My daughter (Dolly) and I were super lucky this afternoon. We found a handful of various glass beads in the garden. When our lovely Thai Lady neighbour saw us digging around in the dirt and weeds she promptly told us she had dropped them when taking items to the op-shop as they are leaving the country soon and had a few more that we could have. And so she gave us a good handful.
I then spent an hour cutting jewellery and blinged clothing that I had purchased from op shops for very little money and placed all the beads in a bowl. So pretty :)
I gave Dolly 3 plastic containers and assisted her in dividing her beads equally into the three. Two for friends and one for herself. She concentrated hard counting and sorting with lovely results. I added some fishing line and jewellery wire that I had at home into each container. These are now beading kits ready to be gifted.
Then we started on another project with crayons that weren't being used as Dolly has long ago graduated to textas.
These were "cooked" by Dolly who melted them down in delicious looking colour groups.
Dolly said it looked like chocolate and asked to lick the spoon. I refused explaining that it was toxic and wouldn't taste good. I saw her secretly with her back turned on me having a lick when it had hardened. The cheeky monkey was obviously disappointed as she didn't go for seconds.
We poured the melted crayons into christmas chocolate moulds I had purchased in an op shop long ago and never used.
This is the result... Christmas crayons for a baby's first masterpiece creations. Nice and chunky for a little hand to clutch.
And now three upcycled gifts made by repurposing stuff.
Three year old Dolly has put a lot of time and heart into her gifts and is very proud of herself while I saved a few more dollars.
The total spending was $7.00
5$ for 2 re-useable screw top plastic containers and $2 for beaded op-shop tops. Every thing else was already owned 2nd hand items. Crayons and chocolate moulds from op-shops, ribbons from presents of past years, beads from op-shop junk jewellery and neighbours de-cluttering, fishing line from The Rambling Expats fishing gear. (Metal wire was purchased new 2 years ago).
We were heavily inspired by these talented young girls: CLICK HERE.
I love the thrill of creating gifts with repurposed items and in doing so minimising my families impact on our planet and saving money in the process. I know I could have avoided the plastic containers and used some from home (would have been more eco and thrifty) - but I really wanted screw lids to prevent bead spillage.
Are you upcycling or repurposing too?
