This is the fourth and final installment of the Scott Naturals 4-Week Test Drive post series. (If you missed previous weeks, learn more about the Scott Naturals 4-Week Test Drive, how to learn to green your outdoor play with the Scott Naturals Week 2 post or how to teach your kids to be green with the Scott Naturals Week 3 post.)
This week, let’s look at how you can upcycle your “trash” into art projects and treasures! (How much greener does it get?)
As a life-long pack-rat and wanna-be artist, this topic is the definition of my office/craft room. When it comes to art projects for kids, there is no need to go out and spend a lot of money on supplies and kits. All you really need are some basics and a little imagination. But the key to upcycled art projects is that you have to think ahead. You can’t just decide you want to make a project today, if you haven’t started gathering supplies. Here are some of my favorite things to upcycle into art:
- Toilet and Paper Towel tubes
- Empty Canisters (like formula and coffee can)
- Ribbon & Elastic Cording (from gifts, packages, etc)
- Tissue Paper (from gifts, store purchases, etc)
- Tissue Boxes
- Odd Socks
- Clothing (that is ripped and can’t be passed down)
Yes, it looks like a pile of trash. But with a little imagination… poof… a project to keep little hands busy and crafty!
Let’s look at a few of my favorite ideas for this “trash.” Toilet and paper towel tubes easily become telescopes, binoculars, a vase for “flowers,” and much more. Here is a project my daughter came home from school with this year. When they studied the nursery rhyme Jack be Nimble they created this “candle stick” to jump over.
Empty canisters make excellent drums. This adorable drum uses upcycled fabric, popsicle sticks and bottle caps too.
Oh I could go on and on… which might actually inspire me to start blogging about some of our crafts…ummmm.
The point is, that you can keep trash out of landfills by using things found around the house to create art and entertain your kids. A win-win.
For those who think they aren’t creative enough to come up with projects on their own, check out the book Scrap Kins Build-it Book or any of these other books about recycled crafts for ideas.
For the final time, I want to remind you about the Scott Naturals 4-Week Test Drive and encourage you to try swapping your household paper products with the new Scott Naturals paper products made out of recycled and sustainable fibers. Scott Naturals products are made with recycled fibers and sustainable materials instead of 100% virgin fibers, and if we all swapped our current products for Scott Naturals for four weeks we would save 2 million trees.
And remember, just for clicking this link to learn more about the 4-Week Test Drive (and hopefully sign up), Scott Naturals will donate $1 to the National Wildlife Foundation — now isn’t that worth a click? Oh, and you can grab some coupons while you are there.
Last week’s winner – Congrats to Terra H who won last week’s month supply of Scott Naturals.
WIN it – Finally, to help one reader take the 4-week test drive challenge, I am giving away a Scott Naturals prize pack that includes paper towels, napkins, toilet paper and flushable wipes.
Mandatory Entry – Tell me your favorite art project made from things around your house.
Additional Entires: (Must do the mandatory entry first)
- Take the 4-week test drive. (Remember, just for clicking that link $1 will be donated on your behalf to the National Wildlife Federation.)
- “Like” TheSuburbanMom on Facebook. (Already a do, that counts too, just leave a comment below.)
- Sign up for my newsletter. (You must confirm your subscription – thanks.)
- Follow TheSuburbanMom on Twitter (@SuburbanMomClub) and tweet about this giveaway. “Enter to win a #ScottNaturals Prize Pack and take the #ScottTestDrive and go green! #giveaway @SuburbanMomClub http://wp.me/pQHaE-32c”
- Comment on any other NON-giveaway post.
Contest ends May 9, 2011 at 11:59 pm. Open to U.S. residents in the continental U.S. only. Winning comment will be chosen at random by Random.org and contacted for shipping information. Winner will have 72 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
Disclosure – This post is sponsored by Scott Naturals and TheMotherhood, however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
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Erica C. says
May 3, 2011 at 2:47 pmWe made musical instruments from all kinds of stuff we found around the house…we had drums, a guitar, and a flute!
Erica Best says
May 4, 2011 at 4:24 ami love to use old paper towel holder to make cool stuff like pens holders
Erica Best says
May 4, 2011 at 4:24 ami Took the 4-week test drive.
