Welcome to Handmade, I'm Cassidy, and today we're going to upcycle some old magazines into really fun decor and gifts for our friends. One of the number one things I like to do is make super fun stuff on the cheap.

For this first project, we're going to take an ordinary box and turn it into a cute catch-all for your desk or your craft room. I wanted to use magazine pages and create a pleated effect around my box. Grab your magazines and pick a color palette. I'm going with blues, greens, and a little pop of pink. To cut out all of your paper, you could use scissors. I like to use a paper cutter - it makes it a little faster.

The first thing I'm going to cut is my square, which is going to be the anchor point for my pleats. And I'm going to use my box, and I'm going to keep the lid on so that it starts here, so that you can still open and close the container. There's your square. Now that we're finished with this, we're going to set it aside and we're going to cut a whole bunch of rectangles that are half the size of this square.

Take your anchor point piece and just fold it in half. That'll be our starting point. Alright, and then I'm going to just take the extra rectangles and fold a quarter of the edge down. The flap is going to give you a surface area to glue them to each other. When I'm gluing them, they don't have to be perfectly aligned - just keep it generally centered. Because this takes a hot minute, I went ahead and stepped it out a little bit. This way, you get a better visual of the effect - how it's going to look on our container.

Now that I have attached to the anchor point, I'm just going to put a little bit of glue along the pleats as I go, just to kind of attach it to make it extra secure. If it's just a little bit too long when every time you attach it to the box, just use some scissors - trim it short. So this looks great as is, but I can't help myself. I want to take it up a notch.

So we're going to do just a few more things to get this finished. Spray with acrylic sealer for shine and texture. Once you've applied the sealer, let it dry. Then add a knob. I don't think anyone is going to guess that this was made from magazines. But I still have two more to show you.

Quilling is having a real moment right now, and if you want an in-depth video on that, go check out my buddy's video, the Crafty Lumberjacks. And this year, we're trying quilling. Instead of using quilling paper, I'm going to use magazine pages and scrap paper to make art. So if you want your beads to be lots of different sizes, you can make them extra thick just by adding length. This is obviously as long as your magazine page is going to be. To make this even longer, before you quill, cut four of these. Glue them at the ends, and there you go. You have your quilling paper.

Let's roll it up. Place it in the slotted tool and roll it. And if you're looking for a quick craft, this is not for you. But if you're one of those people that likes to do something with your hands while watching a show, then this is great. Take up quilling. We're at the end of our quill roll. We're just going to put a little dab of hot glue now, and you see it's attached.

One of the things that I learned when I quill with magazine paper is that it slides off and it unravels. So to keep that tight, I just took a pair of scissors - limp down to the middle, and then just slide off your bead. So you see how tiny this is, and how much time and effort went into it. This project is definitely going to use up some old magazines, but it's so worth it.

Now, let's move on to our next project. For this one, you're going to need two wooden plaques. And you can paint them whatever color you want. I chose white. If you use a lot of deco punch glue, this tool will change your life. It will make it so much easier. You just literally take it, squeeze it, and then roll it on. For this project, this is literally how easy it is.

Glue, smash - fits perfect. Then make sure that the seams are lined up perfectly. And then you can make any color pattern you want as you stack them. You can make this as tall or as short as you need. If you're like me and have 5'3" of space on your wall, you can make it whatever height you need.

I love how versatile this project is, and I think it's a great way to add some color and interest to any room. And the best part is that it's made from old magazines, so it's eco-friendly too. So get creative with your magazine pages, and see what kind of amazing things you can make.

Overall, I hope you've enjoyed this project as much as I have. Remember, upcycling is all about being creative and finding new uses for old things. Don't be afraid to experiment and try new things - you never know what you might come up with!

