How to Make Recycled Crafts
Crafting is an enjoyable and affordable hobby, especially if recycled objects are used to complete the project. These can be leftovers, processed materials made from waste, or the waste materials themselves.
[edit] Steps
- Research for inspiration. Read magazines, search the web and get craft books from your local library to get ideas. Most items made from scratch have components that can be second-hand, left over from previous projects or thrown away. Etsy.com and Craftster.org are good sites for inspiration.
- Adapt the magazine ideas to what craft items you have on hand. If you have leftover decorative paint, for example, and a canvas, sketch out a pattern and paint the design on canvas. Other craft objects to use could be rocks, clay flower pots, coffee mugs, inexpensive plates, etc. If painting on ceramic or glass be sure to prime the surface or use a paint formulated for painting on those surfaces. Craft stores and stores such as Wal Mart often have inexpensive craft projects to work with. Tag sales and yard sales are other places to search for inexpensive crafting pieces to work with.
- Acquire your materials. When you're about to throw something away, think "Is there any crafty way this can be used?" Decorative packaging and ribbons can be used to decorate greeting cards, for example. Tag sales, charity/thrift stores and yard sales are good places to search for inexpensive crafting pieces to work with. Knitwear can be unraveled and turned into something new. Clothing can be dismantled and re-sewn into a quilt or other textile item. Dumpster/skip diving can provide raw materials for larger projects.
- Use your imagination! Originality makes a crafty item more desirable and interesting.
[edit] Tips
- Learn to work with an object to create your artistic masterpiece. Whether it is holding a ceramic mug or a rock, the surface will dictate how the project should be created. Allow the piece to "speak" to you when creating the piece of art.
