cuter Monday, Craftastic Monday at Sew Can Do.

62 comments:

  1. you truly are just the most creative
    person i know!

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  2. This is great! I love the colors you used and the phrase. Who would have thought something so pretty could come from the leftover plastic!

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  3. First I must say that street photo is overwhelming! That is a very clever use of the banners, I am impressed by your creativity. I also really like the end result.

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  4. gorgeous colours so vibrant, love the photo's
    Christine x

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  5. omg you are a genuis!! I just adore what you have made and the colours are wow!!

    I can not believe the amount of posters they put up, I thought it was bad here in Ireland at election times, but you win hands down!

    have a wonderful week, hugs mandyxx

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  6. What fab creative crafting this week. Thanks for sharing it.
    A x

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  7. Now this is SO COOL--what a great technique! I can't get over the banners in your streets!

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  8. That is soooo cool ... what a fab idea and a great looking project!

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  9. oh wow that is fantastic, amazing creation, sue,

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  10. This is an awesome bit of recycling.
    Clare x

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  11. That is gorgeous lovely and colourful :) When I got to the ironing bit I was thinking bags could be made out of them, but painting them first is wonderful makes them so pretty :)
    Anne x

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  12. wow you really do elections, in Uk we have an election toorrow and our streets certainly don't look like that - its more like a carnaval!

    Love what you have done with the plastic - If I tried that I'd end up getting the plastic stuck all over my iron!

    Thanks for sharing

    Can x

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  13. You may possibly find Dumfing on many blogs but my sister Twiglet and I are responsible for it. It you go to my side bar you will find a link to where it comes from :-)
    A x

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  14. Good grief your streets are suffocating! Love the idea of all thebanners, it makes me smile. I also LOVE what you're doing with them; tempted to add that from a commercial point of view you could make the purses with the political images oin the outside as keepsakes of the election...or book covers, blah blah..great idea - how on earth did you come up with that!

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  15. We are in the middle of a General Election, voting tomorrow, but so few banners and flyers in comparison! What a great recycling project - so very clever.

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  16. Well I would vote for you! Such a creative mind could surely put the world to rights! I can't believe the amount of banners in your first photo but definately liked what you did with them! Have a great week! Tracey x

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  17. Very, very creative - clever you to think of doing this. Well done. ikki

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  18. Anonymous1:41 AM

    Love your re-use of the plastic! I wish here in the UK our streets could look like that leading up to an election! S xx

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  19. What a fabulous idea, I love what you've done it's so bright and different! Great Photo by the way...now off to find a plastic bag!
    (Lyn)

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  20. That is amazing thank you for sharing x

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  21. Fantastic idea to use the plastic to create such a fantatic project. We too are having an election for our new government tomorrow here in the UK Hugs Pascale

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  22. Wow - a fantastic way to up cycle plastic - well done you!!

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  23. Oh my how many banners???
    We have a lot of banners here after shows & the royal variety performance earlier this year, the tourism department take them down, turn them into satchel type bags & sell them :)
    x

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  24. that's really cool recycling. The picture of all the banners look insane though.

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  25. wow that is really clever - i totally love the idea xxx

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  26. You are clever making something out of nothing, well done you, very creative. Colours are great too. Have a great Wednesday, Tracy Evans x x

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  27. Your creativity is amazing! Such a good use of all those "voting" leftovers! Very interesting post! Loved the snoop!
    Cardarian

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  28. Now that IS recycling ...ingenious ...what ever made you think of it ...so clever and creative

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  29. Wow - what beautiful projects you made from such unpromising beginnings!

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  30. Your art is just so cool!

    Ramona
    http://create-with-joy.blogspot.com

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  31. Holy guacamole. You are one talented lady.
    That's a great photo of the campaign banners, but yikes it's going to be a mess after the election.

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  32. What a fantastic idea - recycling at its best.

    xx

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  33. WOW WOW WOW, what awsome inspiration you have, I love the re-cycling aspect of this and what inspired pieces, I love it all, what a great blog. Jay xx

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  34. Wow your imagination knows no bounds, this looks fab and I do love your use of colours and textures, Happy Crafting, Sue xx

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  35. What a beautiful blog, you are so talented. Have a blessed day.

