Sporterbumi, teaches you how to make a recycled bag from a newspaper. You need two sheets of newspaper, preferably a large one, a stapler and a ballpoint pen. Also get two thick pieces of card stock with two holes, 8 centimeters apart. Lastly, you will need 2 pieces of 40 cent ...more
You don't have to own a Cricut, several volumes of themed scrapbooking paper, pinking shears, and ribbons in each color of the rainbow to call yourself a crafter. More complicated crafts do call for this kind of deep and expensive preparation, but the craft presented in this v ...more
In this tutorial, we learn how to recycle plastic grocery bags into a dog leash. To begin, you will cut the plastic bags in half, then cut off the handles of the bags. Next, apply glue to the entire bag, then roll up into a straight line. Continue to do this for several differ ...more
The helpful folks over at Threadbanger take today to teach us how to make a tote bag. And not just any tote bag, but one made from recycled material. It's stylish, environmentally conscious, and...actually that's it. Just those two things.
What You Need: 6-9 empty chip bags Dish soap Scissors Duct Tape The rest is self-explanatory. Collect 6-9 large chip bags. Wash bags with soapy water & hang or hand dry. Cut bags along the welded seams and lay flat. Line bags end to end and side to side. It can be three ...more
Craft projects are a great way to recycle household items and clothes. Learn how to make three recycled crafts, a beach bag, a puzzle and a hat, in this free arts video series. Part 1 of 16 - How to Make a recycled beach bag,puzzle & hat. Make a recycled beach bag,puzzle & hat ...more
In Japan, kanzashi are hair ornaments, often in a floral or jeweled style, which adorn traditional female Japanese hairstyles. These are gorgeous long pins with a special adornment attached at the end. Kanzashi are what inspire this tutorial's messenger bag, which is similarl ...more
This week's episode of "The Discount Trendsetter Show" will show you how to recycle an old handbag for under $5.00. This revamp works just as well with an old duffel bag. This cheap project will show you how to renovate something old into a trendy, but simple mail carrier styl ...more
You don't have to spend a fortune on expensive gift wrapping when the means to make them yourself are right at home! This tutorial shows you how to take a collection of old envelopes and recycle them into fun and cute gift bags for small holiday gifts.
This makes a great gift for anyone who is into recycled crafts. Start with a lightweight scarf you don't use anymore (square or rectangular) and some cording or ribbon, and then follow this quick sewing tutorial to transform it into an eco-friendly produce bag.
Plastic shopping bags are on the verge of extinction with states threatening plastic bag bans. California has already approved a ban, taking effect in 2012, and other states are proposing the same ban, including Oregon. Which is all the more reason to recycle those plastic ba ...more
Storing your groceries or recent purchases from Target in the provided plastic bags may be convenient, but think of how many people use these non-biodegradable plastic bags and then toss them every day and every year. Help clean up the environment by making reusuable tote bags ...more
Plastic bags may be banned from retail stores in some cities, like Santa Monica, Seattle, and San Fransisco, and will be banned in Los Angeles shortly, but we still use billions of them every year. What else are we going to use for throwing away cat litter or picking up dog po ...more
Do you have an old pair of jeans that you don’t want to throw away but aren’t sure what to do with? Learn how to make a handbag, a pocket purse and a tote bag from recycled jeans in this free fashion video series. Part 1 of 24 - How to Make handbags and carryalls from recycled ...more
It’s called Urophagia—the art of consuming urine. There could be any number of reasons for having the desire to drink your own urine (or somebody else’s). There’s the so-called term “urine therapy,” which uses human urine as an alternative medicine. In urine therapy, or uropat ...more
It's been done for ages, but for most of us, "regift" entered our vocabulary after the 98th episode of Seinfeld—"The Label Maker." In this episode, Elaine calls Dr. Whatley (played by Bryan Cranston) a "regifter" after he gives Jerry a label maker—the same label maker that Ela ...more
In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to gift wrap using recycled material. The materials need for this project are: a potato, large paper bag, tape, ribbon and paint. Begin by cutting the potato in half and draw a simple shape onto the sliced surface of the potato. Then c ...more
We all have a bag of old clothes somewhere, or old clothes lying randomly around the closet. You know, the t-shirt that's too ratty or that dress you got from Ann Taylor that looked perfectly in season a few years ago but now you can't bring yourself to wear anywhere. While y ...more
You don't need to spend mad amounts of money to carry a chic purse. While every gal covets her Dior satchel and Chanel quilted purse, toting around a bag you made yourself speaks volumnes about your ingenuity and individuality. Watch this video to learn how to put together a ...more
This week, Etsy How-Tuesday presents Kari aka ikyoto and Stella aka lookcloselypress of The {NewNew} York Team. Today we're going to learn how to screenprint our own snowflake gift wrap for the holidays. Kari and Stella remind us that recycling paper bags is a great source for ...more
