Turn yesterday's trash into crafted treasures

Guest blog post by Emily Graham

Emily Graham is the creator of MightyMoms.net. She believes being a mom is one of the hardest jobs around and wanted to create a support system for moms from all walks of life. On her site, she offers a wide range of info tailored for busy moms, from how to reduce stress to creative ways to spend time together as a family.

Find jewelry lots on eBay for your next crafting adventure.

Vintage is in and that means your kids might perk up when you suggest hitting your neighborhood or online thrift store in search of materials for your next craft session. Everything from old buttons to antique costume jewelry can be re-purposed into cool crafts and wearable things even the pickiest tween will be proud to create.

Here are a few ways to turn your vintage finds into contemporary masterpieces:

This shadow box of skeleton keys is for sale on etsy.

Skeleton key wall art. Buy old skeleton keys online or round up a few at your local antique shop. With a piece of old board and some strong glue, you can create a skeleton key wall plaque. These plaques are easy to make and will add a cool twist to your decor.

Lace brooch. Repurpose grandma’s cotton crochet lace (crochet doilies also work) and her extra-large earrings that no longer have a match into a handcrafted brooch. Each lace brooch only takes a few minutes to make and requires little more than a needle, thread, piece of lace, and adornments. Positively Splendid lays out the full instructions here.

Lots of lace remnants are easy to find on eBay.

Vintage buttons, brooches, bric-a-brac and linens all have potential to star in your next craft project.

Vintage button ornaments. It doesn’t matter what time of year it is, Christmas crafts are always fun to make. Grab a jar full of vintage wooden buttons, a spool or two of ribbon, and clear filament (fishing line works nicely), and you have everything you need to put together some cute and colorful ornaments. Get inspired with how-to steps in this DIY Network tutorial.

Creepy doll head lamp. If your older kids have a twisted sense of humor, there are tons of ways to reuse an old doll head to create spooky Halloween decorations. A vintage candle holder, doll head, and battery-powered LED lights provide exactly the right creep factor for your All Hallow’s Eve shindig. Get inspired by the I Like That Lamp blog.

Just one idea from the ilikethislamp blog.

This lovely embellished Victorian postcard sold on eBay for over $100.

Jewelry Art. We’ve already mentioned that you can use jewelry to create beautiful brooches, but a pile of old costume jewelry can also make great wall art. Head down to Goodwill or check out estate sales in your area. You can likely find a grab bag of old busted jewelry for a few dollars and old framed art pieces. Using glue and lots of patience, embellish your old painting for a dazzling one-of-a-kind piece of art.

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