Recycled Crafts

Creative DIY Projects That Turn Trash Into Treasure

Giveaway-Crafting With Nature: Grow or Gather Your Own Supplies for Simple Handmade Crafts, Gifts & Recipes

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Giveaway: Crafting With Nature: Grow or Gather Your Own Supplies for Simple Handmade Crafts, Gifts & Recipes

By

Amy Renea

Leave a comment in today’s post by April 14, 2016 and you are in the running for this beautiful comprehensive and inspiring book on how to cultivate and craft with natural elements. My favorites are the crafts with Lamb’s Ear leaves and acorn caps!

Open to U. S. Residents only please.

From the publisher:

“Fuse your love for crafting and the outdoors with this incredible compilation of DIY crafts, recipes and gifts made with natural materials you can grow or gather yourself. Gardening and crafting expert Amy Renea takes you on a journey to collect plant materials from the woods, the backyard, the garden and even the pantry, then craft those items into something special yet easy to do. She provides detailed tutorials and recipes for things like making solid perfume, crafting wooden buttons to accent a hat, preparing natural dye for easy paper flowers, canning your own fruit jam, handcrafting wreaths, using seed pods to create beautifully rustic earrings and even making your own coconut oil for lotions or sea salt for hand scrubs! And throughout the book, you’ll learn new crafting techniques like wood burning, imprinting leaves onto clay and how to infuse oil with herbs for culinary and cosmetic delights.

Each chapter starts with a common plant and a beginner-friendly guide to growing or gathering it, then dives into ideas for what you can make with it. With this book packed full of tutorials, ideas and Amy’s lovely photography, you’ll be inspired to craft with nature all year long.”

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Comments

  1. Awesome I’ve never thought about using things that I grow to use in my crafts. Sure hope I win yet if I don’t I’m going to buy this book. Just as soon as I get enough money to buy it. Thanks for the chance to win the book and have a blessed day.

  2. Love to recycle things and make things for my gardens. Appreciate the change to win.
    Thank You!

  5. Love nature crafts. This book would be awesome to win! Thanks for the chance to win.

  6. Oh! I’ve got a lot of lamb’s ear. I would love a chance to try to reproduce crafts with that.

  17. My Granddaughter and I love crafting and this book would pave the way for a new crafting addiction. If I’m not the lucky winner I’ll shoot for Mothers Day!!!

  18. This is just exactly the book I need!
    I live right on a small park, and have been thinking about to what uses I could
    put these lovely things from nature. Thank you for this giveaway. My fingers
    and toes are crossed for good luck.

  20. Thank you for your many giveaways! This one is ‘right up my alley!’ I’ve collected so many things from outdoors and have made the usual center pieces and wreaths. Those are boring me now…if I only had this book to reference from!

  22. Acorn caps? I have lots of those!!! Looks like a fabulous book loaded with great inspiration!

  23. what an interesting book, lots of neat ideas“`a book my daughter would love.

  24. I have quite a collection of “stuff” from the great outdoors that I need a little coaching on what to do with them – this book would be perfect!!

  27. I can already tell this book would just feed my crafting spirit! 🙂 Looks utterly delightful. Thanks for the giveaway & happy nature crafting to all!

  28. I would love to win this book. I am a Bible School Craft teacher and am always looking for new ideas.

  32. I love using nature to make crafts. Pinecone angels are such a big hit when teaching crafts at the senior citizen center. Thanks for the chance to win.

  33. What a fun book, I love the clothes pin dolls with the acorn cap hats. Can’t wait to see what other great ideas it holds.

  37. THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME A CHANCE TO WIN THIS WONDERFUL BOOK.
    I HAVE CRAFTED WITH A FEW ITEMS FROM NATURE BUT THIS WOULD ADD TO MY CREATIVE JUICES TO MAKE SOME DIFFERENT ITEMS.

  41. We recycle everything at our twice weekly tiny tots STEAM read aloud story time, and I host a monthly adult class recycling trash into art. This book would be a fabulous addition to our public library collection. Mahalo for the op to win.

Have you read?

