Recycle, Reuse, Rejoice

So, the reality of earning a living encroached on my life this week and I had to spend more time typing than creating.  However, I got some behind-the-scenes work done for my “studio”.  I’m kind of proud of this effort because it involves recycling and reusing.  I’m feeling a little green this morning which is a good thing these days.  It used to mean inexperienced or queasy as in “green around the gills”.  But now it means we are smarter about extending the life of what would normally be trash.

As I collected the paint over the past decade, I usually used this type of storage for the tubes.  Of course, this led to rummaging around in the bag, coming up with the wrong color (many times the very same tube) several times before getting what was needed.

My current favorite brand of paint is Golden Open acrylics.  When ordered from Dick Blick they come in boxes of three tubes.  In an effort to be better organized, I printed out the color chart from the Golden Web site and organized the tubes of paint according to the order on the color chart—three tubes to a box with the corresponding color chart samples taped to the box.  Then I dug out an old portable file box and put the paint tube boxes in the case, thusly.

However, I needed a way to keep the tubes of paint being used on the current project more available for easier access and more organized than just lying about on my artist table.  I pondered possible scenarios.  As any inventor knows, ideas come from the simplest things when one least expects them.  As I emptied a roll of paper towels and was throwing the cardboard core away, I realized that my tubes of paint would fit nicely in those cardboard cylinders.  I decided I would cut the paper towel cores down and stand them on end in some sort of container that could sit on my table while I worked.  I made a mental note to look for such a container the next time I went to the 99¢ store.

Then, I saw the collapsed cardboard box peeking from behind the storage cabinet in my office.  When I order something online, instead of throwing the cardboard box away, I collapse it and put it behind this cabinet.  The box that was peeking out was just the right depth to hold the cut-down paper towel cores.  I cut the paper towel cores in thirds about 3½ inches each segment.  This pic shows the box which I turned inside out.  After reconstituting the box, I turned the lid flaps to the inside of the box and tucked them firmly in so that I would have a sturdy box with an open top.

Then I took 8-inch strips of packing tape and placed a segment of the paper towel core in the middle of the strip.  One-by-one, I taped them inside the box, as you can see here.  This provided a sturdy construction so that I could pull a tube of paint out of the box and replace it with everything else staying in place.

Yeah, I’m not Edison or a Wright brother or Marconi, but I’m pretty proud of my little effort to recycle and reuse.  As we continue to empty paper towels rolls, I plan to have two such boxes to hold the tubes of paint for easy access. 

 

Now, today I WILL paint!