Recycled Crafts

Creative DIY Projects That Turn Trash Into Treasure

Recycled die cut leather leaves necklace

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Die cutting recycled materials is one of my favorite ways to make elements to use in my crafting especially jewelry making and the Crafter’s Companion Gemini Die Cutting machine is a great motorized machine that will cut through leather using their mixed-media dies like these leaves.

Looking for jewelry-making supplies? Check out our favorite supplier BeeBeeCraft

 

To make this necklace I cut two small leaves and two large leaves out of scraps of recycled leather.

I ended up liking the suede side.

I ran a cord through a large hole green glass bead from each direction. It is important to make the cord long enough to fit over your head.

Then I added a silver bead onto each end of the cord and glued the leaves together with the end of the cord between them.

This style of necklace works with lots of themes and colorways.

This is a great use of old purses and clothing you still like to color of but don’t use any more.

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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.