Celebrate Earth Day with Simple Crafts Made from Plastic

There are other ways to recycle plastic besides sending it off to the recycling center.

Crafts made from plastic are a great way to dispose of such items, while creating gifts or props for the house, lessons, and plays.

Crafts Made out of Plastic - Flower Composition

Depending on the size of the composition, this craft can be used as a centerpiece, as name place, or as props in a play.

Materials needed

• milk or water jug
• plastic head dressmaking pins
• small piece of Styrofoam
• green cloth or construction paper
• paint for plastic (optional)
• marker
• scissors

Directions

1. rinse and dry the plastic jug
2. with a marker, draw an even number of flowers with four petals each on the sides of the jug
3. carefully cut out the flowers
4. paint the flowers, two by two, with paint made for plastic (this step is optional)
5. paint the Styrofoam green or use a piece of green cloth or construction paper to cover it
6. when the flowers are dry, take one set at the time and overlap it forming a flower with eight petals
7. stick a plastic head dressmaking pin in the middle of the flower
8. pin the flower to the Styrofoam
9. continue assembling the flowers and pinning them to the Styrofoam until the composition is complete

If used as a name place, there are two ways to complete the project. After writing the name of the guest on a piece of paper* either
1. pin it to the long side of the composition or
2. attach it to a toothpick and then insert it on the top part of the composition as if it were a garden marker.

*recycle the back of used envelopes, or half written/printed computer paper

Crafts Made out of Plastic - Coasters

Coasters serve to protect furniture from unwanted surface stains. Made out of plastic bags, these coasters will be a nice addition to a table.

Materials needed

• plastic bags
• crochet hook size F (for a tight stitch)
• self adhesive cork sheet
• scissors

Directions

1. fold the plastic bag length wise several times until you get it wide enough to be cut with one stroke of the scissors
2. cut the folded bag into ½ inch wide strips. These will form loops once unfolded
3. connect two loops at the time by taking the second loop and inserting it in the first one. Then feed one end of the second loop inside itself forming a knot
4. once all the loops are connected, roll them into a plastic ball (as if it were a ball of yarn) in order to avoid tangles and make access to the plastic yarn easier
5. follow these simple crocheting instructions to create the coaster
6. cut a circle out of the cork sheet the same diameter as the coaster
7. attach the cork to the coaster making sure it sticks well. If necessary use glue to secure the two parts together

Plastic bags accumulated and taking up space around the house can also be used to create handbags, rugs, and a variety of other projects.

All it takes is a little bit of ingenuity and the desire to recycle items to help the environment.