Reuse Plastic Bottles to create art with Crafty Caps

Crafty Caps from Quirky

Uncap your imagination!

Crafty Caps are fun, stackable screw-on paintbrush tips that are great for arts and crafts projects. Just grab a 20-oz plastic bottle, fill it with non-toxic water-based paint, screw on a Crafty Cap, and stamp out a masterpiece!

- Crafty Caps paint tips are made from porous felt material, similar to that of a marker. The tips can also be used as stamps, and designs include circular point, slanted line, heart, star, and double line.

- Each cap’s shell is made from durable ABS plastic, with a fun expression to match its shape.

Sold in sets of five caps. Uncap your imagination today!

42 Ways to Reuse Materials for Crafts

Paper

Junk Mail

Rolled Paper Beads

Homemade Paper

Newspapers

Comic-Wrapped Decorative Balls

Newspaper Beads

Papier-Mache

Greeting Cards

Gift Tin

Recycled Christmas Cards

Easy Recycled Christmas Ornament

Recycled Paper Ornaments

Magazines

Collage Frame

Decoupaged Accessories

Toilet Tubes

Napkin Rings

Calendars

Calendar Page Envelope

Metal

Aluminum Cans

Tin Can Luminaries

Tin Can Critters

Cookie/Snack Tins

Treasure Tins

Mint Tins (Altoids)

For You Gift Container

Plastic

Plastic Bottles

Cat Bottle Bank- Made from a 1-liter bottle!

Plastic Bottle Lid Art

Milk Bottle Cap Ornament

Pumpkin Luminaries- Made from 1-liter bottles

Jewel Cases (On CDs, Software, etc.)

Jewel Case Hanging Picture Frame

Continue reading 42 Ways to Reuse Materials for Crafts

How to Make a Jewelry Box out of Recycled Materials

How to Make a Jewelry Box out of Soda Bottles (by Melissa Howard)

Go Green Projects are a great way to organize your every day stuff.

Recycle your empty soda bottles or water bottles into whimsical, bright containers to give as gifts or to use for organizing the stuff around your home.

Supplies

Two empty, clean soda bottles
Heavy-duty scissors
Hot glue
Zipper
Trim
Wool felt

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Shoe Box – Pirate’s Treasure Box

(From Making Friends)

how to make a jewelry box

Save a shoe box with an attached top to make a treasure box for the pirate in your life.

You need:

Shoe Box with Attached Lid
Black Paint & Brush
Embossing Foil
Paper Fasteners
Skull Printable
Glue & Scissors

Instructions:

Paint the box black. Let dry. Cut strips of foil and glue on to box. Poke fasteners into the box for more decorations. Print skull. Cut out. Glue to box.

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How to reuse a shoe box and old jewelery to make a Gem Jewlry Box

(By Ziggity Zoom)

This is an easy craft made from a plain, recycled little jewelry box. Just paint and add some stick-on glittery gems or some glitter.

Need:

Small box
Paint
Brush
Stick-on gems or Glitter glue

What To Do:

Paint box and let dry. If you paint the top one color and the bottom a different color, this add to the overall look of the box.
Stick on gems or decorate with glitter glue.

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How to Recycle Old Candy Boxes to Make Unique Jewelry Boxes

( By Chantel Alise, eHow Contributing Writer)

Things You’ll Need:

Old candy box
White glue
Hot glue gun and glue
Fabric
Batting
Cardboard
Felt
Lace
Braid
Ribbon
Roping
Ruffling
Charms
Buttons
Artificial flowers

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Shoe Box
Pirate’s Treasure Box
Save a shoe box with an attached top to make a treasure box for the pirate in your life.You need:

Shoe Box with Attached Lid
Black Paint & Brush
Embossing Foil
Paper Fasteners
Skull Printable
Glue & Scissors

Instructions:

Paint the box black. Let dry. Cut strips of foil and glue on to box. Poke fasteners into the box for more decorations. Print skull. Cut out. Glue to box.

