Recycled bags!

(Above:  Recycled bags made from two spreads of Jasper Magazines.  I put a pair of scissors inside ... just for "show".  Click on image to enlarge.)

My work has been accepted into two unique, local but juried craft shows next month.  First is the Sustainable Midlands Holiday Show from 4:30 - 8:30 on Monday, December 1st at 701 Whaley Street.  Then there's Crafty Feast on Sunday, December 14th from noon - 6 PM at the Columbia Convention Center.  All the work must be "made by hand".  For the Sustainable Midlands show, it also must incorporate recycled, organic, or repurposed materials.  I'll have bookmarks, Christmas ornaments, and other small items in addition to other, framed artwork.  I'm looking forward to both.  

Last week, my husband Steve asked if I needed to order bags for customers to carry away these small items.  I almost said "Yes!" but something wasn't quite right with the idea.  Why buy bags that will be tossed away ... turned into "trash" ... especially for an event promoting recycling?  It just didn't seem right.  Then, I got a hair-brained idea.  I removed the staples from several back issues of Jasper Magazine, took two spreads, made a fold, zigzag stitched, and made a bag!  The side "not folded" becomes a "tab" to fold over the open end.  I designed and ordered a 1000-piece roll of peel-and-stick 2" x 3" oval labels to adhere over the tab!  (Uline charged less than $75 for the order, including shipping!)  It was fun to make these recycled bags ... selecting which pages would be on "the outside".   Can't wait to use them!