Silverware Cabinet HandlesThe knobs and handles for kitchen cabinets are so expensive unless you want to settle for plain old wooden knobs. Here is how my husband and I were able to have something a little fancier with lots less money.
Bleach Bottle PiggyUse a regular bleach bottle, rinse it out with water and baking soda (takes the bleach smell away). Let dry. Paint with acrylic pink paint and let dry. Paint your spots on with either black or brown acrylic paint and let dry for about and hour.
Ideas for Old Wallets and also Old Plastic Store CardsI have a two-fold idea for old wallets (you see so many at the garage sale tables) and old cards that you no longer use - (you know, the grocery store cards, etc.?)
Making a Recycled Toy Bike?When opening a can of food, cut the lid away from the bottom of the can. You will need two tin can lids. Next you will need around ten popsicle sticks before you can assemble the bike. Have fun.
Bottle Cap SculpturezMy tip is: Find art supplies in any trash can in America by using alternative materials. Oftentimes, the materials that I utilize are destined to end up in a landfill.
Easy Sock Top Mug SleeveI used a child's sock and cut it off where the ribbing ended and made a mug sleeve. I did add a little embroidery but it's just fine as is, if you just want a basic sleeve for your mug. Super easy and a cute little protector for your hands.
Thrifted Pots For StorageI found some great metal pots while out thrifting. I wanted some additional storage for my potting bench that is solid, air tight, and will keep the elements out. To dress it up, I spray painted them and added a few colors using a sponge to make them look rustic. Added a stencil and sealed with sealer. Now they hide my work gloves, extra tools, and garden supplies. This keeps my things together and also gives a decorative flare!
Decorative Junk Wood Window FrameWe recently got a new dishwasher and in the bottom of the box was a wooden frame. I couldn't throw it out so I made a window box out of stuff I had on hand.
Flowers Made from Nespresso CupsI made these flowers from empty aluminum Nespresso cups.
Bag Made from Vinyl RecordsI made this bag from two vinyl records.
Heart CraftThe paper was coated with oil, water, and food coloring mixed. I just dipped it in and let it dry. The heart is cardboard, hot glue, and iridescent glitter. The bean comic was done in MS Paint.
Baby Wipe Box Turned Medicine CaddyHere is a way to repurpose those sturdy baby wipe boxes, turning them into decorative boxes that you can cover, paint, and embellish. This piece houses my daily pills, cream, etc. With little to no money, I spray painted and added some of my collective shells.
Recycled Chair Back as Decorative Rack/PlanterI occasionally see discarded chairs with perfectly good backs still intact.
Recycled Plastic Bag Rugs and Bleacher PadsI have been saving my grocery bags to make rugs or pads to sit on aluminum bleachers. They work great for insulating the bottom. I got my idea from a you tube video by Mom Eberhard. You I cut the tops and bottoms off the bags and loop them together. I did a 4 string braid. I made one for a friend and she uses to sit on aluminum bleachers and said it works great.
Upcycled T-shirt CraftsWhether you're redesigning a t-shirt or cutting it up to make something else out of it, it's fun and saves the world a little bit! I love cutting old t-shirts into strips about 2" wide +/- and braiding into 3, 4, or 5 strand braids. These can be colorful or monochrome. I've even tried macrame to make t-shirt necklaces, scarves, a garland, headbands, etc.
Save Ribbon from Shopping Bag for CraftingBefore tossing out shopping bags, see if you can salvage any pieces. This Victoria's Secret bag has had it's fair share of being recycled/reused. I was able to salvage the ribbon and it will be perfect to use for crafting!
Salvaging Hardware from JunkMost things eventually fall apart, but not all at the same time. Here, two pairs of my boots became so worn out, they were too dangerous for wear. They were not suitable for donation, however, the silver hardware and laces were still like new. I removed them to use in crafts and sewing projects.
Taking Food Cans And Making Functional PiecesHere is a way to upcycle those food cans/containers into functional and decorative pieces.
Cookie Tin Shadow BoxFor the holidays we always purchase Danish cookies in the tin. The tins are sturdy and great for this project idea I had.
