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8 Clever Uses for Plastic Straws

8 Clever Uses for Plastic Straws
Have you ever pried a straw out of the mouth of a young child, only to find it macerated and dripping in saliva? Let’s all let out a collective “eeeewww.” In general, my “clever uses” articles are meant to teach people how to get a second use out of something disposable. Now: It is not too gross to wash plastic drinking straws and save them for DIY projects. When the plastic drinking straws are clean and dry and you’ve amassed a decent-sized collection, try your hand at one of the following projects. Drinking straw lamp shade: The L.A. The straw cluster chandelier: Design Sponge featured a spiky-looking straw cluster chandelier. Woven coasters: According to Country Living, woven drinking straws are a great material to make coasters from. The straw weaving loom: True Blue Me & You introduced the idea of using drinking straws as a portable, simple, DIY weaving loom. Tiny vases made of drinking straws: One of my favorite blogs, Coolhunting, featured tiny vases made from drinking straws. Related:  DIY

DIY Eco Friendly Packaging February 26th, 2013 Have you ever needed to find a box to package up a gift in a hurry? Look no further than the simple plastic PET bottle you have in your kitchen. Certainly don’t throw it in the bin! Don’t put it in the recycling either! Transform it into a fabulous pillow box and impress people with your ingenuity and resourcefulness. What you will need: - Plastic bottle - Cutting Mat - Craft Knife - Scissors - Marker Pen - A Plate - A pointy thing (I used a blunt sewing needle) Step One The first thing you need to do is cut the top and the bottom of the bottle off. Step Two Flatten the tube by pressing down on it with your hands and then flatten/crease one edge with your thumb. Then re-inforce the crease using the edge of your craft knife. Next do the other side. Step Three Place you flattened tube onto a cutting mat so that you know where the center is. Step Four Step Five Start forming your pillow box by creasing along the scored lines you’ve just drawn. Step Six

DIY Fringe Scarf | Lakeland Local Everyone needs a go-to fringe scarf in their fashion repertoire. Here’s an easy way to make your own. What You Will Need: -Old T-Shirt -Good Scissors Step 1: Go through your old T-shirts and find a daring print or color combo. For a cleaner look, choose a solid. Step 2: Cut horizontally across the shirt, just below the armholes, to create a rectangular tube. Step 3: Working your way around the tube, make a series of vertical cuts that extend from the raw edge upward. Step 4: Tug down on each strand to elongate it. photo credit: Cathy Hayes for Lakeland Local

Making Fused Plastic March 12th, 2013 I’ve been wanting to experiment with fused plastic for ages so what better place to try it out than here on Tutorial Tuesday and share my experiences with you. I’ve got lots of plastic bags stored in the kitchen from a few online supermarket deliveries we’ve done since Milo was born and I’ve just never got round to taking them back to the supermarkets for recycling. Good job too as then I wouldn’t have any bags to experiment with. As I was experimenting and learning at the same time, the images in the tutorial below show different bags all at different stages – I hope it’s not too confusing! What you will need: - Sharp Scissors - Plastic Bags - Iron - Ironing Board - Greaseproof Paper - Large Wooden Chopping Board - Metal Ruler - Craft Knife - Cutting Mat Step One The first thing you need to do is lay your plastic bag out flat and cut off the bottom and the top so that you’re left with a large tube of plastic. Stretch and flatten this out and put aside. Step Two Step Three

Alice's Soda Can Bookmarks What does Wonderland's Alice have to do with Christmas? Absolutely nothing. Except that the same procedure with which I made her 'Drink me' bookmark I employed to make a more Christmas-y version. First, the ingredients: An empty aluminum can (one per bookmark)White card stockMatt fixativeCraft knifeBone folder1/8” spring punch/eyelet setter and eyelet/s (I have this one) Straight edgeCutting matBlack perle cotton or crochet cottonSmall silver bell or jingle bell for the Christmas option and one large and one small silver bead for the non-Christmas onePDF of the Christmas version or the 'Drink me' version available on my Scribd pageSticky-back tape220 grit sandpaper Step 1: Print the PDF image onto white card stock. Step 2: Cut the middle section of the aluminum can into one large sheet. Step 3: Using your straight blade and craft knife, miter each of the corners of your aluminum. Step 4: Step 5: Place your straight edge along the long side of the image/print. Repeat with the other long side.

