The No Waste Crafter - handmade eco art and craft in the UK

The No Waste Crafter - handmade eco art and craft in the UK Eco-friendly no waste crafting is my passion, I repurpose, reuse and recycle materials to make uniqu I call this 'The Stash'.

The properties of paper never fail to enthral me, it's diverseness and the ability to create with it are endless. So what better than to incorporate my passion for the natural world around me into my pictures using that, and little extras to make something special? The sea, the sky, the many hues of greens, browns, yellows, reds, all the colours of the natural landscape inspire me greatly, and I r

eflect this in my art. To be able to translate that into a craft which can be given as a gift to someone else is a wonderful thing! Something as simple as a gift card can brighten someone's day, and I take great joy in doing just that...

So how did this all start?.....
Well, it all stemmed from when I was searching for affordable wedding stationary. I couldn't find what I wanted in my price range, so I made my own. I had so much positive feedback, I've kept on making cards for friends and family ever since, and as a result, I have an abundance of bits and pieces of all sorts. Being lucky enough to live in the beautiful countryside, I have a love for nature and the world around me. I passionately believe in protecting our earth and our environment so I will re-cycle and up-cycle where possible, but I am dismayed at the amount of consumer packaging that isn't currently re-cycled. I will use anything from crisp packaging to random types of card board, combined with bits of The Stash, and up-cycled cards, magazines etc, re-cycling to re-create something extra special. I also hand make all the paper flowers I include, so they have texture and depth to them, which you won't usually find in usual every day cards. They are also great for visually impaired persons as well, as the decorations don't just extend to the flowers only, I use embossing, die cuts, and so many different components which all go to make truly unique items. I have a shop on Etsy.com/shop/countrybarnsie and I hope that it is proof that quality, luxury, and lovely gifts can be made through re-cycling what we have around us, so pass on the message, re-cycle to re-create!

One watercolour painting I'm finally pleased with! And better still, I was able to make it into a birthday card for a ve...
27/05/2025

One watercolour painting I'm finally pleased with! And better still, I was able to make it into a birthday card for a very dear friend.

Still practicing the watercolour, I don't think anyone has ever said how easy mastering this medium actually is, it's a ...
02/05/2025

Still practicing the watercolour, I don't think anyone has ever said how easy mastering this medium actually is, it's a challenge and a half! But... I'm learning, and it's so much fun to trial and error it and finally get some decent (ish) results! 😊 The moral of the story, if at first you don't succeed, try try again! This was my fifth attempt!
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Practice! practice! practice! It's always fun to try and break the mould. I wanted to try a painting without sketching i...
17/04/2025

Practice! practice! practice! It's always fun to try and break the mould. I wanted to try a painting without sketching it out in pencil first, and with a bit of imagination I managed a somewhat flawed Blue Tit... But... at least it looks like a Blue Tit 😁 The moral of the story? Why not try something new today, you may be pleasantly surprised.

Hi all! I've dealt with quite a few major life changes since my last post, but.. although it's taken a while, I've final...
26/02/2025

Hi all! I've dealt with quite a few major life changes since my last post, but.. although it's taken a while, I've finally taken time to tap into my creative artist mojo again... You gotta start somewhere right? I'd forgotten how lovely it is to just put paint on paper, it really helps me to forget the cares of daily life... I hope you all have your creative go to whatever it may be.

Stay blessed

R. I. P Elizabeth The Great
10/09/2022

R. I. P Elizabeth The Great

Hello all, it's been a while since I last posted, but I have been busy... Sometimes when life can get challenging, it's ...
03/09/2022

Hello all, it's been a while since I last posted, but I have been busy... Sometimes when life can get challenging, it's good to go back to basics. I've found solace in my drawing, here's some work in progess pictures for you. Finding your own creative outlet is therapeutic, so let me encourage you to pick up some paper, and pencils and to do your thing!

Happy drawing

Making a Fairy-tale Castle from scraps has been so much fun! The base construction was the most important part, but equa...
11/12/2021

Making a Fairy-tale Castle from scraps has been so much fun!

The base construction was the most important part, but equally, you need to ensure your castle walls are sturdy. I used old cardboard panels and hot glue. Then I constructed more panels to create the trellis and outer turrets. Of course a kitchen roll tube goes a long way, and makes an idea tower.

I've added squares of cardboard to the tower and painted them, and then handmade the paper roses with some hot glue 'vines'. The balcony was a polystyrene chip mixed in with some paper clay. Add some gesso and a bit of sparkly paint to personal taste. A bit of sparkle goes a long way!

A few extra touches to the outer shell have finished this project beautifully. Decorate your construction using items such as flags. As I had a boulder left over it became the centerpiece for the sword in the stone, the final touch to create that perfect castle. I hope you have enjoyed this series, and I'll love to see what you have been doing.

As always if you want any special commissions then DM me.

Happy crafting everyone

Hello! Here's part two of how to make a fairy tale castle using mostly scraps, a bit of glue and some paint.Last time we...
06/11/2021

Hello! Here's part two of how to make a fairy tale castle using mostly scraps, a bit of glue and some paint.

Last time we talked about the base, it's such an important part as it supports the castle, so make sure you've bulked it out sufficiently to stand by itself as I've done. I used about 28 boulders which I created from leftover scraps and waste paper.

I constructed and painted the boulders from general paper and craft waste, and then used cardboard for the flag stone flooring. It was a bit of a labour of love, but I cut the strips using a craft knife into my 'flagstones', and then glued them down individually on a flat piece of cardboard which forms the 'floor' of the castle. Here's a handy tip I wish I'd thought up first, paint your underfloor base before gluing anything on top!

Once the floor is down think about the backdrop, I painted my ideal scenery on the front and back, just as I'd like my ideal castle to be, but here's a chance to get really creative.

The 3d mountain range was made using plastic waste packaging and a hot glue gun. Running the glue gun back and forth over the material warps it, so I moulded my mountain range this way, but do this near an open window! It smells a bit! Adding white paint for the snowy tops brings them alive.

Next time, castle construction begins using kitchen roll tubing and extra cardboard panels! Swipe to see more construction in progress.

Please do let me know what other things you'd like to see more of, and as always if you want any commission work done, just send me a DM.

Happy crafting everyone

Finding new ways to use small scraps is a constant challenge, but this bouquet centerpiece turned out well. This commiss...
03/08/2021

Finding new ways to use small scraps is a constant challenge, but this bouquet centerpiece turned out well.

This commission was constructed using a blend of old and new materials. (Swipe to see more).

The bouquet was made with scraps, and in the middle of the cone, propping up the flowers, is non recyclable plastic wrapping I saved from landfill.

Why not try and make your own gifts and reuse packaging to made eco friendly art? It's very rewarding to create something beautiful out of waste, and it helps the planet too.

Happy crafting everyone

Love,

The no waste crafter

Want a no waste tip on what to do with small bits of foil you can't recycle? Why not pop it into your own next handmade ...
10/07/2021

Want a no waste tip on what to do with small bits of foil you can't recycle? Why not pop it into your own next handmade gift card.

Any foil can be painted if you use a primer on it such as gesso, but, take a close look at the candles on this commissioned 3D birthday box card... I used saved foil from an Easter egg which was just the perfect colour for flames.

See my reel to have a look at the rest in more detail.

Happy crafting everyone!

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