Collect and Create with Bits and Bobs

There are many benefits to reusing waste materials in this modern disposable society. Huge quantities of waste are disposed of through incineration and landfill every year, which is bad for our environment and for the world as a whole. Waste material craft is a great way to use the bits and bobs you’d otherwise throw away – you can decorate your home, be creative, and encourage the creativity and imagination of your children.

Create a Button Box

Most shirts come with a few spare buttons, and it's the kind of thing you always find in corners of the house or down the side of the sofa. Instead of misplacing them or throwing them away, put them into a designated button box. You will know where they are if you do need to replace a button, and if they aren't required then keep them for some of these great crafty projects.

One of the best things to do with buttons is mix it up. Many things come with a very simple button, but why not try having a few different yet complementary buttons on one garment? Buttons are very easy to replace – perfect for beginners who want to personalise their clothes.

Using buttons to decorate home furnishings such as cushions is also very easy, and this allows you to express your style in all corners of your house. Matching shades of buttons can help you tie together plain cushion covers to fit better with your interior.

Buttons are also great cheap and cheerful craft items for young children to experiment with. Try threading them to make button necklaces and bracelets, or using glue to decorate a plain frame or hair clip. This can be done in your child's favourite colour, and it would also be perfect as a gift for a friend or family member.

Using Old Papers and Magazines

If you collect old newspapers and magazines for a few weeks before you plan to do crafts, you will have plenty to choose from. Decoupage is always going to produce unique results, and it’s a great craft for kids. Try decoupage on a picture frame or glass jar. The materials are free, it is hands-on, and can be done with whatever paper they like. You can also use your kids’ old comic books, if they’re no longer reading them!

Newspaper can also prove to be a very cheap method for wrapping and just as attractive as the gift wrap you buy in a shop. Buy ribbon or get your kids to add a bit of colour to the newspaper before wrapping to create beautiful and eco-friendly gifts.

Decorating and Re-Purposing Glass Jars

In many places glass is easily recycled, but you could also keep those slightly unusual shapes to make some glass jar crafts.

Instead of spending money on pots of spices you can make your own spice jars using old glass jars. Decorate the lids using acrylic paint, permanent marker or decoupage to identify what spice it will contain. These are quirky, practical, and cheap. They also make perfect storage for all those buttons you will be collecting!

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