Someone asked in the TF Newsletter how to re-use a broken computer mouse rather than send to the landfill, and I thought I should submit my answer as a craft tip, too.
This idea is based on what I have readily available in my home and if I had a mouse to recycle I would make one up right now and post a photo.
I am not sure how much your mouse weighs, but mine is heavy enough to use as a paperweight and since it's already called a mouse why not turn it in to a mouse paperweight?
Cut the cord off, glue a couple of buttons for the eyes, cut about 4 inches from the end of a shoelace for the tail and two pointy tip leaf ends from a silk plant (or cut felt or stiff fabric for the ears) then mold and glue them so they are standing up.
You could be really creative with the choice of buttons, almost everyone has shoe laces that probably need to be replaced (can dye if you want to change the color) and can paint or dye the leaf tips or simply let the mouse have goofy green ears.
You'll definitely be recycling and have a unique conversation piece for your desk plus you'll feel good about having stirred your creative side. ;-)
By Deeli from Richland, WA
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Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I have several plastic honey bear shaped honey jars in different sizes. I also have 2 dark brown plastic bunny-shaped plastic bottles that syrup came in. I would like to make some bookends or paper weights out of them.
I craft a lot and the best paint for plastic is acrylic. Wal-Mart sells it in the craft section. You could also decorate the bears with other things, maybe hot glue on a bow tie. Or you could make it a piggy bank. Another idea is give it as a gift for a new baby, write the baby's name and birthdate on the bear's belly with paint. It would be a cute decoration in a baby's room. I hope these ideas help.
Am thinking you could fill them with colored sand instead of painting the exterior.
Why not just fill them with plaster of paris....you could color it as you make it... follow the manufacture directions for making it...and your imagination and some food color for coloring.......and your honey bear can be either a mold...by removing the plastic when it is dry...give it a month....or a cute little paper weight with a plastic cover....if you let it dry you will have to cut the plastic off and then touch it up with sand paper.....
You could decoupage/paper mache tissue paper to the exterior, then paint that. I find tissue paper is a very good 'base product' on hard to paper mache surfaces.
I rock hunted in the UP. I'm wanting to make them into paper weights to give as gifts. I'm wanting to keep the wet look otherwise it just looks like a rock.
Seriously, this is your answer: www.michaels.com/
this product is absolutely AMAZING!! I was able to make even the dullest tempera painting really stand out, darken, acquire depth, and yes, it does look 'wet' forever.
In addition, you can actually attach something to the rock, say, a leaf or a sticker or a coin, and the envirotek will hold it in place forever.
You can use varnish or shellac
This is a page about making colorful garden pebble paperweights. Garden stones with pleasing shapes can be painted with seasonal motifs to make pretty, useful paperweights.
Decorate a rock with colorful paper and glue to use as a paperweight. This is a page about how to make a decoupaged rock paperweight.
Stones make great paper weights and by painting them you can make them extra special. Painted stone paper weights are great for kids to make as Christmas gifts.
