Recycling for Arts

Have I told you how much I love recycling? I’m a collector, but not just for the sake of collecting and stashing stuff, I like to collect and repurpose stuff, make it new again, give it a chance to live once more and be appreciated in a new way. Therefore, I make art out of things others might throw away or store in a dark box. I like to bring things out to decorate with.

Pictured here is a collage I have made from collected memorabilia. The items have been gathered from secondhand stores all over Australia. I’m always sticking my nose into some op shop, antique store or garage sale wondering what goody I might find. Even the frame has been given the ‘Miss Penny once over’ (it was once an outdated 1980’s looking thing).

This particular collage is a collection of masculine items. The writing on the front of the postcard reads; Bruxelles Musee Wiertz, La Brigand Calabrais, it looks very old, possibly from the early 1900's. The Players Medium Navy Cut Tobacco tin lid is also well worn and gives a lovely rustic vintage feel.

I’m thinking it would make a great gift for the man in your life, a talking piece for his office or games room, very blokey indeed!

I feel good about myself when I recycle - all happy that I've done some little bit to save the environment and use up stuff we already have. What do you do? Do you make interesting items out of old stuff too? I'd love to here your recycling stories.