DIY: Gift Bags made from Newspaper « alicecorrine Gift bags made from newspaper is a great idea for birthday parties or weddings! We saw this on a site that was we think was in Vietnamese?? Anywho -here’s our best try at translation along with the photo tutorial. Supplies: Glue, Scissors, Paper Doiles, Newspapers, and Wire Ribbon Step 1: Cut into rectangular sheet of paper and then press twice the leading newspapers in the Middle as shown on the picture Step 2: Use glue fixed two edge paper overlap Step 3: Fold one end securely to the bottom of the bag Step 4: You fold the side edge short and long edges paste twice in photos to form bottom bag Step 5: Wait for the glue to dry Step 6: Place treats inside the bag Step 7: Fold the remaining margin 2 cm down to form the mouth of bag Step 8: fold and glue small paper doile over the top of bag Step 9: Finally, punch holes to put Ribbon through. Voila – beautiful little gift bags! If you like this article go to the home page to see other similar posts. Like this: Like Loading...

How to make gift bags from newspaper When I bought something at a store recently, the clerk handed me my purchase in a bag made from a newspaper. I liked it very much and had to make some more—thus today's DIY recycled newspaper project: gift bags made from the Wall Street Journal. You can vary the dimensions, of course, but here's what I used to create a bag that's 5" tall, 4.5" wide, and 3" deep. Stack two sheets of newspaper on top of each other. Cut out a rectangle that's 15.5" wide and 8.25" tall. Fold a flap 1.25" down from the top. Cut two pieces of cardstock or chipboard to 4.25" x 1", then glue them on the widest two panels just under the top fold. Put glue on the outside of the 0.5" tab and bring the left-most panel over to form the body of the bag, aligning the cut edge of the panel with the folded edge of the flap. Upend the bag so the 2" flap is now up. Put glue on both flaps and fold them inward to form the bottom of the bag.

Metal Flowers Picture Tutorial I am just in love with my metal flowers!! Love making them in all different sizes and shapes. Getting better at each time! So many ways you can use them. Hope the picture tutorial will help you make some pretty ones too! Enjoy! Using a scrapbook brad, secure your flowers together. After this project, I end up with a lot of soda can bottoms. Found a way to use some of them by making this upcycle project!! Weave A Newspaper Basket Last night's project, a basket made from old newspaper. After seeing this post at CraftStylish, I was inspired to try one. Maybe I'll keep books and remote controls in it. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Festive Stars made from Recycled Drinks Cans November 1st, 2011 I’m preparing for a couple of craft fairs (details coming soon) at the moment and decided to have a go at making some Festive decorations by recycling some drinks cans I’ve been collecting. I found this tutorial the other day and thought I could adapt it to me own needs. What you will need: - Empty drinks cans - Scissors - Craft Knife - Ball point pen or an embossing tool with a fine point - Sharp pointy thing – not sure what the name of this tool is! Step One First you need to get a star shape printed onto paper or card and cut out. Step Two Next you need to cut the tops and bottoms off your drinks can and give the insides a good clean – I used a craft knife to do this as well as scissors – be careful of sharp edges! Step Three Put a bit of sticky tape (rolled up) onto the back of your cardboard star and stick this to the silver side of your can and draw around it – I use my sharp pointy tool to do this but you could also do it with a fine permanent marker. Step Four

Corbeille en papier enroulé Les magazines peuvent être recyclés en corbeilles de papier enroulé. L’effet rappelle les fibres de bois concentriques ou encore le bois tourné. Avec un magazine et 1/2 litre de colle de riz, on peut fabriquer un vide-poches, une coupelle ou un pot à crayons. Il faut un magazine pour faire une coupe à fruits. Choisir un magazine au papier ni trop épais ni trop fin. Couper des bandes verticales de 2,5 à 3 cm de large. Avec un pinceau, appliquer une première couche de colle sur une bande de papier. Refaire une bande de papier et l’enrouler autour du petit rondin de papier ; le cercle va peu à peu grossir. On peut varier les formes des corbeilles en enroulant la première bande de papier autour d’un morceau de carton rectangulaire.

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