Make a Cereal Box and Juice Carton Placemat
Breakfast often starts with a glass of juice, followed by a bowl of cereal. Why not use both to create a placemat to eat your morning meal? A handcrafted placemat will create an unusual look for the table and will be an effective way to recycle both containers.
Steps
- Disassemble your orange juice carton. Separate each panel from the orange juice container. Wipe the inside with cold water to remove any residual juice. If you do not clean the inside of the panel, it will get sticky and not work properly. Allow to dry.
- Cut 1/2" (10 mm) strips from the panels and set them aside.
- Cut 1/2" (10 mm) strips from the front panel of your favorite cereal box. Put aside the other panels from the box, in case you need more strips.
- Weave all the panels together, using one row of the juice strips, then a next row of cereal strips.
- Finish the ends by weaving dental floss or strong thread around the edges so that your new placemat will not pull apart.
Tips
- Rinse and save the boxes on a regular basis. On a rainy day, this would be a great project to share with the kids.
- If you prefer, you can use two different boxes of cereal instead of the orange juice carton.
- The placemats may also be laminated for a more sturdy and re-usable product. Either cover yourself with clear contact paper or take the mats to a copy shop where they should be able to laminate them inexpensively.
- For a variation, use different cartons of orange juice, and various boxes of cereal. This craft may also be accomplished using a milk carton.
- If you have a few children, have each child create his own mat from their own favorite cereals. This way each will have their own personalized place mat.
Warnings
- If you are underage, ask someone to help you cut the containers as the thickness of the cardboard can make this cutting a tricky task.
Things You'll Need
- Empty milk carton
- Empty cereal box
- Dental floss or strong thread
- Scissors
