I try not to buy toys for Yassin nowadays coz it would take him less than 5 minutes to spoil them. So what I do is, recycle from what we already have, for example a toy house out of milk carton.

You need a small milk carton, acrylic paints, a brush and a cutter knife. First, you got to glue the opening (where we insert the straw). Paint the top part with brown color and bottom, yellow. Of course you can use your favourite color. Draw a roof pattern on the roof. After it dries, cut out a door and windows. That’s it.

Yassin likes this house very much, instead of putting his cute stuffed toys, he put real ladybirds inside but of course they didn’t like it there and flew away.

Here’s s very simple project for you to make; your own gift wrapper from old newspaper. This is actually done for a craft book I’m working on.

You need:

- Old newspaper
- Acrylic paint (your color choice)
- Ribbon

Instructions:

Take a piece of newspaper (tabloid is the best) and paint whatever you want. Let it dry. Wrap your pressie with your hand-painted wrapper and decorate with complement colored ribbon.

That’s it! As easy as ABC! Even kids can do it! I know you can do better! Come on take your ‘paper lama’ and paint!

I have two pending books to settle by 15th February and have settled one (recycled craft projects) as we speak.The other will be nature projects. Originally, I wanted to write about sewing and gift projects but I changed my mind. Recycled and nature projects seem more interesting. Cheap and easy to construct.