The last time you made a necklace, it probably involved macaroni. Here's an idea inspired by a project on the blog cucumbersome.com: Turn an old shirt into a piece of wearable art that's quite grown-up.

As you burrow back into your cold-weather clothes, you're probably taking stock of your sweater supply. Here's an option for the ones that are too shrunken or moth-eaten to donate: Turn them into fingerless mittens! They're cozy, chic, and (we promise!) much easier than you think.

Got some tired-looking throw pillows and a shirt with a case of ring around the collar? Dress up your bed!

Turn an empty plastic egg carton into a paint palette, and let the kids create handmade greeting cards or posters with paints made from common kitchen staples.

After the party, don't toss gift wrap and tissue paper in the trash. Instead, save money and reuse them for a variety of projects and creations -- banners, napkin rings, book covers, and more.

Massachusetts-based artist and designer Shara Porter "rescues" leather wallets, bags, and coin purses that are vintage (or just boring) and gives them a modern face-lift. She cleans, mends, and refinishes each piece, then adds one of her quirky signature hand-printed illustrations for a little "hide-and-cheek." From $28; sharaporter.com

Crafter Alice Saunders has always had a thing for old flea-market fabrics. The former history major loves details that show signs from the past -- a soldier's name on a canvas bag from World War II, or a hand-sewn repair made decades ago on a seaman's net. "I want to make these pieces tangible again by transforming them into useful everyday objects," she says. Her beautiful one-of-a-kind bags combine the cloth she collects with recycled and vintage hardware. From $50; etsy.com/shop/forestbound

These tiny pillows by zJayne, made from discarded T-shirts filled with lavender buds, replace chemical-laden dryer sheets. $13 for one patched and two plain; etsy.com/shop/zjayne

Given the time and thought that goes into picking a gift, the standard wrap job -- a rumpled bow slapped on a department-store box or a bag and tissue paper picked up at the drugstore -- rarely does justice to the contents. But visual appeal isn't the only reason to reconsider your wrapping habits: Americans spend an estimated $2.7 billion annually on ribbons, paper, and bows, and almost all of those goods wind up in the trash. This year, make gift wrap that's both gorgeous and green by creatively repurposing stuff others might toss.