Yellow Walls Designs New Twists on Paper

Materials Focus: Paper

Trashion team member Rebecca Potts of YellowWalls gives new life to paper with lovely twists! We asked her a few questions about reuseing paper and here is what she had to say:

What do you make by re-using paper?

I make jewelry and I'm working on holiday ornament ideas. I also make journals and cards, but haven't posted them yet.

What do you find the most satisfying about your creations?
I love being able to turn my trash into something useful and beautiful. It's also lots of fun figuring out new ways of using paper.

Where do you typically find the paper you repurpose?
Under my kitchen sink, where I keep the recycling and garbage. I literally go through my own trash and take out anything that might be redeemable.

What type of paper products do you use?

Anything I can get my hands on. Cardboard and card stock work really well for my jewelry and for book covers, while thinner paper like all the junkmail and old newspapers are great for recycling into paper pulp.

Where did you learn your current techniques?

I started making paper using a blender, window screen, and my oven when I was about 12 years old. Then during my year abroad in college I got to learn more about paper making from experts in Australia. Now I'm back in school and learning even more from professor Joan Hall. I also learned book-making in college. Jewelry making I mostly just taught myself by messing around with materials. I had a short lesson from a friend about wire wrapping and then took it from there.

Where do you get your inspiration for your projects?

I'm a bit obsessed with maps, so that comes through in some of my work. I also make things based on what my friends and family like - for example, I make lots of elephant images because my sister likes Elephants. Whatever materials I'm using also inspire me with their colors and shapes.

Which of the tools you use is your favorite?
I would be lost without my pliers.

Tell us about a couple favorite items they've made from paper and why they stand out in your mind.

I love the colorful earrings. I'm also excited about these elephant pendants I'm working on.

Any final thoughts you want to share?

Just to stress the importance of the 3 R's right now. It's up to us to make sure our children will be able to enjoy this beautiful planet.


Interested in discovering more about Rebecca Potts and her work? Check out her website. Want a one of her three R jewels for your very own? Go to her Etsy shop!

Scribble Nation Playing with Paper!

Materials Focus: Paper

Trashion team member Mary Helen of Scribble Nation gives new life to paper with amazing talent! We asked her a few questions about reuseing paper and here is what she had to say:

What do you make by re-using paper?

One of a Kind Mustache Collage Cards

What do you find the most satisfying about your creations?

I love the creative process. We start out with a cocktail or two, some of our favorite magazines or clothing catalogs, and a set of colored pencils or felt tipped markers. Giggles and mustaches quickly follow. We often do our best mustaching with the help of our friends during our weekly craft night. In a few days I pull out the mustached or collaged pages and start attaching them to randomly stamped cards. I love making art out of jokes. It's my favorite.

Where do you typically find the paper you repurpose?

Junk mail, magazine subscriptions, and catalogs. These things arrive at the house, are read through about a gazillion times, then are added to the mustache pile.

What type of paper products do you use?

Mostly magazines and catalogs. We attach our collages to new, crisp cards and envelopes.

Where did you learn your current techniques?

Waiting rooms.

Where do you get your inspiration for your projects?

The popularity of mustache

Which of the tools you use is your favorite?

It's a toss up between the colored pencil and the ever popular Sharpie marker.

Tell us about a couple favorite items they've made from paper and why they stand out in your mind.


Commander Stache, pictured at right, features the picture that started the whole joke. She is like the Mustchae Mother, giving birth to all the countless mustached wonders to happen since.

Beer Helmet, as seen below, is another favorite of mine due to the cooperative aspect of it. Our friend Jessica doodled this bad boy, never thinking it would become a piece of upcycled art!



Any final thoughts you want to share? Viva magazine graffitti!

Thanks for sharing your creative reuse of paper with us! We never knew waiting rooms could bring such fun to us all!

Interested in discovering more about Mary Helen and her work? Check out her blog. Want a mustash card for your very own? Go to her Etsy shop!

FoundThings adds a creative flare to paper!

Materials Focus: Paper

Trashion team member emmy of foundthings gives new life to paper with amazing talent! We asked her a few questions about reuseing paper and here is what she had to say:

What do you make by re-using paper?
Jewelry, collage and mixed media art, art dolls, really I have no limits!


What do you find the most satisfying about your creations?

How the everyday, overlooked, stepped on and taken for granted can be transform into beauty!

Where do you typically find the paper you repurpose?

The street, junk mail, books, friends, discards from local printers

What type of paper products do you use?

I have no limits on the paper I use, from the ordinary copy paper, candy wrappers, newspaper, anything recycled to cardstock.
Since I was little I’ve always had a collection of paper stash. I wouldn't waste a scrap!

Where did you learn your current techniques?

I’ve learned them from pure experimentation.
The best come from making mistakes, taking risks and trying again and again!

Where do you get your inspiration for your projects?

I see inspiration in textures, simple and complex forms, and mainly in the found object itself. My sons inspire me a lot with their messes, as well as pure and raw discoveries.

Which of the tools you use is your favorite?

My hands. I love to get them dirty, painted and glued!

Tell us about a couple favorite items they've made from paper and why they stand out in your mind.

I have quite a few of my own that our my favorites, but what really stands out to me is working with others who are afraid of "art", being trapped in the mindset that they can't do it or do it good enough. They have a perception that art has to be just perfect. It’s such freedom to see them find the beauty in the raw. So I’d say my collaborative works with others who are intimidated by the raw materials are the ones that stand out.
Seeing someone else realize that they are able to be creative and make something beautiful out of nothing is priceless and beautiful all in itself!

In the photo (to the right) you'll see my friend Sam couldn't believe she actually did this!!

Any final thoughts you want to share?

Life is hard YA gotta get your funk on!!



Emmy your a wonderful joy to witness! Thank you for sharing some of your inspiration and creation with us! So when I was putting this post together I stummbled across the "All About Paper" zine, pictured to the right. It's a family project! Emmy's kids are fundraising to raise money for the local food bank.
"The zine is ALL ABOUT PAPER!! basically its a collage pack with all sorts of FOUND papers, some textured,some hand painted,handmade envies, lots of scraps n pieces, including found images for you to put together your very own masterpieces. also included is an artist trading card and a small sample of collage sheets, and anything else fun we can scrounge up. THERE ARE ART PAGES TO INSPIRE YOU AS WELL! ITS REALLY A GREAT ZINE! its a ONE shot so we'll sell it until we run out of paper!
EACH ONE IS UNIQUE and papers vary! SO SUPPORT THE CAUSE and help 2 inspiring young artists as well!" I, drew the editor of this interview am now the proud owner of a copy of this!!


Interested in discovering more about emmy and her work? Check out her website. Want a one of her incredible creations for your very own? Go to her Etsy shop!