recycled crafts

I've got a few pairs of old jeans that have slight rips on the inside leg, I was thinking about patching them up maybe or using the denim to make the demin corset how-to that's posted on here, but it might be abit tricky?

if you can find plastic with the recycling label with a 6 in it, it can be but under heat like in a toaster oven and it shrinks like shrinky dinks. its my new obsession cause you can draw images make them smaller and turn them into anything.
like i took and old magnet i got from some business place for free cut it up and super glued in on the back of my lil plastic doodles.
hope i gave you some ideas

I love that shinky dink idea claire... what kind of things come in plastic with recyled #6 on it? i had a look around, i only found a water bottle with #1 and car engine stuff with #2 damn it

x

I decorated an old egg carton into a sewing box, put a felt strip inside to hold the needles and a couple of loose pins and the cotton, scissors, ripper & my pencils. I'll post a picture when I get home,

I use those plastic envelopes that those free CDs and DVDs come in. I also like to use those trading card sheets; especially when one of the compartments gets ripped you can just use the other ones.

this is kinda different but it's what first came to mind for random crap thats always in the house: if you ever make bonfires or go camping, these make the best "fire-starters" - take toilet paper or paper towel roll, even egg carton for a jumbo one, and fill with dryer lint (yes dryer lint from the screen), candle wax, and any other flammable junk you've got lying around. then roll that up in wax paper or newspaper or both, twisting the ends like a candy wrapper. next time you have a bonfire put it near the bottom, light the ends and you're set.

A friend gave me a tie-dyed bodysuit (used to be her sister's) for my little girl, but it was an 18 months, and she wears 3Ts. The good thing is, it's kind of wide, so I cut the legs off, collar out and cuffs off. So now, Sofi has an 80's fall of the shoulder neon tie-dye shirt(with the Ben&Jerry's logo). Out of the collar, I made a headband, and the cuffs, a cuff bracelet and a pony tail holder. The legs I cut apart from each other, and became the basis for a ragdoll I made yesterday. For her face, arms, body, and feet, I used fabric from a pair of khaki shorts my mom ruined in the wash(became pinkish). One pant leg is a sleeveless mockneck dress for the doll, and the other one I split and made into the legs. She's so cute! She has green yarn hair, too. I can't wait till my daughter sees her(she's at her dad's)! I also used scrap strips of the tie-dye to secure the doll's braids. I'm trying to think of a good name for her....

My hubby is always complaining that he can't move for all the stuff I save. He doesn't mind when it comes in handy for fixing stuff though. I save all sorts. Newspapers are brilliant for paper mache for my daughters animation projects. I bought some desserts the other day just because they came in beautiful round almost flat glass dishes just the right size for soap or tea light candles. I take apart clothing to redesign or use the fabric for a new creation. There are so many ways to recycle. I'm already eyeing up the washing up liquid bottle to make a space ship to go with my little green men. Lol x

I use an old smaller Teddy bear as a pincushion.
Paint old beer bottles and make vases from them.
Im working on a project right now-Im turning a satellite dish in to a chandelier for my room.It looks great already,Ill post it as a how to.
Cardboard picture frames and paper mache masks are great.
And I slice up old socks for stuffing.
I got addicted to fusing plastic bags-planning to make a drumstick holder,cigarette box and lighter pouch and more belts.

Today I took a plastic pouch my daughter's new Tinkerbell panties came in, punched a hole on either side, strung a chenille stem/pipe cleaner through the holes, and made a sack for her to carry the 'letters' she made for our family that lives far away. I'd made up a bunch of those magazine envelopes, for her to use, and she went nuts with construction paper and crayons today
My parents gave me a plastic tub that was meant for ice and cold drinks, and I turned it into a toy box. I wrapped tiny accessory presents for my daughter's upcoming birthday in the box my Tylenol came in, and covered it with an ad page from a magazine. If it counts, I almost exclusively buy remnant pieces of fabric, instead of having them cut a whole new piece for me. I Especially get these at a thrift store in my hometown, I've gotten huge beadspread size pieces of lovely fabrics for $.29 to $1.50 a piece. I cut up lightweight cardboard/posterboard type packaging, like shoe boxes, and use them as painting 'canvases' for my daughter. I'm about to start getting into felting old sweaters. I have an Eddie Bauer burgundy sweater that just isn't comfortable, that I want to make a sleeve for my laptop from. I made a tutu for my daughter, yesterday, with a stretch headband for the waist band.
The best are my wings. I made a how-to of them, they're so fun. Old wire coat hangers + my daughter's tights she's outgrown = crazy cute fairy wings!!!

I used recycled chains and beads in many of my jewellery peices. Most of which are gifted from friends and family.