Meet Kate. She’s the in-house lawyer at Who Gives A Crap, But she’s not just any lawyer —she’s seriously crafty.When she’s not writing for top legal publications and running our legal department, Kate's making cool stuff from materials she already has. We think that’s pretty awesome, and we had a feeling that you’d agree! So without further ado, take it away, Kate!
Despite the reputation that lawyers can be, well, a little dry, I’m a creative person at heart. During lockdown, crafts became a fantastic way to pass the time and enjoy some quality time with my kids. Once you start looking, there is a bunch of stuff around the house that can be transformed into something pretty amazing.
Don’t train on my parade
This craft comes with a double benefit: you have the fun of making the train, and then hours of fun playing with it afterwards!
Here’s what you’ll need:
A few empty boxes
Some inner tubes
Some ribbon
We decorated ours with colorful toilet paper wrappers, but you can “choo-choo-choose” whatever you want for decorations!
The sky is the limit
I had this great idea of making a paper mache hot air balloon with my kids. They lost interest after the first 15 minutes, so I added layers over the next few weeks. They, of course, came in for the glory at the ends and painted the finished product!
What you need:
Strips of paper (newspapers, old magazines, or cut-up toilet paper wrappers)
Glue (made of equal parts flour and water)
Balloon
Milk carton
Blow up a balloon and cut the top off the milk carton. Cover both with the paper strips soaked in glue. Once dry, add more layers until it’s sturdy. When ready, pop the balloon, and you’ve got yourself a hot air balloon base, ready for decorating!
Happy birthday tiss-you
Since we haven’t been able to celebrate birthdays in person, we’ve gotten into card-making. Turns out our tissue boxes are perfect for this! Choose any picture you like, and voila—a beautiful personalized card!
The hair necessities
I’ve come to the conclusion that hair clips must be able to clone themselves. Somehow, they’re everywhere!
When the glass in a picture frame broke, I repurposed the frame, stapled some ribbon across it, and now we’ve got a designated spot for our ever-growing number of hair clips.
I like big books and I cannot lie
Imagination is something to encourage, in children and adults. A fun way to do this is by making homemade books! Our wrappers are perfect for making book covers, and the colorful side works great for pictures!
Here comes the sun(flower)
We had some empty coffee jars just waiting to be used, and our plan was to put in the Lego flower set on our wishlist. Then, a rainy day inspired us to make our own flowers from Who Gives A Crap wrappers! A quick Google search for “easy paper flowers,” a glue stick, some scissors, and a pencil, and we were set!
Conclusion: Crafty Creations That Give Back
Crafting with everyday items is not only creative but makes a positive impact by reusing materials. Kate’s projects prove that getting crafty is for everyone, and it doesn’t take much to make something truly special. We hope Kate’s creations inspire you to repurpose your own household items. Who knows what amazing things you might create? Go on, give it a try, and let your creativity blossom!