The EcoChic

I searched online for craft projects using gift wrap that you can save from Christmas (or any other occassion).  www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/papercrafts had some great ideas; I’ll share some of my favorite.

• Use old gift wrap to make one of a kind envelopes.  They provide the template for folding and cutting on their site.
• Origami.  This one is for older kids but origami paper can be quite expensive at the craft stores.  Why not cut your old wrapping paper into squares and follow the directions listed on their site to create some cute origami paper crafts.
• Woven placemats are always an easy projects for the younger kids.  Cut the paper into stips about one inch wide by any desired length (for placemans about 12 inches) and weave the different colored paper together. 
• Pinwheels.  Again another easy project for the younger kids.  And you can always take them outside when you are done and see how pretty they blow in the wind. 

Like I told my son last night; one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.  Have fun.

Wow, I’ve been quiet for several weeks.  I guess it’s time to give you some ideas for reducing and reusing waste during the holidays.  I was packing up some gifts to be mailed the other day and was trying to reduce the cost at the post office.  I reused an old box to pack up the gifts instead of buying a box…if you are like me your garage is full of boxes.  For packing material I used some plastic grocery bags and newspaper that had been put through a paper shredder.  Another thing we did last Christmas was not wrapping the Santa gifts for our son.  It was really cute to see his face when he walked into the room…he didn’t know what to play with first.  Another reason not to wrap presents, you end up assemblying the gifts ahead of time so the kids can play with them immediately instead of waiting for you to assemble. 

How can you reuse during the holidays?  Gift bags…I love them.  I always save my gift bags and reuse them for other gifts.  What can you do with all that gift wrap, ribbons and bows?  Why not save them and donate them to a school.  I know my sons school would love craft supplies; they can use them for collages, they can draw or paint on the backside of the gift wrap, they can make necklaces from the ribbon.  There are so many uses for kids crafts for these items that normally end up in the trash.  So instead of wadding up that gift wrap on Christmas morning; fold it up and give it to a youth center, day care, school or artist. 

What ways can you think to reduce and reuse waste at the Holidays?  Join me tomorrow for another Trashy Thursday for another craft project with holiday waste.   

Last week (on Wed. and not Thursday) I started a column on creating childrens art from trash.  I decided that each Thursday will now be known as Trashy Thursday and I will give a new project each week that uses items that would be trash to create fun with your child. 

Today’s project is a ghost made from a plastic lid (like those on top of Cool-Whip contiainers) and trash bags (any kind of plastic bag that has already been used once, grocery bags work well).  Here is a link to the project for complete directions and picture: http://crafts.kaboose.com/plastic-lid-ghost.html.  How cute!  I think I may decorate my house with these this Halloween.  What a great reuse for a household waste. 

Stay tuned next Thursday for more Trashy Ideas.   

Ok, so those readers who know me also know that I am a bit crafty.  So here is a creative reuse option for an egg carton.  With the Halloween approaching you could do this project with your child or suggest it to their teacher (great for younger children).  Turn that egg carton into 12 scary spiders! 

Another animal that I’ve seen made from egg cartons are jelly fish.  You use the same concept as with the spiders but instead of legs you have tentacles.

So think before you throw something away.  That trash might turn a boring day into a fun day of crafts for kids.  Search the internet for other fun craft projects made from trash…or keep reading The EcoChic.