09 Recycled Crafts for Earth Day, Party 1: Desk Accessories

We’re treating you to over fifty brand-new recycled crafts in honour of Earth Day, which falls on April 22. To commemorate the day, try these enjoyable activities and do-it-yourself crafts with eco-friendly designs and recycled materials.

Recycled materials are trendy and allow for unrestricted experimentation, which typically yields better results.

Additionally, it’s preferable to use recycled materials for some of the items we’re going to show you rather than new ones because they simply wouldn’t have the same “look” or “warm and fuzzy feeling” that comes from creating something lovely and helping the environment at the same time.

1. Origami heart: Instructions

Sure, here are step-by-step instructions to make an origami heart:

Step 1: Start with a square piece of paper. If you don’t have a square paper, fold a rectangular piece diagonally from one corner to create a square, and then trim off the excess.

Step 2: Fold the square in half diagonally to form a triangle. Crease well,, and then unfold.

Step 3: Fold the top corners of the triangle down to the center crease to create a diamond shape.

Step 4: Fold the bottom point of the diamond up to the top point, aligning it with the center crease. Crease well.

Step 5: Fold the left and right corners of the top layer down to meet the bottom point of the diamond. Crease well.

Step 6: Fold the outer edges of the paper in towards the center crease. This will create the heart shape.

Step 7: Flip the paper over and repeat step 6 on the other side.

Step 8: Finally, unfold the flaps slightly to give the heart shape more dimension.

And there you have it! A lovely origami heart. You can adjust the folds and proportions to make it bigger or smaller as desired.

2. Personalized Desk Calendar

Personalised desk calendar produced at home using recycled paper. This one is brimming with “shakti!” Art need not always have a highly polished appearance. as long as creating it was enjoyable and intimate.

3. Cutest picture Frames made from Recycled Magazines

Materials Needed:

1. Old magazines
2. Scissors
3. Glue or adhesive tape
4. Cardboard or thick paper (for the base)
5. Photos or pictures to frame

Instructions:

1. Select Magazine Pages: Choose colorful magazine pages with interesting patterns or designs. You can also choose pages with images or text that you like.
2. Cut Strips: Carefully tear or cut the magazine pages into long strips, about 1-2 inches wide. The length of the strips will depend on the size of the frame you want to make.
3. Roll the Strips: Take one strip and start rolling it tightly from one end to the other. This will form a tight coil. Repeat this process with several strips until you have enough coils to cover the entire frame.
4. Form the Frame: Take a piece of cardboard or thick paper and cut it into the desired shape and size for your frame. You can make square, rectangular, or even heart-shaped frames.
5. Glue or Tape the Coils: Start gluing or taping the coils onto the cardboard base, arranging them in a pattern or design of your choice. You can overlap the coils or leave small gaps between them for a different look.
6. Create the Border: Continue adding coils until the entire cardboard base is covered. Make sure to leave a space in the middle for your photo or picture.
7. Attach the Photo: Once the frame is complete, use glue or tape to attach your photo or picture to the center of the frame. You can also add a piece of clear plastic or acetate over the photo to protect it.
8. Add a Stand (Optional): If you want your frame to stand upright, you can attach a small stand to the back using glue or tape. Alternatively, you can attach a piece of string or ribbon to the back of the frame for hanging.

And there you have it! A cute picture frame made from recycled magazines. Experiment with different colors and patterns to create unique designs.

4. Recycled Frame Noticeboard

Notification boards are necessary in every space, including the kitchen, mud room, office, and children’s study area. So why not form a partnership? This page contains multiple how-to guides for creating different kinds of boards.

