Papier-Mâché Bracelet

One person's garbage is another person's crafting material. It's amazing how a little ingenuity can transform those disposable into interesting projects. Why load our landfills with items that can have a second life?

When old clothes are not suitable for the thrift store, or a garage sale, there is no reason to toss them. Snip off those buttons and zippers for future craft or sewing projects. The fabric can be reused in quilts, rag rugs , sewing or craft projects or, as a last result, cleaning rags.

Egg cartons have many possibilities, including Christmas decorations. And those little plastic strawberry baskets are usually in demand when Easter projects are underway. But did you know cardboard rolls are also worth saving? Those cardboard rolls from toilet paper, paper towels and masking tape, have numerous possibilities. One of my favorites is a papier-mâché bracelet, made from empty masking tape cardboard rolls.

Materials Needed:
Cardboard from an empty roll of masking tape
Colored tissue paper
Bowl of liquid starch

Directions:
Tear the tissue paper into strips. Dip each strip into the bowl of starch, and pull the soaked piece gently through two fingers, removing the excess starch. Wrap the soaked paper around the cardboard roll, rubbing it down firmly. Use one color of tissue paper to cover the roll - or use many colors for a more jazzy effect. Smooth the tissue paper with your finger tips, pressing it firmly on the cardboard, and wrapping it around the edges. Completely cover the bracelet, and allow to dry.

For a more elaborate bracelet, glue on beads, buttons or yarn. Be sure the tissue is completely dry before adding these additional decorations.