This reminds me of things I saw in an art museum online in the last few years. A woman that had made collages out of found things. They had bits of twigs, petals from dead flower heads, bits of found string and cardboard and nails and the such. It was pretty interesting. I don't remember her name, although I could probably find her sometime.

Also saw a video on youtube of an artist who takes walks and if she sees wrappers or other things folks have discarded, rings off of can drinks or the such, she picks them up and adds them in her art.