In this video, Liz Grotyohann demonstrates how to make decorative bowls from recycled paper. The materials required for the purpose a bowl shaped mold, a blender, a basin of water, a tray, a paper making tool, a sponge, some cloth and any kind of household waste paper like pap ...more
blockvideos shows how to build a cinderblock compost bin for recycling needs. The builder will need 20 corner blocks, 36 AB York blocks, 12 AB Dublin blocks, 17 wall caps, 5 fifty pound bags of crushed rock, and and 2 tubes of masonry adhesive. To begin, find a location to bui ...more
Julie Auclair introduces authors of a book called "Celebrate Green." This book shows you how to throw a baby shower the "green" way. Guests do not realize that some of the gifts they give can be harmful, toxic, or not recyclable. You start with the three "R's", reduce, reuse a ...more
ThreadBanger's Corinne visits with Luca of Lolibomb to learn how to make winter-inspired vegan beauty products in a DIY fashion. Way to save some money on gifts! In just fifteen minutes and a few easy steps, make an animal-friendly body butter for your best buds with these ing ...more
Take out your wand and get ready to give it a whirl…'cause conjurer Ryan Oakes is going to show you how to make an awesome magic paper tree! All you need is a newspaper, scotch tape and scissors! Sometimes we use materials that require adult supervision... like scissors so mak ...more
Renewable fashion is a part of living a green and eco-friendly lifestyle. Instead of getting rid of old clothes and going out to buy something new, recycle things you don't like anymore into something you can use. This fashion how-to video shows a way of revamping a t-shirt in ...more
Make your own book out of recycled material. You can use thick cardboard pieces for each page. Find some strong tape to make an outer binding. Tape each page of the book down with masking tape. You can then reenforce it by glueing down strips of brown paper bag. Decorate your ...more
Think about how many things you truly throw in the trash, and how many times you empty your trash, only to be taken away by the garbage man and out of your sight. Well, the truth is that its not exactly out of your life. Statistics show that on average each person uses 350 tra ...more
Recycle plastic bags! Watch this video to learn from Threadbanger how you can turn those wasteful and polluting plastic bags into something useful. Upcycle them into a laptop case. It's convenient and something you'll always have a need for. So why not? Watch this video and yo ...more
This video tutorial shows how to fold a supermarket plastic bag to save space to store them. If you recycle these bags for you trash bin, you will find this very useful.
Crafting and sewing is lots of fun, but it calls for many accessories and notions that can clutter your craft area. This tutorial shows you how to create your own craft supply organizer out of some upcycled or recycled materials.
Watch this instructional arts and crafts video to make a charming pyramid shaped gift box. Fill this gift box with candies or other small surprises to give a personalized, yet affordable gift to a friend, teacher or boss. You can use store bought wrapping paper or use recycled ...more
This video weaving tutorial describes the creative process by which materials are decided upon and how to sequence the fabrics together into the rug. Naalbinding or toothbrush rug making recycles wasted clothes, plastic bags, hosiery, and time into beautiful durable rugs. Watc ...more
Let's face it: Despite knowing that we should always carry around our recycled, reusable tote bag to the store to cut back on plastic bags, we've still got a whole closet load at home. It's nearly impossible to always have a reusable tote with you, or enough usable totes for e ...more
The old frame of the wreath of a previous year containing only two old ornaments is used. Placed on the frame are plastic bags from the grocery store . The bags were green in color however colored bags may be used for creativity . Fluff and fold the bags and wrap them around t ...more
Don't trash your unfashionable old skirt, but turn it into something new, something unique, something fashionable. See how to create a designer tote from a skirt in this video from GiannyL. This DIY closet hack is simple and easy, and the tote bag is great for any occasion, w ...more
Learn how to recycle and reconstruct your denim jeans: Craft side Look, Learn and Create with Stefanie Girard and Jean Therapy with Scathe G. Allison demonstrate how to recycle and reconstruct your denim jeans. You can make a bag out of your jeans by using the leg as the strap ...more
ThreadBanger pays homage to the movie "Fame" by showing us how to make the perfect "80's-tastic" duffel bag out of old umbrellas. With this thrifty idea, you will need a few umbrellas (broken is fine), scissors, a square pattern, a sewing machine, a zipper, and anything handy ...more
A perfect, green lawn and colorful flower garden are worth your time and effort. Don't let weeds ruin your hard work. You Will Need * Water * Garden tools, such as a trowel, fork, or hoe * Mulch or lawn seed * Herbicide * A bag for recycling compost * Black plastic bag or tarp ...more
This week, Meg shows us a quick and cheap way to add extra seating in those cramped dorm rooms. Plus, some easy tips on how-to make your dorm feel like a cozy home away from home. Threadbanger is one of WonderHowTo's favorite fashion DIY video creators. Search Threadbanger on ...more
