Recycled Crafts

Creative DIY Projects That Turn Trash Into Treasure

Candy corn stacked shadow box Halloween decoration

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Candy corns are one of my all time favorite decorating themes for Halloween. Do you remember last year’s Candy corn pedestal lights? This year I decided to make stacked shadow boxes painted in each of the colors of a candy corn with Testors spray paint and Craft brush on paint out of recycled photo frames and boxes.

This project is super easy to make. Simply gather up a bunch of old frames and boxes in three sizes along with orange, white, and yellow Testors spray paint and craft paint. I liked working with both as I wanted the variety of shades.

Paint each of the frames in the color the size calls for.

Then to add a bit of sparkle add a coat of Testors Glitter paint and Glitter Sealer.

For the second candy corn I hand painted each frame using Testors Craft paint.

To secure the stacked frames I added a bit of hot glue in between each and then had a ton of fun filling them with all my little Halloween decorations, cookie cutters, skull glasses, etc. I added some printed scrapbook paper to the back of the orange frames and used plain white for the white frames.

I highly recommend this project as it was kind of like setting up and decorating a Christmas tree only with a total Halloween theme!

 

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Have you read?

Time Flies — And Sometimes It Has Wings Made of Vintage Paper and Buttons

Have you ever been to the cuckoo clock shop at Tamborine Mountain? It’s like stepping into another world — a charming, ticking wonderland filled with thousands (yes, literally thousands) of clocks. Some are grand and ornate, others tiny and tucked away like secrets waiting to be discovered. I remember walking through the shop with my kids, completely enchanted by the whirring gears, dancing figurines, and the joyful chorus of chimes. It was one of those places where time feels like it both stops and flies.

That same feeling came flooding back when I stumbled across this adorable craft project from Teawagon Tales called Time Flies. In true vintage style, it’s a whimsical little DIY that combines scraps of fabric, old paper, buttons, and clock faces into sweet butterfly-like creations — a beautiful mashup of memory, imagination, and just plain cuteness.

It reminded me that crafting is a little like walking through that clock shop. Each piece holds a story, a tick of nostalgia, and the joy of noticing small details. You don’t need much — just some leftover fabric, maybe an old book page or two, and a few bits from your button tin. And suddenly you’re creating something that feels like it fluttered out of a fairytale.

So if you’ve got a stash of pretty paper or vintage bits and bobs you’ve been saving for “something special,” this might be the perfect project to give them new life.

Take a look at the full tutorial and soak up some serious inspiration:
Time Flies – Teawagon Tales

And if you ever find yourself near Tamborine Mountain, do yourself a favour — pop into that cuckoo clock shop. It’s pure magic for anyone who knows that time isn’t just measured in minutes, but in memories.