This lovely bridal gown is absolutely charming. Or should that be Charmin? Far from being a priceless designer number, the dress just won this year's Cheap Chic wedding contest and is made entirely from toilet paper, tape and glue.
Its maker, Ann Kagawa Lee of Honolulu, Hawaii, took inspiration from the film "Gone With the Wind" and Japanese Origami. Judges likened it to an Oscar de la Renta gown, and awarded her a $1000.00 prize for her efforts. Visit the competition site to see the runners up, and some amazing close-up images of Ann's dress and hat! [Via Bridalwave]
The mind boggles as to how it's possible to make a full wedding gown using only the material from old t-shirts, but trust me - it's possible. I've seen it done and am now even more convinced that the only obstacles to a dream wedding are a fertile imagination and, ideally, a willing groom.
Once you've got those two items sorted, the making of a wedding dress is no biggie according to the guys at threadbanger, who've made this lovely little video showing how one of their cash-strapped crew made herself a gorgeous gown for as little as $10. Watch the episode here.
Related: Gallery: our favourite DIY wedding dresses
A Home For All Seasons made this 'Death from Above 1979' scarf from two t-shirts and a dress. I love the way the two shades of pink contrast against the grey, and think the choice of complementary materials here is brilliant. You can see how nicely it works as a garment here, and once again I'm amazed at how many creative ways you guys find to recycle your old cast-offs. Much respect!
We've all got an old keyboard lying around somewhere (actually, that's more like ten old keyboards around here) so why not turn them into something beautiful? A set of earrings a geek girl will love, for example.
This tutorial tells you what you'll need to do to create a pair of fun, wearable keyboard earrings. These make great gifts, so think about what letters you want to keep back for friends when you start gutting your keyboard! [Via Whip Up]
Related: Lego jewellery and accessories | Pixel jewellery from Mike and Maaike
What do you do with your old phonebooks? Jolis Paons made this amazing dress from his! He pleated, glued and sewed the paper by hand for a class assignment. It's beautiful but unfortunately I'm sure it would be impossible to wear in case of rain...or fire. [By Steph Powell]
[Via Whip Up]
What's even cooler than making something yourself? Being able to say you're wearing the efforts of a bunch of your family on your back - a garment laden with meaning and love. So if you've got one more afghan or baby blanket than you actually need or a load of lovely creations Aunt Beatrice left you that are sitting and gathering dust, here's an idea.
Why not breathe new life into them by making something useful? All fabrics (even shop-bought ones) start with knitting at some level, so it's not unreasonable to consider the possibilities of sewing with handknitted (and crocheted) fabrics. Julie Finn has some top tips on how to get the most out of your blankets, doiles, afghans, or whatever you're working with.
There are so many fabulous, creative and awe-inspiring crafty projects out there that promote some aspect of greenness, it was hard to narrow down this selection to just seven items. But here are my favourite eco-friendly craft projects that have recently appeared on my radar. Don't worry - I know you're all sick of 'eco totes', so you won't find any of those in the gallery!
Click on the image below to see them all
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