Creative DIY Projects That Turn Trash Into Treasure
I can remember covering all my classmates’ books on the first day of school. I was an awesome folder of paper! I couldn’t spell, but boy could I fold! If making book covers is on your back to school to-do list why not make them pretty using the tutorial sent in by Tricia featured at the blog Black and White Obsession on how to make geometric patterned recycled brown paper bag bookcovers with your Silhouette Cameo.
Let’s be honest — there’s something magical about an old globe. Maybe it’s the promise of adventure, the feeling that anything is possible, or just that vintage charm that instantly makes a room feel more interesting. Whatever it is, globes are one of those items that are hard to pass up at a thrift store, even if you have absolutely no idea what you’re going to do with them.
I’ll be the first to admit it — I have a bit of a globe problem. Over the years, I’ve collected more than a few, ranging from nearly pristine to completely beat-up relics with peeling paper and outdated country names. I even found one once that didn’t have Antarctica on it at all. I’m not saying that makes it rare and collectible, but it definitely makes it interesting.
Eventually, the stack of globes started taking over a corner of my craft room, and it hit me — I either needed to start getting creative with them or prepare for a feature on a hoarder reality show. Naturally, the creative route won.
If you’re like me and you’ve got an old globe or two lying around, or you just can’t resist picking one up when you spot it for a few dollars, this post is for you. There are so many clever and beautiful ways to upcycle a globe, from simple crafts you can do in an afternoon to statement pieces that will totally transform your home décor.
Some ideas are as easy as adding a little paint or turning half a globe into a bowl. Others involve a bit more work, like rewiring it into a stunning lamp or cutting it apart for a series of wall art pieces. But no matter your skill level or style, there’s something on this list to spark your creativity.
Trash to Treasure DIY: Repurposed Globe Bowl
DIY Vintage Valentine Globe – American Farmhouse Style
Up-cycled Globe – LOVE Art — CraftBits.com
Ohhh So Easy Upcycled Globe Makeover
How to upcycle a children’s globe in 5 easy steps
Upcycled Globe Lamp : 5 Steps (with Pictures) – Instructables
Upcycled Thrift Store Globe – Manda Panda Projects
Upcycled & Painted Thrift Store Globe
Unconsumption — In today’s GOOD NEWS: I salvaged a vintage globe…
Birdseeds: Let Your Light Shine
Build a Globe Clock : 6 Steps (with Pictures) – Instructables
Peace on Earth Globe {Tutorial} | Endlessly Inspired
Trash to Treasure DIY: Repurposed Globe Bowl
Patina White: i’ve got the whole world…
Trash to Treasure DIY: Repurposed Globe Bowl
Dr-seuss-craft-quote-on-a-globe
Earth Day Craft: Upcycled Globe – The Papery Craftery
Eye-Candy For Travellers: Unique DIY Globe Clock – Shelterness
Le livre d’or qui fait voyager loin
DIY – TURN THAT OLD GLOBE INTO A HANGING LAMP
An old globe gets a coastal inspired make-over.
An easy ombre globe. | The V Spot
Upcycle a globe into a DIY gift anyone will love
Make a ribbon covered globe for Halloween. | The V Spot
He’s Got the Whole World In His Room – Bower Power
Scary Places chalkboard Halloween globe (huh….?) | The V Spot
Revamp an Old Globe : 7 Steps (with Pictures) – Instructables
Cassie Stephens: DIY: How to Recycle an Old Globe!
How to create a light fixture from a vintage world globe | Debis Design Diary
Refinish an Old Globe with Chalk Paint – Simple Practical Beautiful
Sheet Music Globe – Cutesy Crafts
Oh, The Places We’ll Go: A Travel-Fund DIY – Radmegan
DIY {half} globe light fixture cover
Small World Decoupage Globe (Vintage Disneyland Room) – Persia Lou
How to Make a Globe Pendant Light | Upcycle That
What I love most about these projects is that they are not just about recycling. They are about breathing new life into something that has already traveled the world in its own way. Each scratch and faded border tells a story, and now you get to add your own chapter.
You also do not need a perfect globe for most of these projects. In fact, the more worn and battered it is, the better. It adds character and charm that a brand new globe could never offer. Plus, if you are going to cut, paint, or drill into it, it feels a little less painful when it’s already on its last legs.
Whether you are after a quick afternoon project or a more ambitious weekend DIY, this list of 45 ways to upcycle a world globe will have you seeing the world in a whole new way — literally.
So next time you spot a lonely old globe at a garage sale, thrift shop, or hiding in your grandparents’ attic, grab it. With just a little imagination and a few basic supplies, you can turn it into something beautiful, useful, and totally unique.
And if you do try one of these ideas, I would love to hear about it. There is nothing better than seeing how everyone puts their own spin on a classic craft idea.
Get ready to upcycle and let your creativity take flight — the world is waiting.