As the holiday season approaches we need to be reminded that there's no reason to sacrifice sustainability for festive cheer. With enough creativity (and glue) almost anything can be upcycled into an ornament or decoration. By giving life to old items, we can infuse our celebrations with both holiday charm and eco-consciousness. Turns out a green Christmas is the merriest Christmas of all!
- Wax-Coated Autumn Leaf Garland
For this craft you will need fresh fallen leaves, beeswax or soy wax, twine, and a double boiler. The first step is easy- go outside! Collect some fresh fallen autumn leaves then remove any moisture or dirt. Heat your wax in a double boiler until melted, then dip each leaf into the wax, making sure they are coated evenly. Let the excess drip off, then lay on parchment paper to dry. Once dry, grab your twine and either tie to the stems of the leaves or secure using clothespins, creating a garland. There you go! Beautiful, preserved autumn leaves! (Step-by-step instructions here).
- Egg Carton and Newspaper Clay Snowman
Next time you go through a dozen eggs, save the carton! When combined with glue, water, and salt, you can make a pretty powerful clay-like material. Create a mold with leftover newspaper or paper-scraps and then wrap in masking tape. Press the clay over the mold and then let dry. Once dry, just paint and decorate! (Step-by-step for egg carton clay is linked here).
- Soda Tab Ornaments
Don’t let all your soda tabs go to waste! With only a couple of other materials such as twine and beads, you can make all kinds of amazing creations! Consider making a pop tab angel, a Christmas wreath, or a Christmas tree. Go wild and let your imagination guide you.
- Wine Cork Wonders
Next time you open a bottle of wine, save the wine cork. Once you have enough, gather them all and create wreaths, animals, or ornaments. Glued corks can turn into reindeer, gingerbread men, or snowmen! Strung together, they can transform into win-cork wreaths! Add beads, googly eyes, Santa hats, glitter, paint... whatever you like.
- Scrap Paper Snowflakes
Remember this craft from elementary school? It's so simple you might forget about it. Instead of throwing away your newspaper or junk mail, repurpose them into festive paper snowflakes. Depending on your level of skill, these can be simple paper stars or intricate ornaments, garlands, and snowflakes. Easy, fun, and resourceful
Looking for other upcycle ideas? Check out these blogs: