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24.8.13

How to recycle CD cases

CD Case recycling
Here is the promised mini tutorial on how to recycle CD cases into notebook holders [this years Teachers Day gifts]. 
Since I am a big fan of recycling crafts I am always on the look out for recycling ideas..I'd seen DVD case notebooks and post it note holders but googling up instructions for how to recycle CD cases specifically yielded nothing much so sharing how we went about recycling CD cases.
CD Case notebook
To make note book holders like I have shared in this post on Teachers day gifts you need a CD case which has a bit of room inside it.I found  2 types of CD cases with enough depth to hold a notebook -
1.opaque black plastic type
2. transparent glass look type 
The  glass type does  not have very sturdy hinges and one broke while I was embellishing it so I would urge you to try out the hinges before you embark on recycling it.
Embellishing the glass type is a bit different and in this post I'll share on how to recycle the opaque plastic CD cases
CD case recycling
1.Test the hinges -discard those that look suspiciously likely to fall apart!!
2.Check the inside and use a craft knife /scissors to cut off protruding center of plastic from the inside as shown in the pic above .
CD Case recycling
3.No need to chop off all the protruding bits of plastic from the inside-just the center is enough![see pic above-I have left the rim in the 2nd half of the collage]
CD case recycling
4.If the inside has a bit of bumpy surface use card stock[thick paper] to line it otherwise thin paper will look unsightly and tear too!.Double sided tape [not foam tape] is the easiest adhesive I found for this .
Washi lovers can have a ball too as washi /fabric tape is great to deck up plastic surfaces [as shared in this post on Recycling with washi]Thank you Priya for sending me the yummy Washi.
5.Choose a notebook /Post it notepad which is not too bulky and will let your CD case close without much mishap!!
CD case recycling
6.In the collage above you can see my little crafter covering the notepad with pattern paper she had chosen and matching die cuts.
CD Case recycling
7.Once your notebook is ready adhere it to the inside of your CD case.We used double sided tape again [I love this adhesive-so quick, easy and mess free especially important factors while crafting with kids]
CD Case recycling
8.Embellish the front of your CD case and you are done! We used double sided tape to help stick pattern paper on the cover of our recycled CD case
CD Case recycling
Added stickers[a gift from Priya Sondhi--Thank you Priya],fabric flowers, punched flowers and some die cut foam and paper leaves on our recycled CD case.
CD Case recycling
In another variation , added chip board  embellishes ,pearls and rhinestones to make a simpler CD case notebook
CD Case recycling
Here is a closeup of the gorgeous shimmery glittery chipboard embellishes which are a gift from the awesome generous Shalini of Crafters corner
CD Case recycling
I hope I have you with me till now. So that's 3 down on my list of Teachers Day gifts!! 7 more to go..wish me luck!!!
My husband had suggested making minialbums with the CD cases but the thought of making 10 albums for Teachers Day was too scary for me.Need input from you guys about experience with mini album making--how much time would a basic one entail ?
This tutorial was featured on Totally Tutorials

78 comments:

  1. ellyscard creatief24/8/13

    What a lovely creations Sonia.I like the pinkflower.
    Gr Elly

    PS I have a blogcandy.

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    Replies
    1. Dr Sonia S V25/8/13

      Thank you so much Elly..the pink one is one of my favs too

      Delete
  2. Pam24/8/13

    WOW! These are some fancy CD cases! Beautiful!
    Pam
    scrap-n-sewgranny.blogspot.com

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    Replies
    1. Dr Sonia S V25/8/13

      Thank you so much Pam...I am so happy for your regular visits Pam

      Delete
  3. joolaa24/8/13

    interesting idea :)

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  4. Sujana24/8/13

    loved the embossed paper n its design u have used doc.... love love the floral arrangements n chipboard embellies too... lucky teachers

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    Replies
    1. Dr Sonia S V25/8/13

      Thank you so much Sujana...I used Itsy bitsy embossing folders and pearlised card stock

      Delete
  5. Stampsnob.24/8/13

    This is a beautiful idea ........Lis

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  6. Patti J24/8/13

    You are so creative! Beautiful project, my friend! Hugs...

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    Replies
    1. Dr Sonia S V25/8/13

      Thank you so much Patti.Thank you so much for dropping in.

      Delete
  7. Ann24/8/13

    What an awesome idea this is. So pretty too

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  8. Divya24/8/13

    Dr. Sonia.....what a nice gift for teacher's day.....the tute is very helpful.....must give it a try.

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    Replies
    1. Dr Sonia S V25/8/13

      Thank you so much Divya..so glad you found the tutorial helpful..makes it so worthwhile writing it all up!!

      Delete
  9. Hima Bindhu24/8/13

    Very beautiful and nice idea :) Pink one is amazing :)

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  10. Shelly Schmidt24/8/13

    These are wonderful! I do not think I have ever seen a black CD case- we just get the clear plastic ones with the hinge issues a big possibility! Love this great recycling idea- and love your sparkly embellishments!

