Magnets and more

Hi all, I've been puttering about and keeping up with my inventory at my online store at etsy. I'm pleased to say that orders are picking up to several a week. Not big bucks by any means as most of my stuff is relatively inexpensive, but its meaningful to me. I hope to get to the self sufficient stage and then slide into the making a profit stage (which I am fast approaching!).  Notebooks are popular! In all sizes and with all coverings. Its a good thing. Especially since I like making them. I did have to stock up on more National Geographic maps but that was easy enough to do on ebay. I've also been expanding my horizons with a FaceBook page and trying to get used to posting on that medium (as opposed to the regular blog post). So if you are so inclined (and have not already done so), feel free to wander over to my LizzieLuvs2Recycle FaceBook page and like it! thanks! :)

Well, I added a new item for me: fridge magnets. I had been thinking about making these for quite a while but couldn't figure out what images to use. Then it struck me: "Duh! Vintage maps. Of course!" So, last weekend I made the first batch with some glass cabochons that I picked up on etsy. I tried initially to use the squashed marbles that you can buy for cheap at Michael's but they are not appropriate: too uneven in shape, scratched often, and with bubbles or other internal flaws. So lash out and buy the real thing that really works.

 And here are some of the sets that I made up. I used the last little bits of maps from the 1964 atlas that I used to make the thank you cards for my dear friends Matt and Mindy recently. The color range on that atlas was really rich and varied.

Here's a set cut from the greater Washington D.C. area.

 And a set from North America.

There was one little map that was of downtown Washington D.C. Aren't the colors great?

All of the maps were cut out and adhered with my favorite multi-purpose adhesive, E6000.

 After that had dried, I used it to affix the magnets on the back.

Each set got its own padded box and...done!

Vintage map envelopes

Its been a busy week and its all about making fun stuff for my new etsy store: LizzieLuvs2Recycle. So here's the latest: envelopes made out of vintage atlas maps. It was a shot in the dark as far as a recycling project and it turned out much better than expected. Fun, easy and I really love the results.

I looked for an envelope template on-line but couldn't find one that I liked (they were all odd sizes for various greeting cards and I wanted a standard business envelope). So after sitting there stumped for a while I did the whole "headslap; duh" thing and grabbed an envelope from my desk, deconstructed it and used it to make a cardboard template. Luckily, I had an old atlas in the car that was crying out to be repurposed and...Voila!

After a crafty evening tracing and cutting out the envelopes, I had this growing stack. It was very satisfying picking the prettiest maps and arranging my template for maximum interest. They already look cool, don't they??

I had this annoying long floppy ruler made out of thin plastic that turned out to be the perfect tool to act as a guide for the folds. Side flaps first...

Then the bottom flap. Looking good!

Then the top. I can't wait to use one myself!

Of course once I started cutting up the atlas, I kinda had to cut the whole thing! So now I have lots of envelopes. I ordered some glue/gum online to gum the sides down and leave a wetable gum on the flap so that it can be sealed. Hopefully it gets here fast--I'm really anxious to finish these babies and get them uploaded for sale!

 The fronts are so pretty and colorful. I will likely use an address label to give a nice white area in the center.

I can't wait to make some more fun stuff out of maps. I just bought a bunch of old National Geographic maps from eBay for some even bigger maps.