This week I’ve focused on how to upcycle cereal boxes, as Earth Day is coming up next Friday, April 22nd. Today over 140 nations around the world celebrate their own form of the holiday. Isn’t it cool how people around the world have banded together for the sake of our awesome planet? Reusing is one way we can make a difference, so today’s post features five ways to turn everyday trash items into Earth-friendly crafts.
1. Tin Can Caddy
We all probably trash (or recycle hopefully!) at least a few tin cans each week. Why not turn them into a chic storage solution? I love this tin can caddy created by Cynthia Shaffer. Cynthia decked out her tin cans with fabric and Mod Podge. Don’t you love how the caddy turns? This would also be super cute for a children’s craft table. Check out Cynthia’s tutorial to see the details.
2. Egg Carton Floral Centerpiece
Christina from Intimate Weddings created floral centerpieces by painting egg carton cups and then cutting them into various flower shapes. To add a little character, she inserted vintage buttons into the centers. What a fun, colorful craft that’s perfect for spring!
3. Plastic Bottle Wreath
Michele from Michele Made Me made this plastic bottle wreath using plastic bottles (of course) and packing tape. I really like the spindly details. They add to the breath-like and airy quality of using plastic bottles.
4. Soda Can Flower Brooch
My hubby is a Diet Coke drinker, so we have a few soda cans in our recycling bin. Craftstylish featured Diane Gilleland’s tutorial for making spring flower brooches from soda cans. I love her use of coordinating beads in the center. If you have little ones and are concerned about sharp edges, you may want to consider using the flower to add flair to a decorative item such as a frame.
5. Cereal Box Mosaic
A couple of summers ago Isaac and I created this chalkboard as a place to write his Bible verses. Isaac helped me cut our stash of cereal boxes into little squares and rectangles which we Mod Podged on to an IKEA frame I had on hand. I LOVE how fun and colorful it is and the fact that we found a way to reuse some of our zillion cereal boxes. Can you tell we are cereal junkies?
How do you upcycle everyday trash items?
Thanks for visiting “5 Ways Saturdays!”
I recently recycled a beer can into Anthro knock- off earrings 🙂 There are still a few kinks to iron out, but it generally worked well.
Finally an excuse to drink more beer, as fizzy pop is SO unhealthy!
These are all great projects. My church is hosting an all day Earth Day event. We are having it on Wed. instead of Friday, though, because we wanted to offer it as a field trip to our local schools. They are off on Good Friday. We will have all kinds of booths set up by groups like the garden clubs, wildlife organizations, etc…. We will have a used book sale, a plant sale, a used jewelry sale. We will have a puppet presentation centered around saving the Earth. We will have a free cornbread and bean supper and a free concert in the evening.
What neat ideas! Thanks for sharing.
Great post beckie! I was thinking of you this morning. I made some cinnamon rolls, and when I was saving the leftovers, it made me think of your cereal box items. Do you save the liners? I do, and I use them for things like leftover cinnamon rolls. When I empty the cereal box, I open the bag all the way up and dust out the crumbs. Then I fold it neatly and place it with my “baggies”.
hope you’re having a great weekend!
gail
I love that you think of me when you think of trash 😉 NO I have never done that but I love that idea.
That is so amazing! I would love to participate in something like that.
Oh, this is funny… My husband is about ready to call Hoarders. I haven’t been able to throw away a formula tin since we stopped breastfeeding 3 months ago! Thanks for this! They are starting to pile up!
HAHA…I need a 5 step program to throw things away myself. Good luck crafting with them
So weird and coincidental that you posted one of my projects today (the plastic bottle wreath). Last night I read your whole Blog Story series in one sitting. I’ve been to your site before but I kinda live in my own little world and consequently don’t get “out” much. What I’m trying to say is that I found your story and journey fascinating. A very very interesting read, indeed. Thank you for the bloggy insight.
Neat ideas, Beckie! I love crafts that repurpose items. The soda can flower is beautiful (mine would be Coke), and I think they’d be cool on a picture frame! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Haha…must be fate 😉 Thanks for sitting down to read about my life. Welcome to it! 🙂
wow! what wonderful little projects! thanks so much for sharing. The flowers are so sweet!
The cereal box frame is ADORABLE !
Thanks for sharing.