What to do with old CD's

[Deoir]

I have about 15 - 20 cds that are damaged and unreadable.

I was thinking about doing something funky with them instead of just sending them off to be recycled.

Any suggestions?

Preferably something that won't involve buying anything else.

Or if I can't do something with them and someone is looking for them for a specific project let me know.

:)

[Mickey]

I have a stack that I have saved as well. Going to (somehow) drill/punch a hole near the edge and connect a whole bunch in a funky design as a wall hanging or window mobile.

Also planning on glueing together so shiny side out and make a funky matching light shade so it has a mirror ball effect. Time is just the problem.

I have also used them in the past for Girls' Brigade art and craft. Used outline stickers for younger girls and tubes of lead outline for older girls to do free hand designs, then used window/glass paints to colour in design. Had a roll of magnetic tape, stick a couple of small squares on the back and you have personalised fridge magnets.

This one was done a good few years ago and has been played with by youngsters passing the fridge and seeing *ooh shiny* - they can't resist getting tactile so it has a lot of wear. But a good little memento none the less.

This art work can obviously be much improved to suit any style you are partial to and needn't be so kid oriented.

[unapam]

They can be hung in fruit trees to deter birds from eating the fruit.

[TickTock]

I know some people make greetings cards/scrapbook pages out of them. Check out Scrabble's cards made with CD's under 'Papercrafts' here in Green Tips.

[ilikecake]

at electric picnic they use them as decorations - hang them from trees near a night light source and they catch the light as they spin in the wind - look a bit like a cross between christmas tree decorations and a disco ball ... :)

[noni]

You can also make clocks faces from them, you can buy hands unit from Craft Shop or take apart an old clock or one from Euro shop

[mammasboys]

I glue them together so that it's shiny sides out. Then I hang them from my gutters to not only reflect the light back into the house (my kids call them twinkles) but also to deter birds from flying into the windows. This used to be a big problem before but since doing this it has stopped completely. I think maybe they see the movement and realise there is no way through.
I've also seen them strung across a vegetable patch to deter the birds.

[maggied]

hiya , great ideas for the cds . i used the clear cases from old cds as tphoto frames just flip open cut photo to fit inside and close . put sssticky tab or blue taac on the back hang on the wall ,group together for more impact !!easy to change the photos while still on the wall !!

[Deoir]

I've decided to make a calendar out of them, each one being a month.

With a lot of spare material, paper and a decent printer I'm hoping that it'll turn out well.

Going to connect each one with ribbon / string so that they can be hung up in one long line or tied up so that you only see one month.

Hoping to do it all over the next weekend and I'll put some pics up when I'm done. :)

[mrsl]

Hi, if your calendar doesn't work out you could post them to the Jack and Jill Foundation, Freepost, for their recycling project.
mrsl

[melaniedon]

A few years ago when I was in college in my first apartment I had loads of cds I didn't need so what I did was drew a huge eye and then broke the cds and make a collage in the shape and for the pupil I used a vinyl record. It looked really ace, I wish I had taked photos....

[Scrabble]

melaniedon, that sounds really cool.

Deoir, there is a cool calender in the latest issue of Creativity pg50. (available in art and hobby shops). It looks like a CD covered and you can buy or print out the calender to stick on to it.

Thank you TickTock for remembering my CD cards.

Mickey, a great tool to use for punching holes in CDs is a crop-a-dile, or they have a new one out called the Big Bite. This can also be seen in the latest issue of Creativity or the QVC website.

mrsl, thanks for that info. I might send some to the Jack and Jill Foundation. I thought they only took old phones.


Happy crafting
Scrabble

[wasp019620]

Hiya,

You could thread wool or thread through them and make them a type of wind chime in the garden, or in a child's bedroom. We use them in playschool....we cut out flower petals big ones and glue them on the written side of one cd and then glue the other written side down too...that way you get to have two shiny sides and flower petals all the way around....you could do sun rays either.

Enjoy

[meatho]

I use them as coasters

[Gormal]

Originally Posted by meatho

I use them as coasters

Me too. However have also painted them and made unusual clocks.

Just found a new idea in time for xmas. Little cd wreaths that you can hang anywhere or give as gifts!