Brainwaves weekly: creative crafts

Once my old slippers had fallen to pieces, I didn't want them to go to waste. I gave them a wash, then I cut two heart shapes out of the material, put the right sides together and stitched them leaving a hole. After turning it out the right way, I pushed stuffing in through the hole and then sewed that up. It makes a really bright decoration. Catherine Tideswell, Shepshed, Leics

I had an old garden seat that was destined for the dump. But instead of chucking it, I turned it into my lockdown project to keep me busy. I found some old paint and, with a few coats, I gave the bench a shabby-chic look. Finally, I added some pots and garden ornaments to give a splash of colour. Doreen Harper, Hull, E Yorks

During the first lockdown, my husband Philip turned our neighbour's derelict shed into a playhouse for our grandkids. We used an unwanted cot to form the veranda, the windows are made of toughened glass from the skip, and we cut a dragonfly from some plywood. Once we'd screwed everything together, we painted the house with some leftover paint. They absolutely love it. Jackie Jesson, Romford, Gtr London

After finding some old bits of wood lying around, I decided to turn them into hanging shelves. I painted them, then drilled holes in the corners. I took some twine and, using my macramé skills, knotted it to create four strong cords. I threaded these though the holes in the shelves, then knotted them around a curtain hoop. It's unique, and my friends have asked me to make them some too! Karen Dirs, Kegworth, Derbys

My kids wanted to do some crafting. So I got some potatoes, cut them in half then pushed cookie cutters into the potatoes to create some interesting shapes. The kids then dipped the potatoes in paint and printed them on to paper. Kerrie Barnes, Redruth, Cornwall

I bought a soft cat tube for my pet rats Sage, Dill, Pippin and Banksy to sleep in. But they kept pulling the stuffing out and making a mess. I didn't want to waste any money, so I decided to use the tube to store my pet food and cleaning products. It's very handy and keeps everything neat and tidy. Jade Marshall, Colchester, Essex