recycle your credit cards into free name rings - courtesy of amex

if you’ve decided to take american express up on their offer to buy you out for $300, recycle your old credit card by turning it into a priceless piece of name jewelry.

here’s how.

this is a card i received in the mail from macy’s after i specifically told them never to send me one again. ahhh, macy’s. my first instinct was to cut it into a million pieces and tell it to begone. but when i thought about all the design work, glittery gold and red pigments (actually quite pretty), energy and plastic it took to make this card, i couldn’t bear to just throw it in the trash.

so here’s what i did:
1. first, cut the part of the card with your name on it off in a long strip.
2. then, cut it to a size that will fit your finger.
3. next, bend the strip around a marker or something that has a similar circumference to your finger to form a loop.
3. last, poke a hole into each side of the strip, and use strong thread to link them.
voila!

you can also use the part of the card that has your account number (after you’ve canceled your account, please) to make a bracelet symbolizing man’s plight (addiction to shopping).

i added an extra lil suttin’ suttin’ to mine with a dior ribbon that i found in a garbage pile right outside of the flagship store on 57th street. all it needed was a good wash.

other ways to deal with unwanted credit cards: when a paper shredder just won’t do

How to Make Tulle Rosettes from an Old Tutu

Now that Halloween is over, I thought I’d try my hand at refashioning some of the old costumes I’ve accumulated over the years into accessories that I’ll actually wear now. My first project? Turning the sheer tulle of an old 1980s dance recital tutu into a pretty rosette.

1. Push a needle through a scrap piece of foam core to create a base for you to string the petals of the rosette onto.

2. Cut out teardrop shaped petals of the tulle.

3. Layer the petals onto the foam core base one by one, making sure to pass the needle through the tapered side of each piece.

turn your plastic bag into a sewing machine cover

despite the utter yuckiness i feel for apple, i can’t help but be drawn to the disgustingly pretty things they churn out, and this here sky blue bag is no exception.

does anyone remember this one? i got it when i purchased my ibook way back when, and still remember feeling more in awe about the bag than i did about the computer! it’s been in my closet for years now and instead of trashing it, i wanted to honor it by making it into a cover for my sewing machine!

the steps are fairly simple:

1. cut off the bottom and top inch or so of the bag and turn it inside out.

2. trace the outline of the item you want to make a cover for, leaving about an inch and a half for the hem.

3. sew along the outline you traced and try it on for size. if it fits correctly, trim the edges off so that it looks like this:

4. turn your completed cover right side out and voila!

you can also cut a little side slit out for any plugs or wires that need to poke out.

now your sewing machine, toaster oven, or mao zedong bust can stay dust-free and you have saved another bag from the dump! pat yourself on the back, mister!

why is this a site?

swyyne has always been an experiment for me. with all of the other super eco sites out there, i've been feeling like i want to contribute something just a bit different. so for now, here are my random musings.