Uses For Shredded Paper

https://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/recycling/blogs/uses-shredded-paper

1. Use it as packing material. It can cushion breakable, valuable items when you’re storing them or when you’re moving.

2. Put it in under kitty litter. Since cats like depth, it can add some depth to the litter box, meaning you’ll need to use less litter.

3. Loosely stuff it into empty toilet paper rolls or cut up paper towel rolls to make kindling or fire starters.

4. Make more paper. The video below shows how easy it is if you have the right tools. (Tip: In the video they use paper towels in the process, which would get thrown away after. Try using an old cotton scarf in place of the paper towels that can be washed and reused.)

5. Stuff it in an opaque vase to keep silk flower arrangements in place.

6. Donate it to an animal shelter where they can use it for bedding or litter, but call first to make sure they need it.

7. Use as filler for gift bags.

8. Use it as a layer of mulch under fill dirt, compost or other mulch. This works best with plain white paper or newspaper. Colored paper or paper that’s glossy won’t break down as easily.

9. Make paper clay. This video below demonstrates how to make DIY shredded paper clay that can be hand molded or used in molds.

10. If you don’t want to do anything with it, offer it on Freecycle or a Facebook neighborhood swap site. There may be others who may want it for any of the above reasons.

Make It For Thanksgiving…

Fall Decorating with Hurricane Vases | Amanda Jane Brown Thanksgiving Crafts, Thanksgiving Table, Fall Crafts, Thanksgiving Decorations, Fall Table, Christmas Decor, Holiday Decorations, Holiday Ideas, Hurricane Vase

 Place the candle in the empty hurricane, then begin pouring the beans in very slowly around the candle to the desired level.  Repeat layers with different beans.

The color combination possibilities are endless with so many rich fall colors to choose from!  Specialty grocery stores have self-serve bins of dried lentils that you can choose from, as well.  A white candle would be a beautiful contrast!
 The beans/corn are pretty enough to stand alone without the candle, like this “candy corn” display from last year at Halloween…

Tie a fun ribbon or let them stand alone!

DIY~ Fall Wreath

Pine Cone Wreath

Pine cones are the most inexpensive crafting material out there, and make beautiful additions to fall wreaths. You can pick up a few right in your own backyard!

Make the Wreath: Wrap a 16-inch wreath form with burlap ribbon and loop a piece around the wreath form for hanging. Paint the tip of 40 pine cones in fall colors such as orange, yellow, and beige with acrylic paint. Brush the tips of 10 pine cones with matte Mod Podge and sprinkle with gold and copper glitter. once dry, wrap an 18-inch length of floral wire around the base of each pine cone and twist tie around the wreath form to secure, layering and overlapping them as you go.

DIY~ Halloween Candy Wreath

halloween candy wreaths crafts

Make the Wreath: Gather an assortment of old-fashioned candies in autumnal shades such as yellow, orange, and magenta. Wrap a 14-inch foam wreath form in white ribbon. Attach candy with hot-glue, layering and overlapping as you go. Finish with a yellow burlap bow.

Paper Flowers~How To

How to Make Paper Flowers for Day of the Dead

Step-by-step instructions for making paper flowers for Day of the Dead. How to make paper flowers easy, how to make tissue paper flowers, Mexican paper flowers. #tissuepaperflowers #paperflowers #Mexicanpaperflowers #dayofthedead

Day of the Dead is coming up on Sunday and Monday. We set up our alter last weekend and are beginning to decorate it with candles, incense, and pictures of loved ones who have passed. Today I will place a little jar of salt on the alter to represent the earth and to cleanse the spirit. The final piece will be the colorful addition of large paper flowers.

Step-by-step instructions for making paper flowers for Day of the Dead. How to make paper flowers easy, how to make tissue paper flowers, Mexican paper flowers. #tissuepaperflowers #paperflowers #Mexicanpaperflowers #dayofthedead

In Mexico, enormous fresh marigolds in red, orange, and yellow are used to decorate the graves and alters but paper flowers are also popular and are often strung together to make elaborate garlands which are draped overhead and along the edges of the gravestones.

Step-by-step instructions for making paper flowers for Day of the Dead. How to make paper flowers easy, how to make tissue paper flowers, Mexican paper flowers. #tissuepaperflowers #paperflowers #Mexicanpaperflowers #dayofthedead

I am not, not, not a crafter so believe me when I tell you they are very simple to make. All you need is one package of colorful tissue paper and some pipe cleaners. 15 sheets of tissue paper and 15 pipe cleaners should make about 15 flowers.

