We don’t eat a ton of candy, so until recently, the world of candy wrapper crafts has been closed to me.
My kid’s recent ninth birthday party was candy-themed, however… Yeah, we’ve got some surplus candy wrappers now.
Do you have some surplus candy wrappers, too? Try one of these amazing candy wrapper crafts to use them up!
NOTE: I’ve got a bit of a personal beef against projects that require covering the candy wrappers in clear vinyl or backing them with duct tape, because making them requires using as much new plastic product as you’re upcycling, but I’ve included a couple, regardless. There’s a lot of room for eco-crafters of all levels on my planet.
20 Candy Wrapper Crafts
1. beads. Use candy wrappers to cover chunky beads, then string them into a necklace.
2. belt. Turn candy wrappers into a wearable accessory with this candy wrapper belt tute.
3. bookmarks. This tute uses candy boxes (think Milk Duds), but would work with bagged candy, as well.
4. bucket. A bucket decoupaged with candy wrappers (especially vintage ones) makes an awesome Halloween decoration, or a great treat holder.
5. candy wrapper coin purse. This project is great for a kid or teen, because there’s only a little hand-sewing required.
6. covered button earrings. You can even use a covered button kit for these, and then use the linked tutorial to turn your covered buttons into earrings.
7. doll dress. Use this technique and your own pattern to make candy wrapper doll dresses.
8. flowers. These candy wrapper flowers look cute in a bouquet or as hair bows.
9. gum wrapper chain. A gum wrapper chain would make a really cool bunting across a kid’s room.
10. hair bow. This tute will work on any mylar wrapper, including trading cards.
11. origami. Here are LOADS of tutorials for making origami from candy wrappers.
12. phone case. All you need is a clear case to start with, and you can swap out your favorite wrappers indefinitely.
13. purse. The tutorial uses potato chip bags, but any wrappers of similar material will also work.
14. recycled bottle earrings. Here’s another way to make candy wrapper decoupaged earrings, and this tute even uses upcycled plastic soda bottles as the base.
15. sewn candy wrapper pouch. This project is similar to the candy wrapper coin purse, above, but with more engineering and sewn components that give it a finished look. If you like to sew, this is the pouch for you!
16. Starburst wrapper bracelet. You know you did this back in junior high. Wear it again with this tutorial.
17. tooth fairy box. This a super cute way to decorate this little gift box for the tooth fairy. Save those Halloween candy wrappers!
18. turkey. Here’s the perfect post-Halloween, pre-Thanksgiving craft to use up all those trick-or-treating wappers.
19. vase. Pad out the pretty candy wrappers with colorful magazine pages, and you won’t have to eat so much candy first.
20. votive. A votive decoupaged with candy wrappers is the perfect Halloween craft.
I love candy wrappers — they’re so colorful and nostalgic. I made a phone case out of a Good N Plenty box, directions here:
http://creativeupcycling.blogspot.com/2013/08/sugar-rush-turning-cardboard-candy-box.html
And for men, cufflinks!