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    1. Dr Sonia S V25/8/13

      I guess that is why I see a lot of the Cd cases being used to frame photos on the net..most of the clear ones I have have a scratched surface and would not look good framing photos.

      Delete
  11. Priya Sivaraj24/8/13

    Sonia!! Too much efforts for teachers day!! And that is superb recycling of CD case!!

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    Replies
    1. Dr Sonia S V25/8/13

      Thank you Priya!! And yes its an effort but we are having fun

      Delete
  12. Sindhu24/8/13

    Lovely gift..Love the way you embellish it..

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  13. Tanvi24/8/13

    Wonderful recycling!! I loved the colors in the second one.

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    Replies
    1. Dr Sonia S V25/8/13

      Thank you Tanvi..yeah thats my fav one too

      Delete
  14. Sharanyaa24/8/13

    Both are lovely. Thank you so much for the tutorial and for your tips.

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    Replies
    1. Dr Sonia S V25/8/13

      Thank you so much Sharanyaa...I was not sure if I should post a tutorial..only did so as I couldnt find one on the net and had to figure out stuff by guessing and experimenting!

      Delete
  15. SD pooja24/8/13

    Wonderful tutorial ! Nice you warned about the hinge..I was wondering what you must have done to flatten the protruding center, got it !Loved the fluffy satin flower !

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    1. Dr Sonia S V25/8/13

      Thank you so much Pooja..yes the hinge on my daughter's favorite[not shown above] has broken and now I have to figure out how to re create it without breaking her heart..little children do get upset at such things!!

      Delete
  16. Radhika24/8/13

    Such beautiful CD cases...no one would guess its made out of CD case..thanks for the tutorial Dr sonia..now I want to make one ..you make every tutorial so simple so wanna try each of it but effort is a lot u make things easy..your little one is very gud at colour combinations ..love them..all the best for 7 more. :)

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    1. Dr Sonia S V25/8/13

      Thank you so much Radhika...I am so happy I have made it look simple..it is simple enough..otherwise I wouldnt have had the courage to start making 10!!!

      Delete
  17. Unknown24/8/13

    Beautiful card :),descriptive and easy tutorial will be helpful for newbie crafters like me.
    http://www.mythreadcreations.blogspot.in/

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    1. Dr Sonia S V24/8/13

      Thank you so much Gurmeet it is a comment like this which makes all the photography and editing so worthwhile..Thank you so much

      Delete
  18. ManuK24/8/13

    Sonia, that is a brilliant idea! I have so many empty CD cases laying around the house, I think it's time to make something useful out of them!

    Hugs!
    Manu

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    Replies
    1. Dr Sonia S V24/8/13

      Ha Ha I had many lying around and pushed myself into using them to minimize my accumulated junk and recycle at he same time

      Delete
  19. Angel24/8/13

    Lovely and very pretty ..i like all the embellishments ..

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    Replies
    1. Dr Sonia S V24/8/13

      Thank you Angelin..It was easy to embellish the Cd cases

      Delete
  20. Natasha24/8/13

    Really like this idea sweetie, these will come in very handy for my two teenage girls to place into their bags for quick notes without having to worry about losing little pieces of paper or not having a pen to hand. Thanks for sharing. Hugs xNx

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    Replies
    1. Dr Sonia S V24/8/13

      Oh yes you are so right Natasha..I should make one for my little girl too..she would be tickled pink!!

      Delete
  21. Lisa Minckler24/8/13

    For what teachers do, they need a gift everyday and I just love this Sonia!! Those fabric flowers are GORGEOUS and I love the second variation with chipboard very much as well. A gift from the heart with truest sincerity is the best gift of all AND they're BEAUTIFUL!!
    Thank you for sharing this :)
    hugs to you,
    Lisa x

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    Replies
    1. Dr Sonia S V24/8/13

      Oh yes you are spot on Lisa..I struggle to handle one little kiddo..hats off to the teachers for handling so many bundles of energy!!

      Delete
  22. Hussena24/8/13

    I loved your Tutorial Dr sonia ..quite simple and so easy to follow ..Your recycled CD cases look gorgeous !! ..what a beautiful way to embellish them too ..The teacher's are going to love this ..Thank you so much for sharing this :)

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    1. Dr Sonia S V24/8/13

      Thank you so much for such kind encouraging words Hussena.

      Delete
  23. HappyMomentzz by Sharada Dilip24/8/13

    waoh! awesome creations & thanks for the lovely n simple tutorial :)

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    1. Dr Sonia S V24/8/13

      Thank you so much for the boost Sharada..it is indeed a simple tutorial

      Delete
  24. abusybee - DoubleClick Connections24/8/13

    So fun! Such great papers and idea! Carri~Abusybee

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    1. Dr Sonia S V25/8/13

      Thank you so much Carri..the papers are a recent buy from a sale

      Delete
  25. Bhawana24/8/13

    its amazing creation. This looks fabulous. I love ur style of decoration.

