Guide
Looking for a last-minute Christmas present? Bake pretty polymer clay pendants
by Laura Scholz
Turn foam waste into snow figurines
24.12.2020
Translation: Veronica Bielawski
Don't throw away the wrapping from your Christmas presents. You can create great upcycling projects out of them. For example, snow figurines made of foam.
For a long time, I hated gift wrapping. Don’t get me wrong, I like receiving gifts. But getting rid of the packaging is tedious, sometimes costly, and doesn't meet my ideals about sustainability.
A few years ago, however, I started sorting the packaging before disposing of it. That's how I discover new things to tinker with. You can make cool things out of foam, styrofoam, packaging filler, paper or cardboard.
Here’s what you need to make snow figurines
Foam or styrofoam is the easiest to work into the basic shape. To make the figurines come alive, add craft pipe cleaners and googly eyes as decorative elements.
Let's upcycle
Step 1: Using a knife, cut the foam into cubes of different sizes. A sharp blade will help keep the corners from fraying. Especially in the case of styrofoam, a dull knife makes a big mess.
Step 2: Insert a small piece of craft pipe cleaner into the bottom cube. Then, stick the next cube onto the pipe cleaner. Repeat until your snow figurine reaches the desired size.
Step 3: Put two eyes on the face.
Step 4: Now you can give your snow figurine a nose, arms, a hat and other details using craft pipe cleaners in different colours.
Empower creativity
Even small children can make these snow figurines on their own. Creative ideas are sure to emerge. Maybe the snow figurine suddenly gets a wool sweater or accessorises with a bag. Imagination knows no bounds.
Set aside a big box at home where you collect packaging waste for upcycling. If you also throw in some colourful washi tape, a few skewers or some stickers, your child will be able to independently explore his or her creative ideas. For more play and craft ideas using packaging waste, check out my blog (in German).
My students, but also my own children, inspire me every day with their wild imaginations. I love to document the creative projects that come from them on my blog Fantasiewerk. I hope to inspire many moms and dads to do crafts with their children. [Fantasiewerk.ch](https://fantasiewerk.ch)
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