How to Reuse it Creatively » How to Upcycle Everything

Quick Tip for a Drafty Door

Lauren — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 08:20:44 +0000

Fall has certainly set in around here. The drafty doors and windows in our house are starting to sing to us. One quick idea my wonderful husband came up with is to use an old bath mat to cover the bottom of the front door.

IT WORKS! The bathmat folds nicely and is heavier than a towel so it stays in place. It snuggles perfectly to the door and keeps the cold air out and toasty warm air in.

Try it!

Nice one hubby (:

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How to Reuse a Sweatshirt to make a Steering Wheel Cover.

Lauren — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 14:00:28 +0000

I drive a 1993 Jeep Cherokee. I couldn’t imagine ever owning another car. Ralph is perfect. The right color, size, comfort, everything. He’s getting up there and beginning to show his age a bit. One area that it seems to be most apparent is the steering wheel. Over the years a black sticky goop has grown onto the back side of it. I know, super gross. The other day I was in my studio and noticed a lovely green sweatshirt arm hanging out on my table. It hit me. That had to turn into my new steering wheel cover! And so the adventure began.

How to Reuse a Sweatshirt to make a Steering Wheel Cover:

1. Measure the circumference and the thickness of your steering wheel to make sure the sweatshirt arm will be long and wide enough to cover half of the wheel. You will be cutting the fabric in half lengthwise and making the cover from two pieces.

2. Cut your sweatshirt arm open along the seam. Cut the sweatshirt arm in half lengthwise.

3. Cut each piece into a rectangle.

4. Take one piece and cut holes across from each other at each end of the fabric. Cut the hole about 1/2 inch from the side of the fabric and separate each hole by 2 inches.

5. Place the top half of your cover on to the steering wheel and use yarn to tie the first hole tightly to the steering wheel. If you can tie the yarn underneath a part of the steering wheel it will help the fabric from falling as you secure the rest of the fabric.

6. Use a very long piece of yarn and go in through the front hole, out through the back hole, then over the steering wheel. Repeat with the remaining holes.

7. Tie the yarn to itself and make a knot.

8. Repeat this process with the bottom half.

9. Make sure to tie the ends of each piece tightly to the steering wheel. It helps to go around the steering wheel a couple of time.

Take it out for a test drive!

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Top Ten Creative Reuse List: Popsicle Sticks

Lauren — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 16:54:56 +0000

Popsicles are a summertime must have. Here are a few ideas about re-using them when fall starts to eek its way in.

Obvious answer. Make more popsicles! Over at The Mother Huddle you’ll find a list of fantastic choices for recipes.

In case of an emergency. If the kiddos (or adults) are running around and someone gets hurt, use that popsicle stick for a readymade splint! Then, of course, get yourself to the doctor.

Keep your stuff tidy. Make yourself a popsicle basket to hold pens, mail, and other important stuff. Paint them fun colors first to add a bit of spice!

tutorial HERE

Name that plant. Use popsicle sticks make wonderful plant label. Just write the name of the plant on one end and stick the other end in the ground near your plant. You will never get lost in your garden again.

Keep cool. Make yourself a paper fan and stay cool on those extra hot days.

tutorial HERE

Paint tracker. The next time your home needs a painting update, keep some extra popsicle sticks around to keep track of which paint color was used where. Dip one side in the paint and let it dry. Write the name of the paint color and where that paint was used on the opposite side of the popsicle stick.

Make a bracelet.

tutorial HERE.

Wall art. Need or want a simple work of art that feels sculptural? Create abstract mixed media works with painted popsicle sticks. This is great for kids and adults. A simple way to have a unique work of art for your home.

tutorial on this work HERE

Say something. You can decorate a children’s bedroom with his/her name or come up with a nice message to hang on the wall. Cut your sticks, glue together the letters, paint it and you’re done.

One of the most unique purses you will ever own. Don’t know if you would call this practical, but certainly fun.

tutorial HERE

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Upcycled Photo Frame Jewelry Holder

Lauren — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 11:59:12 +0000

I received an excited email from my sister-in-law last week as she shared photos she took of a DIY creative reuse project she had just finished. I loved it the second I saw it. One of her photo frames broke and instead of giving up on it and throwing it away, she turned it into an upcycled jewelry holder.