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  36. What a wonderful idea and truly amazing where do you get your ideas from , we have an eletion here at the moment but nothing looks like your streets they are beautiful along with what you have mad exx

    Becky

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  37. That is so amazing--wow, what lovely vibrant colors. Thanks so much for linking up!

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  38. You are so creative! For a nice finished seam you can do a French seam, that's how I make pillow cases.
    I wandered over here from a "Finished For Friday" blog.

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  39. Very creative! Love the colors you used. thanks for the tutorial!!

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  40. Thanks for finding my blog - love yours!

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  41. Wow, those politicians haven't got the whole picture, have they? Using so many plastic banners in a world overflowing with garbage. They should ban it.
    It so great that there are people like you who at least see that they can be reused. And you have made such a great art piece of it. You rock! Keep on the great work and thank you for sharing!

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  42. What a wonderful idea!

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  43. wow - what a really clever way of recycling all those posters... you should do a tv appeal to your nation asking them to recycle and showing them your fab art work - i'm sure you would insire lots of people to go and be creative.

    Paula x x x

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  44. Love what you have done with the plastic - very clever and creative. It's always interesting to see how other peeps interpret their crafts. One of my son in laws is from the Phillipines. *Ü* TFS. ~Glen~

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  45. What a neat project! Thanks for linking up with me for Friday Favorites! I'm featuring your post this week. Come by and get a "featured" button for you blog if you like.

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  46. OMG, I have some fused plastic bags. After I tried the technique and it worked I thought, great now what do I do with them. I still have them and had no idea I could paint on them. I wasnt to make an envelipe just like you did. Hey do you think a fused envelope would make it throught he mail? Would you care to swap letters mailed in fused envelopes? that would be a wonderful experiment. OK, so if you want to try it let me know and we'll do it in June. My May is too busy...(I have some leather too and maybve some flet to sew up the sides or I could use my sewing machine.) I need a day off from work to craft..... :) Hey I just remembered I took May 27 and 28 off to make a long weekend. That settles it I'll experiment with fused envelopes then for sure. I'm going to print out your posted tutorial. This is too long, you can delete it if you want. BTW, I'm your newest follower. :)

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  47. Anonymous9:11 PM

    OK...that's awesome!!! You are so creative. Whata great way to reuse plastic. Good job!!

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  48. Wow this is awesome!! What a great idea, you're so creative!

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  49. This is such a unique & pretty idea! Thanks for linking up to Craftastic Monday:)

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  50. I am curious to know how you would do this with plastic bags? IS there a tutorial on that?

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  51. that is THE coolest fused plastic project i have ever seen. i linked to it (http://thereformedpirate.blogspot.com/2010/05/absolute-coolest-use-for-fused-plastic.html)

    thank you so much for sharing!

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  52. That is just fabulous.....wow!! what a wonderful way to reuse and recycle....Lovely! You should do a giveaway on one of those lovlies...as you did wonderful on it! The street photo just amazes me.
    smiles...Tammy

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  53. wow look at all those banners so glad that you came up with this excellent idea and perhaps the homeless could make them to make some money

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  54. Hi Patsy, Please stop by my blog and see what I've created. Not as pretty as yours but I'm getting there. I would still love to do a trade this month.
    Tess
    http://theheartofwords.blogspot.com/2010/06/fused-plastic-envelopes.html

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  55. OK, you used a craft paint, but I couldn't get my bottles of cheap craft paint to stick to mine. Looks like I need to experiment some more, since my acrylic comes in bottles, not cute little pots (grin).

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  56. I think this is just beautiful :)

    Mere

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  57. Ooooooooooooooh! I love fused plastic.

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  58. Well Patsy, you would get my vote over any politician for being so creative with election banners.

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  59. What a fantastic idea! I love the texture. Your journal cover is so pretty. Have a great day! Terri

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  60. I've never seen streets like that before, Patsy! Amazing... And what you have done with the recycled banners is awesome - so beautiful! Definitely a technique to try.

    Shoshi

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  61. Gee, Patsy, am I smashed.

    Meeting the lady behind Papemelroti.

    You have a hoard of following, it was so difficult to find this box.

    Anyway, thanks for the visit in my page. I did not notice a new comment at Juicing. I got it today.

    I sure am gonna be back to see more. You are one creative and highly industrious person. I admire your crafts and go to your shop anytime I could because I love scrapbooking, cards etc.

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I am so glad you dropped by! You are a blessing!
:^) Patsy