I know I am not alone in wondering where in the world the time goes…
last month after eating lots of take out on vacation we ended up with a boatload of Polystyrene (commonly known as Styrofoam)…
don’t get me started on how much I dislike that kind of eco UNfriendly packaging especially when there are sustainable alternatives available… 
New York City has put a ban on single use Polystyrene which is a step in the right direction…
the compostable container above is from our local MOM’s Organic Market… they just opened a vegetarian cafe called Naked Lunch which adjoins the grocery store…
anyway I decided to make lemonade out of those lemons/stack of Styrofoam pieces after seeing this video…
reading more about Polystyrene in this link I almost don’t want to even touch the stuff AND it confirms my resolve of NEVER wanting to drink out of Styrofoam cups…
after all that I must confess I did have some fun with the pieces as they cut easily with a razor knife…
I played in a brand new large art journal…
these very colorful pages needed some toning down so I added another stencil layer on top using white gesso which helped a little…
I have no idea what I’ll do with these wild stenciled pages but for now I am having fun making backgrounds…
I have plans to play with my gelli plate and new stencils soon…
wishing you a happy November along with everyone over at Elizabeth’s Altered Book Lover on this T Stands for Tuesday…
“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” -Dale Carnegie
Magpie's Nest ~*~ Patty Szymkowicz 
Lovely idea to use that nasty styrofoam, and what a good idea in New York to ban it! Your home made stencils are a great idea, und you evidently had BIG fun playing with them. Have a happy T Day! Hugs, Valerie
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Love your stencils ♥ I’ve made stamps out of them before and used them as palettes especially those trays that you get meat on at the grocery store. I also send them to the recycle center if they have the required triangle on them.
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Thanks for all the informative links. Your use of the Styrofoam is such a great idea and you created some great pages!
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Brilliant! I’ve used them as stamps before, never as stencils. And what wonderful backgrounds they make! The pages you are doing are just waiting for your magic!
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Great use of styrofoam dear Patty! Wishing you a fine November!
Happy T-Day!
oxo
Susi
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Making stencils is a great use of styrofoam, and there aren’t many good uses for it. Happy T Day!
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Well done with your use of the Styrofoam. I’m not a big fan of the stuff when there are so many other alternatives.
Your journal backgrounds turned out fantastic.
Thanks for visiting me this week.
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Some days it’s just fun to make a bunch of backgrounds or background fodder. 🙂
Happy T day!
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You always tries such fun ideas dear Patty, and this -apart from the material being not good, at all- is a great idea, also showing wonderful results on your pages. You handcut the patterns beautifully, and I wonder if they would be able to use in a big shot…. So much to think about, 🙂 and so much to enjoy, among which are always your blog posts, dear friend !!
Happy tuesday Patty- ooxxo
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your stencils look super, so at least stuff was good for anything… i see a lot of great Backgrounds ahead!
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Showing up late but enjoying your post. I too dislike the plastic stuff and it is illegal to use for take out in our fair city. Doesn’t mean it doesn’t show up in packaging elsewhere. Good for you for using it up.
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awesome recycling use of materials! your pages are wonderful, and don’t you just love the Dylusions journal!? I really like the pages being card stock and nothing has bled through them for me so far.(today’s post on my blog is in my Dylusions journal also) I know you will come up with an ingenious use for these backgrounds, and can’t wait to see what’s next….happy T day!
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Well done NYC for the ban! Your home-made stencils look fab; pity about what they’re made from
but you have made excellent use of the stuff already. 😀 Happy T Day 😀
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I have made a couple of these styrofoam cutouts, but I’m not very good with a craft knife, so I’m pretty sure I like the indentations I create with it. I totally agree that styrofoam sucks. It simply never, ever disintegrates. I have some of it I chopped up in my soil one year. After awhile, it floats to the surface and I had to spoon it out. Will never try that again. I also will not drink from it. I’m glad NYC has done their part. Now I hope the rest of the world does the same.
I think you will find some very interesting things to make with your new stencils. You look like you’ve already put them to a good test.
You have certainly made lemonade today, dear friend. Thanks for sharing this technique with us for T this Tuesday.
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After look over your photos a bit closer, I think my problem was, I tried to use paint with the styrofoam cut outs I made, not spray mists. I might have to get mine out and do a bit of damage (grin).
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Recycling at its very best Patty ! Have fun.
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Wow! Love what you´re doing with that styrofoam, but I also see your point. You make November look so attractive, over at my end it´s just bleak and cold and dark (and darker it will get). Happy T-Day!
