Craft Tips > Recycled CraftsAugust 08, 2007

Here is advice for recycling old phone books in crafts posted by the ThriftyFun community. Post your own ideas here.

Use Pages For Messy Jobs

I keep mine and tear out a page to use when I am using glue, paint, stamping and for other craft projects. Then they can be thrown away after use and a new page used.

By Grandma H

I, too, use the old phone books for when I am hot gluing, and then rip the page(s) out when I am through to have another clean work surface. I also use them for a pad underneath my work when I am using an X-acto knife.

You could also use them for a booster seat (if the books are taped securely, making sure they won't move around.)

By Squirrley

Make A Christmas Tree

Years ago, they used magazines and by folding the pages in half some way formed a Christmas Tree shape and spray painted them.I've seen them but I really couldn't tell you how to go about making them.

By Sharon, Ky

We make table trees out of them for holidays and center pieces. It is very time-consuming but fun for all ages. You take the top corner of each page and fold it down towards the center making a half triangle of each page top. Do this individually to each page of entire book. You can decorate by painting, glitter, or any way you like. I also like the way it stands all by itself.

By Crystelc

A long time ago my Mother used to turn down all of the pages half way and then spray paint the entire TREE and that was a door stop and Christmas tree for the holidays. Wish I had a picture for you. Good Luck.

By Sally

Paper Mache Material

You can tear the pages out and use them in a paper mache type project. Cover an old box, vase or glass to paint after it dries. Have fun!

By Monica

How about papier mache? Or shred the pages for compost or for pet bedding; could you then sell bags of it for a very small amount?

By Attilathehen

Thrifty Ideas

There was a post recently with links to templates for envelopes. I like that idea and got some nice magazines from someone on freecycle last night.

If you want to save paper towels you uses for pan fried bacon, try putting a thickness of yellow pages on the platter under only one paper towel. You get the same effect as you do with several paper towels!

By melody_yesterday

Make A Step For Exercising

I read somewhere that the best use for old phone books is to stack them together and bind them with duct tape to keep them sturdy. Then use them for your step-exercises.

By hsorbits

Flower Press

I use mine to press flowers such as pansies and when dried (about a week) I use the flowers to make cards or lots of things. I am sure the kids would love to do this

By Jan

Transparency Dryer

I use them to dry overhead transparencies that I use for teaching. I just rinse the transparencies and put them in the phone book with several pages in between. The pages absorb the water so I don't have to worry about drying them and they don't get stuck together.

By Allison

Homemade Footstool

I have used them by binding several of them together with duct tape. Then I use them for my senior grandmother under the chair she sits in as a foot stool. It seems this would be perfect in a senior citizens home! Also once in a while, she gets chilly so we move the already bound books over the nearby air vent to keep it from blowing on her.

By KimiSunshine

Child's Booster Seat

Stack them 6-8 inches thick then tape them together and cover with contact paper. Now you have an attractive booster for the snack table. Pass them on to the parents for a booster at the dinner table.

By Catherine D

Leave The Old One In The Car

When we get a new phone book we put the old one in our cars, they have come in handy when you need a phone number.

By Carol

Parrot Chew Top

If you have friends that have large parrots (Macaws or Cockatoos), and medium parrots (Amazons, conures or Hawkheads), drill a hole through the center of the phone book, knot the bottom of a chain (about 10-14 inchens long) so that the phone book won't fall through the chain, use a "G" screw lock to fasten the book to the top of the bird's cage. They will have a good time chewing it apart. It's one of the best free "busy" toys for a parrot.

The chain link can be bought at Home Depot or Lowes for about a $1 if you or your friends don't have any at home after the parrots have chewed their way through wooden block toys.

By MaryAnn

Planter Stands

I have used my old phone books as planter stands. Using a commercial glue, stack the phone books one on top of the other and glue between each one. Place them in a spiral tower and wait until the adhesive has bonded them together. Using old paint, paint each one in a different colour, then when dry apply a coat of varnish. Make sure that they are well balanced when assembling them. Good luck

By M'ladys

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