USE AS CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS • Decorate your Christmas tree in style! Hang CDs, shiny side out, to create a flickering array of lights—or paint and decorate the label side to create inexpensive personalized ornaments. For a bit of variety you can cut the CDs into stars and other shapes with very sharp scissors. Drill a 1/4-inch (6 mm) hole through the CD and thread ribbon through the hole to hang.
DECORATE A TEENAGER’S ROOM • Old CDs make inexpensive and quirky wall art for a teenager’s room. Attach the CDs with thumbtacks and use them to create a border at the ceiling or halfway up the wall. Or let your teenager use them to frame his or her favorite posters.
CATCH CANDLE DRIPS • You should always use a candleholder specifically designed to catch melting wax. However, if one is not available, a CD is great in a pinch. Make sure it’s a short candle that can stand on its own with a flat bottom. It should be slightly larger than the CD hole. Place the CD candleholder on a stable, heat-resistant surface and keep a watchful eye on it.
MAKE ARTISTIC BOWLS • Looking for a funky bowl? Place a CD in the oven on low heat over a metal bowl until it is soft. Wearing protective gloves, gently bend the CD into the desired shape. Seal the hole by gluing the bottom edge to another surface, such as a flat dish, using epoxy or PVC glue. Don’t use the bowl for food.
Use an old CD to make a picture frame for someone you love. You need a CD, a picture of you that is larger than the CD hole, a large bead, ribbon, and glue. Glue the picture in the middle of the CD on the shiny side. If you wish, decorate the CD with markers or stickers. Use a hot glue gun to attach the bead at the top of the CD, allow it to dry, and thread ribbon through the bead.
USE AS FOOTPATH OR DRIVEWAY REFLECTORS • Forget those ugly orange reflectors. Instead, drill small holes in a CD and screw it onto your mailbox post or a wooden stake and push it into the ground. Install several of them to light a nighttime path to your front door.
MAKE A DECORATIVE SUN CATCHER • Sun catchers are attractive to watch and all you need to make one is a couple of CDs. Glue two CDs together, shiny sides out, wrap wool or colored string through the hole and hang them in a window. The prism will make a beautiful light show.
CREATE A SPINNING TOP • Turn an old CD into a fun toy for the kids (and adults too!). With a craft knife, make two slits across from each other in the CD hole. Force a coin halfway through the hole and spin the CD on its edge.
MAKE A CD CLOCK • Old CDs can be functional. Turn a disc into a funky clock face for clockwork sold by arts-and-crafts stores. Paint and design one side of the CD and let it dry. Write on the painted surface or use stickers to create the numbers around its edge. Assemble the clockwork onto the CD.
Before throwing away or recycling a scratched or damaged CD, try to repair it.
Firstly, clean it thoroughly with a lint-free cloth or mild soap and a little bit of water. Hold the CD by the edge to prevent getting fingerprints on it. Polish it from the middle to the edge, not in a circular motion. If your CD still skips, try fixing it with a little non-gel toothpaste. Dab toothpaste on the end of your finger and rub it lightly onto the entire CD. Use a damp paper towel to remove the toothpaste and dry it with a fresh paper towel. The fine abrasive in the toothpaste might smooth out the scratch. You might also want to use car wax on a scratch (see here).
USE AS A TEMPLATE FOR A PERFECT CIRCLE
Need to draw a perfect circle? Forget tracing around cups or using cumbersome compasses. Every CD provides two circle sizes. You can trace around the inner hole or the outer circumference.
COVER WITH FELT AND USE AS COASTERS • CDs can help to prevent those unsightly stains from cups left on the table. Simply cut a round piece of felt or thin cork sheeting to fit over the CD and glue it onto the label side of the CD so that the shiny side will face up when you use the coaster.
