Q: "Do you have any suggestions for using old magazines? I hate to throw them away if there's a fun way to recycle them."

A: There are several creative ways to use pages of old magazines. Certainly they make great placemats for keeping your table clean while crafting, but they are also a great starting point for a number of fun crafts.

Collages
Making a collage is a fun way to spark creativity and create a one of a kind keepsake. Give your kids a piece of 8.5" x 11" card stock or construction paper and some glue. Ask them to pick a theme for their collage. Using that theme, have them go through stacks of magazines and cut out pictures for their project. For example, if Tom wants his collage to be about dogs, have him find pictures of different dogs, dog food, bowls, a park, fire hydrants, dog houses, etc. They can be as creative or inventive as they like. Once their pictures are cut out, have them glue them all over the construction paper, overlapping if they like.

Decoupage
Pictures cut from magazines are great for decoupage projects. First, to create your own decoupage medium, mix together equal parts of white glue and water. Use a paint brush to combine, adding more glue or water if needed to make it to a milky, paintable solution. Use a paint brush to apply decoupage to empty vegetable cans, pieces of scrap wood, or empty glass jars. Lay your picture on the decoupaged area, then paint a layer of decoupage on top of the picture. Use the paint brush to smooth out the piece and get rid of any bubbles or lines.

Mosaics
You don't have to stick with pictures, but pick colors instead. For example, find a picture of grass for "green" and a picture of the sky for "blue". Cut or tear the sky and grass into smaller pieces to make your own colorful designs. Use these smaller pieces to create fun mosaic designs. You can cut colorful pages into squares or simply tear them into chunks, then glue them into a design on a piece of construction paper. Make a fun sunflower by cutting or tearing up pieces yellow and pasting them onto your paper to create petals. Use brown scraps for the center of the flower and green for the stems and leaves. Be even more thorough and use blue and white to fill in the sky and clouds for the background of your creation.

Make a Book
Either have your child pick her favorite story or you can create your own. Make a cover and back for your storybook using two pieces of colored construction paper. Cut out pictures from magazines to use as the illustrations for your story and to decorate the cover. Rewrite the story on white sheets of paper, glue on your illustrations, punch holes in the side of each page and tie together with yarn.

There are plenty of ways to recycle and reuse, so don't throw those old magazines out just yet!

Amanda Formaro is the crafty, entrepreneurial mother of four children. She and her husband live in sunny Nevada with a houseful of kids, dogs and cats. They enjoy traveling in the RV, swimming, and riding their four wheelers.

Find more fun and cool crafts that reuse paper including Shiny Paper Beads