As we set ourselves up in our new home, we throw away a lot of packaging. 

I am also missing my studio, as most of it is in a Florida storage unit a few thousand miles away from Costa Rica. 

Between trash and missing my supplies…I look at many things with an eye to reusing and repurposing. Sooo…the packaging! 

I saved pieces of flat plastic because although small, they are perfect for stencils! 

As I love staring out at the super tall trees at our new home, the tops of these trees became a simple subject to begin my new hand cut stencil collection. 
​
To test them, I experimented, of course. 

Packaging here in Costa Rica is very different than in the USA. There’s a lot less packaging here. I’m on a search for a packaging that I can use for stencils that is easier to find, and larger, than the little box used here. 

To see some of my stencils that are in my Florida storage unit, click on through these links:

Dragonflies stencil in progress

How to reuse the wrappers (I used to) that were on my art drop freebies

If you’d like to see some of my hand carved stamps, too, you might enjoy my Luxury Lucky Cats Collection that I’m sending via email to friends. I keep all emails a secret and you can get an inside look at my almost secret collection of Luxury Lucky Cats.

How to Wash Clothes in Costa Rica:

1. CHECK weather for rain by looking up at the sky and all around you. 

NOTE: 
Weather apps are very unreliable. It can be raining in the town that has the sensors, but sunny hot in your town. 

1. IF it’s rainy, THEN DELAY laundry for another time or day. 
2. IF it’s sunny, THEN PROCEED with laundry. 
3. VERIFY the drain is CLOSED. 
4. VERIFY the water hose that fills the washer is secure and properly positioned. 
5. OPEN water hose valve.
6. WAIT until the water level is appropriate to the load of clothes.
7. ADD about a cup of laundry detergent. 
8. ADD clothing.
9. SET agitation timer for as long as you want. We usually do 15 minutes.
10. SET your watch or phone timer for same amount of time. 
11. When your personal timer goes off, OR you hear the washer turn off, DRAIN water.
12. CLOSE drain.
13. OPEN water hose valve.
14. WAIT until the water level is appropriate to the load of clothes.
15. SET agitation timer for as long as you want. We usually do 15 minutes.
16. SET your watch or phone timer for same amount of time. 
17. When your personal timer goes off, OR you hear the washer turn off, DRAIN water.
18. MOVE clothing from wash basin to spinner basin.
19. SET spin timer for as long as you want. We usually do 5 minutes.
20. SET your watch or phone timer for same amount of time. 
21. When your personal timer goes off, OR you hear the spinner turn off, MOVE clothing to clothesline. 

NOTE: 
Clotheslines in full sunlight are the quickest way to dry clothing. 
The better clotheslines are just under roof overhangs. 

  22. Using clothespins, HANG clothing on clothesline.
  23. MONITOR clothing until dry. 

CAUTION!  
Rain will wet clothing and delay drying. The delay can cause clothing to stay damp for days. 

  24. When clothing is dry to the touch, REMOVE and STORE clothing. ​
  25. Repeat directions as often as necessary.