Brainwaves weekly: Fun crafts to try at home

After picking up some pine cones on walks, I decided to do something with them. So I drilled a hole into the base of each one and glued a wooden skewer in the hole to create a stem. Then I painted the stems green and the pine cones different colours to look like a bunch of flowers. They look so bright and cheerful displayed in a jar in the centre of my table.Janice Gardner, Craiglockhart, Edinburgh

I kept tripping over my dog Gizmo's toys, so I decided to make him his own toy box. I found an old but sturdy cardboard box and taped his name on the side of it in coloured letters, then I tidied all his bits and pieces into it — perfect. Mind you, even though Gizmo knows where his toys are kept, he still makes a mess!Louise Clapp, Redcliffe, Bristol

My husband Les had some old car tyres that weren't fit for purpose. Instead of throwing them away, I washed them in soapy water. Then I applied two coats of white emulsion paint as an undercoat. When that had dried, I painted each tyre with bright colours. I put them in my garden and planted some herbs and plants in the middle of the tyres. My funky planters have really brightened up my garden.Toni Grey, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex

As my cats Tabitha and Felix love boxes, I saved three strong cardboard boxes from work. I cut holes into the front and sides of each box, then I taped the boxes together to form a tower. My cats love sleeping in their new box tower at night — it's purr-fect for them! Patricia Forsythe, Saintfield, Co Down

As a first-time mum, whenever my son handed me a flower, I couldn't bear to throw it away. So I began popping his little offerings into a book and weighing the book down to press them. Once his special gifts were pressed, I glued them on to a frame and put it up on the wall. Now, I can have these precious keepsakes on display forever. Beverley Spaven, Derby

I'd bought a dress with a huge frill on the bottom that didn't suit me. I took out my scissors and chopped it off. But rather than let it go to waste, I decided to sew some elastic into the frill, then I stitched the ends together to create a headband. Now, I've made a stylish accessory, which I can co-ordinate with my dress or other outfits — it's so versatile! Lizzie Chapman-Walker, Chalford, Glos