October Reuse-It Item: Crayons

The Reuse Centre accepts crayons of all shapes, sizes, and colours. We'll take them new, used, and even broken! This month, our blogger volunteers have come up with a list of great ways to use up those old crayon stubs and pieces, that might not be great for colouring anymore.

This box of nearly-new crayons was donated to the Reuse Centre!

Michelle

Do you love Play-Doh®? I love Play-Doh®!

Here is an easy tutorial you can follow to make Play-Doh®-style putty at home, in all the colours of the rainbow.

All you need are crayon pieces and a couple of common kitchen ingredients to make this simple recipe. It's perfect for playing!

Get the tutorial at sugaraunts.com.

Nichole

I loved to colour when I was a kid, but as soon as the crayons became too short for me to sharpen I would always just toss them away. This craft uses all of the crayon nubbins earmarked for the garbage bin, and makes unique ornaments that you could use on your Christmas tree, or as that pop of colour in your home decorating!

The instructions, from the blog Living, Loving, Laughing & Creating Everyday, seem pretty simple: take the top off of a clear ornament ball, place a few crayon pieces inside, put the top back on and heat gently with a hair dryer until the pieces melt, swirling so the wax spreads around. Be careful - it sounds like it could get a little hot, but the results are worth it!

Tamara

Crayons are lots of fun, but when they inevitably get broken and stubby, what can you do with them? A practical reuse idea for crayons is to make a candle out of the pieces.

Other than soy wax (unless you're already a candle maker extraordinaire), chances are you already have most of the items you need at home. Check out the full instructions here.

Who doesn't love candles? They're so colorful, too! Enjoy!

Siao

The days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer, so let's brighten up the place with colour and illumination!  This is a simple idea, with great results. Use leftover crayons to scribble on white paper bags. To melt the crayon, set a piece of parchment paper on top of the bag and iron it. This blends and swirls the colours.  

Punch holes throughout the paper bag to allow more light to flow, and then place a small tea light candle inside a plastic cup or glass holder inside the paper bags. If you're concerned about fire safety, you could also use a battery powered faux candle.

Get the full set of instructions at Aunt Peaches.

RuthAnn

My good friend Patti received this lovely handmade picture, made with crayons, for her birthday.

Make your own gorgeous artwork by melting crayons!
Image provided by RuthAnn.

Here's how her friend, Tammi, made it!

Materials needed:
Canvas
Crayons (this project used the equivalent of two boxes)
GOOP® (or another industrial adhesive; glue does not work)
Hair dryer

Set the canvas up at the angle you want your colours to run. The process is messy, so be sure to put a drop cloth underneath your project.

Use the GOOP® to adhere the crayons to the top of the canvas. You can peel the labels off of the crayons if you want to, but it's not necessary. Use the hair dryer to melt the crayons. It takes a few minutes to get going, but once they start to drip, it goes quickly. Angle the hairdryer in the directions that you want the wax to run, to blend colours.

Choose the image you want for your silhouette. For this project, Tammi combined two images (Eeyore and an umbrella). Glue your image to black card stock, trace, and cut it out. Remember that your image will be reversed when completed, since you flip it over to use the black side. Before sticking it down, make sure it is facing the way you want the final product to appear. Use goop to adhere the image to the canvas, and voila!

December Reuse-It Item: Cardboard Tubes

Here at the Reuse Centre, we take paper towel and wrapping paper tubes. We all remember loving these tubes as kids - who hasn't made a makeshift telescope, or a sword to do battle siblings and friends? But we wanted to share some other ideas this month, for kids and adults alike!

Sarah 

I love these paper towel roll bird feeders from Pocketful of Dreams. They're quick, easy, and a great way to help out our feathered friends stay fed in the coming winter.

You could also attach a piece of string or wire to hang these upright, and poke popsicle sticks or twigs through the cardboard to make perches for the birds.


RuthAnn

I’m so inspired by all of the holiday crafts you can make with cardboard tubes—even something as simple as decorating tubes and using them as gift containers. Check out the tutorial from Factory Direct Craft.

But the project that really caught my eye was this DIY scarf holder from Instructables. This one requires slightly heavier-duty cardboard tubes (along with some leftover wrapping paper and ribbon), but what a fun way to customize your fashion accessory storage!

Emma

How adorable is this?

With the arrival of a blanket of snow I'm on fast forward to Christmas. Being from England I miss our iconic post boxes and decided to whip up this miniature British post box for my family to play with.

I used two toilet rolls, felt, glue, and even the miniature letters and parcels were made from reused scraps of Christmas card envelopes and brown paper.

Tamara

If you're like me, and love any sort of decorations involving plants and flowers, check out this cool DIY from paper towel or toilet paper rolls! All you need in addition are some paint colours of your choice, glue, and some basic craft supplies. Not only does it look cheery but you can also choose a colour scheme to match your existing decorations. Enjoy!

Visit Imperfectly Perfect for the full directions.


What are your favourite ways to reuse cardboard rolls? Share your ideas with us in the comments!

-Reuse Centre Volunteer Blogger Team

November Reuse-it item: Wire Hangers

Got lots of metal hangers? Well the following blog post will take you through several reusing ideas including a yard project, some easy Christmas accents, a gorilla and creative household art. Share your ideas below, we would love to hear them!

RuthAnn

One of my fondest memories of my childhood is receiving custom-made, hand-wrapped wire hangers from my dad’s cousins. I still have them and I still love them. The woven covering over the wire prevents clothes from sliding off and is gentle on more delicate fabrics. The Crafty Gardener’s how-to creates a very similar finished product.

But there are so many other ways to repurpose wire hangers into other things, like this great candy wreath idea from livecrafteat.com (left) Visit the website for step-by-step pictorial instructions.

I’m also pretty impressed by this dining room pendant light fixture made out of wire hangers (bottom right), from Miriam Zink Product Design. It’s certainly creative!

Lana 

Winter's only just started,and I'm already dreaming about summer and being back in the garden.  Upcycled Design Lab keeps me busy and hopeful with their Upcycled Wire Hanger Garden Edging project.  A cage version should work wonders for my tomatoes and peonies.

Tamara

The holidays are fast approaching! I have found that my favourite kind of Christmas decorations are the ones that are homemade. Here is a great project to try with wire hangers; twist wire hangers together to make a Christmas tree shape, and thread a strand of lights or garland through them. Not only does it create a nice home for all those extra wire hangers that you don't use anymore, but it looks awesome and is super festive!

Sarah

I have several cheap, misshapen wire hangers at home - you know, the kind that bend way too easily from the weight of heavy coats? I think that the very thing that makes them terrible hangers will make them great for re-purposing into wall art! Check out Beth's Lemonade for instructions.

Emma

Amazing Scottish Artist David Mach uses metal hangers for enormous sculptures that are worked around plastic moulds which are then removed, I can't seem to copy a picture from his site, I understand why they would protect the images but they are huge and breathtaking, ranging from this Gorilla to a depiction of Christ's crucifixion.

- Reuse Centre Blogger Team (Staff and Volunteers)