Recycled Crafts

Creative DIY Projects That Turn Trash Into Treasure

Book Review: PlyDesign: 73 Distinctive DIY Projects in Plywood (and other sheet goods)

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If you like building furniture or it’s on your “to do” list PlyDesign: 73 Distinctive DIY Projects in Plywood (and other sheet goods)  is an awesome resource! The designs are modern and stylish and the tutorials with great patterns make them completely do-able. Whether you follow the directions to the letter or use the designs in the book as a jumping off point for your own creations PlyDesign: 73 Distinctive DIY Projects in Plywood (and other sheet goods) is sure to be a great guide and make the process of making your own furniture a pleasurable and satisfying experience. I happen to have made a recycled bit of furniture which I hadn’t had the opportunity to do much and so loved the challenge of looking around the house to see what I had to work with before going out to buy supplies. You can see my creation over at Sweater Surgery.

Another great book by  is Philip Schmidt is Black & Decker The Complete Guide to Treehouses and you can see a great tip for sketching your designs here.

More about PlyDesign: 73 Distinctive DIY Projects in Plywood (and other sheet goods) from the publisher Storey Publishing:

PlyDesign presents 73 ideas for sleek, smart home furnishings that you can make from off-the-shelf sheet materials using only basic hand and power tools. With designs contributed by more than 50 creative builders across North America, the projects include tables, stools, workstations, benches, laptop stands, shelves, art panels, organizers, headboards, doghouses, dollhouses, and more. A photo of each finished project is accompanied by a list of needed tools and materials, cutting and assembly diagrams, and clear step-by-step instructions.

“Strength, Flexibility, Uniformity & BeautyPlywood–that versatile blend of nature and engineering–is easy to work with, inexpensive, and good-looking. Get to know its great qualities as you explore 73 projects contributed by design professionals and enthusiasts who love building with plywood.Among the PlyDesigns, you’ll find sleek furniture for every room (including several knock-down pieces for those really tight spaces), simple toys and games, and even whitewashed paneling, a great alternative to drywall.There’s something for every taste, need, and skill level!

About the Author

Philip Schmidt is a former carpenter and the author of 17 books, including Decorating with Architectural Details and Black & Decker The Complete Guide to Treehouses, 2nd edition: Design & Build Your Kids a Treehouse.(for an inside peek into this book pop on over to Craftside) He lives in Colorado with his family and loads of leftover building materials. ”

Looking for more Pallet Crafts? Check out these Pallet Project books.

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Recycled Paper Cylinder Face Art – A Colorful Win for All Ages

I recently stumbled across this super creative project on Instructables – “Face With Recycled Paper Cylinders” – and I had to share it with you all because it’s just the kind of craft that checks all my favorite boxes: recycled materials, hands-on creativity, and fun for literally any age.

The idea is simple but genius—roll strips of recycled paper (think junk mail, old magazines, leftover printer paper) into cylinders, then arrange and glue them to form a unique abstract face. You can make it funky, realistic, Picasso-inspired—whatever your mood or style dictates!

What I really love is the blend of eco-conscious crafting with true artistic expression. This isn’t just another kids’ project—it’s something you could easily do with a group of little ones, a classroom full of teens, or even as an adult art therapy or weekend wind-down activity. It’s super relaxing and surprisingly satisfying seeing all those paper rolls come together to form something new and expressive.

The tutorial itself is easy to follow, with plenty of visuals to guide you along the way. You don’t need any fancy materials—just glue, paper, scissors, and a board or piece of cardboard to serve as your canvas.

I also appreciate how this project leaves so much room for personalization. Want to make it into a full face? Go for it. Prefer to focus on a single eye or mouth? Totally works. You can even play with color schemes by choosing papers with a certain palette, or painting over them once they’re rolled.

In short: this is a total keeper for anyone who loves crafting with purpose. It’s the kind of project that sparks creativity while gently reinforcing the idea that beautiful things can come from what we usually throw away.

Highly recommend giving it a go—solo or with a group. And if you try it, tag me or drop a pic—I’d love to see your recycled masterpiece!