Giveaway: 1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse

(im probably too late but i didnt see an end time ><)

i love to make journals and notebooks and collect paper at work that is only used on one side or is too wrinkled to print on.

This is a great giveaway! i love repurposing, i have done a few repurposing projects, one of the most recent ones was a man's shirt that i turned into a woman's tunic, and a man's coat that i turned into a woman's jacket :)

Thanks for the giveaway!

i rescued a box of notebooks with embossed metal covers with logos from a defunct company that no longer needed them (there was about 24 of them!). I cut out the corners of the pages with the company's old name and I decoupaged the metal covers with magazine clippings so that the logo was completely obscured. Now i can give these as gifts :)

it's really a shame how perfectly good promotional materials are wasted just because a company changes its name or its logo!

This book looks wonderful. I recently used leather from pair of thrifted leather pants to bind the fraying cuffs on my favourite tweed coat. Now if I could just figure out how to bind the buttonholes to match...

Oooo I love stuff made out of recycled/reused stuff. I moved out of my parents house a couple years ago and this year I'm going to get my first Christmas tree that is all my own. Since the budget is tight, I'm saving leftover craft supplies, bottle caps, jar lids, and anything else I can think of that could be turned into a Christmas ornament. Then I'm going to have an ornament party where all my friends have to bring and/or make an ornament for my tree. Should be very crafty!

That book looks like so much fun. My most recent reuse project was turning an old T-shirt into pants for my toddler. I followed this tutorial, and it was super easy: http://handyprojects.blogspot.com/2005/04/how-t...

This looks like an interesting book. I flipped through Amazon's "Look Inside" and saw one of your contributions, a pendant necklace. It's beautiful!

Thanks for doing a giveaway! Last month I salvaged the zipper and a piece of fabric from badly ink-stained pants to make a lining and zipper for a crocheted coin purse.

I make earrings from empty aluminum cans. The metal is lightweight and easy to cut with scissors.

I turn milk cartons into gift boxes. Love you blog! Keep up the good work!

I've bought several old battered boxes from goodwill lately to turn into craft fair displays.

Thanks! Looks like a really cool book!

Molly
http://mollylee.etsy.com/
http://mollyleecards.blogspot.com/

I am creating a Christmas card using beads from a broken necklace, used Christmas wrapping paper from a couple years ago, and cardboard. Found here: http://runningwithcrafts.blogspot.com/2009/11/r...
I'm very interested in making crafts with recycled materials and repurposing the so I am interested in this book.
Thanks.

I don't know if this counts as reuse, but I've been sewing with leaves lately. first a crown and now a banner!

I recently reused my glass coffee jar to hold homemade peanut butter.

Friday the 13th! How lucky! I've never, ever, won anything on Friday the 13th!! Until... now!! YAY!

I reused a cereal box. Specifically, it was an empty box of Barbara's Shredded Spoonfuls, and I used it to make journal covers with. So, there. I also reused some vegetable netting from a shipment of pears, to make a miniature curtain. And I reused about a dozen Trader Joe's gift cards which had emptied out, and cut them up to make a mosaic.

Don't mess with me. I'll reuse anything. have you SEEN my toilet roll collection?! Viola! Segmented Puppet People!! Holiday Crackers! Napkin holders! Dangly earrings!!

(be careful with that last one--I keep hitting myself in the eye)

Oh how I love giveaways. I recycled several necklaces recently. Rather than throw them away, I paired them with different beads and 4 strings of beads became several bracelets, earrings, chokers and necklaces, with more to use on craft projects in the future!

Woot! ^-^ A giveaway!
Well, I've used scraps from fabrics to make some kanzashi flowers. Does this count? ;-)
Thanks for the much appreciated giveaway, Diane. So cool!