Green Games: Bottle Bowling

Reuse 2-liter Bottles for Fun Outdoor Game

To play, you need 10 empty plastic 2-liter soda bottles and a ball. Before you play you need to set up the game. Fill each bottle with two inches of water. Set the bottles up like bowling pins, with 1 bottle in the first row, 2 in the second row, 3 in the third row, and 4 in the fourth row. Make a line with masking tape about 15 feet away; this is where you’ll stand. Stand on the line and get ready to bowl. You get two tries on each turn. If you want, you can keep score. You get one point for every pin you knock down.

Whoever has the most points after five turns wins.

How to go green: Easy Homemade Paint Project

Green Projects: Rainwater Color Paints

Reuse bottles, collect rain water and mix together a few household items to make your own watercolor paints.

Petal Drops - Recuse plastic bottles to collect your rain water:

Rainbow Water Colors Project for Adults and Kids

What you need:

1/4 cup of water or rainwater
Liquid food coloring
3 teaspoons of light corn syrup
6 tablespoons of cornstarch
6 tablespoons of baking soda
3 tablespoons of Vinegar

Combining the rainwater, cornstarch, baking soda, vinegar, and corn syrup in a bottle. It will fizz and foam at first, but when the mixture stops foaming and fizzing it can be separated into small containers to create various colors. Add as much food coloring as necessary to create the colors you want in the separate bottles, and have fun mixing the food coloring to create a rainbow of paints. Allow the finished paints to dry completely, or cover the containers to keep them moist.

Berry Cool Recipe

Also check out:

Crafty Caps – Brushes that fit any standard plastic bottle. Going into presales soon!

15 Awesome Paper Roll Crafts

How to reuse toilet paper rolls.

1. Gardening / Seed Starters: (From: Yougrowgirl.com) Cut the tubes and make small planters out of them for your seedlings, then transfer them to your garden – cardboard tube and all.

2. Scrunchee / Bracelette organizer: Take a cardboard tube and color it with bright shades.Use it to put your scrunchies, bangles and bracelets. Just slide them over the roll.This will keep them in one place and easy to retrieve.

3. Custom Bracelets: (From Whipup.net): This is a very simple, creative recycling project children love. They are very quick to make and are fun for kids of all ages. The best part is they’re made with bits most of us have around the house. Warning: this does require diving into the recycling bin.

4. Holiday lights & Cord keeper: Roll your electrical cords up, pop them into a tube, and you’ve got a cheap and easy cord keeper.

5. Presents / Gift Wrapping: (from about.com) Cut a piece of fabric big enough to cover the toilet paper roll and have a couple of inches hanging over each end of the tube. Wrap the fabric around the toilet paper roll and glue in place. Tie (in a bow) one overhung end of the fabric with 3 – 4 different colored ribbons. Fill the fabric covered tube with trinkets, candy, and confetti. Tie the open end up with the ribbons. Place sticker on the tube.

6. Bowling Game: Make 5 tp roll crafts (any theme) and arrange them like bowling pins, use a tennis ball to bowl them down. This makes a fun theme game at a party.

7. Desk Organizing: Glue a 2″ circle made from cardboard or craft foam to the bottom of a tp roll craft to make cute little pencil holders.

8. Easter Egg Holder: Cut a 2″ circle, place egg and decorate.

9. Puppets: Add a popsicle stick handle to the tp roll crafts to make a puppet.

10. Personalized paper napkin rings: Paint first, then cut. Great for birthday parties.

11. Plastic bag storage: Shove a few plastic shopping bags in and take them with you. Great for dog owners.

12. Binoculars: (from about.com): Paint both cardboard toilet paper rolls. Set them aside to dry. Cut a piece of lightweight cardboard2″ x 6″. Paint it and set it aside to dry. Once all of the paint is dry, place a line of glue down both long ends of the 2″ x 6″ piece of cardboard. Set the toilet paper rolls down on the glue, let the glue dry.

13. Jelly bean basket: (from about.com) Cut the toilet tissue roll in half so you have 2 circles. Cover one of the openings with construction paper and tape it securely in place. Cut a strip of construction paper to cover the outside of the toilet tissue roll. Tape it in place. Use a hole punch and make 2 holes near the open hole of the toilet tissue roll. Make sure the holes are directly across from each other. Thread one end of the chenille stem through one hole and then thread the other end through the other hole. Fold the ends up to make the handle. Fill your mini basket with shredded paper or Easter grass. This basket is the perfect size for jelly beans!

