Recycled Crafts

Creative DIY Projects That Turn Trash Into Treasure

Great collection of rock painting ideas

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I love these houses painted on rocks. Rock painting is on my “to-do” list…along with a lot of other things but I keep collecting ideas and inspiration. Over at the blog Skill of King (updated to add: this blog is no longer active and we have removed the link) there is a whole bunch of great ideas and inspiration for some super-cute rock painting. Once you start I  bet you will be like my neighbor who regularly leaves painted rocks all down the street including in my driveway.

Rock Painting is one of the latest crazes to hit young and old. Rock painting is so much fun and has even formed numerous groups around the world where painted rocks are left for people to find. All of these Rock painting projects are fun and easy to follow along. You can also check out our Rock Painting Pinterest board for more inspirational ideas.

The smoothest river rocks are the easiest to paint on but don’t let irregular rocks scare you off, instead look at them like you would a cloud in the sky, see what shape it looks like, and work from there

Rock painting and Rock dropping have become very popular this year as more people were isolated and needed encouragement to go for walks. My kids loved searching for painted rocks they found in the park, along the pathways and a few sneaky painted rocks I left in their own backyard.

We highly recommend using paint pens when working with rocks, they have a fine point and are far easier to draw with.

You can paint your rocks with themes in mind too –  Check out these other articles we featured on painted rocks. 

Check out these Rock Painting kits to get you started.

Check out this tutorial on making Bumble Bee Rocks.

Difficulty: Easy

Time to Make: 15 minutes, plus drying time

Supplies:

Oval river rocks – 1.5” x 2” used for this project

Yellow, black, and white craft paint or Paint pens

Paint brushes – 1” foam, ¼” flat angled artist brush, foam dabber

Krylon Clear Glaze

Directions:

Paint the entire rock yellow, using the 1” foam brush. Allow to dry, then do a second coat, and also a third coat, if needed. You can speed up dry time by using a blow dryer if you wish.

 

Use the ¼” flat angled artist brush to paint the “head” of the bee, and then black lines across the rock. Allow to dry.

Use the foam dabber with white paint to make the eyes, and allow to dry.

Use the foam dabber again, to just put a tiny dot of black paint in the middle of the white to finish the eyes.

Once the rock is completely dry, spray with Krylon Clear Glaze to seal the paint, and protect it from the outdoor elements.

 

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Have you read?

How To Make A Recycled Skittles Pouch

There is something wonderfully nostalgic about this Recycled Skittles Pouch project. It takes one of those bright candy wrappers that would normally be tossed in the bin and turns it into a useful little zipper pouch with personality, color, and plenty of upcycled charm.

This project is a fun example of recycled crafting because it does not try to hide the original material. The Skittles wrapper is the feature, and that is what makes the finished pouch so playful. The bold packaging gives the bag an instant pop of color, while the zipper and lining fabric turn it into something practical enough to use for small everyday items.

The tutorial uses iron-on vinyl to strengthen and protect the candy wrappers before sewing, which is a clever step because snack packaging on its own can be flimsy. Once the wrapper is covered, it can be treated more like fabric and stitched into a lined pouch using a zipper, lining fabric, thread, a sewing machine, a zipper foot, and an iron. The original project notes that Skittles and M&M wrappers were used, but you could easily experiment with other candy bags, snack packets, or colorful food packaging.

What I like most about this idea is how useful the finished pouch can be. It would make a fun pencil case, coin purse, travel pouch, library card holder, small toy bag, or back-to-school organizer. The tutorial even suggests filling it with little treasures like a toy car, library card, and small toys, which makes it especially appealing for kids.

This is also a great recycled craft for older kids, teens, and adults who are comfortable using a sewing machine. Younger children could help choose and clean the wrappers, match lining fabrics, or decide what the pouch will be used for, while an adult handles the ironing and sewing. It would be a fun project for a recycled craft challenge, school holiday activity, eco-themed workshop, or handmade gift idea.

Overall, this Recycled Skittles Pouch is a cheerful reminder that upcycling does not have to be plain or serious. It can be bright, practical, and full of humor. Save a few colorful wrappers, add a zipper and lining, and you have a quirky handmade pouch that turns trash into something useful.