Craft Project Ideas Using Recycled Goods

If you've been spring cleaning and have a pile of old clothes and Christmas ornaments that you really don't want to throw out, then why not turn them into a craft project that you can use around the house? Instead of spending your hard earned money on household items like laundry bags, quilts or even bookmarks, you can make them yourself simply and inexpensively. In this article, we'll walk you through the craft of recycling your used goods!

Simple bookmarks can now cost as much as $10 at a bookstore! You can make them yourself by recycling greeting cards you have received. All you need is old cards, some poster board or cardboard, some felt tip markers, and glue. Cut a strip from the poster board or thin cardboard about 8" x 2". Cut strips from the greeting card with the same dimensions and glue them to the cardboard on both sides.

If the bookmark is a gift, you can write a message on it. To make the bookmark more durable, cover it with clear contact paper or laminate it. For added decoration, use a hole puncher to make a hole at the top of the bookmark and thread a piece of bright yarn or ribbon through it. You can use the same process to make beautiful gift tags. Just make the strips shorter!

Your old artificial Christmas tree can be turned into fantastic, special projects that will add beauty to your home. We usually associate wreaths with the holidays but by adding some beautiful dried flowers and colorful ribbon, you can recycle your old tree into a decorative piece of art that you can display in your home all year. Using tin snips, remove the branches from the center pole. Take a wire coat hanger and bend it into a circular shape but leave the hook intact.

The branches will wrap around the coat hanger easily and you can make it as thick as you want. To cover the wire hook, just wrap it with cloth ribbon and tuck the end into the boughs or tie them in a neat bow. Once you have secured the branches, you can decorate it any way you wish.

You can use hot glue to attach tiny stuffed animals to the boughs for a fun wreath for a child's room. Or, you can weave silk flowers or artificial berries through the branches for a beautiful hanging in your kitchen or bathroom.

Got some old clothes kicking around that are too worn to donate to clothing drives? You can turn them into projects for the kids. Buy some pillow stuffing or use old rags and stuff a t-shirt with the material. Cut off the sleeves and simply sew up all the openings. This is especially good with old shirts with team logos on it.

For a craft project with emotional significance, sew old baby clothes together into a baby quilt, couch covering or a throw. Your heart will melt every time you see it. As a bonus, you can use buttons from the clothes to decorate framed art, picture frames or mirrors.

Being environmentally friendly can be fun as well as responsible. The next time you're cleaning up the basement or garage, study items before you throw them out and imagine the new projects you could start. Can that old towel be made into rags for your car?

Perhaps an old lamp shade can be transformed into a plant holder. You don't have to spend a lot of money on a craft project to keep you busy. In fact, everything you need is probably right around the house.

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