Recycling your garbage is noble and, in many places, mandatory. But it also can be very confusing. This guide will clear up the rules. Step 1: Check Laws Check the local laws regarding recycling in your town. Step 2: Rinse Rinse glass bottles, plastic containers, and alumi ...more
Go green with recycled blue jeans and help to eliminate plastic shopping bags. In this video tutorial, you'll learn how to make shopping bags from old, used blue jeans. For a step-by-step at the conversion process, and to get started making your own blue jean shopping bags, wa ...more
Forget those boring evergreen wreaths with the thick red ribbon and the pine cones that everyone else has hanging in their homes. Make your own DIY upcycled wreath using newspaper, paper shopping bags, cardboard coffee cup sleeves, toilet paper tubes, or even that trashy paper ...more
Don't toss out those cardboard tubes just yet. Whenever you have one leftover from a roll of paper towels, toilet paper, or wrapping paper, hang on to it, because it's got some great DIY potential. Cardboard tubes of all sizes can be handy for a variety of uses, from storing ...more
Do you have a bunch of old jeans that no longer fit you or are too outdated to wear in public? If you are handy with a sewing machine, the possibilities for upcycling your jeans into something crafty are endless. You can update your old denims into a jean tote bag, yoga mat ba ...more
There is no discount like free. And if you are not afraid to get your hands and clothes dirty foraging through dumpster bins, trash cans and the back alleys of department stores or restaurants to score perfectly usable items and perfectly edible food without paying a single ce ...more
Bringing lunch to work or school is a win-win situation. You save money, you eat better, and you create less waste. But while the virtues of brown-bagging it are undeniable, it also gets kind of boring after a while. How many times can you shove a container of salad or noodles ...more
I love cheap, nutritious food: lentils, rice, toor dal, and other beans and grains. Even popcorn. The only problem is that they usually come in floppy plastic bags that make measuring ingredients more difficult. I usually open up one corner of the bag only to have everything c ...more
How many times have you thrown out the remaining cardboard tube from an empty roll of toilet paper? Most of the time, they don't even make it to the recycling bin, and with the average American using over 20 rolls each per year, that's over 6.4 trillion tubes being wasted each ...more
Despite the tremendous increase in recycling programs across the states, 136 million tons of municipal solid waste still ends up in landfills. So, the next time you throw away something, conjure up your DIY spirit and ask that trash, "Are you really trash, or just the beginnin ...more
If you've ever wondered how paper gets recycled, find out for yourself by turning your used, unwanted paperwork into fresh homemade paper that you can use again. Any type of paper can be recycle, whether it's used computer paper, paper grocery bags, or old flyers. Using a ble ...more
Everyone starts their mornings differently, but one common thread amongst the masses tends to be the consumption of coffee, albeit in many different forms—instant, pre-ground, K-Cups, Nespresso, and so on. And I'm sure that we all have our own preferred methods, as well. Don' ...more
If there's one thing that gets used far too frequently in the modern kitchen, it's the trash can. Home cooks everywhere waste enormous amounts of food by throwing it away before it's actually ready to be tossed. So much waste... so depressing.. One way to lessen the amount of ...more
Back in the days when June Cleaver was our role model, stay-at-home moms eagerly greeted their offspring's arrival home from school with fresh-baked cookies. But in the current vernacular, "Ain't nobody got time fo' dat!" So what's a busy modern parent to do? (News flash: dad ...more
Everyone and his mother (and grandmother) has a chocolate chip cookie recipe that he swears is the absolute best recipe, guaranteed to produce a chocolate chip cookie so good it will make you weep with joy. The problem with that is that everyone—relatives included—has a differ ...more
If you have a cat, trying to get all of the little clumps out of the litter probably feels like an impossible task. It pretty much is, but we've found the best cat litter scoop that gets more of those tiny pieces out than any other scoop. Plus, it's sturdy, degradable, and eth ...more
The lingering smell of cigarette smoke can bother just about anyone, including smokers themselves. Unfortunately, it can be quite difficult to mask or completely get rid of the smell altogether. While you can go through extremes like washing and even repainting the walls in yo ...more
When I was 12, for some mysterious reason, my dad put my little brothers and me in charge of cooking the Thanksgiving turkey. Naturally, my brothers and I spent the rest of the day playing hide-in-seek in the backyard and forgot all about the humble bird defrosting in the sink ...more
Chances are that you've been using your microwave just to nuke leftovers, but they can do so much more than heat up last night's dinner—microwaves can help you peel garlic more quickly, get more juice out of lemons, disinfect your kitchen, dry out herbs, give beauty products n ...more
Are you looking for a little microbe magic? Think composting. Composting is a great way to reuse food and plant waste that you would otherwise throw into the trash, which would just end up in a landfill somewhere. During the composting cycle, microbes reduce this organic wast ...more