While doing my office/studio space de-cluttering last week, I found that I was keeping two yoga mats behind the door. One I use regularly and love and the other, I never use and dislike. I was keeping the extra "just in case." Just in case of what? I don’t know. Some kind of yoga emergency perhaps? At any rate, I realized that I really didn’t need this extra yoga mat that I never liked or used. And I was about to toss it when I realized that I could put at least part of it to another use.
Using my eucalyptus branch, which I’ve been using as inspiration in my intuitive painting classes, I traced out the shape onto the yoga mat. I then cut it out with a pair of scissors which created a fabulous stencil and stamp with funky textures on both sides! Fun! I used another piece to make a smaller leaf shaped stencil and stamp, gathered some art supplies (acrylic paint, ink, and watercolor paper), and began to play.
The first one (above) was created with the stamp on an 18"x24" piece of watercolor paper. It was fun to play with these bright colors as I first laid down the stamps and then painted around them.
I then used the smaller stamp and stencil to create these smaller pieces (above and below.)
There are loads of materials you could use to make your own stamps or stencils, perhaps you have something gathering dust in the corner, like that yoga mat of mine, that would work or you could purchase a piece of art foam and cut one from that. Either way, stamps and stencils are a great way to play with shapes from Nature.
Tonight, I’m having dinner with my mom, step-dad, mother-in-law, father-in-law, and little brother to celebrate Mother’s Day. I hope all you fabulous creative moms out there have a wonderful day!!
Leah – I love, love, love the playfulness, colour and texture of your new art. What a fun way to extend the eucylyptus branch. Wow! You have inspired me. as always.
Unbelievably creative. What a fun place your world is! When your next workshop for the rest of us, anyway?
:) Jen
Oh, what fun! Craft + art goes hand in hand! Love the little lady in the rain, so cute Leah!
take care!
Brilliant!
Leah, fabulous idea and I love the last little painting the best. Great re-purpose and great art ensued.
How creative! I love the eucylyptus painting.
Very creative use of something you were about to pitch! Thanks for sharing this!
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Now that’s a really creative ‘thinking outside the box’ idea. I like that the stamp & stencil were inspired by nature, but took on a whole new look with your application.
Love it!
This is really quite fabulous! I really enjoy the direction you’ve taken with the theme this month. It was rather unexpected for me. Your stamping and stenciling ideas are fabulous. Great job!
I love this – I used to play with stencils a lot, but haven’t in years. I used a borrowed stencil on the recent collage painting I did and liked the results. I have so many stamps from working in clay, I find them as useful as stencils but I like creating your own (always better than storebought!). THanks for shring this idea (not that I have a yoga matt hanging around anywhere but you never know what else might fall out of a corner!)
by the way, i just found some beautiful ginko leaves while out on a walk today. I plan on trying this myself with those…. unfortunately it will prob be with cardboard instead of your lovely yoga mat but one works with what one has haha.
I love the way women just jump in and make it into something useful. I needed odd shaped switch plates – you know the things that go around your light switches and plug-ins? So I started recycling mouse pads. I got so into it that I had to go buy some craft foam – but I know I have an old Yoga mat lurking around here somewhere!
Love your sight and visit regularly.
Ooooh! How fabulous! Wish I had an old yoga mat myself, to cut up. Wonderful! Thanks for the idea and most of all, for the demo!
Wow- de-cluttering really does make room for something new to enter our life. In this case, creativity. Your stencils are great. The woman walking through the eucalyptus forest has a fairytale feel. I just got rid of a big, leaky freezer- hee hee- wonder what it made space for?
Cool idea. I’ve yet to make my own stamps, but it is definitely on my to do list.
Oh how fun, these are really nice. :-D :-D
What a great idea! I love the images you created from your yoga mat stencil.
Those are all beautiful, but for some reason the third one draws me in. I LOVE it.
What a GREAT idea! I keep stumbling across your blog – your profile image always catches my eye.
I have 2 yoga mats too – I use them both when I do yoga – it’s softer and more cushy. Not that you’d want to know this information AFTER you’ve chopped your old one up! It’s gone to a better heaven now though, being used in ART!
What a wonderful way to use a passion for yoga into a passion for art! *mind wheels turning*
[…] Recycled Yoga Mat Stamps and Stencils | Creative Every Day creativeeveryday.com/creativeeveryday/2009/05/recycled-yoga-mat-stamps-and-stencils.html – view page – cached Using my eucalyptus branch, which I've been using as inspiration in my intuitive painting classes, I traced out the shape onto the yoga mat and cut it out. — From the page […]