arts and crafts out of recycled materials
Arts and Crafts Out of Recycled Materials
Arts and crafts need not involve creating items from scratch. Transformation or conversion from one form to another can be an artistic way of expression. Such as, turning household trash and waste into handy furniture or decorations. Given here are a few simple, arts and crafts techniques, that help you recycle and be creative at the same time.
- 6, 3½ inch floppy disks
- Glue gun
- Double-sided tape
- Photos
- The idea is to construct a cube out of floppy disks. So lay one disk, index face down, on a flat surface.
- Use a glue gun and attach one disk to each side and then one disk on top, to create a cube.
- Cut out your photos, such that they fit in the index space of the disk.
- Affix a photo to the index space of each disk, using double-sided tape.
- Transparent packing tape
- Bottle cap
- Glitter, sequins, beads, googly eyes etc. any small art & craft decorations
- Background paper
- Tacky or white craft glue
- Clear sealant
- ½ inch-wide magnet
- Hot glue to attach magnet
- Cover the background paper on both sides, with packing tape.
- Cut out a circle from the background paper, such that it will fit in the bottle cap's inside.
- Fix the circle to the bottom of the cap, using the tacky glue.
- Decorate the image with glitter, sequins, beads and fix them using tacky glue or clear glue.
- Let the glue dry, then apply a coat of clear sealant to glaze over the surface. Now the image and its decorations are sealed within the cap. Let the sealant dry.
- Fix the magnet to the bottle cap's back, using the hot glue.
- 20 wooden clothespins
- Baby food jar, cleaned and completely dry
- Glue gun
- Tacky glue or white craft glue
- Rubber band
- Paint or markers to color the well
- Plastic or silk flowers to decorate
- Remove the spring from each clothespin. You should have two halves of each pin.
- Using the glue gun, fix one half of a clothespin, smooth side out, to the outer lip of the jar (where the lid normally fits).
- The tip of the clothespin should be glued to the jar, it should extend upwards.
- Likewise fix another clothespin half on the other side of the jar, directly across. These pins act as support beams for the well's roof.
- Now cover the jar's outside with tacky glue. Fix the clothespins halves along the sides of the jar, smooth sides out.
- Make sure the bottom of the jar and the clothespins are aligned, for an even base.
- Tie the rubber band around the jar, so the pins will remain in place. Let the glue dry.
- To create a roof for the well, glue 5 clothespin halves lined up side-by-side together. This makes one half of the sloping roof edge.
- Glue another 5 halves to make the other edge of the roof. Once both edges are dry, attach the two pieces together, then fix the roof to the support beams.
- You can decorate the well with paint or by gluing stick-on decorations to the pins. Place plastic or silk flowers in the jar.
- Collect bottle caps and use your carpentry skills, to make a bottle cap tabletop.
- Newspapers can be cut up and used to make paper mache sculptures.
- When cut at the right angle, you can turn a cereal or detergent box into a magazine and document holder.
- Use stiff cardboard to make bookmarks, placemats and invitations.
- Old jars can be cleaned and decorated to form money boxes or potpourri jars.
- Just like floppy disks, CDs and DVDs can be made into photo frames or decorated ornaments.
- With an eyelet kit, you can turn an old shirt or dress into a cloth backpack.