Getting Down to Earth

To celebrate spring colors and earth day, I made this ornament from a recycled baby food jar lid and some diodes/conductors (for the butterfly antennae).

The edge was too small for my punch so I used my paper piercer.  The metal was soft enough that I was able to punch two holes for my hanger.  Since the holes were small, it limited my options for ribbon but I found this delicate organza ribbon that I was able to thread through the holes with the help of a needle.  

After edging with Ranger Alcohol Ink in the color currant, I applied flower ribbon to the outside and pink ruffled ribbon to the inside (with double sided red line tape). 

I printed the Gecko Galz circular image twice so that I could cut out the butterflies which I edged with the softer (than black) weathered wood Ranger Distress Ink.

The back is a circle of scrap paper, some flea market ric rac, and a Prima epoxy pressed flower.   

Entering this in:


Gecko Galz Yahoo Group for the April Color Challenge:  pink and yellow and one Gecko Galz product. I used a circular jewel image from the Spring Jewel Collection.  How perfect are the yellow and pink butterflies for the color challenge?


Starr Timmons is hosting the Shabby Tea Room "Week 111 April Showers" challenge this week, using this inspirational photo and asking for flowers and ribbon.


Frilly and Funky is sponsoring a re-purpose to upcycle challenge using at least two recycled items. (jar lid and conductors)

Adding another challenge:
the new Recycle, Repurpose, Reinvent site's first challenge: Anything Goes using one recycled item.  I explained in the post how I altered the jar lid. The diodes were taped to the back of the butterflies.  I used wire cutters to trim the top of the antennae to an appropriate length.  I folded under the bottom wires to add some bulk for my 3-D affect.

RRR Bonus Question

What’s the strangest thing you have been hoarding for the purpose of using it in your art and how do you plan to use it?

I have some hammered metal jewelry that I'm hoping to use on a mixed media project.