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enAnd let's see, whatelse am I going to find?Oh, there's dogs.I love dogs.Momma did it.Ooh--Welcome back to Handmade.I'm Cassidy, and one of thenumber one things I like to dois make super funstuff on the cheap.So we're going to use freeold magazines that I had justlaying around and up-cycle theminto really fun decor and giftsfor our friends.Let's get started.For this first project, we'regoing to take this ordinary boxand turn it into a cutecatch-all for your deskor your craft room.I wanted to use magazinepages and createa pleated effect around my box.So grab your magazinesand pick a color palette.I'm going with blues, greens,and a little pop of pink.So to cut out all of yourpaper, you could use scissors.I like to use a paper cutter--makes it a little faster.The first thingI'm going to cut ismy square, which is going to bethe anchor point for my pleats.And I'm going touse my box, and I'mgoing to keep thelid on so that itstarts here, sothat you can stillopen and close the container.There's your square.So now that we'refinished with this,we're going to setit aside and we'regoing to cut a whole bunchof rectangles that arehalf the size of this square.Take your anchor point pieceand just fold it in half.That'll be our starting point.All right, and then I'm going tojust take the extra rectanglesand fold a quarterof the edge down.The flap is going togive you a surface areato glue them to each other.When I'm gluing them, they don'thave to be perfectly aligned--just keep it generally centered.Because this takes a hot minute,I went ahead and stepped itout a little bit.This way, you get a bettervisual of the effect--how it's going tolook on our container.Now that I have attachedto the anchor point,I'm just going to put a littlebit of glue along the pleatsas I go, just to kind of attachit to make it extra secure.If it's just a littlebit too long wheneveryou attach it tothe box, just usesome scissors-- trim it short.So this looks great as is,but I can't help myself.I want to take it up a notch.So we're going todo just a few morethings to get this finished.Spray with acrylic sealerfor shine and texture.So once you're sealer'sdried, add a knob.I don't think anyoneis going to guessthis was made from magazines.But I still have twomore to show you.Quilling is having areal moment right now.And if you want anin-depth video on that,go check out my buddy'svideo, the Crafty Lumberjacks.And this year, we'retrying quilling.Quilling.Instead of using quilling paper,I'm going to use magazine pagesand scrap paper to make art.So if you want your beads tobe lots of different sizes,you can make them extrathick just by adding length.So this is obviously aslong as your magazinepage is going to be.So to make this evenlonger, before you quill,cut four of these.Glue them at the ends,and there you go.You have your quilling paper.Now, let's roll it up.Place it in the slottedtool and roll it.And if you're lookingfor a quick craft,this is not for you.But if you're oneof those people thatlikes to do something with yourhands while watching a show,then this is great.Take up quilling.We're at the endof our quill roll.We're just going to puta little dab of hot glue.Now, you see it's attached.One of the thingsthat I learned whenI quill with magazine paper isit slides off and it unraveled.So to keep thattight, I just tooka pair of scissors--limp down to the middle,and then just slideoff your bead.So you see how tinythis is, and how muchtime and effort went into it.So this project isdefinitely going to usea little bit of patience.But it's beautiful in the end.I'm going to show you how toturn these tiny little beadsinto art.We're going for kind of aneclectic, textile art effect.So I put the beads on, and Ijust kind of place them first.Put a dab of hot glue.Then you just place those beads.With a little bit ofpaper and a lot of time,you can have an almostfree piece of art.But you're not done with me yet.We have one more project.Get ready.If you're too cheapfor a standing desk,then this is goingto help you out.To start out onthis one, you justneed your two wooden plaques.And you can paint themwhatever color you want.I chose white.Take your magazines.If you use a lotof deco punch glue,this tool will change your life.It will make it so much easier.You just literallytake it, squeeze it,and then roll it on.For this project, this isliterally how easy it is.Glue, smash-- fits perfect.Then make sure that theseseams are lined up perfectly.And then you can makeany color patternyou want as you stack them.You can make this as tallor as short as you need.If you're like me andhave 5'3\" problems,then you're going to need yoursto be a little bit shorter.So now that I have my stackand it's glued together,I also want to just put a layerof glue around the edges, justfor extra support.So our magazines are dried.Let's attach our plaques.I'm just going to use alittle bit of hot glue.Now we just need to addour chip board letters.And adding letters is optional,but come on, it's cute.This turned out so cute.And all that'smissing is my laptop.Now I have theperfect standing desk,and I didn't haveto pay a fortune.These projects turned outso great and fabulous.I mean, these were justa bunch of magazinessitting around my houseand collecting dust.And now, there arethings I actuallywant to showcase, like onbookshelves, or my desk,or on a gallery wall.So tell us in the comments belowwhich one is your favorite,and what you would makewith your magazines.And like and subscribe--we'll see you next time.\n"