Recycled VHS Tape VaseI love my movies but it's just not practical to keep them. I have propped up beds, made shelves with them and today, it's a vase for faux flowers.
Saving Little Plastic Balls for CraftingHere are two ways to get 'nearly' free little plastic balls for crafting.
Refilling a PillowI wanted a smaller pillow that adjusted more to me. I cut my pillow into two pieces. Then I pulled out the stuffing. Once the filling was out, I cut and pulled apart the filling into little poufs about the size of my hand. I put these poufs back in the pillow.
Old Phone Case as Photo FrameI got a newer phone. My old phone went to the police station to give to those who need one. This left me with a fun little case in great shape, but was too cheap to resell.
Upscale Recycled Containers with Con-Tact PaperI have to say I am loving the reuse ideas. I am recycling containers now. I am new so bear with me. I have to say I also enjoy sharing my finds with the world.
Easy Headrest Pillow for Your ChairI buy afghans to "frog" (unravel) for the yarn. Most are good quality yarn, but sometimes I buy something that I find later, isn't worth the time. Tonight, in my $1.00 chair from Goodwill As Is, I made it worth the money.
Candy Box Into Treasured KeepsakeOften during special occasions and holidays we get rich, chocolatey, flavorful boxes of chocolates. The boxes are often tossed! Here is how to upcycle a favorite gift that keeps on giving.
Using Old Ribbon Rolls as Pen HolderI had a lot of ribbon holders and tulle rolls left over. So I painted them red and white, glued them together and put pens in them and stuff.
DIY Decor Storage BoxesYou can easily reuse boxes as decor storage boxes for your shelf with an old sweater. Open the sweater and put your box into the sweater. Then wrap the arms into a knot and you have a storage box ready to use.
Recycled Wreath BaseAs a crafter, I am always looking for ways to incorporate green crafting into my crafts, using recycled materials whenever I can. Recently I realized that one could turn old vinyl record jackets and an empty packaging box into a sturdy base for a wreath. A great money saver!
Upcycled Cake PlateIf you break a glass candle stick; what to do? You take an old plate and use the Gorilla Glue for glass and glue the candle stick onto the bottom of the plate. Now you will have a pretty cake plate. I got the idea for this when I wanted to make gifts for the parents in my pre-school for Christmas.
Spring Flowers Out of Table LinersI found a very simple way to turn square pieces of the cheap party table liners into cute flowers. This was really fun!
Cat Litter as Decorative SandI once had a cat, but it didn't work out for me. I was left with some cat litter. It was a pretty blue type. I had a punch bowl that was never used. I put the kitty litter in it and it looked like water. I added a few shells and it turned out to be the focal point in my all sea décor cottage.
Decorated Wine BottlesMy friend recently had a birthday party. She decided to have all her friends and family do a craft to celebrate. We decorated these beautiful painted wine bottles. Each one turned out different and we all had a great time.
Blue Jeans Bag for Holding YarnI have been going through clothes like crazy and have found many that do not fit my child yet, are torn or otherwise ruined, so that no one else could get benefit from wearing them.
Children's Art Frame OrnamentChildren like to make things, and I like to keep them and turn them into art which I can hang around the house. To that end, I keep the plastic packaging from other items I buy and use them for projects such as this.
Make Necklaces Out of Eye Glass ChainsRecently, I posted a tip about re-configuring your eye glass chain and hanging it so the little rubber loop didn't break. Since I have had several pair do that, I was left with the chains. This brought an idea to me that this might be a cute "temporary" or permanent necklace.
License Plate Letter HolderHere is how to take an old license plate and turn it into a mail holder. Simply place it on the floor with the silver side up. Place your foot in the middle and fold both sides to the center. Make sure it stands flat. Place your mail in it and enjoy ! :)
Pet Food Bag Sleeping Bag or Bedroll TarpSew a few bags together to make a 3 1/2' x 6' rectangle. It can be used as a moisture barrier under bedrolls or sleeping bags. A 7' x 6' rectangle can be folded in half to cover both the underneath and top of a bedroll; helps block moisture and wind.