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    1. Dr Sonia S V25/8/13

      Thank you so much Bhawana..I had missed your visits. So good to have you drop in

      Delete
  26. Patricia St Martin24/8/13

    So pretty. Thanks for sharing the how to.
    Hugs, Pat

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    Replies
    1. Dr Sonia S V25/8/13

      Thank you so much Pat..it is such a simple project compared to the wonder crafts you share

      Delete
  27. Cheribear25/8/13

    Dr Sonia, I have to tell you that your projects are unbelievably wonderful. All your crafts are great and your instructions are so easy to follow. I just love your idea for the CD case. I adore your flowers. I don't know how such a busy lady has any time to create such nice projects. I love how you include your young daughter. Thank you so much for all your sharing. I am so glad that I found your Blog.

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    1. Dr Sonia S V25/8/13

      Thank you so much for such wonderful kind words. I tried to see if you have a blog and couldnt find one.Do let me know if you have one

      Delete
  28. Lisa25/8/13

    Oh wow, they are absolutely stunning, Sonia!! What a fabulous way to recycle CD cases...and I have a ton!! I love how you decorated them and as always, your tutorial is fabulous!! Thanks so much for the inspiration!! Have a great day :)

    Lisa
    A Mermaid's Crafts

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    Replies
    1. Dr Sonia S V25/8/13

      Thank you so much Lisa..I would love to see you work magic of dies with recycling Lisa!!

      Delete
  29. Mrs A.25/8/13

    Another super recycling idea and a great tutorial. The mini album I have just shown on my blog took me 3 days but I was experimenting with it as I went along and made several adjustments so if I made another one I would be much faster. hope this helps. Hugs Mrs A.

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    1. Dr Sonia S V25/8/13

      Thank you so much Mrs A..Yes that is exactly why I didnt want to try a mini album as I suspected it would take a lot of measuring and embelllishing!

      Delete
  30. Sheetal25/8/13

    Very nicely done.Thanks for sharing the tutorial.

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    Replies
    1. Dr Sonia S V25/8/13

      So sweet of you to pen down encouraging words Sheetal

      Delete
  31. Suman Pandit25/8/13

    super idea and tute!!you have embellished it so beautifully!!

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  32. Benzi25/8/13

    Wonderful tutorial and a fabulous cover.

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  33. Nana26/8/13

    WOW, you are the only person I know that could take a CD case and turn it into something this beautiful. I so love viewing your creation.
    Have a creative day.
    Hugs Nana
    ♥ My Crafting Channel ♥
    ♥ 2 Creative Chicks ♥
    ♥ Silhouette Challenges ♥

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  34. chillin with Quillin26/8/13

    wow really beautiful creation, love the idea its recycled case !!!!!
    Paula

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  35. Norma27/8/13

    WOW! what a great way to recycle those CD cases and make them so beautiful!! Thank you for stopping by, have a fabulous week
    Hugs,
    Norma

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  36. Anonymous27/8/13

    hi

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  37. anabelucraft30/8/13

    Beautiful idea!! Is fantastic beaucause is very interisting the recycling and to make greetings for the teachers!!
    Goobye

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  38. Sonaj30/8/13

    Great idea:) Beautiful,lovely work! Thanks for share this with us:)

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  39. Beansieleigh30/8/13

    I like how you customized the pen to match! Is there a source where we could order the same/similar pens? ~tina

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    1. Dr Sonia S V30/8/13

      Thank you so much Tina. You can do the same for pretty much any refill pen. I had these pens with me for quite some time and so honestly dont remember where I got them from.Try any big stationary shop in your locality

      Delete
  40. Ursula Alice Stegmann3/9/13

    Auch dieses Projekt ist wunderschön.
    Mach weiter so, Ursula

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  41. Rupa Swaminathan4/9/13

    Lovely idea...may use ir sometime. Am also into recycling, pl see my cdcase accordion album tutorial in my blog....does not take much time and looks good too. Would like to know your comments too! The project is too cute. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Dr Sonia S V4/9/13

      Yes Rupa I did see your accordion album and loved it. Was happy to discover your blog and the recycling crafts you share!

      Delete
  42. Krishna4/9/13

    Dear Sonia,
    Appreciate your dedication in each and every item that has been prepared..Each of them are unique and inturn excellent.. I just found this site yesterday when
    I was searching for designs for my little ones and understood that this one stands out,from hell lot of Art n Craft sites.. Do not stop and bring up more and more motivating stuffs..

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    1. Dr Sonia S V4/9/13

      Thank you so much Krishna!! That is indeed a wonderful compliment. Do keep dropping by

      Delete
  43. Anila Dikay12/9/16

    wonderful idea....definetly a must-try

    ReplyDelete

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