Erica Best says
May 4, 2011 at 4:25 am“Like” TheSuburbanMom on Facebook
Erica Best says
May 4, 2011 at 4:26 amhttp://twitter.com/#!/purplelover04/status/65708735724658688
Gena says
May 4, 2011 at 11:53 amWe made bracelets from cutting around disposable cups and decorating them!
Gena says
May 4, 2011 at 11:54 amI took the 4-week test drive
Gena says
May 4, 2011 at 11:54 amI subscribe to your newsletter
Gena says
May 4, 2011 at 11:55 amI follow you on Twitter @GMERRELL and tweeted at http://twitter.com/GMERRELL/status/65821791855190016
Mary Elderton says
May 4, 2011 at 4:54 pmI made (and use daily!) a set of pantry cannisters from fabric covered plastic Folger’s coffee “cans.” They look nice, are shaped for easy handling, and seal and reseal nicely.
Mary Elderton says
May 4, 2011 at 4:55 pmI took the pledge!
Mary Elderton says
May 4, 2011 at 4:56 pmI’m an email subscriber
Mary Elderton says
May 4, 2011 at 4:57 pmI follow you on twitter as mbm218 and tweeted:
http://twitter.com/#!/mbm218/status/65897693934915584
Debbie C says
May 4, 2011 at 6:34 pmYou know those awful packing peanuts that get everywhere? You can help the kids string them together into necklaces, bracelets, garlands for decoration and such. They can be decorated with sequins or glitter if you want. The beauty is, you can still recycle them yet again as what they originally where… packing peanuts! Just put the strings of peanuts in the box and around the item.
dchrisg3 @ gmail . com
Tammy Darling says
May 4, 2011 at 8:54 pmMy kids made a model of the international space station with items like toilet paper tubes!
Tammy Darling says
May 4, 2011 at 8:55 pmI took the 4 week test drive!
Tammy Darling says
May 4, 2011 at 8:55 pmI like you on FB!
Janet F says
May 5, 2011 at 6:08 amWe decorated margarine containers and made them into trinket or jewelry holders.
janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com
Janet F says
May 5, 2011 at 6:09 amI took the 4-week test drive.
janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com
Janet F says
May 5, 2011 at 6:11 amI like TheSuburbanMom on FB – Janet Fri
janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com
Keely Hostetter says
May 5, 2011 at 9:13 amWell, I am not creative but my kids are and they make all kinds of things. Typically it is something made out of a paper towel roll- like a sword or toilet paper rolls like binoculars- which is probably my favorite.
Keely Hostetter says
May 5, 2011 at 9:14 amI like you on fb.
Keely Hostetter says
May 5, 2011 at 9:14 amI get your newsletter.
Keely Hostetter says
May 5, 2011 at 9:15 amfollowing on twitter and tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/hoss3111/status/66143893028212736
Keely Hostetter says
May 5, 2011 at 9:16 amtook the 4-week test drive.
Katie S. says
May 5, 2011 at 12:42 pmI made a pencil holder like 20 years ago for my mom from some boxes and papers and whatnot that she STILL uses. Its on her desk at work to this very day (and yes, I’ve seen it there recently, I don’t take her word for it 🙂 ).
Katie S. says
May 5, 2011 at 12:43 pmI pledged and forced Scott to donate on my behalf $1 to NWF!
Mindy Robinson says
May 5, 2011 at 1:25 pmMy son just made a truck out of old milk cartons, cans, and bottles for school…the wheels really moved! Everyone in his class thought it was awesome 🙂 I already subscribe to newsletter and like you on FB…no Twitter acct…
Erica Best says
May 5, 2011 at 10:52 pmhttp://twitter.com/#!/purplelover04/status/66321839693107200
Susan Smith says
May 6, 2011 at 10:59 amWe made a drum from a coffee can.
Susan Smith says
May 6, 2011 at 10:59 amhttp://twitter.com/#!/susan1215/status/66532311012872192
Susan Smith says
May 6, 2011 at 11:00 amLike you on FB Susan Smith
Susan Smith says
May 6, 2011 at 11:00 amI took the pledge
Julie L says
May 6, 2011 at 1:22 pmMy daughter takes popsicle sticks to make pix frames
thanks
Julie L says
May 6, 2011 at 1:24 pmtook the pledge
Julie L says
May 6, 2011 at 1:27 pmlike u on fb Julie S Laws
Julie L says
May 6, 2011 at 1:28 pmemail sub
Janet F says
May 6, 2011 at 3:54 pmI am email subscribed.
janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com
Marcy Strahan says
May 6, 2011 at 9:20 pmWe have made flowers out of paper towels & pipe cleaners that was my favorite. I love collect popcile sticks for art project too. Last sumer we made little bird houses.