Easiest Dishwasher MagnetThis is the easiest dishwasher magnet to make and will last for years. Take a clean plastic lid (I used an icing lid) and cut the edge off. Write "clean" on one side and "dirty" on the other with a Sharpie marker. Use stick-on magnets with a really strong adhesive. Stick one on one side and one on the other.
Soup Can as Pen HolderI made a crocheted cover for a can to keep some pens on the lazy Susan for my roommate. It occurred to me that pens could be stored on the outside and something else could be on the inside. My first thought was flowers and as it turned out, they were pens, too!
Recycled PhotophoreSolid gel air fresheners usually have a quite nice floral or geometrical pattern under the plastic film you have to pull off. Once it has dried out, instead of throwing it away, open it, take off the dry gel, and put a LED votive candle inside.
Muffin Tin HendominiumThis is a hen's condominium. Notice that the empty space is for rent.
Making Craft Templates from Political MailersThis is the time of year when I am inundated with political mailings. So the ballot is in the mail and now I have all of this junk mail to recycle. I decided to use some of it to make circular templates.
Soda Tab ChainIt's pretty kool, you can make a necklace, a chain, a bracelet, and a belt with recyclable items such as soda can tabs. Here I made a bracelet. You cut tabs in the middle and clip together with other tabs to form your choice of items.
Recycled Bicycle Wheel Pot RackMy husband emailed me this photo of a pot rack made from a recycled bicycle wheel. A friend of his, from Portland, made it for his girlfriend.
Dryer Lint FirestarterI use dryer lint in a cardboard egg carton and drizzle old candle wax from scented candles that have lost their fragrance. Once it has cooled, I cut the sections of egg cradles to separate and put in a ziplock to keep dry.
Repurposing Desk Drawers into Display ShelfI remembered seeing somewhere that someone took old drawers and repurposed them into knicknack shelves. Now I have a attractive display shelf for some of my Hot-Wheels die cast cars.
Make Your Own Kitchen Play AppliancesEasy and fun kitchen appliances made using cardboard! Look at picture. Get a good sturdy box. Sharpies. Plastic plates for burners.
Recycle Old Sweaters into New ClothingDon't throw away old sweaters. Recycle them! I have even bought them at thrift stores to recycle. Most projects can be done in under an hour.
Oven Rack Pull Out From Paint Stir SticksMake an oven rack pull out of wooden paint stir sticks using this pattern. I painted them white first, let dry and then painted family/friends names along with flowers and vines in their kitchen or favorite colors.
Make Home Decor Crafts from Bed SpringsPurchase old bed springs from a thrift store. Decorate to your desire and give as gifts or use as decor in your own home.
Light JarsWe get the large plastic jars of Cheese Balls. When they are empty, we put the jars to use. These white lights were recycled from last year's Christmas lights.
Greeting Card CD CoastersI use old greeting cards and scratched cds to make beautiful coasters. You make a template from a piece of acetate and place this so the part of the card you want to use is central.
Snowman's Pipe From Formula ScoopI use them for my snowman's pipe. First, paint any color you want. Smear glue inside the scoop, then stuff Spanish moss inside. Let dry. There, you have a pipe!
Retro Candy DishHere is a painted flower pot with metal tape handle. I used a drawer pull for the topper.
Make a Headboard from an Old DoorI had an old door so I padded and covered it made head broad for a king size bed.
Homemade Gift BagThis gift bag is made from a crispbread box, painted using a 99p test pot. For the handles I used twine/string. I filled it with homemade items; home grown and dried mint, and a lavender sachet.
Many Uses For Old Flannel ShirtsDon't get too eager to start cutting a shirt into rags. Take a good look at what you've got on hand: Buttons, button down pockets, placket-ed wrist bands with buttons, collars etc.
Dog Food Bag RugFree material to craft with is almost anywhere you look,if you look intently enough! We have a big dog and we get these empty bags all of the time.
Lampshade EndtableDon't throw away that old lampshade if it has a metal frame. Remove the fabric/covering. Then spray paint the base in whatever color you choose. Spread the top edges with a good binding adhesive and position a glass, wood, metal or other surface on it. Allow to dry for 24 hours before using.