14. Paper Christmas Tree (from about.com): This simple Christmas tree is a great project for the holidays to keep the kids busy. Imagine a forest of a centerpiece or add tags for place settings.

15. Eye Glasses Holder: Not just shappy ones. Check out this cool project from the Washington Post that requires yarn and a tolietpaper roll.

How to reuse plastic yoguart containers

Yogurt Cup Felt Animals

“So, here’s what I did with a few of the yogurt cups we saved! I am saving some of the others for containers for paint, and collage pieces just as you suggested with your comments. But I want to do something that actually used the cup in the art! Aren’t they adorable? I made the kitten first and did not take photos (silly me!), so we made a puppy to show you how to make one yourself! The kids helped with all the gluing. But this would be a blast with older kids, ad they could probably design and create their own!”

Full Directions

How to Reuse Styrofoam

Styrofoam Clamshells from restaurants.

From Ehow.com

Weed Barrier for walkways: Mosaic of clamshells with rocks before covering with fill gravel and dirt.

Packing Styrofoam

From Earth911

Crafts abound - Remember those Styrofoam molds that you used to make wreaths as a kid? Well, you could use that leftover Styrofoam that came with your new DVD player to do the same thing. To get your creative juices flowing, check out Dow Company’s Web site dedicated to Styrofoam product use.
Foundations – Along the same lines, utilize those Styrofoam pieces to keep center pieces upright, line planters or elevate trinkets on display. Think back to your school days and solar systems made of Styrofoam. You can stick pretty much anything in it. Go crazy!
Glue – This one isn’t a promise on our part, but is too intriguing to pass up: Check out tip #4 from this WikiHow page. Our minds are still a bit blown from this one.

Crafts abound - Remember those Styrofoam molds that you used to make wreaths as a kid? Well, you could use that leftover Styrofoam that came with your new DVD player to do the same thing. To get your creative juices flowing, check out Dow Company’s Web site dedicated to Styrofoam product use.

Foundations – Along the same lines, utilize those Styrofoam pieces to keep center pieces upright, line planters or elevate trinkets on display. Think back to your school days and solar systems made of Styrofoam. You can stick pretty much anything in it. Go crazy!

Glue – This one isn’t a promise on our part, but is too intriguing to pass up: Check out tip #4 from this WikiHow page. Our minds are still a bit blown from this one.

Bean bag chair re-stuffing – Though it may seem like a blast from the past, the bean bag chair is still alive and kicking. As anyone who has unknowingly plopped down in a not-so-stuffed one can tell you, they can need some refreshing every now and then. Pass on the “beans” and go for some packing peanuts.

Pet beds – Got an old pillow cover? Fill it will these little puffed treasures and make a cozy new bed for your pups or kitties.

Chandeliers - The complexity and skill level on this one can range, but when done to the level that Mollie Dash and her boyfriend Bryan did it, it’s quite a sight!

Curtains, strings and other things – Classic garland or newfangled strung curtains can easily be the fate of packing peanuts especially when a little paint and a dash of glitter is involved. Though this one is pretty self-explanatory, Danny Seo takes it beyond just packing peanuts and gives more tips on eco-decorating for the events and holidays in general.

Perfect Possibilities: Packing Peanuts

These little puffs of air and plastic can jump-start your next big reuse idea! Photo: Alex Flury, Wikimedia

Bean bag chair stuffing – Though it may seem like a blast from the past, the bean bag chair is still alive and kicking. As anyone who has unknowingly plopped down in a not-so-stuffed one can tell you, they can need some refreshing every now and then. Pass on the “beans” and go for some packing peanuts.

Pet beds – Got an old pillow cover? Fill it will these little puffed treasures and make a cozy new bed for your pups or kitties.

Chandeliers - The complexity and skill level on this one can range, but when done to the level that Mollie Dash and her boyfriend Bryan did it, it’s quite a sight!

Nice Jugs: Super Scoops

Turn a milk jug into a practical home storage and shoveling device.

