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Recycled Craft Supplies

Ideas for extracting great craft supplies from stuff you might be discarding.
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Ideas for extracting great craft supplies from stuff you might be discarding.

Crushed Eggshells
Parents can dye them with a mixture of food coloring paste (a dab) and rubbing alcohol (3 tablespoons); kids can glue them onto paper to make eggshell mosaics. Store the extras in zip-top bags.

Packing Material
The biodegradable packing peanuts made from cornstarch can be assembled into fascinating sculptures simply by moistening one end of each piece with a damp cotton swab (the moisture melts them and makes them stick together.) Use these and other (bottle caps, twist ties, rubber bands) and stay busy for hours.

Berry Baskets
Use them as weaving boards for yarn, grass, or strips of paper; cover them with construction paper for buildings; add a string handle for a carry-along treasure basket; or print with them by painting the bottoms and pressing them onto paper.

Bubble Wrap
Assuming you can stop the kids from popping it all, paint a section and use it to make polka-dot snakeskin-like prints.

Old Socks
Turn mateless socks into beanbags (cut one at the ankle, fill with beans, then sew or glue it closed), sock elves or zany puppets using whatever recyclables you have on hand.

Craft Scraps
Scoop those leftover sequins, pieces of felt and pipe cleaners into a zip-top bag. When it's full, challenge your kids to use the contents of your "Rainy Day Grab Bag" to make something new, such as a collage or free-form sculpture. Larger pieces of unwanted artwork can be cut into strips or squares and used to make collage cards or decorate a back-to-school book holder or pencil pot.

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Recycled Craft Supplies

theludwighouse
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theludwighouse says:
July 22, 2011

Hi!

I've just found this, and thanks for the recycled ideas! see the others we've added, with regard to Egg Crate, Mason Jars, old crayons, game pieces, Popsicle sticks, and magazines over at RecessionHome.com: http://wp.me/pCkYA-7F

Happy Crafting!

Ashley

meitianweb
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meitianweb says:
May 09, 2008

That's great idea. Never thought about that before. Way to go! I also saw some craft ideas on http://www.craftssuppliesonline.com/. Have fun with crafting.

Joe_LoCicero
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Joe_LoCicero says:
April 18, 2007

Such fun ideas here that really work! And, for further inspiration, we've found "recycled art" exhibits at local museums that have been worth checking out.

Spring Into Ideas

Enjoy the sun and let your imagination soar.
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