Decorations From Throwouts (Decoration Ideas)

Member Name: gailmill

Product:	Decoration Ideas
Date:	22/11/00 (59 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap and cheerful, unique

Disadvantages: If you're not 'arty' it probably won't appeal

In recent times, the old glittery stars, baubles and tinsel which used to be all the rage when I was a girl, have been overtaken, in the most fashionable houses, by home-made decorations made from recycled materials, foodstuffs and the most unusual natural materials. Here are some ideas to utilise in your own home this Christmas.

By using all sorts of materials readily available in the home and garden, you can start afresh every year too, with a different set of decorations, or with a new theme every time. The other great aspect to making your own decorations is the cost! Usually, shop bought ones are so outrageously expensive that you end up using the same ones year in, year out, simply because it is far too costly to replace them every time.

Have you ever thought about the potential in those plastic juice bottles with the ridges all the way down? No? Well I have a way to use them. You will need some relief outliner paint which is readily accessible in art and craft shops, in whatever colours you prefer; Wash out the bottles. Cut into squares or rectangles (with the ridges going accross-ways). Using different colours of relief paint, for example gold, silver, black or even bright colours, draw designs onto the plastic. Leave to dry completely. Using a bradall or scissor end, pierce a hole in the top of each decoration and thread string or cord through.

Another good way to design tree decorations is by using small essential oil, or perfume oil bottles. To make these little ‘lanterns’ you will need glass paint; Take the labels off the bottles and wash in hot soapy water, inside and out. Wrap some fuse wire round the neck of the bottles and make into loops for hanging. Replace the lids. Using the glass paints, make squiggles, dots or lines on the surface of the bottles. Alternatively use a tiny sponge and dab the colours on, merging together where they meet. Leave to dry.

Did you know that you can make the most gorg
eous garlands for your tree with ordinary household string and toilet paper? Not convinced? Well, OK, you do need some water colour paints and gold or silver spray paint too ..... but that’s it! Here’s how you make them;

Wrap toilet tissue round and round a fine knitting needle. You must do this randomly, and make it thicker in some places than others; in fact the more random the better. Keep wrapping until you have a ball wrapped round the needle of around 12-15 cms. Then dunk the whole thing in water and squeeze out the excess. You will be left with a soggy ‘lump’ around the needle. Slide it off and brush with a layer of the PVA. Leave to dry. Make as many of these ‘lumps’ as you like to make the length of garland you need. It is best to leave them overnight so the inside can dry out as well as the outer layer. When dry, paint randomly or splatter with many different colours. Leave to dry. Then when dry place the ‘lumps’ back on the knitting needle and LIGHTLY spray with metallic paint.

You will get a beautiful giant lustrous bead. When dry, thread the string through each bead and knot at each side of the beads.

Well I hope this has inspired you somewhat? I love to work out ingenious ways to recycle my ‘rubbish’ and making Christmas decorations is an ideal way.

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