Recycled Crafts

Creative DIY Projects That Turn Trash Into Treasure

Collage Art Book Review: The Psyche’s Gifts: Art, Art Making, and the Journey from Mental Illness to Mental Wellness

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Collage Art Book Review: The Psyche’s Gifts: Art, Art Making, and the Journey from Mental Illness to Mental Wellness by Corinne Lightweaver

This book is filled with visual eye-candy!
The style and content is beautiful. Each piece is captivating at a glance. Then as you continue to look and investigate the elements you are drawn into each piece.
 
The pieces are a joy to look at all on their own but then can be further enhanced by the titles and descriptions. The words add deeper context to the collections of images. These concepts can make you feel closer to the work and the artist as she shares her deeper meanings. I like enjoying each piece both ways. This will be a book I will pick up regularly to enjoy and find inspiration both mentally and artistically.
 
More about the book:
 

In the art book “The Psyche’s Gifts: Art, Art Making, and the Journey from Mental Illness,” artist Corinne Lightweaver features a series of artworks that reflect her personal experience of living with mental illness, including depression and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Working from her unconscious, she uses techniques of paper collage to access, reveal, and artistically document her journey. After creating her artworks, she reviews them, learns from them, and writes about them. Through sharing her work, she hopes to spark personal and public conversations about mental illness, reduce stigma, and encourage those who suffer from it to find treatment.

The role of art making in healing is increasingly capturing the medical profession’s imagination and the general public’s interest. What are the possibilities for using the art making process to heal the body and the mind and to communicate the inner experience?

More medical schools now offer programming in narrative medicine, as well as opportunities to hear directly from, and view the art of, artist patients. The profession of art therapy is also gaining more visibility, while lay people are also offering workshops in using creativity for better mental health.

Psychoanalyst Shari Saperstein, PsyD, introduces the artist in the Foreword and provides a context and framework through which to view and understand Lightweaver’s art.

Having lived with depression and obsessive compulsive disorder for more than a quarter century, Lightweaver has learned coping mechanisms?including art?that keep mental illness at bay for most of the time. The internal experience of mental illness is difficult to describe, but the collage-making process gives Lightweaver uncommon access to her unconscious, allowing her to reveal her journey and shed light on the experience. The 38 color illustrations in this book explore and depict one person’s experience, but the themes are deeply universal and the book’s message of resilience and healing is uplifting for anyone.

 

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Creative Ways to Reuse UNO Cards: Fun Upcycled Crafts to Try

Recycled UNO card ideas

If you’ve got an old or incomplete deck of UNO cards lying around, don’t toss them just yet! Whether the cards are bent, missing pieces, or just no longer in rotation for game night, there are plenty of clever ways to upcycle UNO cards into fun and functional crafts.

Interestingly, UNO has taken a step toward sustainability with the release of their UNO Nothin’ But Paper deck — an eco-conscious version of the classic game made entirely from recyclable paper. It’s great to see big brands making greener choices, but what about those plastic-coated cards you already have? Instead of letting them go to waste, try turning them into something new and creative!

Here are some of our favorite DIY ideas for reusing UNO cards:

 

Playing Cards Purse — CraftBits.com This project turns your colorful cards into a funky, eye-catching purse. By using clear duct tape and a bit of crafting patience, you can create a unique accessory that’s equal parts playful and practical.

DIY UNO Card Game Art – One Mile Home Style UNO cards are bold, bright, and instantly recognizable. Why not use them to create modern wall art or a playful decor piece? Frame them, arrange them by color, or create a heart or mosaic design to liven up a game room or kid’s space.

Upcycling Playing Cards – craftygardener.caThis blog showcases a handful of ways to reuse any kind of playing cards — and UNO decks are perfect thanks to their color-coded design. Use them to create bookmarks, gift tags, or even mini photo frames. You’ll love how versatile they can be once you start experimenting.

Playing Card Wallet — CraftBits.com With just a few supplies, you can turn two sturdy UNO cards into a simple wallet or card holder. This is a great upcycled gift idea for teens, gamers, or anyone who appreciates quirky handmade items.

Clear Duct Tape Card Purse — CraftBits.com Another purse project that uses clear tape to seal and shape your UNO cards into a functional and fabulous little handbag. It’s surprisingly durable and makes for a fun conversation piece.

Great collection of recycled home stuff to use in fun learning activities 

So while Mattel’s move toward eco-friendly decks is definitely a win for sustainability, there’s still plenty of life left in your existing UNO cards. Upcycling them into clever crafts is not only environmentally friendly, it’s also a fantastic way to express your creativity. Whether you’re making wallets, art, or accessories, give your UNO cards a second chance to shine!

Before you head off to raid the junk drawer for that half-deck of UNO cards, here’s a fun reminder — have you ever actually read the real rules of UNO? Because if you’ve played with family or friends, chances are… you haven’t.

Yes, it’s true: stacking +2 and +4 cards isn’t in the official rules (gasp!). And no, you can’t play a Wild Draw 4 just because you feel like it — you’re supposed to only use it when you have no matching colors or numbers. We know, right? Mind. Blown.

So while you’re crafting away with your upcycled UNO cards, maybe print out a copy of the real rulebook and drop it into the purse or wallet you just made. Next game night, you can be the hero (or villain) who drops the “actually…” bomb and sets the record straight. Just don’t be surprised if you get banned from family game night for being that person.

Happy crafting and playing — by the rules (or not)!