Today is Day Four of celebrating Earth Day, which I will be doing for the entire week! I hope to provide ideas and useful tips showing you how to use items that would either have been thrown out, dumped off at the thrift-store, or are just perhaps forgotten.

Let’s talk about recycling, Upcycling, and having a rummage through your closets. I also have a great lecture, (with a handout) called Upcycle It with Embellishments that can be found on Creative Spark, that gives you some great pointers!

1. Labels Purse: This is a fun raw silk purse, that I covered, and I mean covered, in vintage and new sewing labels. Some even came from my dad’s old ties. This is a gallery example in my book, The Embroidery Book.
2. Labeled Tie: This silk tie belonged to my husband, which he kindly let me commandeer, so that I could stitch on some fun labels, a few of the labels also belonged to my dad.

1. Old Rose Corsages: The directions for these roses can be found in my class Upcycle It with Embellishments.
2. Hollywood Rose Brooch and Bracelet: This group is made from a tie that my dad had worn, and the label was Hollywood! Loved the kitsch of it all!
3. Ribbonwork Tie: This silk tie is adorned with flowers from my book Ribbonwork Gardens and Ribbonwork Flowers.

Here are some other tips to live by:

• Save when you can, with a purpose.
• Re-use when you can, with intent.
• RECYCLE always.

Happy Earth Week, be kind to her, she is the only one we have. ~Christen