Flannel Shirt Case for iPad MiniMy lovely husband surprised me with the extravagant gift of an iPad mini for Christmas. Here is the case I threw together before going on vacation. It's made out of a child's plaid flannel shirt.
Making Toothbrush T-shirt RugsI can't take credit for this. I Googled "toothbrush t-shirt rugs". I followed the tutorial and had nothing but fun with this project. A little hint, don't use t-shirts that have a large decal covering the front or back. This will not stretch into the "yarn" .
Bubble Wrap SquidI run this as an activity at playgroup: bubble wrap tentacles of a giant squid. Great for kids age 2 - 8 yrs. Just add bubble wrap, acrylic paint, paper and kids.
Milk Jug Easter BasketI rinse and cut our plastic milk jugs in half. I cut them above the label. Then I cut a piece off and tie it to the little basket. They are really cute.
Crochet Strips of TowelsWe took several well worn towels out of our RV that had become favorites and "old stand-bys". They are getting a new life; crocheted into a rug, mat, seat cushion, or other useful item.
Homemade Craft BasketThis is just a simple suggestion for anyone who creates crafts or does art projects. Materials add up quickly and can get scattered about!
Wrist Warmers Made Out of TightsI have no idea how she does it, but my daughter cuts out holes in tights, in the foot part, and wears them as wrist warmers that go all the way up to the elbow.
Dryer Sheets Contain Toxic ChemicalsWhile it is great to be thrifty, there are certain things that should never be re-used. It amazes me how many tips are submitted for using or re-using dryer sheets.
10 Minute Tee Shirt SkirtYou can make a skirt in 10 minutes. You need a tee shirt big enough to fit over the hips, a pair of scissors, needle, and thread.
Reuse Placemats as an iPad CaseI have outgrown my old $1 store plastic placemats. By folding them and stitching them, you can turn one into a case for your iPad. I also stitched pieces of velcro at the top for the closure.
Plastic Bottle Cap GarlandsRecycle plastic bottle caps by drilling a hole in the middle of the top, string on fishing line and use for outdoor garlands at Xmas or use the colors for different holidays, for example orange and black for Halloween.
Upcycled Light Bulb TerrariumThis is a fun way to use a burnt out incandescent bulb that would otherwise be thrown out.
Pizza Pan OwlUse an old, round pizza pan for the owl body. Can lids, bottle caps, and buttons make the eyes. Wooden hearts are the beak and feet.
Ornament From Plastic Bottle CapsI am saving my bottle caps for a Christmas project I found in a craft magazine. Glue bottle caps together in a circular shape with one in the center. Glue in glitter pom poms in Christmas colors inside the caps, add a string for hanging for a Christmas ornament.
Decorating a Large Tin Can With Duct TapeWe use lots of extra large sized tin cans of cheese and green beans. We put them in the refrigerator, and cover them with a margarine lid. I used them for many things around the house. I gave my daughter one to make a project, since she crafts with duct tape a lot.
Fabric Scrap and Recycled Clothing...Old shirts or leftover fabric make great coasters. Braid strips of 1 1/2 inch strips of fabric and tie several together if you want larger coasters. Take the braided strips and lay them next to each other creating circles.
Umbrella Holder Made from Tin CansUse extra large vegetable cans.Take the top and bottom off of all but one. Keep the can with the bottom on it on the bottom.
Using Buttons for ToysI use buttons for eyes, etc. for toys for my grand people. I affix them with clear nail polish. I also use the larger pretty ones for closures on my purses, totes, and beach bags.
Recycling Round TableclothsI imagine almost everyone has a couple of round tablecloths stashed in a drawer someplace. If you don't have any, they can be found at thrift stores in abundance, and sometimes after a holiday, they can be bought for very little money.
Earring or Brooch MagnetsFor the prettiest magnets use vintage earrings or brooches. I cut off the pin back on the brooches and the clip-on part of the earrings. Attach a small magnet with E-6000. I first noticed this idea at a craft show. They were selling for $5.00 and up to $10.00 each.
