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Making bowls from recycled goods

A new dish is only a few magazine clippings away.

Published June 2, 2009

Making (and remaking) my own things -- from postcards to dresses -- is my personal favorite way to save the environment. Although this is only a small step in going green, you get the added perk of increasing your artsy credibility.

Recycled magazine bowls are my latest favorite project -- they're a great way to decrease clutter and create something functional. In a few simple steps and about an afternoon, you'll have the perfect addition to your apartment (or residence hall, house, shack, etc.).

This project works best when you simply dive in. The instructions could seem daunting, but once you get started, you should have no trouble.

Your first step is to choose what you are going to recycle. Make sure the pages are fairly thick and glossy -- avoid using newsprint. I chose an old issue of Nylon, a publication with a great blend of white space and pops of color.

Tear out the pages. Although you don't need to worry about having perfectly straight edges, be gentle. Keep an eye on the pages you will include in your bowl, since it it's sometimes hard to tell what will be exposed in the final project. In other words, if you're making this for an uptight aunt, skip the Trojan condom ad.

Your next step is to fold the pages into the strips you will use to build the bowl. Fold a page in half, and then unfold. You will use this middle crease as a guide. Next, fold the edges of the page in to meet at the center crease. Repeat this two more times.

Finally, apply a thin layer of glue to this open face, and fold in half on the original middle crease. You should have a strip of magazine about a half an inch thick.

The bowl is essentially a coil of these strips. To start, simply coil a strip as tightly as possible. Tape the end down. Tape another strip to where the first strip ended and continue coiling. Repeat this process until you have the diameter you desire for your bowl. At this point, you should have a coiled, flat disc.

Here's the fun part: push down the center of the disc and shape your bowl. Play with your bowl until you have a shape you like. Lastly, to set your bowl, spray liberally with acrylic sealant (available at any craft store). You did it!