Step-by-step instructions for making paper flowers for Day of the Dead. How to make paper flowers easy, how to make tissue paper flowers, Mexican paper flowers. #tissuepaperflowers #paperflowers #Mexicanpaperflowers #dayofthedead

Take one sheet of tissue paper and cut it in half, then cut that piece in half two more times until you have several sheets that are about 8-inches long x 4-inches wide. This doesn’t matter too much—the bigger the sheets, the larger the flowers. Stack 8 pieces of cut tissue paper together (you can use all the same color or multiple colors).

Step-by-step instructions for making paper flowers for Day of the Dead. How to make paper flowers easy, how to make tissue paper flowers, Mexican paper flowers. #tissuepaperflowers #paperflowers #Mexicanpaperflowers #dayofthedead

Starting on the short end make a 1/2-inch thick fold.

Step-by-step instructions for making paper flowers for Day of the Dead. How to make paper flowers easy, how to make tissue paper flowers, Mexican paper flowers. #tissuepaperflowers #paperflowers #Mexicanpaperflowers #dayofthedead

Flip the tissue paper over so the folded side is down and then take the folded piece up and fold it again so now the fold is on the top, like an accordion. I wonder how many times I can use the word fold in a sentence, hmmmm.

Step-by-step instructions for making paper flowers for Day of the Dead. How to make paper flowers easy, how to make tissue paper flowers, Mexican paper flowers. #tissuepaperflowers #paperflowers #Mexicanpaperflowers #dayofthedead

Keep working your way up, folding back and forth until all the tissue paper is folded.

Step-by-step instructions for making paper flowers for Day of the Dead. How to make paper flowers easy, how to make tissue paper flowers, Mexican paper flowers. #tissuepaperflowers #paperflowers #Mexicanpaperflowers #dayofthedead

Bend the pipe cleaner around the middle of the stack and twist to secure. This will be your stem.

Step-by-step instructions for making paper flowers for Day of the Dead. How to make paper flowers easy, how to make tissue paper flowers, Mexican paper flowers. #tissuepaperflowers #paperflowers #Mexicanpaperflowers #dayofthedead

Cut each edge, either in a triangular shape or rounded.

Step-by-step instructions for making paper flowers for Day of the Dead. How to make paper flowers easy, how to make tissue paper flowers, Mexican paper flowers. #tissuepaperflowers #paperflowers #Mexicanpaperflowers #dayofthedead
Step-by-step instructions for making paper flowers for Day of the Dead. How to make paper flowers easy, how to make tissue paper flowers, Mexican paper flowers. #tissuepaperflowers #paperflowers #Mexicanpaperflowers #dayofthedead

Then fan out the paper.

Step-by-step instructions for making paper flowers for Day of the Dead. How to make paper flowers easy, how to make tissue paper flowers, Mexican paper flowers. #tissuepaperflowers #paperflowers #Mexicanpaperflowers #dayofthedead

Now pull one layer of tissue paper at a time towards the middle, carefully peeling the pieces of paper apart to create a puffy flower.

Step-by-step instructions for making paper flowers for Day of the Dead. How to make paper flowers easy, how to make tissue paper flowers, Mexican paper flowers. #tissuepaperflowers #paperflowers #Mexicanpaperflowers #dayofthedead
Step-by-step instructions for making paper flowers for Day of the Dead. How to make paper flowers easy, how to make tissue paper flowers, Mexican paper flowers. #tissuepaperflowers #paperflowers #Mexicanpaperflowers #dayofthedead
Step-by-step instructions for making paper flowers for Day of the Dead. How to make paper flowers easy, how to make tissue paper flowers, Mexican paper flowers. #tissuepaperflowers #paperflowers #Mexicanpaperflowers #dayofthedead

Continue with the remaining pieces of tissue paper to make as many flowers as you like. You can even make gigantic ones to hang from the ceiling using full sheets of tissue paper.

Step-by-step instructions for making paper flowers for Day of the Dead. How to make paper flowers easy, how to make tissue paper flowers, Mexican paper flowers. #tissuepaperflowers #paperflowers #Mexicanpaperflowers #dayofthedead

For those of you celebrating Día de los Muertos, I hope your hearts are full of celebration this weekend. Cherish these days; share family stories, eat sweet yeasty bread, and leave a flower or two for those who can no longer walk with us on this earth, but who are waiting to show us the glorious world on the other side.

Key Holder~Upcycled Idea

Metal Door Plate Key Holder Old Metal Door Knob Plate & Skeleton Key…re-purposed into a funky wall key holder.

key holder

Upcycle Idea~Book shelves

8.) Making shelves out of old books.
http://www.viralnova.com/upcycled-products/

Making shelves out of old books.

    Upcycle Idea

    1.) Using an old ladder as a bookshelf.

    Using an old ladder as a bookshelf.

    If you don't have a spare ladder handy and would like this piece for yourself, visit the Naturally Cre8tive store on Etsy.
    http://www.viralnova.com/upcycled-products/