To paraphrase an old saying, one nature center’s trash is a clever crafter’s Christmas creation.
“So much of what we would consider to be our trash doesn’t need to be trash,” said Heather Van Zyl, an interpretive naturalist with the Forest Preserve District of Will County. “With just a little creativity, maybe a little bit of research, it can be something really special.”
Van Zyl led a free drop-in Upcycled Holiday Crafts program Saturday at Plum Creek Nature Center in Crete Township. Two long countertops in the meeting room were lined with fabric scraps, wrapping materials, wood, paper and assorted baubles that might otherwise be headed for landfills. Families were provided with scissors, hole punches, writing utensils, hot glue guns and the encouragement needed to turn those materials into gifts and decorations.
“It doesn’t need to go in the trash,” Van Zyl said. “You can still have a lot of fun with it, make beautiful things with it, gift it.”
Van Zyl said it was Plum Creek’s first program to incorporate upcycled materials for holiday crafting. It was inspired by an upcycling event the district held in the spring at the Monee Reservoir, using old shirts to create new items.
“That was a lot of fun, so we’ve expanded it with all of these different holiday decorations and crafts,” Van Zyl said.
After she put out a call for materials, Van Zyl’s mother and a local artisan both came through with some interesting items. Most of the other materials were leftovers from prior programs.
“We’re savers here,” Van Zyl said. “You never know when you’re going to be able to use them for another craft. … We’ll use it. We have ideas.”
Some of those ideas were on display around the meeting room, designed to inspire. But families came with plenty of their own creativity.
In the early going, Owen Rentschler, 8, of Cedar Lake, Indiana, made a Christmas-themed box to take home as a decoration. Maura Culver, of Peotone, and her grandchild Killian scoured the countertops for interesting materials to make crafts. And Donna Davlantis, a volunteer with the district, made accordion-style folds to old sheet music to create ornaments.
Julia Karl, 15, of Park Forest, glued beads, buttons and more to a custom ornament, while Lilly Karl, 10, created a jewelry box. Aleksandra, their mother, said the family was in the area for Crete Country Christmas festivities and again stopped by the nature center to make crafts.
“We have been coming every year,’ Aleksandra said. “This is a tradition for us.”
Van Zyl said while recycling is helpful, recycled materials still need to be turned into something to make that process beneficial. Otherwise, they just sit around, she explained. She hoped to show people how they could creatively make use of some materials themselves. A display showcased how a damaged crocheted hat, for instance, could be undone and turned into something new.
“It doesn’t have to happen large-scale by recycling companies,” Van Zyl said. “We can do that here. You can use newspapers, comics and fabrics to wrap your gifts.”
The crafting event is just one of many holiday-themed activities planned by the district. A Caroling Campfire is slated for Dec. 12, at Plum Creek, where registered attendees can sing carols, play games and roast marshmallows.
“Just really having a great holiday classic experience but outside here around our fire,” Van Zyl said.
And between Christmas and New Year’s Day, when Van Zyl said people are often looking for things to do, Plum Creek will be offering owl hikes all week for various ages.
Van Zyl emphasized that the Plum Creek Nature Center is open year-round with all-ages programming. A sled hill and snowshoeing are available when the weather allows. And the exhibits there were recently rotated to winter-themed ones.
“Come out and enjoy us, even when it’s cold outside,” Van Zyl said. “We’re a nice, warm place to be.”
The district is offering more crafting opportunities at a variety of sites, including in the Southland at Thorn Creek Nature Center. For more information, visit reconnectwithnature.org/news-events/event-calendar.
Bill Jones is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
