How to Recycle Broken Stuff

When something breaks, I generally save the bits and store them in a box in my craft supplies cupboard.

Vases, plates, bracelets, chains, buckles off bags and belts, you name it.

Of course, in the interests of safety, there are a couple of rules to follow when you're dealing with glass. Firstly, be very very careful when handling the broken bits as they are extremely sharp and jagged. As a rule, if the pieces are very jagged, I break them into smaller pieces first by wrapping the pieces in several layers of old clothing and hammering over the cloth-covered pieces. The smaller pieces that are revealed once the cloth is removed, are smaller and invariably less jagged around the edges.

As for the other non-breakable stuff, just lay it all out and decide what you want your design to look like.

In these examples, this jar and old powder compact case have been decorated using tile grout (available at all hardware stores), gold buttons from an old blouse, and the broken bits of a clay vase. I applied the tile grout on with a spoon and used a fork to create texture, after which I stuck in the bits of vase and the buttons.

Once the tile grout was dry (and once the pieces were firmly stuck into the dried tile grout) I went over the ridges and contours with a brown crayon to create the effect that you see.