GIVE YOUR CDS A GLORIOUS DEMISE

In light of the era of USB sticks and wireless transfers, we all have that one drawer full of completely non-functional CDs to which we are too attached and can't let go of. If you want to say goodbye yet savour bits of it as memoirs, here is how to kill them gloriously.

Luminaire candle holder
If you find tea light candles absolutely charming and have a bag of glass marbles lying around, you can fancy a luminaire candle holder using nothing but super glue. Use super glue or a hot glue gun to line the edge of your CD, shiny side up, with glass marbles. Hold the marble in position till the glue dries and the marbles sit firmly. You can use a water bottle in the centre to support your structure as you super glue another layer of marbles on top of the base layer. Continue layering marbles till you reach about 4 layers. Place a glowing tea light in the centre and bask in the awe of its beauty.

Emergency coasters
You know all those times you wished you had a coaster nearby as soon as you saw the stain on your wooden table made by your super hot cuppa? There's no one better suited for the job than your old CDs. Stack a few CDs and super glue in between to get a solid base. Then, go crazy and personalise it the way you want. Glue on fabrics in robust colours and patterns, sealing it off with a coat of Aica. Or simply opt for a more rustic look by hot gluing flat, smooth pebbles onto the CD. 

Disco ball
If you have ever craved for a dazzling disco ball in your room, here's your chance to redeem it, of course with a bit of persistent effort. 

* First, blow up a balloon to your desired disco ball size, tie it off and layer on about 8 layers of newspaper strips to cover the entire balloon using a mixture of Aica and water. 

* Use a glass bowl to place and hold your balloon in place. When your paper mache dries off completely, pop the balloon: it's time to embellish it with, that's right, a mosaic of CD bits. 

* To soften up the CD for easier cutting when making your mosaic tiles, toss it into a pot of boiling water for about 5 minutes. Now you should be easily able to pry open the two layers of CDs: the shiny coated one which we'll use and the transparent plastic one which is to be thrown away. 

* Use a scissor to cut the CD into tiny tiles of desired size and shape and then glue them onto the paper mache structure. After it has dried overnight, hang your disco ball, shine a torch on it and take to the dance floor for a spin.

Mini hologram projector    
If you think after all this you're going to dump the CD cases – big mistake. Saving the best for the last, you can turn your phone into a hologram projector using just a simple structure out of CD case plastic. Using a graph paper, cut out a trapezium with dimensions 1 cm by 3.5 cm by 6 cm. Using the cut-out as a template, cut out 4 shards from the plastic case using a sharp anti-cutter. Join the 4 shards using tape to form a plastic pyramidal structure. Find a hologram video from the internet, place the structure on your phone screen and wait for the magic to commence! 

Labiba Mustabina is a biochemist in the making. A tree hugger, she also claims to be a closet artist. You can reach her at labiba.wish@gmail.com