How to Make Crafts Out of Garbage
One way to recycle and save money is to turn your garbage into a craft project. When crafting with garbage, it gives testimony to the old cliché "one man's trash is another man's treasure." Making crafts out of garbage requires imagination and the ability to look at an object and see not just what it is, but what it could become.
Things You'll Need
- Dish or laundry soap
- Protective gloves
- Scissors
- Glue
- Paper
- Fabric
- Paints and brushes
- Decoupage finish and brush
- Glitter
- String
- Needle
- Flour or starch
- Balloon
Instructions
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1
Separate potentially toxic garbage from safe refuse, and dispose of contaminated materials. Not all garbage would be appropriate for a craft project. Items you find in public trash bins may have been contaminated, and reusing a container that held poisonous materials should be avoided.
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2
Wash the garbage according to its material. For example, you might dust off paper refuse, but before crafting with jars or cans, wash them in the dishwasher or toss fabric items in the washing machine.
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3
Wear protective gloves if working with sharp materials. Tin cans can be cut to make a variety of objects, but the edges are sharp and can be rusty. Use protective gloves to avoid dangerous cuts.
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4
Cover jars, cans, boxes and other disposable containers to make decorative holders. This might include gluing on paper, fabric, decoupage or painting.
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5
Decorate old, thick, hardcover books with small discarded items to create altered books.
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Cut pictures from old magazines and newspapers, and decoupage the cutouts onto craft projects, such as boxes, altered books or collages.
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7
Hang flower bouquets upside-down and allow them to dry, for use in craft projects. If you've been sent flowers, before the blossoms wilt take them from the vase, fasten their stems with a piece of string and hang in a dry location.
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8
Reserve the pits and large seeds from fruit, wash and allow them to dry to use in a craft project.
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9
Cut the cups from egg cartons and glue together to make Christmas tree ornaments or bells. The outside of the cups can be decorated with glitter, and a hanging string can easily be inserted through the material using a heavy needle.
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10
Cut discarded newspapers into narrow strips to make papier-mâché to create piñatas, piggy banks and other sculptured objects. Dip the strips into a water and flour solution or liquid starch and apply to an inflated balloon to make a piñata.
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Remove buttons from old clothing when using the fabric for crafting or converting to rags. Buttons can be glued onto craft projects to create eyes or noses or used as decoration.
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