The Girl With The Purple Shirt: Trash Collecting = Arts and Crafts???

When was the last time you set aside a lazy Sunday morning for a good ol’ arts and crafts session? Or a rogue half an hour after dinner? Or even let it take priority over normally more important things?

How long has it been since you’ve plopped yourself down on a newspapered floor and sat cross-legged tapping into your creative energy? Since you've discovered glitter under your nails and green feathers rubber-cemented to your hair? Since you've created? Imagined? Designed? Since you've unleashed your improvisation skills? Since you've had an excuse to shamelessly play with googly eyes and pipe cleaners??

I have a lot of free time these days. It’s pretty amazing. And I take full advantage: running around, smiling a lot, and learning new things. And among other fabulous activities, I’ve been exploring the vast and immensely interesting world of arts and crafts. I’ve never prided myself on harboring any kind of artistic talent. Quite the contrary, it was never my strong suit… All the more reason to dive head-first into giving it a whirl!

I’ve purchased a pair of knitting needles. I acquired a set of colored pencils. Scissors. Glue. Colored electrical tape. And when Ailen, in Junin de los Andes, taught me a great skill… I snatched it up by the hand and ran with it. I stumbled at first, but I think I’m finally getting the hang of it. I would like to share this lovely activity with you all, dear readers. So roll up your sleeves, prepare a soothing hot beverage, clear off a tabletop, put on your favorite singable music, and get ready to release yourself into the magical world of creativity. Ready? Here it goes…

How to make a wallet out of discarded cheap wine boxes…

Step 1. Collection

Leave your house. And walk. It’s a beautiful blue sky day. Gloved hands in pockets on a crisp autumn day. Surveying eyes turned towards the curb ready to identify any particularly inviting specimens.

Perhaps you should head to the other side of the train tracks. Take advantage and explore unknown territory. If you feel socialable, greet a stranger. If you feel like being alone, walk with a mission; people will usually leave you alone. The dogs may not.

So, what is it exactly are you looking for? Boxed wine. Yes, the cheap of the cheap. They can be found thrown out on the street. If you live in a particularly trash-free area, ask at a restaurant or go explore another neighborhood. Look for boxes that aren’t too damaged by natures elements. A healthy box can come in various lengths, widths, colors, physical and mental conditions. With time, you will learn to identify the ones you best like to work with.

Pick up and shake out the last droplets of used wine boxes. I advise you to bring a bag that you don’t mind getting dirty. Collect as many as you want. Know that you’re helping to pick up trash. You’re converting landscape eyesores into art. Don’t overdo it though. You can always come back. Especially if you need an excuse every so often to escape into the world of fresh air.

Step 2. Wash wine boxes

Your recently collected wine boxes are probably filthy. A good washing with warm soapy water will get most of the yuck off. Two washings will rid your boxes of more of that pungent cheap wine smell.

Step 3. Scissors!

The wine box is a 3-D rectangle with six sides. You have the front and back usually decorated with the wine brand and some inviting propaganda. You have the two sides, left and right. And you have the top and bottom.

Cut off the top of the box that was used for drinking/pouring.

Turn box over to focus on the bottom. Cut approx 4-5 cm from the end, leaving one solitary side standing. This will be the flap you used to close the wallet/coin purse.

Step 4. Fold

If you flatten the box, you will create a crease that runs down the middle of the left and right sides. Now unflatten and fold inward along that crease, creating what reminds me of a very small accordion.

Now we fold the long rectangle (the front and back) in half. We can see the wallet taking form! So exciting!!

Step 5. Decorate (Mandatory)/Velcro and staples (Optional)

This is the fun part folks. Run a marathon with it. You will find that as you discover new materials, your wallets will evolve. I try to use other recycled materials as much as possible. Comic strips. Wrappers. Look around you. What do you find?

To complete the wallet, I use a needle and tread to sew Velcro to the flap. Did you know that you can buy COLORED Velcro?? You can also use snaps, buttons, hooks… In the interior, I use two staples, to keep the wallet from springing open and losing that wallet-like form.