DIY Milk Jug Halloween Skeleton Faces – Day of the Dead Inspired

Every year when Halloween rolls around, I find myself itching to create something new for the porch or entryway. Pumpkins are fun, but I also love projects that are thrifty and a little unexpected. These DIY milk jug skeleton faces tick all the boxes—they’re spooky, colorful, and upcycled from something you’d normally toss in the recycling bin.

Even better, they’re inspired by Mexican sugar skulls (Calaveras), which makes them perfect for those of us who like blending Halloween with a touch of Day of the Dead artistry. If you’ve ever admired the bold, painted skulls covered in flowers and bright designs, this is a playful and budget-friendly way to bring that style into your own decorations.

Why You’ll Love This Craft

  • Eco-Friendly: A brilliant way to recycle old milk jugs instead of tossing them. 
  • Budget-Friendly: Uses supplies you probably already have—markers, paint, string, scissors. 
  • Customizable: Every skull face can be completely different—no two need to match. 
  • Festive & Fun: Bright colors bring cheer to your Halloween and fall décor. 
  • Kid-Friendly: Safe for older kids and teens to paint and decorate (you may need to pre-cut the jugs). 

Supplies You’ll Need

  • Empty gallon milk jugs (washed and labels removed) 
  • Sharpie markers or acrylic paints (assorted bright colors plus black) 
  • Paintbrushes (thin ones for detail) 
  • Scissors or a craft knife (adult use recommended) 
  • Hole punch 
  • Yarn, twine, or string for hanging 
  • Beads (optional, for string decoration) 
  • Battery-operated tea lights (optional for glowing effect) 

Step-by-Step Tutorial

Step 1: Prepping the Jugs

Start by giving your empty milk jugs a good wash to get rid of any milk residue (trust me, you don’t want lingering smells). Peel off labels and let them dry completely. Using scissors or a craft knife, cut away one flat side of the jug so you’re left with a rounded “mask” shape. The spout becomes the chin of your skeleton face—it’s a surprisingly good fit!

Punch two small holes at the top corners of each cut-out so you can hang them later.

Step 2: Sketch the Skeleton Face

With a black Sharpie or paint, outline the classic skeleton features:

  • Eyes: Large hollow circles—cut them out completely for a mask look, or just color them black. 
  • Nose: A small upside-down heart or triangle shape. 
  • Mouth: A stitched line across the chin. Add short vertical lines to mimic teeth. 

This is your base—simple and spooky!

Step 3: Paint the Sugar Skull Details

Now comes the fun part. Sugar skulls are all about color, flowers, and swirls. Here are some ideas to get you started:

  • Paint colorful flower petals around the eyes. 
  • Add vines, spirals, or dot patterns across the forehead and cheeks. 
  • Use contrasting colors for bold designs—bright pinks, purples, turquoise, yellows, and greens work beautifully. 
  • Add little hearts or cross shapes for variety. 

If you’re working with kids, hand them markers instead of paints for easier cleanup.

Step 4: String & Bead the Decorations

Cut yarn or twine into long lengths for hanging. You can even thread beads onto the string for extra flair,. Tie the strings through the holes you punched and gather them together to hang on a door, wall, or tree branch.

They look especially festive grouped in threes or fives.

Step 5: Light Them Up (Optional)

For an extra wow factor, tuck a battery-operated tea light inside each jug before hanging. The plastic glows at night, and the painted details shine like stained glass. It’s a budget-friendly way to add some ambiance to your Halloween porch without the mess of real candles.

Tips & Variations

  • Use glow-in-the-dark paint for a spooky nighttime surprise. 
  • String a whole row together to make a garland across your porch or fence. 
  • Spray the inside of the jug with white paint for a more opaque look. 
  • Add glitter glue accents if you want them to shimmer in daylight. 
  • Try smaller jugs (like juice or creamer bottles) for mini skull faces. 

This project has become one of my favorite DIY Halloween decorations because it checks so many boxes: thrifty, creative, and surprisingly pretty for something made out of old milk jugs. Whether you’re decorating for trick-or-treaters, a fall party, or just want to add some seasonal cheer, these milk jug skeleton faces bring a Day of the Dead flair to your home.

They’re also a great activity for family craft nights—each person can design their own skull and you’ll end up with a gallery of colorful, quirky faces to hang around the house.

So next time you finish a jug of milk, don’t toss it—save it for Halloween crafting!