Calendar Recycling Project #1 Clothespins

Remember how I said (on Facebook) that you should save your old wall calendar if you hadn't already thrown it out? Well this week is just one of the reasons why!

I know, I know...Cute clothespins?! But why!? Well, lots of reasons, really! Clothespins are SUPER handy for FAR more than hanging clothes on a clothes line. I've only taken a picture of one way, but I can list MANY ways!!

Perfect for closing up bags of salad, candy bits, potato chips, _________ (insert bag here).
They can also be used for fridge magnets if you add a magnetic strip onto the back....useless around here since only the sides of our fridge are magnetic and most of that area is hidden. Or use them to hang up pictures your children have made along a wire or string (I love this idea and want to implement it!!). You could also use them to hang up pictures of your family along a hard wire shelf (I'll have to take a picture of this one later since I do this!). Use them to hang party decorations, or any other kind of decoration. You could even, *gasp!* use them to hang up clothes on a clothes line! hahahahaha I know, who would use them like that?!

Anyway, here's how to do it!

Items you need:

Clothes pins - I used 10 for this project, but you could use as many as you want! I got them as a large pack at the dollar store. VERY economical!
Your old wall calendar.
Mod Podge.
Scissors.
A surface to work on - I just laid out news paper...but in retrospect I should have used wax paper or something of the sort.
You might also want a paint brush to spread the Mod Podge...I just used my finger. I don't mind getting dirty/gluey and sometimes I think it's kinda fun! ;-)

I wanted this pretty tile design to show up on my clothes pins, so that's the part that I focused on during this project. Your design can be as large or small as you want. Just keep in mind that if your design is huge that it's going to look very abstract on the small surface of the clothes pin. If your design is small then you will be able to at least partially see it.

I know it's kinda hard to see, but there is Mod Podge spread on the backside of the calendar picture. It's on there kinda thick.

Start adding your clothes pins in a head to tail pattern. Lay one with the nose/tip/head/clamp (whatever you want to call it) facing one direction then lay the next one right next to it with it's nose at the same side as the tail/squeeze part is on the first one. Leave a very little bit of space between them.

Keep going until all of your clothes pins are attached to the backside of your calendar picture.

Cut around the area where your clothes pins are attached and flip over. Smooth out the paper on the clothespins as best that you can. It's ok if it's a little wet/wrinkly. Not a big deal! As it dries it should mostly fix itself.

This is a closer view of what I mean about nose to tail.

Cut apart the paper on the clothespins and carefully trim the paper as close to the clothespin as you can. The edge of the paper should now be flush with the edge of the clothes pin on all sides.

Once they are all cut apart paint a layer of Mod Podge on top of the calendar picture and along the sides of the part of the clothespin that the picture is glued onto (now the "top") and let dry. Once it's dry you can add the magnetic strip to the back if you would like.

And now you have some fun, recycled, and pretty clothespins to use for tons of other things! I wanted to make these before I did the pictures for the photoshoot for the outfit I made to follow along with Project Run and Play, but I didn't have time to.

P.S. Today is my birthday! And last night my sister brought me a totaly amazing cake that she made! She seriously needs to start her own bakery. YUUUUUMMMMYYYY!!!! :-D