Old newspaper ideas

Rolled newspaper stool

Gather your supplies

• 55 tabloid-sized newspapers

• Mod Podge (sealer/glue)

• 2 belts

you’ll also need
Sticky tape; scissors; extra newspapers; paintbrush; drill; 1 packet 10g x 75mm countersunk ribbed-head chipboard screws; screwdriver; 25 bolt screws (optional)

Step 1
Tightly roll 1 newspaper into a cylinder shape. Wrap tape around top, bottom and middle to secure. Repeat for remaining 54 newspapers.

Step 2
Cut strips of extra newspaper the same length as a cylinder and wide enough to wrap around it, allowing extra for an overlap. Wrap a strip around each cylinder, overlap and glue ends to secure. Let dry.

Step 3
Lay 2 cylinders side by side, gluing them together where they touch. Centre, then glue another cylinder on top. Let dry. Measuring about 8mm in from 1 end, drill a small starter hole partway through 1 cylinder, then repeat at other end. Repeat with other 2 cylinders. Then secure 3 cylinders together with screws.

Step 4
Repeat Step 3 until you have 10 lots of 3-cylinder sets. Stand 1 set upright, then add additional sets around it, gluing where sets touch. Work in a circular fashion, until you have 1 large cylinder made up of ten 3-cylinder sets.

Step 5
Cut a strip of newspaper, as in Step 2, for each remaining cylinder and wrap strip around it, gluing overlapped edges together. As these strips will appear on outside of your stool, the colour and design featured on each strip is important, as you are essentially creating a decorative theme or a story. If you wish, you can repeat the same design, but you’ll need lots of the same paper.

Step 6
Using a belt at top and another at bottom to help hold cylinders together and, being mindful of outer design you wish to achieve, arrange remaining cylinders around large central cylinder (completed in Step 4) until you form a circular stool.

Step 7
Measuring about 8mm down from top, drill a starter hole partway through each outer cylinder. Attach outer cylinders to large central cylinder with screws. Repeat for other end. Conceal screws with belts. For an urban vibe, use bolt screws instead of chipboard screws and leave them visible rather than concealing heads with belts.

Newspaper seedling pots

Old newspapers make great seedling pots. Germinate your seeds in them, then plant seedlings, pot and all, in the ground. This helps prevent transplant shock, and the paper quickly breaks down into the soil. Follow these steps,
using tabloid-sized newspapers, to make your pot.

Stockists: Mod Podge, Spotlight, 1300 305 405 or www.spotlight.com.au 10g x 75mm countersunk ribbed-head chipboard screws; bolt screws, Bunnings Warehouse, (03) 8831 9777 or www.bunnings.com.au