DIY Upcycled Gift Ideas
The Upcycled Food Association staff wanted to share some fun ways to gift from the heart! The best way we know how to do that is with some handmade upcycled presents.
Holiday Sparkle Spinner
Angie, UFA CEO, is sharing a way to upcycle your upcycled beverage cans!
With a can do attitude anything is possible and with a physical can you can do anything too! Finished with your Superfrau! Spare Tonic or Riff drinks? Make some holiday wind spinners!
What you’ll need….
Exacto Knife
Aluminum Cans
Sharpies
Superglue
Fishing line
Flexible tape measure
Scissors
Process
Prepare the can - wash and remove tab
Make sure the tab is pushed into top of can
Find seam on the can
Wrap your flexible tape measure around can and use your sharpie to mark at every half inch at top and bottom of can
Trace the lines from top to bottom - they should be slightly wavy!
Cut along the lines with your exacto knife leaving the top and bottom intact
Rotate the can slightly which will separate the metal pieces
Now gently pull and twist the strips in the opposite direction of the rotation - be careful to not tear the aluminum and not cut yourself!
Your can should now be slightly swiveled and shorter
Poke a hole in the bottom of the can in the middle
Lace the fishing line from the bottom through the top opening
Choose a hanging hook of your choice!
Wrapped UP
Mariel, UFA Certification, is thinking outside the box when it comes to gift wrap.
Sick of pretty but unrecyclable wrapping paper? No problem! Take a paper grocery bag and cut it open along the seams so that the inside of the bag can be used as wrapping paper. I learned how to do just this from the Momtastic blog!
Follow this link for a step by step guide on how to make pack your gifts in a innovative and sustainable way!
Small potatoes, BIG impact
To make sure your gifts are wrapped with extra love Mariel is also sharing a way to leave your mark with some aging potatoes….
Although we love to all produce funny shapes and all, I know that potatoes have a way of rolling into corners you can’t reach. If you happen to have a few past-their-prime potatoes on hand (here’s how to know when its time to say goodbye) I have a perfect holiday idea!
Cut each potato in half, carve a design into each flat side, and create stamps that can be dipped in ink or paint to decorate your paper bag wrapping! This idea was inspired by Handmade Charlotte- you can find her step by step guide here!
We know that this is the season of giving and we hope these tips make it more fun to give to your loved ones and the planet.
Happy Holidays!
