Crafty Tips for Upcycling Materials

Image by tatu234 from Pixabay

Upcycling is a great way to use old or discarded objects to create new and useful items. The following are several basic things you probably have at home or in the garage. With a little creativity, they can be turned into beautiful crafts.

Coffee Bean Holder

Find a small bowl, glass vase or jar and fill it a little over half way full with coffee beans. Use the container in your bathroom or bedroom to organize makeup brushes, eyeliner and mascara. This type of jar can also be used to hold pens, pencils and paintbrushes on your desk. If you don't have coffee beans, try using rice, pebbles or marbles instead.

Wine Cork Garden Markers

There are lots of fun alternative uses for wine corks. One simple and quick project is to make plant markers for your garden. You'll need wooden skewers, wine corks, marker or paint, glue and a drill with a small drill bit. Drill a small hole at the end of each cork that's a little less than one inch deep. Place the wooden skewers into the end of each cork, secure with a dab of glue. With a black marker or paint, write the name of the veggie or herb on each cork. Alternately, paint a rectangle of chalk paint on each cork so you can change the labels at any time.

Clothespin Flower Pots

If you have a package of clothespins around the house you can repurpose them into a small flower pot. Start with an empty and washed tuna or salmon can. Clip the clothespins closely together along the rim of the can. Carefully fill the container with potting mix and your favorite flower or plant.

Snazzy Ice Bucket

Find a gallon paint can and thoroughly clean out the inside. You may need to soak it all night to remove all of the paint residue. Once the can is clean and dry, coat the inside, rim and handle with gold or silver spray paint. It's okay if the paint gets on the outside. Measure the height and diameter of the can. Cut a piece of decorative paper using the dimensions of the can. Use craft glue or spray adhesive to attach the paper to the outside. After everything dries, add ice and chill your favorite drinks! 

Starburst Mirror

Using a small mirror in any shape, you can create a beautiful starburst mirror with a dozen or so paint stirrers. Start by selecting paint colors for your project, coat the paint stirrers and set aside to dry. On the back of the mirror, draw evenly spaced lines where the sticks will be glued. Test your layout using scotch tape so you can see what the design will look like before permanently gluing the project together. Using superglue, hot glue or Gorilla glue, secure the painted stirrers to the back of the mirror. Hang and enjoy!