I re-use the cardboard boxes that dog food cans come in. I first unstick the tabs on the box (flatten it). I tape it back together inside facing out. The advertising is now on the inside of the box and the outside is solid cardboard with no print. I place a cardstock printout or piece of wrapping paper on the inside top and bottom to hide the barcodes, descriptions or print that is now on the inside of the box. Paper borders or ribbon can be used to cover the inside sides of the box. I use the box to send packages to family and friends. This technique is also handy around Christmas time using all kinds of strong boxes. They mail just fine and work well.

Such timing! I just posted on the need for retail craft stores to embrace the reuse/recycle/re-purpose philosophy. I am currently working on a pillow using an old sweater. The book looks great.

I've been working on reusing the bags that apples come in at the store by crocheting them into dish scrubbies :)

I am an elementary school art teacher. We recently made Japanese Darumas (Wishing Dolls) and needed something to attach to the bottom to stabilize it. I asked my neighborhood pizza "parlor" to save the Snapple caps from bottles they sell. Over a period of time they saved 200, which were all put to good use. I would love to have a book that would inspire more recycling projects in the classroom.

I just made some luminaries out of steel cans. I am excited to use them as part of my Thanksgiving centerpieces.

I have felted one of my husbands old pullovers in the washing machine and made some mittens from the felt.

Love the idea of creative re-use...it needs to be incorporated into everyday life. I've always recycled bottles and such for holding various craft supplies! Especially giant nutella bottles, because they are so uniquely shaped!

I'm making a velvet floor-length evening vest into pillow covers and the crystal-studded buttons into a necklace.

I've just stumbled upon this "1000 ..." book series and I'd love to finally own one of them to help inspire me. And autographs are always admired!

Thanks!
M
mkphila@gmail.com

This book is so up my alley!! I recently was invited to a baby shower and decided to make a stuffed elephant out of an old cashmere sweater that no longer fits. It was totally the hit of the party!!

I'm working on a creative re-use project right now. The base is a green plastic bottle (lime juice) cut into grass shapes. The rest is... still in progress... but I expect there to be some recycled cardboard and maybe some other elements. Thanks for the giveaway -- I've been interested in this book ever since I first heard about it!

I used blanket ends from Pendleton Woolen Mills outlet to make a sewn rug. Kind of a craft fail, but it still has some promise. I just need to try a different technique.

Sound boring, but I've been saving tin cans (the kind you get canned tomatoes and veggies in). I cover the outside with some pretty scrapbooking paper. They are perfect for my preschooler to store her crayons, pencil colors, markers, pipe cleaners, etc in. It's in her favorite color and she can see all the art supplies available for her!

How exciting! Well, I tend to hold on to things in case I find a way to re-use them so hopefully I win this book and I can put my collection to work!

Sewing is my main form of creation and therefore my biggest way I re-use. I cut up old clothes that no longer fit me but I love the fabric of and most recently I started using old wool blankets as fabric for pouches and purses. As you can see here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/iHeartMonAmi

Thanks for sharing!

I used plastic bags as stuffing for spool-knitted mice "plushies."
Sophie

I made my 3 girls Christmas dresses out of a duvet cover.

I made an origami crane out of freecycled fabric scraps, stuffed it with felt scraps, sprayed it with my perfume, and tossed it into my husband's suitcase before he left for a business trip last week. :D

I have a couple of projects in the book and I haven't even seen it yet. It would be fun to win a copy here! Anyway, I upcycle decorative tins into jewelry every day.

I used two old map books, plain printer paper, and gluesticks to make a bunch of stationery. I bundled 'em in groups of eight, and put them in containers I made from old cereal boxes. My family's all over the place, and prestamped letter writing equipment is perfect for us for the winter gift-giving holidays.

I buy wool jackets at the thrift and reuse the wool for rug hooking and penny rug projects.

Debbie

We reused a salsa jar to make a vase. We took colored wire and flower beads to decorate it and will be giving it to a teacher at church :)

Ooooh, exciting looking book! I'm currently collecting yoghurt pots so the children who come to story time at the library where I work can make a yoghurt pot house village (tutorial from this fab little French blog http://julieadoredimanche.blogspot.com/2009/09/...)

