Ideas for materials G-L

We have gathered together a collection of ideas given to us by people like you who are interested in making a difference in our community. They are arranged alphabetically by the original item.

Hard-cover Books

• Trinket Box - Glue the back cover to the inside back page. Brush glue along the sides of the pages. Protect the cover from glue with wax paper inside the front inner page. When the glue has dried, use an exacto knife to cut out the inside pages leaving a border as the sides of the trinket box.
• Faux bookshelf - Carefully cut the spines of several books away from the front and back covers. Arrange the spines in an attractive manner to imitate a bookshelf on a wall over a radiator, on boring closet doors or anywhere you want to create the feeling of a den or library. It's easier than trying to paint a mural and provides a realistic 3-D effect. The inside pages of the old book can be recycled but the hard covers must be discarded.

Ice Cream Tubs

• Gift Container - Wash well, let dry. Base paint a light color then stencil or paint a scene or design of your choice. You can use this as a base to arrange artificial flowers, use as gift container for theme items (such as bath: mini soaps, shower puff, bath beads, talc powder).
• Yarn Organizer -Wash one out, poke holes in the top and then thread string or yarn through the top to make an organizer. This is a great way to keep a ball of yarn from rolling away on you.
• Money Bank - cut a slit in the lid and drop in your loose change
• Ticket holder - If you hold ticket draws you can use the tub to hold the tickets for the draw. Just cut a slit into the top and in goes the tickets. Remove the lid and make your draw.

Juice Can Lids

• Christmas Ornaments - these lids are perfect for kid's crafts because they do not have the sharp edges you get using a lid cut from a tin can. Paint them or glue on them to decorate and punch a hole in the top then insert string to hang ornament from tree branch.
• Fridge Magnets - keep the magnets from shower curtain liners and glue them to the back of a decorated juice can lid or wooden clothespin for a one of a kind fridge magnet

Lids, from HDPE jugs of Laundry soap or Fabric Softener

• Play Dough or Water Play Toys - The lids are usually colourful and they are made of a hard sturdy plastic. The circular shape makes them ideal for pressing out circles from play dough or clay. Why buy expensive or fancy cutters, use your jug lids! They also make great colourful cups for water play.
  • Remember that even though your HDPE jugs are recyclable the lids are made from a different plastic (usually No.5) and are not recyclable in the Essex-Windsor area.