5 Ways to Upcycle Trash into Art Supplies

As an upcycler, I love finding new ways to use old “trash”. Not only do I find the challenge thrilling, but I love that I’m helping to keep things out of the landfill a little bit longer. It’s so much fun to look at something and imagine all the amazing new things it could be. The endless possibilities are exciting! Sometimes my ideas turn into actual art but most of the time they have more practical uses, like supplies to create my art.

Today I’m sharing five easy ways to upcycle your trash into art supplies you can use over and over again as you continue to evolve and create your masterpieces. My hope is that you’ll love these “art supplies” as much as I do or at the very least be inspired to create something of your own. I’d love to see what you come up with or what you create in the comments.

Use old toilet paper rolls and a variety of other household items, such as foil, tissue paper or bubble wrap to create your very own DIY textured rollers. Learn how here!

Glue a variety of household items such as shelf liner, twine, or foil to pieces of cardboard to create custom DIY stamps.

Use dried tea bags as art paper, transparencies, pockets and a wide variety of other things to create your own DIY embellishments.

Leftover foil can be used with a dry embossing machine or stencils to create unique DIY “metal” art to frame or use in your mixed media.

Old egg cartons can be used for so many things, from gift packaging to art. Rethink throwing them away next time.