Crafts aren’t just for the kids. Adults can get creative with the extra materials in their pantry or found around their dwellings.
We’ve gathered six activities that will keep anyone occupied while minimizing waste. Feeling the social distancing blues too? Host a virtual crafternoon with friends using one of these zero waste ideas.
Magazine Collage
Are there magazines lying around? Don’t throw them away! Make a collage or scrapbook using art featured in magazines to put the paper to use one more time. Flip through magazines looking for interesting or colorful pictures. The images can have a color theme, similar pattern, or nothing in common at all!
This relatively simple activity does not take a lot of time, but is a great way to keep busy, allowing focus to be spent on something creative.
Check out the full instructions here.
T-shirt Quilt/Blanket
Doing a bit of spring cleaning? Repurpose old t-shirts into a cozy, heirloom blanket to enjoy memories in a whole new way.
It doesn’t take an advanced quilter to put together this reusable blanket. All the materials are commonly found in homes – t-shirts, a blanket, a sheet, leftover thread and yarn from previous sewing projects, and time. That’s it!
To start out, check out the full instructions for a simple t-shirt blanket here.
Wine Corkboard
There are so many uses for corks like these cute love bugs, but what better way to reuse them than for something functional?
Gather up that stash of corks and arrange them uniformly to create a message board. The more corks, the bigger the board! Once the size of the canvas is determined, cut out the inside of a used cereal box to use as a frame. Glue only the bottom of the corks onto the lid and not to each other. This allows squeezing a few corks into larger gaps.
Once the glue has dried, use a piece of old yarn or string to hang up the corkboard and start pinning. Check out the full instructions here.
Bottle Planter
Cat lovers, look no further! These sweet DIY planters are made of reused plastic bottles and are an easy addition to bring some green into your space.
Reuse plastic bottles by removing the labels and rinsing with hot water and soap. Draw a kitten outline for a template to cut. Then, using scissors or an Exacto knife, cut the outline. Once the frame is cut, color with paint or markers to bring the cat to life.
No plants around? These can work to hold coins, pens, or any other knick-knacks lying around. Check out the full instructions here.
Wine Bottle Candle
Don’t just reuse corks! Glass bottles can be reused by turning them into candles. Prepare for summertime by brightening your outdoor entertaining areas with these beautiful glass bottle candles.
Rinse the glass bottles and remove the label with hot soap and water. Gather some pebbles or marbles to act as the base and insert a thin candle. Take it a step further by adding a few bug-repelling essential oils.
Check out the full instructions here.
DIY Fairy House
For crafting pros, there are more ways to reuse plastic bottles or aluminum cans than just putting them in the recycling bin. With a bit of an artistic touch, these items can be turned into home decor items like the fairy house featured here.
Gather two plastic bottles, tin foil, paint, hot glue, and egg cartons. Cut bottles into the base shapes of the home and use tin foil to create chimneys, doors, and stairs. Make homemade paper clay out of egg cartons and put the final touches on with paint.
Check out the full instructions here.
We recognize these are unsettling times and we are here to provide guidance, support, and continued commitment to service. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with questions regarding waste handling practices.