Recycled Crafts

Creative DIY Projects That Turn Trash Into Treasure

Paint Chip Garland

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Today we’ve got an extra special guest tutorial, thanks to reader Amy Quarry.

Collect lots of big paint chips in your preferred colours. I used Debbie Travis chips from Canadian Tire, but I think they have the big ones in Home Depot as well.

Place two chips together, back to back. You could glue them, but I didn’t bother. Cut out the shape you want, getting rid of any writing that is on the chips. I went with a rounded diamond shape, but circles, squares or triangles would all be cute. Do this step a few dozen times.

Sew down the centre of each pair of chips, attaching them together in a garland. I found that leaving a stitch or two in between each pair made them spin nicely once the garland is hung up.

There you have it! A pretty and free craft project.

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For more amazing tutorials and great ways to recycle everyday objects into items of beauty, head over to Amy’s blog!

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Comments

  1. Instead of cutting off the writing (in case that messes up the shape you want to use), you can try erasing it with one of the white chunk erasers, or try using a q-tip and acetone (fingernail polish remover). It won’t work on all of them, but its worth a shot. (If it doesn’t work? No problem, go ahead and cut it off. *smiles*)

Have you read?

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!