5. Recycled Paper Boxes

Making recycled paper boxes is a great way to reuse materials and create something useful. Here’s a simple guide on how to make them:

Materials Needed:

1. Old newspapers, magazines, or any other paper you want to recycle
2. Scissors or paper cutter
3. Ruler
4. Pencil
5. Glue or adhesive tape

Instructions:

1. Prepare Your Paper: Gather your old newspapers, magazines, or any other paper you want to recycle. Flatten the paper and cut it into square sheets. The size of the square will determine the size of your box. For example, if you want to make a small box, you can cut a 6×6 inch square.
2. Create Fold Lines: Using a ruler and pencil, mark the center of each side of the square. Then draw lines from each corner to the center point to create an “X” shape. These lines will serve as guides for folding.
3. Fold the Corners: Fold each corner of the square towards the center point where the lines intersect. Crease the folds well to make them crisp.
4. Fold the Edges: Fold each side of the square up along the fold lines you drew earlier. This will create the sides of the box.
5. Secure the Corners: Apply glue or use adhesive tape to secure the folded corners together. Press firmly to ensure they stick together securely.
6. Fold the Flaps: Fold the remaining flaps on each side of the box inward to create the top of the box. You can tuck them inside the box or leave them slightly overlapping the edges for a decorative touch.
7. Secure the Flaps: Apply glue or adhesive tape to the flaps to secure them in place. Press down firmly to ensure they stick properly.
8. Optional Decoration: If you like, you can decorate your paper box further by adding stickers, drawings, or painting it. Let your creativity shine!
9. Repeat: Repeat the process to make more boxes using the remaining paper.
10. Use and Enjoy: Once your boxes are complete, you can use them to store small items, as gift boxes, or for any other purpose you can think of.

By following these steps, you can easily create recycled paper boxes from old newspapers, magazines, or other paper materials. It’s a fun and eco-friendly craft project that can also be useful around the house.

6. Round Recycled Paper Boxes

Here’s a free, well-illustrated guide on creating recycled paper circular desk accessories boxes:

Create Decorative Round Boxes with Rolled Magazine Paper Using This Easy, Free Tutorial

7. Decoupaged Desk Organiser

This is a free, well-illustrated tutorial that shows you how to recycle leftover paper and cardboard to create an artistic desk organiser that has been decoupaged with leftover paper.

8. Business Card holders

These chic recycled business card holders were made possible by several vintage trade magazines and sewing machines.

9. Jar lid photo frame

Creating a photo frame using a jar lid is a creative and eco-friendly way to repurpose materials. Here’s a simple guide to making one:

Materials Needed:

1. Jar lid (from a mason jar or any other type of jar)
2. Cardboard or thick paper
3. Scissors
4. Glue or adhesive
5. Decorative materials (such as paint, markers, ribbon, beads, etc.)
6. Your favorite photo

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Jar Lid: Clean the jar lid thoroughly and ensure it’s dry before you start crafting.
2. Cut the Backing: Cut a piece of cardboard or thick paper slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the jar lid. This will serve as the backing for your photo.
3. Attach the Photo: Place your favorite photo on the cardboard backing and trace around it. Cut out the photo along the traced lines. Make sure the photo fits nicely within the inner circle of the jar lid.
4. Decorate the Jar Lid: Decorate the outer rim of the jar lid using paint, markers, or any other decorative materials you have on hand. Get creative and personalize it to your liking.
5. Attach the Photo: Apply glue or adhesive to the back of the photo and carefully place it onto the center of the cardboard backing.
6. Secure the Backing: Apply glue or adhesive to the back of the cardboard backing and carefully place it into the inner part of the jar lid. Press down firmly to ensure it’s secure.
7. Add Finishing Touches: If desired, add additional decorations around the photo or on the lid itself to enhance its appearance.
8. Allow to Dry: Let the glue or adhesive dry completely before handling the frame.
9. Display Your Frame: Once dry, your jar lid photo frame is ready to be displayed! You can prop it up on a shelf or table, or even hang it on the wall using a small adhesive hook.

This DIY project not only creates a unique and personalized photo frame but also gives a new life to an old jar lid, reducing waste and adding a touch of charm to your home decor.