Super Scoops

This artistic project helps tame clutter instead of adding to it

by Deborah Way
These decoupaged milk jugs are great for transporting toys, dumping them on the ground, and scooping them up again when playtime is done. Make a waterproof version by cutting drainage holes in the bottom and decorating the jug with permanent markers; it’s perfect for skimming toys from the bathtub.

How to reuse plastic bottle caps

Plastic Caps: (Surfrider Org) Caps are the new Butts!

Plastic bottle caps are quickly eclipsing cigarette butts as the number one item found on the world’s beaches. In New Jersey, Surfrider Foundation volunteers Dave Storch, Derek Riddle, & Joe Mairo saved all the caps found on recent beach sweeps run by Clean Ocean Action. Clean Ocean Action volunteers saved all the caps from their Sandy Hook sweeps, (the mother load) and in total over 4000 caps were collected in just 3 hours. Aveda parent company Estee Lauder has arranged to pick up the caps and have them recycled with the ones collected by their salons.

Cooking: Use them to mix together and present different seasonings.

Bottle Cap Bracelet – Make a bottle cap bracelet

Bottle Beings Bottle Cap Craft – Raid your recycling bin and scare up a cast of extraterrestrial characters.

Bottle Cap Necklace Craft – Bottle cap art is the coolest trend around! Make a necklace from the cap of your favorite soft drink.

Bottle Cap Flower Magnet Craft – Once you have finished the flower design, perhaps you might try a Christmas tree shape or a school bus, as shown below, or perhaps you can think of another design of your own.

Bottle Cap Tambourines - Make and shake these tambourines that are popular in Brazil and Africa.

Bottle Cap Lady Bug Craft – What a cute lady bug crawling up the plant leaf. This project is not only fun but is also a good way for kids to recycle bottle caps that may have otherwise landed in the rubbish bin. Perhaps kids can create a set of these as table decorations for a spring fest, use them to decorate packages or cards or even create other types of bugs to compliment this bug.

Bottle-Cap Christmas Trees Craft – Once a week for the next six weeks we’ll be offering up ways for you to build in family time, have some fun and personalize your holiday season with family-friendly crafts, eats and adventures.

Bottle Cap Lady Bugs – Make your very own ladybug family out of plastic bottle caps, paint and pom-poms!

Brooches to Brag About - Who needs to show off diamonds when you’ve got heirloom jewels like these?

Crafty Crocodile (Crocodilus crafticus) Craft – Create this cool and crafty crocodile for a fun and creative craft.

DIY Bottle Cap Magnets – Learn how to make these bottle cap magnets.

Fake Snake - If your child is voracious for vipers, try making this recycled bottle caps reptile.

Flower Bottle Cap Coasters Craft - Whether you are looking for something to make for Mother’s Day or want them for yourself, these bright and cheery flowers will make someone happy.

Gotta Make It : Bottle Cap Photo Magnets – I’ve got tons of bottle caps…not because my son is always making me want to drink, but because nothing beats a nice cold beer. I’ve been saving the bottle caps in a jar just waiting for the right project. The other day I ran out of refrigerator magnets for all the beautiful works of art from the Little Man, so I decided it was time to put those bottle caps to use.

How to Recycle Metal Bottle Caps with Crafts, Games, and Other Activities – Don’t throw your bottle caps away. There are many ways you can recycle them, and have fun doing it. Be creative and try a few of these ideas.

How to Make a Bottle Cap Pendant – A pile of bottle caps!A cool item I’ve seen around craft fairs lately is bottle cap jewelry. It’s really simple to create. It can be time-consuming, though, especially if you’re an instant-gratification crafter like me.

Make a Bottle Cap Snake – Make long snakes, short snakes, or use your imagination to make other bottle cap creatures – crabs, ladybugs, centipedes – just by adding chenille stem legs or antenae. You’ll soon have a menagerie of handmade toys that will provide hours of fun for your young ones.

Message Center Craft – Get the message across with a repurposed cookie shee and bottle caps.

Milk Bottle Cap Ornament Craft – Learn how to make these milk bottle caps ornaments craft.

Plastic Elephant (Elephas plasticus) Craft – This pretty little plastic elephant will be great fun to create.

Pumpkin Magnet – Make a small pumpkin refridgerator magnet.

How2Reuse