ReCycle Me

How cute is this letter holder made from recycled CDs? Too cute for words, really! It’s a quick and easy kid craft project that you’ll find over at AllCraftsFree.com. Designed by Kathleen George, it uses up 2-4 of those CDs you’ve been meaning to recycle, plus some of that styrofoam they insist on using to package new computers, radios, microwaves and just about anything else.

Craft level on this - any second grader can do it with supervision - it uses a low-temp hot glue gun to attach stuff to the letter holders. Way cute for mothers, grammas and teachers!

Creative Up-Cycle Ideas For Home Design
By Danna Powers

Upcycling is trendy, green and economical, but all too often, upcycled projects look - well, upcycled. We’ve all seen those oh-so-crafty projects that use old CDs to make artwork on the walls, or repurpose old sweaters into sofa cushions. While some of them look great in any apartment living room, the typical “saved from the trash” decorating project really does look like it was saved from the trash. It doesn’t have to be that way!

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Artwork From Old CDs - 5 Ways to Upcycle Those Old CDs Into Something Beautiful

By Deb Powers

What do you do with those old CDs that you can’t use anymore? There’s a long tradition of making art from old CDs dating back to the days when AOL shipped out millions of CDs to mailboxes all over the country. CD arts and crafts have become even more popular as the importance of recycling has grown. Check out these ideas for making art from old CDs. More »

Credit: bubbels @ stock.xchang

What would you do with a cast iron claw-foot tub?

When I was growing up in the city in the sixties, it wasn’t unusual to see an old claw-foot tub out in someone’s garden full of flowers - or mint, which has a tendency to take over your whole garden if you don’t confine the roots.

Shelley over at This Eclectic Life posted some great pictures of creative recycling of old bathroom fixtures. Definitly check them out - and while you’re there, join in on Only the Good Friday.

Credit: Parent Connection

Don’t throw away those egg cartons! There are dozens of things you can do with them. Check out the easy (and fun to read) instructions on planting an egg carton garden with your kids at ParentConnection.com.

Hint: You don’t have to have kids to do this! Egg cartons - especially recycled cardboard egg cartons - make great seed starters. Just plant one or two seeds in each egg cradle, mist the whole thing lightly, cover with plastic wrap, and set in a sunny window. Water when there’s no moisture on the plastic wrap. Remove the plastic when seedlings have two leaves. When the seedling are ready to transplant outside, you can plant it cardboard and all.

Credit: Thorne@ThornesWorld

Got a stack of old terra cotta pots- or just one - hanging around? Want something completely and totally unique? Check out Thorne’s tutorial on how to turn a terra cotta flowerpot into a masterpiece and find out how to make a tiled terra cotta flowerpot for your own yard.

Fluffyland Candy Wrapper Bracelets

How cool is this bracelet? Remember making gum-wrapper chains? The technique is the same - but the material is new. Check out the bracelet tutorial over at Fluffyland.com to find out how to make your own. H/T to Thorne for turning me on to this one!

Thorne would be so proud of me.

Almost two years ago, my stepson surprised me with an unexpected gift - a vintage 1940s gas stove.  The kids and I fell in love with it on sight. It’s a hulking white behemoth with features you don’t find on modern, sleek appliances. Alas, the plumbers that I checked with told me that the entire stove would need retrofitting to incorporate today’s safety standards - at the cost of several hundred dollars that I just don’t have. So for the past two years, it has sat unused in the corner of my kitchen, taking up space and collecting clutter.

No more! As of yesterday, my vintage gas stove has become - a vintage plant stand. It’s turned sideways to take full advantage of the sun from a south-facing window, with the oven door opened and the two racks pulled out to create “stair step” shelves for my kitchen herb garden. How’s that for creativity?

Want more green crafting ideas? Check out what’s up at Thorne’s World and Thrifty Creativity where my friends Thorne and Karen show you what to do with all sorts of old “trash”.