Recycled Crafts

Creative DIY Projects That Turn Trash Into Treasure

Book Review and WIN a copy of Eco Books: Inventive Projects from the Recycling Bin

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I love this book! As someone who can look at virtually any bit of this or that and find value (or at least an attribute that would make it a good crafting material) Eco Books: Inventive Projects from the Recycling Bin is packed full of innovative designs and interesting construction methods for all sorts of books. There are a bunch of great tutorials showing how to incorporate traditional stitching and binding techniques with wild and crazy-cool ideas for using them with unconventional materials. I point out the egg carton book featured on the cover! Lark Books, the fabulous publisher of this book has offered you readers of Recycled Craft Gossip the chance to WIN a copy of  Eco Books: Inventive Projects from the Recycling Bin. Just leave a comment in today’s post by Midnight ET Wednesday November 10th and you are in the running!

And if you want to see a project I made inspired by the book pop on over here for a mini notebook petal bracelet tutorial.

More about the book from Lark Books:

Eco Books: Inventive Projects from the Recycling Bin

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Terry Taylor

“Here are projects for the “pages”: 40 innovative book-making ideas using recycled and green materials! More than just earth-friendly, they’re also beautiful, clever, and witty, stitched with traditional binding techniques.  Egg cartons, wood, beer cans, and cassette tapes morph into covers, while brown bags, coffee filters, and discarded newspapers are transformed into pages. Create a boxed set of cereal box books, an exposed stitch sketchbook out of cardboard and remnants, and even a faux leather journal made from teabags.

In addition to how-to drawings, close-up detail photographs, and simple stitch diagrams, a gallery of eco-books from an international roster of artists provides inspiration.”

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Comments

  5. Wow! I could have never thought of using the egg cartons!. I can imagine using many other materials as well, but have no clue on how to bind them together…yet! I definitely need to read Terry´s book 😀

  17. What an awesome book! I’m always looking for great crafts using handy materials!

    Thank you for the opportunity to win!

  22. I am making a journal for my aunt and am always looking for a way to make it more unique. This book would really put me on the correct path for that. Thanks for another awesome giveaway.

  23. This book would help me so much, we could even use it with our kids crafting group to make them more aware of what they are trowing away 😉 I hope more people are going to write about recycling our garbage

  30. Looks like an awesome book and I would love to win it. Your die cut leaf bracelet is a great way to use the extras and to have handy that bit of paper you need to jot something down on.

  32. I would love to win! I’m trying to be more eco-friendly and this would really help. It might also give me some ideas to use with my students.

  33. This book looks great. I created an art book in college and I really miss the creativity of it.

  39. I always enjoy learning new crafts. This sounds like it would be a fun and interesting craft to learn. Really neat book!

  40. I LOVE THE BOOK WITH THE CASSETTE COVERS!! As a “hoarder” (to quote my husband) I am sure that I would have plenty of bits lying around the house to help me create some fantastic recycled books. If I’m not lucky enough to be a winner, I am hoping that Father Christmas will take notice that this book will be at the top of my Christmas list.
    Thanks for the opportunity to win such a fantastic prize.

  41. Oh yes please, drop my name in the draw hat! What a fun sounding book lol
    Thankyou for the chance to enter too!

  46. This book looks like lots of fun! We are very heavy do it yourself recyclers at our house but I haven’t done much in the way of making books.

  49. In this day and age the way prices are this book is a great thing it will save so much money and also help save so many things going to the landfills. Thank You

Have you read?

How To Make A Milk Carton Village – A Recycled Craft for Kids

Ready to turn your recycling bin into a colorful, miniature village? Grab those empty milk cartons and let’s create a town filled with tiny houses, shops, and even a school or bakery! This craft is perfect for kids of all ages and encourages imagination, storytelling, and eco-friendly creativity.

 What You’ll Need:

  • Empty milk or juice cartons (washed and dried)

  • Paints or markers

  • Paintbrushes

  • Craft glue or glue stick

  • Scissors (adult supervision recommended)

  • Colored paper or old magazines

  • Bottle caps, buttons, or plastic lids (for windows or decorations)

  • Sticks, straws, or skewers (for flag poles or chimneys)

  • Optional: glitter, stickers, washi tape, cotton balls (for snow or clouds!)

 Step-by-Step Instructions:

Step 1: Clean and Prep the Cartons
Make sure your milk or juice cartons are washed and completely dry. Remove any plastic lids or caps and keep them for decorations!

Step 2: Plan Your Village
Decide how many buildings you want to make. Each milk carton becomes a house, shop, or whatever your imagination dreams up. Arrange them side by side or in a circle like a real village square.

Step 3: Cut Out Doors and Windows
With the help of an adult, carefully cut small door and window shapes into your cartons. You can also glue cut-out shapes from colored paper if you’d rather not cut into the carton.

Step 4: Paint and Decorate
Use paint or markers to bring your buildings to life. Make brick patterns, colorful siding, or roof tiles. Let each child choose their own theme – rainbow bakery, monster house, fairy home, or tiny fire station!

Step 5: Add the Roofs
You can paint the top pointy part of the carton like a roof, or glue on cardboard triangles to create overhangs. Want to add a chimney? Glue a straw or cardboard roll on top!

Step 6: Make Flags and Signs
Cut small flags from recycled plastic or paper and tape them to straws or sticks. Glue your flags to the rooftops. You can even create tiny signs for each building – “Toy Store,” “Library,” or “Super Cat’s House.”

Step 7: Build Your Village
Place all the finished buildings together on a large piece of cardboard, tray, or table. Use bottle caps for stepping stones, cotton balls for bushes or clouds, and draw roads with marker.

Step 8: Play!
Now that your village is built, use little toys, action figures, or LEGO people to live in your new town. Create stories and adventures—your Milk Carton Village is officially open!

 Learning Bonus:

This craft is not just fun—it also teaches recycling, fine motor skills, creative thinking, and storytelling. Plus, it’s a great group activity for playdates, classrooms, or family craft nights.

Let your kids’ imaginations run wild—and remember, no two villages need to look the same. Each one tells its own story!