Pennies are a funny coin. They’re not worth much, so we don’t like to keep them in our wallets or change purses. But they’re still worth something, so we hang on to them. For many of us, it’s a pain to roll them and take them to the bank. They get heavy!

Perhaps you’ve seen fantastic projects where people do amazing things with old pennies they’ve collected–like create a solid penny floor in a guest bathroom, or decorate an entire wall with it in a pattern. We’ve even seen people create a huge 3-D horse’s head out of pennies.

Well, these projects aren’t that insane, but we’ve collected a few simple DIY projects that you can make using pennies. So break out that jar of pennies and get crafting!

DIY Backyard Bar Made From Pennies – This is my favorite project. Who wouldn’t want their own backyard bar? And this is no ordinary bar bar. Decorated with 5,500 pennies, it’s something you really need to see! See all the photos here.

Penny Gazing Garden Ball – Garden balls are a long standing part of traditional and modern gardens, although the pre-made ones are quickly being abandoned in favor of DIY garden balls. This one is made from a bowling ball, pennies, and sits on a stand bought at a flea market.

DIY Penny Letters – Try covering foam or wooden letters bought at a craft store with some shiny new pennies to create your own personalized sign for any room in your home.

Asymmetrical Penny Necklace – Big, chunky necklaces are trendy right now, and for good reason. This piece, made out of pennies, is an awesome statement piece! Make sure you cover the pennies with a clear substance to keep them from tarnishing!

Penny Vase – If you don’t really care for the copper look, you can paint your finished piece. You end up with a piece with tons of texture in any color you want.

Souvenir Penny Bracelet – If you have a lot of souvenir pennies from your visits to museums or other travel destinations, you can easily make a cute bracelet. A great way to keep your memories from gathering dust!

Penny Mirror Frame – Any cheap or old frame can be polished up by adding pennies to it. Try using a mix of new and old pennies for more dimension of color.

Penny Desk – You can also cover any flat surface with pennies and resin to create a shiny, unique desk or table.

Penny Buttons – With a special tool, you can create your own penny buttons. From far away, they look like copper rivets, but it’s easy to tell they’re pennies when you get up close!

Penny Pendant –  These adorable pendants don’t even look like pennies anymore! This is a great craft for kids!

Meaningful Penny Art – The key to making this simple piece of art is to find pennies with dates that are significant. Try finding a penny with your birth year, your spouses’ birth year, and the birth year of your children.