Turn an Old Crib into a Craft Shelf, Art Table, Wall Decor + 7 More DIY Ideas

There are a lot of cribs out there these days that act as a full sleep system. They go from a crib to a toddler bed, and sometimes even to a base for a full twin later on. But not all of them do this, or live long enough to make it into all three incarnations.

I know both of my kids brother their cribs long before they could become even a toddler bed. Which should tell you something about my children.

For those leftover pieces, you might not know what to do with them. If the crib is intact you can always try and sell it, or maybe offer it in freecycle. But most are leery about taking a used crib, especially with all the recalls to hit the baby industry in recent years. You may not have as much success as you hope for.

Instead, why not get creative? Pinterest, home of all things DIY, has a ton of awesome ideas for upcycling cribs. Stylish, interesting and functional additions to your home are just a project away.

1. Wall Decor

You could do a lot with this idea, because it is entirely based around your personal tastes for decor and art. I like the concept of converting the grip springs into a canvas board, because it is light weight and yet would easily hold different items. You could probably come up with some other ways based on this principle.

Christmas DIY Ideas: 5 Ways to Decorate Using Candles and Glass Jars

I have so many glass jars! Seriously, I have an entire cupboard full of them, most of them from old food items like pasta sauce, salsa and olives. I don't know what to do with them and I never have. While I recycle, my local place doesn't take glassware and I would have to go clear into another county to get rid of them. Which isn't exactly eco friendly when you consider the driving involved to get three hours out of town to the nearly recycling facility that takes glass.

As a result, I tend to take a fair number of them to reuse as water glasses. You know, the big ones you put on the bedside table to combat the effects of winter dryness, and all that. A couple of others have been filled and used as vases, though fresh flowers aren't much of an option now that winter has arrived. My kids have even each used one for their 'rewards jar', which they take a prize from at the end of each week as an allowance for doing their chores.

I have run out of ideas on what to do with these multiplying menaces. I learned how to make my own sauce and salsa in order to avoid acquiring anymore. But what to do with the few dozen still crammed into a cupboard in my kitchen...I could use the space!

This past weekend I sat down and started to really search out things to do with them. The holidays are just around the corner, so it seems like a good time to put them to use. I was relieved to find many struggle with this question, and some pretty cool ideas have come out of upcycling needs. As you would expect, a whole lot of these people had gathered on Pinterest. Man, I love that site.

Here are five of my favorites glass jar upcycling ideas for Christmas (psst: Don't forget to check out our previous glass jar DIY projects: DIY Glass Jar Lanterns and DIY Sun Jars).

1. Table Decorations

Teapot Bird House

That's just the cutest thing I have seen in my life.

The teapot looks somewhat vintage but I am sure there are plenty of various combinations how this may look.

Running to the attic now to find something cool to build a bird house now!


Via Pinterest 
Find more green gardening ideas with these green-inspired instructographics

Mason Jar Chandelier with Solar Lights

If you seriously don't know what to do with your Mason Jars and both the mason jars garden lanterns and mason jar flower shelf are not the option, consider this cool idea:

Creative mason jar chandelier powered by sun!

You will need 4 mason jars, 4 Solar Light LIDS, and some creativity! Gotta love the light and color play!

Wine Bottle into the Garden Borders

If you like gardening and recycling, I am sure you are always looking for new creative ways to combine the two.

Here's an awesome tip for you: use wine bottles as borders and edges: this looks nice and is 100% eco-friendly. They can be arranged in a pretty way and they will never get old: will last as long as they want to keep them in the garden.

You may enroll you whole neighborhood into collecting the bottles. This should be fun!

Via 

More ideas on recycling wine bottles:

• Wine Bottle Chandelier
• Wine Bottle Torch

More gardening DIY projects:

• Build a Greenhouse of Plastic Bottles
• A CD Case into Garden Cloche
• DIY Metal Cans Garden Laterns
• Skateboard Table for Your Garden
• Solar Powered CD-Case Bricks

Solar Powered CD-Case Bricks!

This DIY project is harder to create than our usual discovery but I was so much amazed by its pure coolness that I couldn't help sharing it.

Look how awesome those solar powered CD-Case LED bricks look at night: you are definitely likely to want to create those for your garden or lawn...

They incorporate ... things to mess around with: LEDs, Solar panels, hot glue, man it's all there and they look great to boot!

Beer Bottles Chair

I am honestly not sure how if this chair is comfortable or solid enough but its other benefits are obvious: (1) it must have a relaxing messaging effect (just like plastic bottle chair and tennis ball chair we've seen before) and (2) it is sure to appeal to your friends who come to visit!

A CD Case into Garden Cloche

I know, I know, winter is not the best season for sharing gardening tips but I had that kind of mood missing for sunny days outside, so I decided to remind you of a few gardening tips as well as share a new one!

1. Recycle a CD case into a garden cloche: it works like a mini greenhouse by offering climate control to help get new seedlings off to a good start.

2. Build a greenhouse of plastic bottles: if the above one is like a mini greenhouse, this is a real-life DIY greenhouse:

3. Recycled wine bottle torch:

Recycle Aluminum Cans into a Curtain

Do you prefer buying beer in cans? Or canned energy drinks? Here's a cool idea to reuse those aluminum cans into a stylish looking curtain. I imagine it creates some nice, clinging sound when there's wind.

DIY Sun Jars

This tutorial uses canning jars (with clear glass lids) and simple solar lights. As a result, we are getting a totally amazing and eco-friendly a device that stores sunlight during the day which is then used to power the light at night.

DIY Glass Jar Lanterns

Stay-at-home moms will find this one especially useful: if you have some extra glass jar which seem to good to be thrown aways, here's a creative idea on how to use them.

You can make lanterns for your garden to decorate long cozy evenings you spend with your family outside.

DIY Metal Cans Garden Laterns

This idea of metal cans can be easily implemented, though I suggest using some creativity to brainstorm your own designs - that would be fun!

Most of the materials can be found in the recycling bin and in a reasonably well-stocked tool shed.

Tutorial

Video

How to Make Recycled Wine Bottle Torch

If you have a few beautiful (wine) glass bottles, you can turn them into cool torches for your garden. Keep in mind:

Care and caution is necessary when using these since it’s an open flame, never leave a lit torch unattended

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