I make softies and I'm always reusing old clothes and manchester, my recent fave is some screen printing that I'm doing onto very 1970s curtains... which will become cushion covers.

x.

I'm not very imaginative with my "reuse" ideas -- I covered a bargain bin notebook with gorgeous foiled scrapbook paper over the weekend, and keep grabbing the white plastic containers that my husband doesn't use from a packaged food item and using them to store inkpads and embellishments in my creative space.

I make keyrings out of old computer memory chips and tree ornaments from crushed cans.

I do love a giveaway...I've never won, but just the IDEA that I might just gets me going! I have felted old sweaters, but out some pretty cute little flowers and sewn them on a pretty little evening bag (black wool felt) in a "bunch" for a pop of color with a black dress...soooo fun!

I turned a cloth diaper into the base for my son's Bamm Bamm costume for halloween.

My most recent reuse project was some fantastic rusty barbed wire and an old barn board. Made a "Witch is in" sign with the barbed wire twisted into the shape of a witches hat, and the board hanging below with "The Witch Is In" stencilled in black paint.

I turned a handbag I crocheted and felted ( it didn't look like I wanted it to) into a sofa pillow!

I like to do reuse wrapping projects. I either transform gift bags to fit another occasion or use paper bags and scraps of paper for wrapping and tags.

I just recently started vending at craft shows, and needed some cool displays on the cheap... I had an old wooden fold-up dish rack laying around (it had been sponge-painted purple and white at some point in its past...icky). I disassembled it for the sections of connected dowels, found some nifty textured spray paint I liked, added hinges and feet (from my scrap/reuse bins), and...voila! The Super-Spiffy Earring Display! I don't know if anyone else was impressed, but I was pleased with myself!

I've used dated or broken jewelry to create new jewelry designs!

My latest recycling project is making coloring books for my 20 month old - I staple together scratch paper & he scribbles on it or sticks stickers all over the place for hours - gotta love free entertainment :)

I took a spice rack and used it for storing perfumes & toiletries in the bathroom.

I am splashing odds and ends of leftover paint all over a concrete floor in the basement to make it look less blech.

Took the unused pegboard in my porch storage area, painted it white, hung it up, and now it holds my pots, pans, and even has a hook for my aprons!

Does one I started and haven't finished count? I've got a beautiful vintage table cloth I've got marked to turn into a lovely tablecloth. It's twice as long as my table so I wouldn't ever be able to use it as it was intended.

I transformed a sturdy six bottle carton into a holder for pens, pencils and rulers. :) I would love to win this book!!!!!! Thank you!

With Christmas season coming soon, I've vowed to not use storebought wrapping paper, but to wrap all my gifts with recycled materials - newspapers, magazines, and even making my own resuable gift bags from fabric scraps. I love to paint patterns on newspaper and paper grocery bags to jazz them up a bit!

--Emma
http://emmanemhandmade.blogspot.com/

It's just a small thing, but I ripped open a yucky old stuffed animal that was too gross for any child to play with and reused the rattle inside for another toy I was making!

Oh my, what a lovely coincidence. A few minutes ago, I blogged my first ever pdf tutorial about reusing an Apple Magic Mouse box and the foam used for its shipping to transform it into a catsafe pincushion (I guess any other box will do, but it's really the shaped foam that gave me the idea, and the translucent box is so beautiful).

That book looks lovely !

I re-use coffeesacks on a daily basis, so this book really excites me! I'd love to be entered for the give-away! Your autograph is a sweet bonus!

I recently made a recycled coin purse out of junk mail and magazines! check it out here http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id...

Hello! i have just finished a new cushion from an old sweater, it was so fun :)

I have a nasty Blythe and Lati doll habit which I compensate for by most often making their clothes out of used "real people" clothes that I find at the thrift shop. I also love to make bags and things out of old t-shirts. :)

I re-use, recycle in my artwork all the time, so its nothing NEW to be doing it.
I LOVE taking apart old silk flowers & using them.