GIVE the gift of green this holiday season. Recycle, reuse, and repurpose while testing your crafting skills. Or better yet, let Artist Wendy Fernando-Regalado show you some recyclable Christmas décor and gift ideas to spread good cheer to all and Mother Earth.

Spoon/Fork angel or insect
You will need
an odd-shaped spoon or fork
GI wire
pliers
all-purpose construction adhesive
colored cellophane
old barong Tagalog cloth
pair of scissors
crochet thread
ribbons
 
Procedure
      Clean spoon or fork. Twist wire into two loops (one if you’re making an angel) for the wings. Apply glue on top of wire then place colored cellophane. Cut to shape or trim the excess cellophane then air-dry. Do the same with the barong fabric until wire skeletons are covered. Attach twisted wire under the spoon’s neck with crochet thread then cover or hide thread and the exposed parts of the spoon with ribbon. Make a ribbon lace and tie around the spoon’s neck for the finishing touch. String a ribbon at the back not higher than the spoon’s head to make a hook.  

 

Joya vine wreath
You will need
wire or wood shaped into a wreath
Joya vine (Hoya alagensis)
bunot or coconut husk
stamping foil or old plastic Christmas wrappers (it needs to be plastic so it won’t melt or easily tear when wet or when plant is watered),
paste
scissors
old Christmas tree garland


Procedure
    Cover wreath frame with Joya vine. Make sure to attach or cover some parts with coconut husk, secure with paste. Shape Christmas wrappers into a ribbon then tie or attach at the bottom of the wreath. Cut extra wrapper off. Wrap or weave Christmas tree garland among the vine to make wreath sparkle or imbue a little color. Hang it outside your door or in your garden or give as a gift to environmentally-conscious or plant-loving friends.
 

Christmas Village
You will need
a portion of old banig mat or native bag
milk box, emptied and dried
glue
pair of scissors  
twigs (bamboo or wood)
old barong Tagalog fabric
corrugated cardboard

Procedure
        Cut banig to size of a milk box then apply glue on box. Cover entire sides of box with the banig. Cut excess banig off. Cut to the lower front of the box to serve as door then cut out a window at the top front. As detail, glue twigs at the cutout window.
        Cut out a small portion of barong to make it look like a miniature curtain, then paste it on top of the twigs. Do the same with the door.
        Cut up a portion of the cardboard, exposing the corrugated side to resemble the roof then fold in the middle. Glue roof on top of the milk carton in an inverted V position with the corrugated side up.

 

Parol (Christmas lantern) leaf printing
You will need
old parol frame
glue
colored plastic from old gifts
leaf or fern
textile paint
newspaper
pair of scissors

Procedure
        Apply glue on parol frame then cover with colored plastic. Remove or cut excess plastic. Air-dry.
        To transfer leaf or fern pattern, apply textile paint onto leaf and while paint is still wet, stick surface with paint on the parol. Pat with newspaper for the pattern to transfer. Repeat process and design as you like. Air-dry.

 

Parol with old barong cloth
You will need
old parol frame
glue
old barong Tagalog cloth
pair of scissors

Procedure
        Apply glue on parol frame.  
        Cut up a portion of the barong Tagalog cloth, preferably the lacy part. Paste fabric in the middle of the frame. Air-dry.