Earth Day Upcycled Craft: DIY Dreamcatcher

Disclosure: DIY Dreamcatcher craft instructions and photos credited to Go Organically Organic Fruit Snacks.

Happy Earth Day!  In honor of the greenest day of the year,  I wanted to share this cute crafty idea courtesy of Go Organically Fruit Snacks.  What better way to celebrate Mother Earth than with a super fun and creative upcycled craft  to help teach children the importance of  keeping items out of landfills?  It demonstrates how giving new life to everyday objects can turn into useful and charming items.   Check out their step-by-step instructions for making this adorable DIY dreamcatcher, then read on for additional super-simple craft ideas using household items like paper tubes, coffee cans and plastic water bottles.

DIY Dreamcatcher 

Originating in Native American culture, dreamcatchers are believed to offer protection to little ones by “catching” bad dreams in mid-air while they sleep. With a web-covered hoop to snare nightmares, dreamcatchers traditionally feature natural decorative accents like feathers and wooden beads. Try your hand at making your own upcycled dreamcatcher with our easy tutorial!

What You’ll Need:

A piece of decorative fabric from an old shirt, shawl, scarf or table runner
Embroidery hoop
Sharp scissors
Wooden or plastic beads with a 1/8″ hole or larger
Feathers and/or ribbons
Safety pins

What You’ll Do:

1. Dig through your closets to find an interesting old T-shirt, shawl, scarf or table runner that you no longer use. Look for an eye-catching graphic or interesting material that’s lacy or crocheted. Cut your fabric so that it’s slightly wider than the embroidery hoop, and at least twice as tall.

2. Unscrew the top of your embroidery hoop and separate the two hoops. Drape your fabric over the inner hoop, lining it up so that plenty of extra fabric hangs down at the bottom.

3. Place the outer hoop on top and press down into place, adjusting the fabric and pulling it tight. Once you’re happy with the fabric placement, tighten the top screw.

4. Take your scissors and cut the fabric hanging from the bottom of the hoop into long, thin, vertical strips. Trim any excess fabric from around the rest of the hoop.

5. String beads onto the ends of your fabric strips and knot them in place. Use safety pins to attach feathers and ribbons onto your fabric strips at random places for an eclectic effect. Loop a longer piece of ribbon through the hardware at the top and hang with pride!

Repurposed Household Items

Why toss these everyday objects when you can turn them into useful, kid-friendly crafts?

Paper Towel/Toilet Paper Tubes

• Birdfeeder: Spread peanut butter on the outside of the tube using a butter knife. Roll the tube in loose birdseed, covering it completely. Slip your birdfeeder onto a tree branch, then compost tube once birds are finished snacking.
• Wrapping Paper Cuffs: Prevent rolls of wrapping paper from unraveling with paper tube “cuffs.” Simply slit tubes lengthwise with a pair of scissors and slip over either end of your wrapping paper roll to keep it contained.
• Cord Corral: Roll up power cords and stuff them inside decorated tubes for a cute storage option that will prevent cords from tangling.

Coffee Cans

• Pencil holder: Remove the lid and label from an empty coffee can. Cover the entire outside with colorful duct tape in a fun pattern. Fill with pens, pencils and highlighters for an instant desktop accessory.
• Bank: Remove the label from an empty coffee can and paint the outside a bright color. Add a dollar sign with stick-on gems. Cut an opening in the lid to use as a coin slot.
• Planter: To make a rustic-looking planter, wrap the outside of an empty coffee can with a sheet of burlap and glue in place. Tie a simple raffia ribbon around the center and fill with dried flowers.

Plastic Water Bottles

• Sensory Bottle: Calm rowdy kiddos with a mixture of water, glitter glue and loose glitter inside a plastic water bottle. Just add the ingredients, put on the cap, and let kids shake the bottle like a snow globe for an instant dose of zen.
• Bowling Pins: Fill 10 plastic water bottles with two inches of water or a bit of sand at the bottom, then put the caps back on. Arrange your “pins” on the floor and let kids roll a ball to knock ’em down.
• Penguin Pal: Fill an empty clear water bottle with cotton balls, then use foam sheets or sturdy construction paper to add the wings, head and feet. Don’t forget the googly eyes!