7 Genius Ways to Use Leftover Diamond Painting Drills (Plus a Free Tracking Tool!)

If you’ve been doing diamond art for a while, you know the struggle. You finish a beautiful, massive canvas, and you’re left with little plastic baggies full of leftover drills. You don’t want to throw them away, but they just keep piling up in your craft room!

What to do with leftover diamond painting drills is one of the most common questions in our community. Instead of letting them collect dust, it’s time to put those extra DMC colors to good use. Here are 7 creative ways to upcycle your leftover drills, starting with my absolute favorite recent project.

1. Upcycle Everyday Accessories (The 3D Paw Print Case!)

You don’t need a massive canvas to create something beautiful. Recently, I needed a break from large projects and decided to bling out an old glasses case.

Using only the leftover colors I already had sitting around, I mapped out a mini 3D paw print design. I used some heavy-duty double-sided tape, applied the drills directly to the case, and the result is amazing! It perfectly matches my Shiba Inu, and it’s a fun, practical way to use up those extra drills.

You can do this with almost any hard-surface item: phone cases, plain notebooks, or even your laptop cover!

2. DIY Diamond Art Coasters

Blank wooden or acrylic coasters are incredibly cheap online. You can use your leftover drills to create freestyle geometric patterns or simple mandalas. Seal them with Mod Podge or a clear epoxy resin, and you have a stunning, waterproof set of custom coasters. They also make perfect, personalized Mother’s Day gifts!

3. Decorate Greeting Cards

Why buy a generic $5 birthday card when you can make a sparkling custom one? Use double-sided adhesive sheets on blank cardstock and create simple shapes like hearts, stars, or initials using your spare drills. It adds a premium, handmade touch that your friends and family will cherish.

4. Fill Clear Glass Ornaments

This is a fantastic zero-effort storage hack that doubles as seasonal decor. Buy clear, fillable plastic or glass ornaments. Pour your completely random, mixed leftover drills inside. The faceted edges of the drills catch the light beautifully, creating a sparkling, colorful decoration for your holiday tree or craft room window.

5. Bling Out Your Flower Pots

Give your indoor plants a glamorous upgrade! Apply a layer of strong craft glue to the rim of a terracotta or ceramic pot and dip it into a tray of mixed leftover drills. You can stick to a specific color palette (like all leftover blues and greens) or go completely multicolored.

6. Create Mini Freestyle Canvases

Buy a pack of mini blank canvases (like 3×3 inches) from your local craft store. Paint the canvas a solid color, apply an adhesive layer, and just let your creativity flow. You don’t need a pattern—just freestyle it! This is incredibly relaxing and a great way to practice different drill placement techniques.

7. Organize and Track Them for Custom Projects

The absolute best way to use leftover drills is to save them for your own custom designs or to replace missing drills from other kits. But how do you know exactly what DMC colors you have without digging through dozens of bags?

That’s exactly why we built the Ultimate Free Stash & WIP Tracker.

Stop keeping track of your inventory on random pieces of paper! Our 100% free digital tool allows you to:

• Log by Weight: Don’t want to count? Just weigh them! Our system automatically calculates the amount (1 gram ≈ 200 drills).
• Track DMC Colors: Easily log every color in your stash with a visual color chart.
• Cloud Storage: Access your inventory securely from your phone or computer anytime.

Click Here to Start Tracking Your Leftover Drills for FREE!

Ready for Your Next Masterpiece?

Once you’ve organized your leftover stash, you might realize you have enough to create something entirely new. If you have an unforgettable photo you want to turn into premium diamond art, check out our Custom Diamond Painting Kits. We provide the precision algorithm, zero minimum order requirements, and the highest quality canvases to bring your memories to life.

What is your favorite way to use leftover diamond drills? Let us know in the comments below!