DIY Recycled Easter Gifts

Easter doesn't have to be commercialized. The nicest gifts are always those that have been handmade, fashioned by the hands of the giver and full of warm vibrations.

Making your own need not be expensive on the pocket or the environment or difficult, it just requires imagination and a little skill. The varied ideas we have included here should start you on an absorbing and productive path.

If you enjoy making presents for your family and friends, a good source of materials is your local thrift store. Apart from the savings for your pocket, you are helping a deserving charity, as well as avoiding the commercialism of Easter, Christmas, Mother's Day, and so on. Most of the garments used are available for $2-00 or less each, and one garment can often be used to make several gifts.

Choose garments that are cut straight and gathered rather than shaped or gored, although these can be used for small items. Any zips or buttons are bonuses and can be put aside for future projects.

From a velvet dress or skirt you could make cushions, pin cushions, jewellery Easter boxes, work boxes, Easter eggs, toys or patchwork items.

The more natural fibre garments make beautiful items - silk for gift bags and dolls are a delight - linen for table centres, place mats, napkins and doilies.

From adult dresses or long pants make children's clothes, herb pillows, rag dolls, aprons, place mats, patchwork articles, handbags, shopping bags, peg bags (great made from jeans), coat hanger covers.

Simple, inexpensive home-made gifts made from the scraps of material - baby's bib, jam covers, photo frames, fabric cards and finger puppets can all be made from fabric on its second time around.

Jumpers can be unpicked and knitted or crocheted into new articles. Make sure the garments you buy are not matted. Wind the wool into hanks, wash and steam to remove crinkles. A tea cosy knitted from recycled wool and decorated for Easter to give it that special touch. An egg cosy in the shape of a chicken is that easy the children could even knit them.

DIY and recycle - new ways to use an old woolly jumper to re-incarnate it, rather than ending up in landfill.

http://ecobites.com/diy-recycling-projects/reincarnate-old-sweaters-jumpers.html

Try a puff patchwork quilt for a new baby.You need lots of cotton pieces - 8 cm (3 in) square for backing each puff and 10 cm (4 in) square for the top of each puff. Use 13 strips with nine puffs in each strip for a cot size.
Make a pleat in each side of the 10 cm square and sew in onto an 8 cm square, stuffing each one with a small amount of washed fleece before sewing up the fourth side.
Do not stuff the squares too tightly.
Join the puff patches into strips, then join the strips together.
For the backing you will need about 1 m (3ft x 3 in) of material: maybe you could get a suitable piece of curtain / drape, or a gathered skirt at the thrift store for this.
The backing needs to be slightly bigger than the patchwork as it folds over to the front to give an edging to the quilt.
Sew by hand onto the front of the quilt and mitre the corners.

A tool kit for the bike or a sewing kit can be made from a strip of heavy material such as denim, with loops to hold tools or cottons and sewing accessories, then rolled up and tied with a strip of material.

For the bike kit add extra strips to tie the kit to the bike.
This idea can also be used to make a manicure set, a shoeshine kit, or a Easter picnic set with a larger cover which becomes a cloth when unfolded.

Oddments of recycled fabric can be cut into 15 cm by 15 cm (6 x 6 in) squares with pinking shears. Place a dessertspoon of lavender in centre. Gather up in your hand and secure with a rubber band and tie with a pretty ribbon. Makes a pretty lavender sachet to hang in a wardrobe or tuck into a drawer or handbag.

Make a Herb Pillow with fabric scraps and ribbons etc. Air dried herbs work best. You may cheat a little with some pure essential oils if stocks are low in the garden.Try Rosemary, Basil, Scented Geraniums etc.

Older children might enjoy foregoing the eggs and fuzzy chicks altogether in favour of a plant pot, some heirloom seeds and soil so they can grow their own herbs or small veggies.

You can pick up boxes and baskets at the local Thrift / Op Shop (decorate with fabric, ribbon, dried flowers, herbs etc) to turn your culinary delights into Easter hampers. And, the baskets are reusable!

Combine craft and cooking ... homemade organic cakes, jams, sauces, biscuits and treats are always welcome with those who are too busy.

Instead of buying chocolates with packaging sure to end up at a nearby landfill, make some healthy organic chocolate treats and lip balm.

Chocolate-covered organic brazil nuts and organic strawberries – just melt some organic (like Green & Blacks) dark chocolate in a bowl over just-simmering water, skewer your nut, strawberry (or organic dried fruit), and dip into the melted chocolate. Then lay it on greaseproof paper to set.

Organic Chocolate LIp Balm

1 teaspoon beeswax
2 teaspoons organic prime-pressed cocoa butter
3 teaspoons organic oil of choice - organic coconut or olive oil or rice bran oil /jojoba 5-10 drops peppermint essential oil

Slowly melt ingredients in a double boiler or in 30-second spurts in microwave. Cool slightly and fill recycled containers. You may like to adjust the ratio of ingredients to suit your liking.

Skip petroleum-based plastic grass, for your Easter baskets. Sprouted wheat grass and raffia are good all-natural alternatives, or recycled products like paper from your shredder.
http://ecobites.com/ecokids-1/grass-easter-basket.html

Make all-natural dyes from common foods for your Easter eggs: spinach (green), red onion skins (violet), orange peel (yellow), red cabbage (blue…no really!) and beetroot (pink). Don’t forget to buy organic and compost everything when you’re done.
http://ecobites.com/eco-arts-crafts-activities/natural-colours-for-easter-eggs.html

Recycled Onion Skin Easter Eggs

What you'll need:

uncooked white eggs

several handfuls of dry skins from brown onions (collect loose skins from your organic food store, I am sure they will only be too willing for you to recycle them)

recycled stockings, cut into 6-inch lengths

rubber bands

vinegar

Here's how to do it:

Tear onion skins into pieces, about 2 inches.

Use rubber band to close cut stockings so only one end is open.

Put several pieces of onion skin into the bottom of the stocking, place the egg on top, and then add more onion skin pieces. You’ll want enough onion skins so they are two layers thick around the egg.

Wrap another rubber band around the open end of the stocking.

Reposition onion skins so that no egg shell is visible. Be careful with this part; the eggs are still uncooked, remember.

Tighten rubber band and stretch stocking as needed so that skins are firmly against the egg.

Place eggs in pot large enough for them to move freely.

Fill pot with water, covering eggs by two inches.

Add 2-4 tablespoons of vinegar.

Bring water to the boil.

Once boiling, immediately turn off heat and cover pot.

Let eggs stand for 15 minutes in hot water.

Remove eggs and run under cold water. Place in refrigerator to cool completely.

Rub a few drops of organic coconut oil on the surface of the eggs for a nice shine.

Now the recycled onion skin eggs are ready to participate in an Easter Egg hunt.

Hold a recycled Easter bonnet parade with everyone crafting a unique piece of headgear out of scrap materials.

If all else fails and you run out of time to make your own creative recycled masterpiece Easter pressies - Give - gifts of time, decorate old cards or cut cereal boxes etc, for vouchers - 1 x lawn mowed, 1 x car washing etc.

With a little planning anyone can give Easter presents that are thoughtful, original, recycled and home- made that make a difference to the environment.

Think outside the chocolate box. For $40, you can purchase your loved ones a dozen baby chicks. This gift will go to a family affected by HIV/AIDS. If chicks are not your style, you can purchase a sheep, fair trade honey, or plant a garden with your donation.

https://www.oxfamamericaunwrapped.com/

Make Easter the opportunity to make a difference. At the end of the celebration, your friends and family will have a smile in their hearts, happy memories, and the confidence that comes from helping others. That's worth more than anything money can buy.