5 Upcycling Tutorials Using Various Materials

As my mum keeps telling me, 'upcycling' has been around for years (even though 'back then we didn't call it upcycling, it was just something we had to do', usually followed by how lucky me and brother were when we were children!). Now though the emphasis is on creativity as well as necessity and there are lots of great ideas out there about how to upcycle.

Paper is my favourite material to work with, but here are some other wonderful ways to re-use and upcycle...

Pencils

This tutorial from Design Mom shows you how to create this fun and colourful jewellery from old pencils. Perfect for using up those last bits of pencil crayons that are too short to get in the pencil sharpener! 
 

 

Tin Cans

There are always plenty of tin cans around, but instead of putting them in the recycling bin what about making a colourful bird feeder for your garden? This tutorial can be found at We Made That.

Zips

A fashionable idea for when a zip on a garment breaks - turn it into a ring! Useful DIY shows you how.

Toy Animals

A very clever (and fun way) to use toy plastic animals from Thinking Closet. One they've finished been played with you can turn them into place card holders. They could also be used as note or photo holders too. I'd try to match the animal to the guest!

  

Glass Jars

There are lots of great ideas around for using old Mason jars but I particularly love this one from All Things Heart and Home. Here a string of LED lights are used to make a chandelier effect.

Now I've got my inspirations I'm off to rummage through some things that would be otherwise thrown away and get making!