You may not know this about me: in addition to spending as much time in the garden as possible, I’m an author and freelance writer. Much of my writing over the past decade has included developing craft projects for kids. It’s probably a combination of my desire to waste less, my frugality, and sheer laziness, but whatever the reason, I prefer to craft with items that I have on hand. Items that would otherwise be tossed out (by me or someone else) such as plastic containers, magazines, and cardboard tubes. Those kits that come with everything you need to build a specific tchotchke may be handy, but they come with packaging and (often plastic) parts that have been manufactured just for the kit. Creating a part just to include it in a craft project seems silly to me.
I prefer the pioneer method of crafting. Take what’s on hand or used up and turn it into a different usable item. Worn out clothing becomes a quilt or a rag rug. Tree branches become a gate. Corn husks become a doll.
Safari animals crafted from plastic bottles for Disney's FamilyFun.
In our modern society, when there are so many cast off items it seems utterly ridiculous to buy pre-made materials to create a craft project, doesn’t it? If you’ve got kids in the house, or are a crafter yourself, think for a moment of the possibilities: magazines, newspapers, cardboard tubes, cardboard and paper board boxes, plastic containers, milk cartons, prescription bottles, dry ink pens, bottle caps…
Instead of looking at your waste (or your neighbor’s waste) as garbage, think of it as raw material. With basic supplies like glue, tape, paper, yarn, thread, and fabric, you can keep your kids occupied with craft projects that give a second life to our waste stream. Adult tastes in crafts might require more refined materials, but trust me when I say I’ve seen some amazing craft projects using cast off items. Gather these recycled supplies in a big “project box” so you’ll be ready the next time the craft bug hits.
Some inspiration:
Craft Magazine has tons of projects online that often utilize recycled or re-purposed items. For kids’ projects, check out Disney’s FamilyFun (disclaimer: I often write for them).
Flea Market Gardening has some fun projects for using second-hand treasures, including this cute garden tower made of glass.
Decorate a Wall with Vending Machine Toy Capsules (mind you, I’m not suggesting that you start buying trinkets out of vending machines; I just thought this was clever).
Use cardboard to craft a dollhouse, transform an old ball or boot into a planter, turn junk mail into jewelry, or get organized with a homemade magazine box.
Make a milk carton truck, a kid-operated watering can, or paper bead stars.
Salvage broken plates to make a bird bath or garden art.
What kind of recycled craft projects do you do? Is there a great blog or site that you recommend for inspiration?
I love those animals from plastic bottles – adorable! When my kids we little we used to love painting seashells and making collages from whatever scraps were on hand.
Well, I’m not sure this counts, but I saved the wire frames from the last big election season, and we’re using them this weekend for our yard sale signs.
I did once make a quilt that was 1/2 from squares my gram left behind and 1/2 ones I made from her patterns and leftover, vintage fabric. That brought down the house at my sister’s baby shower. No one knew I’d kept her craft stash. (My gram kept it in an old, huge lard can from her days as a school lunch lady.)
Roxanne @ Champion of My Heart recently posted..Book Review- Quincy Tahoma
Well, it may not be crafting, but love that you’re reusing those frames! Smart.
My 10-year-old could be the poster child for not throwing anything potentially crafty away. She’s always making something with toilet paper rolls, boxes, just very creative. She uses CDs to make necklaces and all sorts of different things.
MyKidsEatSquid recently posted..Cherry chocolate chip oatmeal cookies from The Cherry Stop
There is potential in so much “junk!”
Love love love the idea of Eco-crafting. FamilyFun (I write for them also) often has great projects but MY final result doesn’t look ANYTHING like theirs (sad face.) Still, you’ve inspired me to do something crafty with the kids sometime soon. (And I do love Origami Mommy, she has amazing ideas…)
Sometimes all it takes is a little glue and a bunch of cardboard boxes! Glad to have inspired you.
Well, since there’s very little crafting that goes on around here, I probably don’t have much to offer. But I AM conscientious about trying to use what I have to create what I need – rather than buy something new – even if it’s cutting up a kleenex box to use as a nice little container (there’s some really colorful kleenex boxes these days!) And the term eco-crafting is ultra-cool.
Jane Boursaw recently posted..New in Theaters – X-Men- First Class- Love Wedding Marriage
Jane, I am a cardboard box saver!