Brainwaves weekly: from upcycling to recycling

I'd decided to brighten up a brick wall in my garden. I took an old picture frame and painted it part blue and then painted the backing white. Once the paint had dried, I stuck on a large vinyl transfer. Finally, I sealed the picture with a waterproof lacquer before hanging it on the wall above my seat. Now I have a wonderful weather-proof picture to admire in my garden. Maralyn Reid, Torrance, E Duns

My old suitcase was destined for a trip to the local tip. Instead, my partner and I decided to make a feature of it. We attached a floating shelf to our wall. Then, after cutting the back off the suitcase, we slipped it over the shelf. Finally, I added on some travel stickers to complete the retro look. It was a cheap and easy project that not only looks good but is useful too. Fran Hallam, Swinderby, Lincs

I needed to make a fancy-dress costume for a party. After seeing how many odd socks I had in my drawer, I had an idea. I sewed them all on to an old skirt. I'm very proud of my unique, odd-sock outfit and my friends absolutely loved it.Laura Ripley, Portlethen, Ab'shire

To encourage my two-year-old daughter Wyatt to eat something healthy, I made her a fruit sandwich. I cut an apple into four slices. On the bottom slice of apple, I spread some strawberry yoghurt. Then I used a cookie cutter to make a hole in the top apple slice, which I filled with chunks of strawberries. Wyatt loved her fruit-wich and I was happy to get something good inside her!Victoria Byng, Crewe, Cheshire

When I started a new project I had lots of leftover wool that needed using up. I got my crochet hook out and started to crochet squares, stars and hexagons. Once I'd crocheted a range of shapes, I sewed them all together to make a throw. It looks so nice on my bed, even my teddy bears agree. Isobel Scott, Strabane, Co Tyrone

We had an old bookcase that we no longer needed in our home. Instead of throwing it out, my fiancé Craig decided to transform it into a house for our guinea pigs. After sanding it down, we painted it grey, then lined the back with wallpaper and attached pieces of Perspex on to the shelves to keep the guinea pigs safe. We created ladders between each shelf then added some bedding, feed, and home-made toys to keep our piggies entertained. Tamanya Reynolds, Killingworth, Tyne & Wear