Recycling old toys, dolls and doll house pieces...

There are many options for recycling/re-using toys and dolls; charity shops, children’s hospitals, car boot sales, passed on to friends/family, sold on Ebay or listed on Freecycle.

But there are other, fun, creative ways you can re-use these.

Kitsch jewellery

Why not create some one-of-a-kind/DIY doll jewellery?
Examples of what can be done with old dolls are perfectly demonstrated by Margaux Lange of Midge’s Mind.
Obviously, special equipment would be required to create such work. But a creative imagination, a neck chain, a screw eye and a screw-driver or similar hole making object could easily create the perfect dolly necklace!

This works for My Little Pony’s too! Just check out Lady Gaga’s My Little Pony necklace…

Punky Allsorts have created a My Little Pony necklace, just like Lady Gaga’s.

Why not try making your own at home. The best way would be to get a small screw eye and attach to the pony/doll, then put this on a chain (make sure the chain is strong enough to hold the weight though!).

Rings can also be made with smaller parts, why not try creating a ring with a pair of Barbie shoes? Ring blanks, glue and the shoes should be all that is required to create a cute little shoe ring.

Other DIY ideas

Create an art and craft feature.
A clever idea that I have come across was the recycled doll lampshade, though how fire-safe this is I can not be sure. It is a very cool idea though. 

If you are really creative (and also have patience!) why not try to create a DIY doll. There have been few DIY dolls around, being sold on ebay for large amounts.

Good with DIY and enjoy table-football? How about a Barbie foosball table? 

Cakes

Dolls can also be used to make fabulous birthday cakes. Check out Gemma's Rapunzel doll cake on the photo above! Use the top half of the doll (no legs) in the top of a cake, and make the cake the ‘skirt/dress’. Alternatively, you can use the whole doll by wrapping the legs in cling film, or placing in a plastic tube. I have seen some amazing cakes made from dolls, ranging from Barbie’s, to Mermaids. Action Man or a super-hero’s could be used for boy’s cakes. The whole doll could be placed on top of the cake, or built in to the cake somehow, like this Action Man, built into an army truck.
The doll does not have to do to waste afterwards, once cleaned it can be used again.
This idea is great not just for children’s cakes, but adults too, one that I found was for a 50th birthday, and I am 24 and would love a doll cake for my next birthday!

Some more great suggestions on re-use of dolls can be found on Recycle This.
How can I reuse or recycle dolls’ house / Barbie furniture? 

How can I reuse or recycle old dolls and action figures?

If you have any suggestions, please email them to zah@e4environment.co.uk. We would love to hear them and add them on here.