New Uses for Old Broomsticks!

I picked up a few old magazines from the 1920's the other day for $0.55 cents each at the thrift store, thinking the pages and ads may be fun material to decoupage or make other things with.  Just had to share this little article on "New uses for old broomsticks!"

Whether we call it "recycling," "upcycling," "repurposing," "re-using," or "DIY," it's not a new idea! Too bad so many brooms are made from metal tubes now...a lot harder for the average person to convert into something else!

Freecycle

Freecycle has been around for a little while, but I've just recently (finally) joined the group so I thought I'd post about it!

Freecycle is made up of 6,540,000 members (4,808 groups) around the world. As their website states, "It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer (them's good people)." Basically it's a place where people who are looking for stuff and people who are giving away stuff can connect, and everything must be offered up for free.

Membership is also free. To sign up, find your community by entering it into the search box on the site or browse through the groups. I'm not sure if each group operates differently, but the Minneapolis group that I'm a part of is run via Yahoo groups. You have to offer up some items before you're allowed to start asking for specific items, and the first couple items you list need to be approved by the administrator. But, I just posted a ceiling fan that we're giving away from our recent remodel and am in the process of giving it away!

At first it was a bit overwhelming as my email box got instantly flooded with offers from the group. However, once I was able to go into the settings and sign up for the "daily digest" instead of getting every offer individually, that helped a lot. I now get a couple emails a day with a big list of 25 of the latest messages so I'm not swimming in emails.

If you have some "stuff" you are looking to give away or are looking to help recycle by re-using other people's stuff, it's worth checking out!

What to Do with Mylar Balloons?

What do you do with those shiny, mylar balloons after the party guests have gone home, a week or two passes by, and they start to shrivel up and sink to the ground? I still have a bunch of balloons barely floating in my studio from my son's 1st birthday, and onen from my own birthday last month, which made me think about how I could reuse them. Sure, we can stop buying them, but you may still receive them as gifts anyway from friends and family, especially if you've spent any time in a hospital. (While latex balloons are biodegradeable, they are not allowed into hospitals to protect those with latex allergies.)

Re-Use as Balloons Again:
There is no reason to toss them out and keep purchasing them year after year when they are so easy to deflate and re-use! Cut off or un-tie the string/ribbon from the balloon. Then, simply stick a tube or straw up into the hole until it goes far enough to reach the inside, letting the remaining air out of the hole:


Don't forget to have fun inhaling some of that helium and amuse your kids by singing "Lollipop Guild!" You can now flatten and fold it up, and have it re-filled with helium for your next party.

Use it as a gift bag
Cut the bottom of the balloon off so there is an opening, and insert a gift. Gather the opening together and tie it closed with some ribbon (maybe even the ribbon that was tied to the balloon!). For smaller gift items, you can cut the balloon in half and wrap two with one balloon. Or, separate the front and back and use it as regular gift wrap. Either way, don't forget to add your recycled greeting card gift tag!



Craft Material:
Add them to your box of art & craft supplies for yourself and/or your kids. Shiny paper is a pretty cool addition to a collage! You can also use them as scrapbooking material, as I have mentioned in the past, or to make gift cards and placemats. It's a great way to preserve another part of your child's birthday party, by including a balloon in his or her scrapbook!

Etc...
Shred them and turn them into confetti.
Cut strips and attach them to a hair clip for a festive accessory.
Tie strips to your fence to scare animals away from your vegetables.

...I'm sure you creative readers have more ideas so feel free to comment with more!