Green craft magazine review

Filed in Blog, Product reviews by on October 19, 2009 9 Comments
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Creative reuse for cereal boxes from Green Craft magazine

Creative reuse for cereal boxes from Green Craft magazine

I am like a kid in a sweet shop with this review!

I stumbled across a fabulous publication called ‘Green Craft” magazine. Published by Stampington and Company, this magazine is all about turning your trash into treasure!

Packaging

The magazine plopped through my letterbox in a cardboard mailing envelope without an ounce of plastic in sight. Many magazines these days come in ploythene, which although can be recycled, many people throw it in the bin. With cardboard you’re more likely to reuse or recycle it.

Magazine

The magazine has thick pages which are made from 100% recycled paper – yay! Despite being recycled paper, the magazine oozes quality and the colours are bright. Many companies who use eco friendly inks on recycled paper end up with dull or greyish images – these are lovely and bright.

Content

Oh my, where to start!

If you want practical, you’ve got it. Want beautiful? It’s there. Want fun? How about edging your favourite sweater with carrier bag ruffles! Need inspiration? It drips off every page. Are you eco chic? So is this magazine.

As you know I am not at all crafty or artistic, but this makes me want to learn and create straight away. I want to liberate my Liberty prints, rummage through my recycling, turn trash into teddies and make jumpers from jam jars.

Inspiration

Without giving everything away, the first edition is packed with ideas. There is a ‘From the bin’ section which rather excites me! which will cover ideas about reusing items you might otherwise recycle. This edition covers paper – from magazines to newspapers you’ll find ideas for paper bowls, bags, vases (yes really!) and jewellery.

Some projects are simple such as using pretty bottles for vases, while others require more dexterity and talent such as erm, using knitting needles or cutting things in a straight line.

There are ideas for updating your clothes a la Green Gal or for turning old jumpers into bags or purses. You’ll find uses from glass, tin, paper, textiles and plastic.

Value for money

The cover price $14.99 seems expensive, but when you consider what you are getting, buying Green Craft magazine is just like buying a book. There are 142 glorious pages stuffed full of ideas, inspiration, suggestions and seductive photographs to whet your creative appetite. As it is only available for February and August it isn’t going to break the bank.

I would be happy to pay this to encourage people to keep things from the landfill and as a source of inspiration for myself.

It’s the sort of magazine you want to curl up in the bath with or luxuriate with in bed.

Ok for me, it might provide more inspiration, ideas and ‘if only’ dreaming than anything grounded in reality but for serious crafters who care about the environment this is undoubtedly the magazine for you!

Verdict

Oh, this is tricky. I’m taking off half a point because I think the magazine should be quarterly, not half yearly. But I guess if you are seriously going to have a go at all the projects suggested it may well take 6 months to get through them all. I’m just greedy and would want a quicker fix!

But with regards to the content itself, the packaging and quality of production, I can’t fault it.

4h

About the Author ()

I am a long time supporter of the Green and Sustainable lifestyle. After being caught in the Boscastle floods in 2004, our family begun a journey to respect and promote the importance of Earth's fragile ecosystem, that focussed on reducing waste. Inspired by the beauty and resourcefulness of this wonderful planet, I have published numerous magazine articles on green issues and the author of four books.

Comments (9)

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  1. Sam says:

    I’ve seen this magazine on various blogs, and I’m desperate to have a look. Thanks for doing a review.

    Did you order it direct from the publisher, or have you found it in the UK?

    Thanks 🙂

  2. Alea says:

    This sounds very interesting! Thanks for sharing the link, I am off to check them out.

  3. This looks like heaven. Pure simple heaven. I love the cereal box pictures. It makes me want to go off and make things. Then again…I suppose that’s the aim 😀 x

  4. Mrs Green says:

    @Sam: hi Sam, you have to order it from the US – shipping is quite steep, but it’s oh so worth it!

    @Alea: No problem; I think it’s just the sort of thing you would enjoy 🙂

    @Almost Mrs Average: 😀 I guess it is Mrs A LOL! Happy creating!

  5. Finally received my copy this week, I actually forgot I ordered it! It is a lovely magazine to look at but I do think it would benefit from giving clearer step by step instructions. However, I’m v pleased that a magazine like this exists at all, just need a UK version now!

  6. Mrs Green says:

    @the green gal: Glad it arrived safely, Green Gal; I’ve just had another look through mine after reading your comment and yes, some instructions are great, whereas others assume some knowledge don’t they? I like that some projects are clearly for beginners though whereas others are for more advanced crafters and it’s certainly inspiring!

  7. Carol T says:

    Just ordered the last three (made the P&P better value). They look great! Thanks for the info.

  8. Carol T says:

    My magazines arrived today – not bad going from the US to the UK! They are fab, and even better value than I was expecting because they’re so FAT, lol!

    The first project in the first one I picked up disturbed me a bit though, because although it was making a wreath from hardware it was brand new especially-bought-for-the- project stuff and not upcycling at all! The general message does seem to be about reuse and upcycle though.

    Got some lovely bedtime reading now!

  9. Mrs Green says:

    @Carol T: Hey Carol, so glad the magazines arrived safely from across the pond. What a shame about the first article you read, but hopefully the message will get back to upcycling soon! Enjoy 🙂

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