By Jillian Bietz - Easy and fun crafts.
Junk drawers. Most everyone has one of some kind; whether it be a corner in a room or a shelf or a drawer; this is the spot where fragments from years past always accumulates. Somehow, all missing pieces of all kinds find their way here, and while it may be tempting to stuff the stash in a recycling bin, take a deeper look and create something!
Paper Beads:
Paper beads have been around for centuries and quite easy to create.
Depending on how round or large you want the beads to be, cut out strips of paper (any kind will do but colorful patterns and magazine pages give a great look) in a triangular shape. Starting from the narrower end, roll the paper around a toothpick or a piece of a drinking straw until it resembles a bead. Dab the loose end down with glue or paint the entire bead with Mod Podge. Let dry and start stringing!
Bottle Cap brooch/magnet/ornament
This project works best with thinner caps. If desired paint bottle cap. Using the bottle cap as a stencil cut out an image (a photo, an image from a greeting card, etc) that is small enough to fit in the small circle. Glue the picture on the inside of the bottle cap. On the back, glue a magnet, a pin or a loop of ribbon and decorate! Cover with Mod Podge, glitter, ribbon, anything!
CD coasters
Whether they are from outdated software (or outdated music!) the unusable shiny discs are the perfect size for most beverage holders! Decoupage them with wrapping paper, make a collage out of old photos or cover the whole disc with paint, all techniques are acceptable for this very simple project!
Use your imagination! An old puzzle piece can become a retro-looking pendant; a fun button makes a barrette when glued to a bobby pin and so on. The best part about recycled crafts is that there is no guilt over having to start over again if the project didn’t come out well the first try.
