EcoHeidi Craft TV Show

I haven’t been ignoring this blog……just been busy being creative and doing the new EcoHeidi TV show on the Cool2Craft network. All my projects have been going over to the Cool2Craft site. Check out the latest EcoHeidi Projects this week on http://www.cool2craft.com…there is a video LiveStream on the EcoHeidi Show going 24/7 with this weeks projects and be sure to sign up for the newsletter……then you can get the instruction photo tutorials on these cool projects.

Don’t miss these cool projects…..

Plastic Water Bottle Cap Snake

 

Cereal Box Mosaic Coasters

 

Cereal Box and Water Bottle Cap... Tic Tac Toe Game

Every Monday there is a new show on the Cool2Craft Channel. Lots of cool projects. So check it out

EcoHeidi

Gift Wrap and Newspaper Pins

 

Gift Wrap and Newspaper Pin

There are so many gift wrap papers on the market….you can make a quick and easy pin from any gift wrap paper. Easiest way to apply glue is to squeegee glue (I’ve used the Aleene’s Tacky Glue*) onto several thicknesses of newspaper. I use a piece of cardboard or a old credit card to squeegee. You want a thin layer but solid layer of glue. Onto of the prepared newspaper, glue the piece of  the gift wrap paper

Gift Wrap Paper Design on Several preglued thicknesses of newspaper

Trim off excess newspaper and gift wrap paper, then cut out the design with scissors while the glue is still wet.

Here is flower completely cut out

 

Gift Wrap Flower completely cut out

Apply the 3D Crystal Lacquer from Sakura onto the top…add rhinestones to the wet lacquer.

 

Applying Sakura 3D lacquer

Let the lacquer dry….It dries with an hour or two depending on weather. Glue a pin back to the back of the flower. You have a quick beautiful pin and you’ve recycled newspaper!!

Enjoy

EcoHeidi

This was on  January 3rd 2011 Cool2Craft Show check out http://www.cool2craft.com  to see archived show

*Btw…Aleene is my mom

A new look at the Plastic Blister Packages

Plastic ‘Blister’ packaging is every where….it’s the plastic ‘window’ like part on a package that protects the item inside the package….yes you usually rip it off the card board backing and throw them both away.  Wait!  No….Not any more….I love those packages…there are so many shapes and sizes. I have so many ideas for them I haven’t even begun…..

A few plastic 'Blister' packages

I recently bought this toy package for another project. (It’s the truck in the above photo…. I knew right away I could use the ‘blister’ …..I was very excited there was so much detail. So here is what I made using the Cool2Cast  plaster. I poured the C2C plaster into the plastic blister….then when it set up….about 2 hours I carefully removed and here is the truck in plaster only.

Truck from C2C plaster

Now you could paint very fancy…but I just put on the basics… You could hand paint the name… I just used self adhesive pre-cut craft foam letters.

Cool2Cast Plaster Truck Painted with blister mold

This would be a great project for boys… we are always looking for cool projects for boys.

So next time you open a package….don’t throw away those plastic blisters…. I’ve got so many more ideas to share

EcoHeidi

Just  creatively recycling!

Fall Eco Project

Here is my Eco Project for November….Fall Scarecrow made from Cereal boxes…old jeans….brown bag….

Scarecrow made from Cereal Boxes

Materials Needed: Cereal Box….Old jeans…old shirt or fabric with fall motif….paints-flesh tone and black…brown bag…..Black sharpie….Glue (I’ve used Aleene’s Tacky Glue)…wax paper or other eco friendly paper to work on….Popsicle sticks (2)

I have found one of the biggest challenges in teaching crafting to kids (and some adults) is gluing. They always want to use too much glue!!! For adults it probably comes from our childhood. Schools had a paste that didn’t hold anything so thinking if we used more it would hold better. With today’s glues you do not have to use lots of glue.  So for this project I  tried an alternate method…. and it worked great!! All gluing on this project was done by applying glue with a cardboard squeegee. Pour small quarter size puddle of glue onto the wax paper. Dip squeegee into glue and apply. It’s best to work a small area at a time.

Apply glue with cardboard squeegee

To get started on your project, trace and cut a pattern from a cereal box.  From the cereal box, cut an additional 1-5/8″ circle (head)  and a hat… Paint circle (head) flesh tone acrylic paint. Cover hat shape with fabric by using cardboard squeegee, place glue over surface, then place fabric into glue. let dry and trim fabric to hat shape.  Paint the shoe area  with black acrylic paint. Cut and glue small squares of the fabric for the sleeves and denim for the overalls.  Glue painted head onto body. Glue hat into place. Cut the brown bag into fine strips or  cut ‘fringe ‘. Glue to the back of head, at the sleeves and lower part of overalls.  Glue Popsicle sticks to back of  Scarecrow…this will help if you want to place in a plant, or the kids want to use as a puppet.

As many of you know I’m working on a curriculum for teaching Eco crafting and creativity to kids. I’m doing my ‘test projects’ with a day care here in my town. There are 70 kids ages 2 to 5.  I think both Eco and Creativity go together. Many of our schools have stopped the much needed art and music programs. That means kids do  not have a creative outlet. It’s important as parents,  grandparents etc to teach  our kids how they can  be creative with projects like this. When it’s a Eco Project, it shows kids both recycling and being creative.  If you are a teacher, this is to help you with a fun inexpensive idea for your classroom.

Let’s all work to make this happen- Eco Friendly and Creativity at the same time!!!

Just being Eco

Eco-Heidi

Recycling Tin Cans into Gift Cans

Did you see Cool2Craft this week? I had such a great time creating this cool project from tin cans and Cool2Cast plaster from Cool2Craft. It’s a great way to first recycle tin cans into gift cans and second it’s useful.  I know it’s been done thousands of times but it’s always fun just to spark our creativity and see a new version.

Recycle Tin Cans into Gift Cans

When opening your cans, be sure to use a ‘Smooth Edge’ can opener. When it cuts the can, it creates a cap from the lid and there are no sharp edges.   I then filled the lid with a little bit of Cool2Cast plaster. Let it dry and rubber stamped the top.  You can decorate the sides any way you want. I collage-d one, put fabric around on one and also just rolled the can in the plaster….let it dry and decorated the plaster with alcohol inks and acrylic paints.

I went with a ‘Wish’  theme and rubber stamped…’I wish you love’….Wishing you dreams come true …wishing you Happiness!!!

If you want to watch the replay of my demo on the Cool2Craft web Tv show, here’s the link:

http://cool2craft.wordpress.com/2010/07/19/cool2craft-live-tv-july-19-2010-its-cool/

Also check out all the other wonderful designers on the show:

Me Heidi Borchers – www.ecoheidi.com

Linda Peterson – www.lindapetersondesigns.blogspot.com and www.craftechuniversity.com

Lorine Mason – www.divaschmivas.com

Tiffany Windsor  – www.cool2craft.com and www.tiffanywindsor.com

Just being EcoFriendly….

EcoHeidi

FaveCrafts Radio

Don’t miss FaveCrafts Radio on Sunday Nights!!!  Tonight March 14th I’m on with my Eco Friendly/Green Crafting segment.   How are we all going to help our Mother Earth??? I’m creatively recycling. Be sure to check out favecrafts.com and click on the Green Crafting Section…. Lots of my designs are there just waiting for you to also  Recycle Creatively!!

Eco Heidi

Plastic Water Bottle Necklaces by EcoHeidi