Here's a crafty way to recycle fortune cookie wisdom into trendy coasters. This project is designed by RePlayGround, an eco-crafty company that promotes do-it-yourself projects made from the stuff you'd usually throw into the trash. Let's get started ReMaking!

You will need:

4" X 4" cardboard square
14 fortune cookie fortunes
8 paper chopstick sleeves
clear sticky paper (contact paper)

Step 1: Adhere the Fortunes

Cut a 4" X 4" cardboard square. We recommend using thin cardboard, such as from a cereal box or food packaging. For this project, we used a granola bar box.

Adhere the fortunes in rows to the cardboard square with a glue stick. For this coaster design, I overlapped the fortunes. The left fortune overlaps the right, and then for the row below, I overlapped right over left, and so on, until the entire square is covered with fortunes. I added a strip of the chopstick paper to the top and bottom of the coaster for some extra color. Feel free to get creative!

Step 2: Cover Back Side of Coaster

Cut 5 chopstick sleeves to a 4" length. Adhere them in overlapping rows to the back side of the coaster with a glue stick.

Step 3: Build the Border

cut 4 strips from the chopstick sleeves. They should measure 4" long by 1/2 inch wide. Fold the strips in half hot dog style. Cut the corners off diagonally towards the edge of the creased side. When you open up the strip, the ends will have a point, as pictured here.

Step 4: Finishing the Border

Fold each strip over the edge of the coaster and adhere the strip with a glue stick. The cut corners of the strips will line up with one another to frame the coaster.

Step 5: Waterproof the Coaster

Cut two squares out of the clear sticky paper. One square should measure 3 1/2" X 3 1/2", and the other 5" X 5". You can find this sticky paper (or contact paper) at your local craft store. One side is glossy and the other is sticky.

Peel the backing of the sticky paper off, and adhere the smaller square, sticky side down to the center of the bottom side of the coaster. Next, cut the corners off the edges of the larger square at an angle. This cut should be 1/2 inch deep. Your large piece of sticky paper will now have flaps. Peel the backing off the sticky paper, and place the sticky side onto the top side of the coaster. Fold the flaps over the edges.

Now you're ready to test the wisdom of your new project!

For more eco-crafty projects like this, check out our website www.replayground.com, where you can find tons of upcycled inspiration. Also see our book ReMake It!, which is filled with nearly 100 recycling projects from the stuff you usually scrap.

Until next time, upcycle away!