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Oh Patty! your stencils have come out well. Wish we were living in the same area that we could have an art date-:) I just bought some new stencils today. I’m itching to play with them now.
Happy T day
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So fun. Packaging is either fantastic, non-existent almost or sucky. I usually go for the no bag, no styro and avoid places that still use it. Trash is energy and we can always find ways to use it again and again. xox
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Well done on making those stencils from Styrofoam. I too hate the horrible stuff. That is good news that NYC has put a ban on single use Polystyrene..The pages you have created, though, look so beautiful as backgrounds. It’s going to be difficult having the heart to cover them! How lovely that you made something so beautiful with such a horrible thing – truly you turned lemons into lemonade! Although it would be good if we could turn the clock back and make it that such materials never came into being, you have created art with it – the next best thing to making it vanish! xxx
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I too hate to see anything with styrofoam… you surely made some lovely things with it. Happy happy tday! Hugs! deb
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You did a great job upcycling that styrofoam. Green Denise approves. 🙂
Your little calendar is so cute! The tear-off pages would be fun to use in art.
Happy T Day!
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Great stencils!!!!
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Great use of polystyrene. The stencils look great.
What would we do without gesso. Gesso to the rescue!
I’m impressed that New York has banned polystyrene. Brilliant.
Thanks for visiting me earlier,
Have a good week,
Lisca
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Hi Patty, What a great post, love the fantastic stencils you carved out of the styrofoam and great way to stop from it going into landfill. I often wonder why it’s still allowed. Your prints from the stencils are beautiful. Take care, Shirleyx
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I remember seeing that video! Great idea to recycle the nasty stuff into something creative and fun. Awesome! Happy T-Day! 🙂
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Hello and Happy T Day! Oh Patty, I love this post and your beautiful art! That’s so great you saved it and used it to create with, they look so good and creative! The quote you used is perfect for this, here I thought you were really going to have lemonade as your drink, lol This is so much better!
Take care and have a good week! HUGS!
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At least you found a use for some of them, such a pain to get rid of, and that squeekiness sets my teeth on edge! Love what you achieved on your journal pages with the end products though, so worth the cutting up!
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As soon as I saw Polystyrene, I thought “Stamps”! I indent the design with a biro pen and it can then print (I’m sure you know that) but I never thought of using it as a stencil. Great video using such a simple idea, thanks for the link. I do like your own stencils, especially the square ones and the “S ” shape. I wonder if the sustainable alternatives can be used in the same way, they may disintegrate eventually, but then we could make more.
Making backgrounds is such fun and love yours.
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When life hands you lemons, break out the G & T 🙂
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Love your home made stencils.Polysterene and plastic are so dangerous!It is good how you can use them so creatively!Happy T Day 🙂
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Okay, here I go again, this comment will be way shorter-
I applaud your use of those nasty landfillers and your wonderful “lemonade” pages!
Love & hugs my friend! xo
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yes, where DOES the time seem to go? Lovely post. Playing catch up after 5 days at the beach again:) Wonderful stencils and such a great way to get further use out of that nasty Styrofoam. Making lemonade is a good thing:)
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yeah, don’t get me started on my soap box of styrofoam either! old hippie that I am, and I have used it for printing, but this is a brilliant idea and so much easier to cut for old fingers!! xox
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I love those hand made stencils Patty, great recycling! xxx
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Always welcoming to see a negative turned into a positive! Amazing re-cycling and now you have those backgrounds ready and waiting for you. I’ve never liked styrofoam and fortunately, with me not drinking hot beverages or eating take-away/out, I rarely come into contact with it.
An inspirational post, as always.
Wishes
Lynne
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What an inspiring post.
I’m always amazed at how one looks at something with a specific purpose and can see the potential beyond that purpose.
Neat!
Thanks for sharing.
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This is really a lovely idea to use such an UNfriendly packaging as a new art supply, I love the background you got, Patty, can’t wait to see the pages. Well done!
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At last, a use for those awful styrofoam trays and containers! I hate those things too. At least here they supposedly are recyclable…but I seriously doubt that they are. One of the investigative tv shows here just did an expose’ on what happens to the cups that people innocently recycle at places like Tim Horton’s, thinking that they are helping the environment. Nope – they go to the landfill right along with everything else. It’s beyond disgusting.
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Yep, I remember this post! You and your Styrofoam. hahahahaha Love it!
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