Brainwaves weekly: fun crafts

As I had several scrabble boards, I decided to turn one set into a spelling board for my granddaughter Harper. I helped her to recognise her name when it was written down. Then I added her parents' names and the whole family too. It's a great game for all the grandchildren — and it's educational too! Jane Page, Shanklin, Isle of Wight

My old metal towel rail and shelf was no longer needed, but I didn't want to throw it away. So I popped it in the garden, added some decorative plant pots to the shelf then hung some bird feeders from the rail. The birds loved all the new feeders and I loved the colourful floral display. Gillian Brooks, Wrexham

When I had a photo frame delivered it had four pieces of polystyrene protecting the corners. Instead of throwing them away, I put them on the corners of my dining table to prevent my young grandchildren from hurting themselves when they visited. It's always better to recycle when you can! Dawn Grundy, Brigg, Lincs

We had lots of wooden lollysticks in the house so my son Isiah, nine, and I decided to use them for a bit of crafting. We painted them bright colours, then once the paint had dried, we used a glue-gun to stick them together to create a bird hotel. When it was finished, we filled the bottom of it with bird seed, hung it in the garden then enjoyed watching our feathered guests arrive. Gemma Nelson, Loughborough, Leics

To keep my arthritis at bay, I exercise every day, but I needed a new exercise mat. So I cut some old clothes into rectangles and squares, then sewed the patches together. I quilted the back of it with leftover wadding and edged the whole mat with ribbon, adding ties so I could roll it up easily — I love it! Sarah Sculpher, Bristol

I wanted somewhere to keep my gloves and any tools I needed when gardening. So I decided to turn an old pair of jeans into an apron. I cut off the legs, then unpicked the remaining side seams and used the back of the jeans, with its pockets as the main part of the apron. After hemming it, I used some of the leftover denim to make two ties, which I added to the waistband. Finally, I embroidered the pockets. It looks good and is very handy when I'm out in the garden. Pat Figoni, Amlwch, Anglesey