Creative upcycle and downcycle ideas
Continuing with the theme of back to school, here’s a frugal — and green — idea for dorm room design: cardboard furniture. While you may not be able to craft Frank Gehry’s award-winning, high-design Wiggle Chair (retail $875, shown), I … Read More ...
Check out these microscopic Barbie purses crocheted from cassette tape at MyRecycledBags.com. (And don’t miss the recently posted matching Barbie halter dress and hat.) The creator, Cindy, generally crochets standard sized handbags, totes and other useful objects not … Read More ...
MAKE magazine (the older sibling of CRAFT magazine) offers a video podcast on creating a one-of-a-kind hardy hand-crafted ring from an old silver dollar.
Even I (who has zero background in jewelry making or silversmithing) feel as though I could … Read More ...
Paper craft extraordinaire Patricia from A Little Hut has created a series of recycled art projects on her blog, including this first in the series of six (so far). For this project, she simply cut junk mail into thin … Read More ...
Using only a pair of scissors, Instructables member xavtek has been making these mini trays from aluminum cans for years. They’re meant to be used as ashtrays, but they function just as well as jewelry holders, soap dishes, spare change … Read More ...
Move over, Animal Planet – here comes a more realistic wildlife channel. Sender-inner Trisha brought to my attention this tutorial of converting an old console TV into a fab new home for your fish. By carefully replacing the TV with … Read More ...
Trying to stay cool this summer? How to make a USB-powered personal fan from a used CD. It’s more techie than crafty, but it definitely would make your co-workers green with envy. Just don’t get too close to the … Read More ...
Old denim has been repurposed into many crafty things, but these simple pot holders by Canadian crafter Lise Farynowski caught my eye (OK, they actually caught the eyes of ReadyMade editors as they were sorting through the entries of their … Read More ...
Hop on over to [tag]Craftster[/tag] and take a look at jamiewatchthestars’ detailed tutorial of transforming plastic shopping bags into durable, sewable, waterproof fabric with tons of character. After fusing the bags with an iron, the “fabric” mimics [tag]Tyvek[/tag] (used in … Read More ...
Film Canisters —
Well, there used to be a time when we all had them to spare and they were a popular topic on recycled messageboards all around the place, but what happens now that people are going digital? You … Read More ...
If you’re like me and love to decorate in aluminum, nickel, steel — in short, anything silver-colored — this industrial chic junk box flower (designed by photozz) made from used floppy disks, a dead hard drive and a floppy drive … Read More ...
Recycle your VHS tape into crochet ribbon and make a unique retro Clutch Purse
With this fun crochet pattern.… Read More ...
Has your eyesight improved enough that you no longer need some needle threaders? then you can get a little funky and go about town in a set of needle threader earrings.
Cat morley has provided a tutorial but it’s pretty … Read More ...
I have been saving these rice bags for a while and here are a few projects to inspire you to start buying your rice in bulk Hessian bags rather than plastic bag family sized servings.
Turn your rice bag into … Read More ...
