Recycle Swag Contest and Win a Copy of 1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse: Remake, Restyle, Recycle, Renew By Garth Johnson

I thought this was a positively brilliant idea: over at Lisa's blog Condo-Blues there is a "recycle your swag" contest. I go to a lot of trade shows and other assorted events that give away lots of promotional items and "swag." You too? Enter the contest and you will have a chance to win a copy of one of the best book on the subject of recycling and up-cycling, 1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse. Leave a link or description in the comments section here or there by Midnight EST Sunday August 22nd, 2010 and you are in the running!

As you may know, we here at Craftside have made a bit of "swag" out of our recycled print runs. We call them MakeReady Journals.

I decided to take on the challenge and this is what I came up with:

 

I made embellished USB portable thumb drives. These little drives held the press kits from Provo Craft, the company that makes the Cricut electronic die cutting machine. I think these things are way too tiny and I lose them in a heartbeat. So adding a bit of bling to them is perfect for making them bigger and easier to find (especially at the bottom of my purse when I am bringing photo files to the store to print).

I went to the "swag" stash (that is pretty funny to type I must say) and here are some of the things I pulled out.

I had a great press kit from Blumenthal Lansing that included some cool buttons. Those little clip-on tag holders with the "zip" cord and a little brochure from Bajidoo that was bound with a cord that had the coolest little skull beads.

 

I die cut some flowers with my Sizzix die cutter out of some recycled wool felted sweaters and assembled all my elements.

I also wanted to share with you my favorite of all time promo items: this little tiny desk top recycle trash can bin. It looks so cute on my desk.

 

Want to have 1000 ideas for more recycling and up-cycling? Grab a copy of:

1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse:

Remake, Restyle, Recycle, Renew
By
Garth Johnson

Artists and crafters have always been recyclers, but for many, it has not only become a thrifty choice, it has become a moral imperative. 1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse contains a cutting edge collection of the most inventive work being made with re-used, upcycled, and already existing materials. The work in this book ranges from clever and humble personal accessories to unique and important large-scale works of art, including paper art, fashion, jewelry, housewares, interiors, and installations.

Garth Johnson is a studio artist, writer and educator who lives in Eureka, California. In addition to maintaining the website "Exteme Craft" (www.extremecraft.com) Garth writes about a variety of topics, including art, craft and creative reuse.  He and his wife Claire are currently writing a blog for Readymade Magazine called "Keeping Up With the Johnsons (http://readymadeblogs.mydevstaging.com/blogs/johnsons/). His DVD, ReVision: Recycled Crafts for Earth-Friendly Living was released by Eyekiss Films earlier this year (www.reconstructdvd.com). His artwork was recently featured in solo shows at Gallerie Maxim in Cologne, Germany and the Clay Studio in Philadelphia. Garth received a BFA from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and an MFA from Alfred University. He has taught at Georgia State University, Columbus State University and is currently an assistant professor at College of the Redwoods in Eureka, CA. In addition to teaching, he is a sought-after lecturer and visiting artist, with recent lectures at Ohio State University, Louisiana State University and the Pottery Workshop in Jingdezhen, China.

Comments

[Ami]

i love taking the old and making the new like i did with this 3D game

http://buttonsnbits.blogspot.com/2010/08/noughts-crosses.html

[Noel]

I like the idea of recycled art...this is a great idea for thumb drives...I've always fighting ti find mine...I can clip it to the inside of my purse with one of these redos....LOVE the Hello Kitty die cuting machine...lol!

[Ginigin]

I am a packrat and I'd love to have a book that puts a positive spin on my junk collecting. Great ideas for the jump drive, would be good for a small flashlight too.

[dipali]

craft s soulful and i do craft with all natural ,mother earths treasures,soi have done swag from sea coins and twine from corn wrap,i have done chymes and jewellery

[kathie]

Repurpose all that you can.

[Rob]

Lots of neat things to make- I got her VIA Condo Blues REMAKE YOUR SWAG CHALLENGE

[Eileen]

I knew there must be a reason I was hanging onto all those conference and exhibition names tags. Thanks for the inspiration and the chance to win.

[Michelle]

You know its really ironic, my grandma lived through the depression & currently she still saves foil, boxes & any bag she can, we laugh when she tries to wash paper plates among other crazy things she still does, but I've always been about reduce,reuse, recycle & i guess it all didn't hit home as much till i had my own home. Now we consistently have more in the recycling than the trash & i reuse everything i can, i guess I'm more like my crazy grandma than i knew :)