Any crafty person lives by this credo: "recycle, reuse, repurpose." Try these projects with your leftover craft supplies including scrap paper, bits of string and yarn, single buttons, patches of felt, stubby crayons, beads and baubles, and more.
3. Create a multi-colored yarn ball. Knot the ends of your strands together into one long thread. Then wind the thread around a small ball until it's covered, adding more strands as needed. Finish by tucking the remaining end into the ball. Use it as a decorative object on a shelf or desk.
1. Melt down old crayons into new ones. Otherwise called "crazy crayons" for their marbled look, give old crayon stubs a second chance by baking them in a shaped tin mold.
2. Bring color to the window. Crayon shavings and wax paper come together to create adorable, translucent adornments for your windows that the sunlight will shine through to totally transform the room.
3. Create a set of dip-dyed candles. Light things up in style by dipping plain white candles in crayon-tinted beeswax and giving them a colorful base.
1. Decorate a blank wall. All you need is a roll of washi tape and a little imagination. Create funky patterns or a single statement design piece, like an origami crane.
2.Make your own stickers. Using a craft punch, make your own shapes, and use them to decorate everything from school book covers to drink coasters to Easter eggs.
3. Color-code your phone chargers. Plus, you can coordinate your charger and phone by embellishing your phone case with tape, too.
1. Upcycle bangle bracelets. Talk about arm candy! Work with one color or print per bangle, or mix multiple fabrics to create a patchwork look.
2. Craft fabric flowers. These pretty pansies are guaranteed to never wilt. Craft a whole bouquet for decorative brooches, gift packages, hairclips, and more.
3. Sew scented satchets. When filled with dried florals and herbs (like lavender), these satchets can be tucked into a drawer to freshen up folded clothes and linens.
1. Give hangers a quick no-slip upgrade. Tired of your tops sliding off hangers? Buttons are a super simple fix, adding reinforcement to padded hangers and keeping your articles in place.
2. Decorate homemade cards. Buttons add a nice textural touch to handmade cards, making them extra special.
3. Make magnets. You can hot-glue miniature magnets to the back of old buttons and use them on your fridge.
1. Wrap a gift package. Of course, you know how to tie a bow. But when combined with various colors and widths, they make a genius pinstriped giftwrap look.
2.Upgrade your favorite sweater. If your old cardigans are looking like it's about time for a refresh, ribbon can be turned into a belt wrap, a colorful collar, or a fabric tie.
3. Decorate a cake. Coat a few strips of grosgrain ribbon with fabric stiffener and you have miniature flags to top off your cake.
1. Roll it out as a table runner. It makes a decorative statement and protects the surface from accidental spills — no need to worry about stains!
2. Make stickers from scratch. Small pieces of wrapping paper are perfect for fashioning handmade stickers with the help of a paper cutter and some glue.
3. Shred some packing paper. Got a delicate package to send? Shred up your old, unused wrapping paper for some easy package filler.
1. Replace drawer pulls. If big enough, single beads can give drawers with missing knobs an unexpected touch of style.
2. Turn them into a tea trivet. Function meets fashion with these DIY trivets that use painted beads to create a kitchen accessory that looks just as good as it works.
3. Accessorize a zip-up sweater. Dress up a basic zipper by threading a bead right onto it. (The hole is there because the pull is meant to be accessorized, right?)
1. Sew a small pincushion. The fuzzy, padded fabric gives your pincushion an extra soft feel.
2. Turn it into a tissue pouch. Make sure that you're never without a Kleenex when you need it most! These felt pouches are perfect for carrying around a few tissues in your bag.
3. Craft a corsage. A felt corsage is easy enough for the youngest crafters to put together, but the finished product is stylish enough to add some fun flair to anyone's ensemble.
1. Tie a tassel. They make a chic addition to bags, scarves, tablecloths, and more. Make some of your own using monochromatic threads, or mix and match colors for a more eccentric look.
2. Wrap a safety pin. Safety pins are often used for functionality above all else, but some threaded detailing instantly transforms them into stylish accents that you can clip onto a purse or other accessory for a subtle burst of color.