Crafts Using Melted Plastic Bottles And LidsThis is a way to use any type of plastic stuff: bottle lids, shampoo lids, prescription bottles, aerosol lids, any type of plastic. You take a cookie sheet and line it with foil. Turn your oven on to 450-500 dergees F.
Reuse Baby Wet Wipe ContainerYou can dispense wet wipes from an old baby wipe container.
Recycle Blue Jean MaterialWhen my children were growing up, I cut the legs off their bluejeans and made shorts for the summer months. I saved the legs and made several things from them. I remember one being a cover for the dog bed and another a tennis racket cover.
Used Door Knob Mini VaseI recently had to replace my front door knobs. Instead of tossing them, I use them for a mini vase. I have butterfly weed in it.
Magnets From Old Pins and EarringsYou can glue small round magnets to the backs of pins and earrings. They are bright and cheery, especially floral and starburst types. Just snap off the pin backs and clips or posts with a pair of needle nose pliers, then glue on the magnets with either a glue gun or cement type glue.
Sentimental Pillows from ClothesThe first outfits given to baby are so special! Turn that special outfit into a very sentimental and personal pillow that you can gift back to the original gifter on Mother's Day, Father's Day, for any occasion, or just because.
Clothes Pin ChairsUse hot glue and you can take it apart if it doesn't look right, but only use a drop on the clothespins. Make the seat and the bottom of the chair first then add the back. This is not the rocker, but I'm still working on it. This is only my demo.
Dryer Sheet DecorationsDid you know that the used dryer sheets make great decorations? Lay one used dryer sheet between 2 pieces of paper and iron flat. Use clear contact paper or laminate to sandwich the flattened dryer sheet. Trace your design with ink or a permanent marker.
Lace Stocking HeadbandI found a hole in my hold-up stockings and nearly binned them. Then I decided to use it as an "Alice" band to keep my hair out of my eyes when doing housework or when washing my face.
Recycling Linens As FabricUse bed sheets or pillow cases for crafty new table runners, bookbags or beach bags, doll clothes, clothing tops or dresses, sky's the limit!
Redneck Wine Glasses (Seneca, SC)These are redneck wine glasses made with mason jars and candle sticks. They can also be used as candle holder with tealight candles
WD-40 to Remove Labels from Glass JarsSlightly sand surface of label with sandpaper. Spray with WD-40. Label will come off easily. If not, put napkin on label and saturate with the WD-40. Let sit for as long as necessary.
What To Do With Old Wine CorksYou can make a nice trivet or two from wine corks. You can also make coasters out of them.
Medicine Cup Bird NestWhenever you buy cold medicine you always get the little plastic cup with it. Over time you end up with a lot of these since each medicine bottle comes with one. These cute little bird nests are just one way to put these little cups to use once your medicine is gone.
What To Do With Old BricksYou can line the edge of the garden with them or make a pathway in the garden. Or you can decoupage them or cover with fabric and use them as book ends.
Displaying Photo From Old EncyclopediasMost of the time old sets of encyclopedias are worth nothing. If the sets are very old there might be some artistic quality in the old pictures that are in them. For instance pictures of cities in the 1800's or even more recently.
Use Tape Rolls for BraceletsWhen our tape rolls are empty, I let the girls decorate them and wear them as bracelets.
Repurpose Glass BottlesYou can make a bottle tree. Just put on branches in or near the garden. Blue ones look great for this.
Glass Bottle Wind ChimeSmall glass bottles can be used to make a wind chime. Just wrap with wire, add beads or shells to wired necks of bottles.
Use Wine Bottles In Stained GlassI work with stained glass a lot and often use the bottoms of wine bottles in my windows. The bottles with the pushed in bottoms look really cool with the sun shining through.
Coffee Container Toilet Paper HolderI have lots of the big red Folgers coffee containers and I decided to use them to make a toilet paper storage unit for the bathroom. I took 3 large containers, cut the bottom out of two of them and stacked them on top of each other.
Painting Old WindowsI got this old window at a salvage store. $5.00. I used clear Elmer's glue mixed with a small amount of acrylic paint to create faux stained glass paint. I outlined my pattern with black paint that comes with a tip. Then I added embellishments and presto, trash to treasure.