Marcy Strahan says
May 6, 2011 at 9:27 pmfollow on twitter & tweeted
https://twitter.com/#!/ZESTYWONDERLAND/status/66690281923289088
Zestywonderland
Marcy Strahan says
May 6, 2011 at 9:29 pmLike” TheSuburbanMom on Facebook
Zesty Wonderland
Marcy Strahan says
May 6, 2011 at 9:31 pmI subscribe to newsletter!
Marcy Strahan says
May 6, 2011 at 9:33 pmClicked onthe link & Took the 4-week test drive
caryl says
May 6, 2011 at 10:04 pmI have made pillows from table cloths.
spcale at yahoo dot com.
caryl says
May 6, 2011 at 10:06 pmfollow and tweet http://twitter.com/#!/dresdenrain/status/66700134427267072
spcale at yahoo dot com
caryl says
May 6, 2011 at 10:07 pmlike on fb carol yerby lewis
spcale at yahoo dot com
caryl says
May 6, 2011 at 10:08 pm3.Sign up for my newsletter
caryl says
May 6, 2011 at 10:09 pm1.Take the 4-week test drive. I did.
spcale at yahoo dot com.
DanV says
May 6, 2011 at 10:16 pmMy favorite is paper snowflakes
DanV says
May 6, 2011 at 10:17 pmI Took the 4-week test drive.
Janet F says
May 7, 2011 at 2:27 pmI follow you on Twitter – Janetfaye
Tweet:
http://twitter.com/#!/Janetfaye/status/66947006421155841
janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com
JamericanSpice says
May 8, 2011 at 2:14 amHmm I’d say it’s our placemat. Just one 🙂 My kids made it with art and then I taped board and plastic over it to keep it. 🙂
Breanne says
May 8, 2011 at 8:14 amI liked fb, signed up for newsletter, and took the pledge, the favorite things that me and my daughters do is paint rocks and make jewelry out of noodles that we color and decorate.
Crystal K. says
May 8, 2011 at 5:55 pmI like decoupage using old items and paper to spruce them up into something new.
Crystal K. says
May 8, 2011 at 5:56 pmI took the test drive.
Crystal K. says
May 8, 2011 at 5:56 pmI like you on Facebook.
Crystal K. says
May 8, 2011 at 5:57 pmI like you on Twitter and tweeted!
http://twitter.com/ltl_lizzielou/status/67362416467509248
Jacob says
May 8, 2011 at 9:23 pmWe used some spare lumber and carpet we had around and made a kitty condo for our cats. I think it turned out pretty good!
Jacob says
May 8, 2011 at 9:23 pmI took the 4-week test drive
Jacob says
May 8, 2011 at 9:24 pmI like TheSuburbanMom on Facebook and my homepage is http://www.facebook.com/jacob.charries
Jacob says
May 8, 2011 at 9:26 pmI am signed up for your newsletter
Jacob says
May 8, 2011 at 9:27 pmI follow you on Twitter under the name JCHARRIES and tweeted at https://twitter.com/#!/JCHARRIES/status/67415373837910016
D Schmidt says
May 9, 2011 at 2:45 pmFavorite art project made with things from around the house cutting pictures out of magazine and creating collages.
[email protected]
D Schmidt says
May 9, 2011 at 2:46 pmLike you on Facebook
[email protected]
D Schmidt says
May 9, 2011 at 2:47 pmemail subscriber
[email protected]
D Schmidt says
May 9, 2011 at 2:47 pmFollower and tweeted
http://twitter.com/#!/mummytotwoboys1/status/67677187662295040
[email protected]
Lesley M. says
May 10, 2011 at 1:16 amThe kids love to make all kinds of things from paper towel and toilet paper tubes!
Lesley M. says
May 10, 2011 at 1:17 amI’m a Facebook fan!
Lesley M. says
May 10, 2011 at 1:18 amI took the pledge!
Kelly says
May 26, 2011 at 9:30 pmMy favorite thing to do is make wreaths with oat hangers.