Recycled Crafts

Creative DIY Projects That Turn Trash Into Treasure

2 silhouette deer in love shaker card

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Nothing says winter goodness like sparkly snow and what better way to bring a little bit of that magic indoors is with a shaker card filled with iridescent sequins and beads from Buttons Galore and More.

This card is really easy to make.

I die cut two Christmas Deer scenes with the Sheena die from Crafter’s Companion out of solid black paper. It is important to use solid black paper as one die cut you will flip around to use the back side.

Trim both die cuts down to a square with about a 3/8 inch border. Cut strips of black Fun Foam 3/8 inch wide. I layered 2 strips around all four sides. I used a bit of recycled plastic food container for my window layer and a glitter blue cardstock for the backing card.

Layer one black deer die cut then clear plastic, two rounds of black fun foam strips then fill the space with Buttons Galore and More’s 28 Lilac Lane So Shiny sequins and beads.

Then glue the second deer silhouette flipped in the opposite direction to the light blue background along with a foam die cut heart.

Then glue the two sections together.

I have a hard time putting this sparkly card down as I love shaking it up and seeing where the little bits land each time.

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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!