Recycled Crafts
EDIT: (29 November 2008) I have several pieces like these now available in my Etsy shop. Let me know if you don't see anything you like. I'm open to doing custom orders.
A coworker of mine gave me a stack of used-up Starbucks gift cards that she had been saving with the intent to find a place to recycle them. After having no luck, she offered them to me, thinking I could do something crafty with them. Well, I did.
These were a going away present for a different coworker who transferred to another store. I cut out the logos from three gift cards, sanded them into circles, used an emery board to smooth the edges and a nail to make a small hole. Two I attached to earring hoops, and one I turned into a matching necklace, together with coffee bean beads and those stopper beads from guitar strings, strung on fishing line. She loved them. I also made a pair of earrings for my manager.
Inspired by these, I cut up another card into squares, filed down the corners and made a bracelet. The strip left over, I dipped into boiling water and molded into a ring.
Then I made another bracelet (I forgot to take a before shot of the Valentine's Day gift card - yes, the squirrel is holding a heart)
And another
And a couple more (I got both of these out of one card)
Now what else can I do with these...