Upcycling has recently become a houshold term for craft lovers everywhere.

Home and Garden on Female First

Home and Garden on Female First

Celebrities such as Kirstie Allsopp have helped bring upcycling to life in previous years, by revealing innovative ways of making quirky decor out of items around the home that aren't used, or are broken.

Inspired by this, we've put together a list of common items that you can easily upcycle to add an air of individuality to your home.

1. Vintage Cake Stand

If you're not neccesarily a craft person, this simple and easy cake stand should get you started as it slowly introduces you to the world of upcycling.

For this, all you need is a small, patterned bowl (the older the better), and a plain dinner plate.

This works best with a floral patterned bowl, as it helps to give it that vintage feel that compliments baking so well.

All you need to do is turn the bowl upside down, glue it to the bottom of the plate, then leave to dry. It's all down to you to bake the cake that sits on top.

2. Teacup Candle

This simple idea is a great way to recycle both your old tea cups, and the remaining bits of candle that you can never get rid of.

Simply melt down the candles in a bain-marie (also known as a bowl on a pan of boiling water) and then pour into your old teacup.

You'll also need a wick, which can be found on ebay, or in craft shops.

3. Decoupage Door Knob

Here, you can brighten up plain door handles with any patterned paper of your choice, and PVA glue. As a rule, tissue paper tends to work best, but you can use anything that you think stands out.

Glue your chosen paper to an old door knob, then varnish and leave to dry. The glue will help to brighten the colours and will protect the paper from any damage.

4. Cork

Cork can be used in loads of different ways to add a unique flair to your home. If you like to indulge yourself with a bottle of wine or two, or are just an avid cork collector, why not try and make a few of these:

-Cork handles for chains or cords

-Cork door mats

-Plant markers, for herb gardens or indoor plants

All are easy to make, and cost little to nothing.

5. Old Jumpers In To Blankets

If, like most of us, you have a wardrobe full of clothes that you hardly ever wear, now could be the perfect time to turn them into something useful.

Try cutting up your jumpers and sewing them together to make a blanket. You're guarenteed to use it over the winter months, more than you would actually wear the jumpers.

6. White Washing an old Chest of Drawers

If you're thinking of ditching on old chest of drawers for a shiny new one, think again. You can give it a brand new look with some paint and a little elbow grease.

Sand the old furniture to remove any existing paint, then apply a mix of water-based paint and water.

The result is an up-cycled piece of furniture, with a shabby chic finish.

7. Broken CDs into a Picture Frame

This one is as simple as it sounds.

You can brighten up any old picture frame by smashing up some unused CDs and glueing them round the edge of a chunky picture frame.

8. Tin Can Lanterns

Finally, tin cans can be turned into lanterns with just a few simple steps.

Just remove the label, fill with water, then freeze. When the water is completely frozen, grab a hammer and nail, and make some holes in whatever pattern you feel.

Later, put a tealight inside, and the lantern will come to life.

By Emma Cocker

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