Laminating film is commonly used in businesses and schools to keep paper from becoming damaged from tears or spills. However, there is usually film left at the end of a roll. Use these scraps in crafts to save the environment, and save money.
Stained "Glass" Window Hanging
Use your scraps of self-sticking laminating film to decorate for various holidays. Tear colored tissue paper into strips and squares. Peel the laminating film until the adhesive side is exposed. Cover the entire scrap with the squares of tissue paper. Seal the tissue paper by using another piece of the self-stick film. Cut the film into the shape you desire. Use construction paper to form a border for your film. Punch a hole in the top of the shape, and use twine to hang your decoration in the window so the sun can shine through the tissue paper, creating a stained glass-like appearance.
Bookmarks
Use your scrap pieces of laminating film to create a personalized bookmark. Use construction or scrapbook paper to make the background for your bookmark. Decorate the paper with markers, stickers, flowers or glitter. Once the decorations are complete, sandwich the paper between two scrap pieces of laminating film, and run the film through the laminating machine. Punch a hole in the top of the bookmark and tie on a ribbon. Attach plastic beads to the end of the ribbon to give your personalized bookmark additional color.
Embossed Pillows
Give an old pillow new life by adding embossed laminating film. Gather two fairly large pieces of laminating film, and cut them to exactly the same size. Run the laminating film through an embossing roller with the desired pattern, or press it between two patterned plates with one plate's image embossed upward and the other plate's image sunk into the plate. Wrap the laminating film around a pillow vertically with the imprinted side facing toward the fabric. Use a transparent packaging tape to hold the film together. Add a decorative ribbon running horizontally across the film and place your decorative pillow on a chair or sofa.
Overhead Projectors
There are usually about 6 inches left at the end of the laminating film sheet when you are laminating paper. Intentionally increase that distance to 8 or 9 inches so that the scrap left over is large enough to be used as an overhead transparency. Cut the film to fit over your overhead's screen. The film can be written on with transparency or dry erase markers. The plastic film also cleans easily. Run the film under a stream of water, dry it with a paper towel, and it is ready to use again.
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