Many items nowadays are packaged in cardboard boxes that are immediately thrown out once the product is used. Unfortunately, not many people realize that cardboard is a great medium for expressing creativity through projects and crafts. Tons of DIY projects out there make use of cardboard since, after all, cardboard is durable, versatile, and pliable. Instead of immediately throwing out cardboard, why not keep them around a little longer? You’ll be amazed at how usable cardboard can be. You’ll also be keeping the cardboard from contributing to the ever-growing landfill waste a little longer. Here are eight creative crafts you can make out of cardboard.
Hexagon Wall Art
One creative way to fill up an empty wall space is by decorating it with hexagon wall art. Simply trace out hexagon shapes on a sheet of cardboard and cut it out. Layer the cardboard on top of each other to make it as thick or as thin as you want. Cut out a smaller hexagon on the middle of some of the hexagons for variety. Paint the hexagons with different solid colours that complement each other and then stick them onto your walls to create a beehive effect.
Mini-cars
If you’re hosting a kid’s party then having an improvised backyard drive-in movie is a great idea to make watching movies more fun for the kids. Design the cardboard box into a car and place a pillow or two inside. One cardboard box is for one kid. Set-up the projector and plain white screen, play the movie, and let the kids enjoy.
Pendant light
Although it may look complex, making a pendant light out of cardboard is incredibly easy. The main idea is to create a couple of pentagons, depending on how long you want the pendant light to be, and securing them on top of each other on a different angle. At the very top, you’ll need a solid pentagon to serve as the base for the light bulb.
Metal Letters
Display your favourite statement in huge, metal letters in a wall of your room for the perfect decoration. First, sketch out the statement onto your walls. Make sure your measurements are right before you cut out the letters on a cardboard. Paint the cardboard letters first with black as a base colour. Then paint over the black with a metallic gray colour then rub on some areas of the letters for a distressed look. Attach the letters onto your walls and you’re done.
Tray
Cardboard can make the perfect tray to hold all the items on a coffee table or mantel. This way, you’ll save money from buying an actual tray and you have the option of personalizing it to your preferred design. All you have to do is to manipulate a cardboard sheet to make a tray then cover it with a decorative paper or fabric of your choice.
Textured Paintings
The corrugated structure of cardboard boxes can create a textured design for your painting. Start by creating lines using different colours of paint on the surface where you want to create the texture. Cut a small sheet of cardboard then use its corrugated end (the edge) to smooth out the lines of paint. As you run the cardboard over the paint, move it around for a unique design. You may have to re-drag a few times to make the texture clear but don’t do so too many times or else the paint will blend too much.
Apartment Door Number
Here’s a simple project for your home. Make your apartment door more easily identifiable by hanging up your apartment number outside your door. The main concept is to print and cut out a cool design for your apartment number and then secure it on a cardboard backing. Hang it up with a ribbon or a piece of twine.
Gift Tags
With just a cardboard and twine, you can make a minimalistic, antique-looking gift tag for all of your gifts. Just cut out a small rectangle on a piece of cardboard, punch out a hole at one end, and then insert the twine.
