Plastic bags...they're everywhere! Have you ever wondered what to do with the ones you have, the ones family/friends have, or even ones you might see lying about?

A great place to start with some crafty ways of reusing/recycling all those plastic bags can be found at Craftzine.com, while two of the simplest ideas I've come across elsewhere are:
1) combining old fabric (with some synthetic content) with plastic bags. Pretty much all you need is an iron and you can make bags and dresses, and

2) Oscar Lhermitte’s idea of putting a bag over a wire frame & light bulb and taa-daa - you have a lamp!


If you want to get straight into it, check out Instructables.com for a step-by-step guide to turning plastic bags into "yarn", which has photos at each step of the way. The possibilities are endless! (......I'm really tempted to try my hand at making a recycled bag rug)
And if you're really up for a challenge, how about knitting some dresses (they're bound to be waterproof! haha) or making a chair like this Inkuku chair by Ryan Frank?

Looking for something more creative than a Christmas or Seasons Greetings card (or just any old greeting card for any occasion)??? How about giving someone their very own handmade Speakerdog or Cubeecraft paper toy made with 100% recycled card stock (of course!) & have your personal message scribbled over it? Or, if they're the hands-on type, a pre-printed, flat packed version for them to diy!

I found Speakerdog paper toys a while back and have used them as presents before. Just print and put together! They have a huge selection, with illustrators & artists from around the globe contributing the most awesome designs!

Have now discovered Cubeecraft paper toys that don't require any glue to hold them together. Not as extensive a selection as Speakerdog, but still plenty of different ones to choose from.
Personal favourites are The Brain, Bloo and Lion-O. They also have Alice in Wonderland characters in the making which I'm looking forward to! Post us one of the faves if you're in the giving mood : )

Just to show how "onto it" they are - they have even got Vodafone sponsoring them to provide Christmas Cubeecraft paper toys as part of a promotion. You can also customise the Christmas versions to have your photograph on it.

By the way, if you're looking for 100% recycled card stock, Sustainable Group in the States sell them and also ship internationally. Please note that I haven't bought from them before, so buyer beware.