Re-use, recycle and now, re-Brighton!

Diana, a Brightonista from Florida, sent me this photo of a coin purse she made using bags that came with her Brighton purchases. (Is this how Vera Bradley got started, I wonder?) Here's Diana's story:

I used to just throw them and the tins out but all this talk of recycling and being green etc. inspired me. I used the bag from the free umbrella they were giving away last month for the lining and a bag I got when I bought the China Tales bracelet. I glued in a piece of the ribbon drawstring from the bag as a label. Not bad, huh?

Not bad at all, Diana! But its hard to imagine anyone throwing out the tins or the bags. They are so pretty after all. And they seem to have a market of their own on ebay. But I have to say, I like this idea of using the tins and bags as materials for art most of all. Follow these links for some other stories of how Brightonistas used tins and bags to create something new:

One woman used a heart tin as the base of a clay project.

Another describes plans on her blog for using the Brighton tins in a tin crafting class. (She bought extra tins on ebay just for the project.)
And yet another woman has posted sketches she made inspired by the artwork on one of her tins.

And so art begets art... which is just as it should be. Anyone else have projects to share?