What a great idea!

It is upcycling, home decor, and function, all wrapped up into a cute package.

Not only did she reuse an old frame, but she reused an old window screen as well for the jewelry holder background.

Thanks sis!

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Summer calls for a slouch short sleeve shirt.

Lauren — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 11:50:09 +0000

I love clothes, but I hate clothes shopping. I also don’t like spending money on new clothes or going to the store to try new clothes on. But, I will admit, I need to freshen up my wardrobe. I thought the best way to start was with my own clothes! It will help me practice sewing clothes (I really need it!) and I will feel like I have a brand new collection in the end. What more could a girl ask for? Risky? Yes! But, most of my clothes are over 5 years old, so if I end up needing to buy a bunch of new shirts, pants and skirts, it won’t be the end of the world.

Here’s my first attempt.

An old long sleeved shirt into a new slouch short sleeved shirt.

What do you think?

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From bikini top to small pouch.

Lauren — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 12:57:51 +0000

I have several boxes full of stuff that has randomly been donated to me by friends and family. I love jumping into them every once in a while in search of creative reuse inspiration. Today I found this string bikini top and knew it could easily be transformed into a new drawstring pouch. If you have an old string bikini top that needs a new life, follow the step by step tutorial below and turn that bathing suit into a new small pouch!

How to reuse a string bikini top to make a small pouch:

1. Remove the non-drawstring part of the bikini top. The strings you use to tie the bikini around your neck.

2. Fold the bikini top in half and sew around the two non-drawstring edges.

3. Fill your new pouch up with make up, travel supplies, whatever your heart desires!

This makes a great accompaniment to any beach bag and fits the aesthetic too!

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Creative Link Share: 22 Crafty Ways to Reuse Magazine

Lauren — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 17:35:39 +0000

image courtesy of www.casasugar.com

CRAFT STEW sent a link my way with 22 fun ways to reuse your old magazines.

Here’s a taste:

3D Pop up Flower

Handbound Book

Make a stool from magazines, who knew?

for more: craftstew.com

If you have a link that involves creative reuse, send it my way. You can contact me HERE.

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A map, flour, and water.

Lauren — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 12:21:53 +0000

I was walking home from my weekly volunteer gig and stumbled upon this fantastic book full of maps. It was sitting just on the sidewalk in front of one of my neighbor’s house. I love this amazing phenomenon in the Bay Area where folks put out stuff they do not want anymore and others dive through it to find new treasures. I have walked by several piles of stuff bundled together under a “free” sign in the last 8 years I have lived here. Almost every time, I watch the pile slowly disappear as folks find something they like and take it home. This time around, that person was me!

I decided to turn some of those map pages into a new paper bowl! And, if you have and old book, map, paper, hanging around then make yourself a bowl for your keys, fruit, popcorn and more and more. They make great party decorative bowls. Of course, you can’t put anything wet in them.

This project is even more fun because all you need is flour, water and a paint brush. AND, you could even do it without the paint brush.

So, here’s a quick tutorial on How to REuse a Map to Make a Paper Bowl:

First, you will need to make some homemade glue with flour and water.

I use a 1 water:2 flour ratio and then adjust it to create a watery paste. If you have made pancakes before, it will sort of be that consistency.

1. Find a bowl that is the shape and size you would like your new map bowl to be.

2. Tear out a few pages from your map book. Or, if you are using an old map, cut it into squares.

3. Turn your page so that the map side is facing the bowl. Press it down into the center of the bowl.

4. Use your paint brush to spread your homemade glue on the first piece of paper. You will have to hold it down into the bowl so it will start to take on the shape of the bowl.

5. Take another piece of paper with the map side facing the bowl and press it into the bottom sheet. Use the paint brush to soak the paper with glue and it will begin to stick the paper behind it.

6. Take another piece of paper and push it into the bowl from a different direction. Glue it down.

7. Work your way around the bowl with several pieces of paper.

8. Now, start to create the inside of your bowl by placing some pieces of paper with the map side facing up toward you and gluing it to your bowl.

9. Work your way around the bowl again. I matched up some of the pieces of paper to the bottom layers when I could.

The bowl is not going to be perfect, which in my opinion, makes it so much cooler.

10. Let the glue dry.

11. Fill your bowl with awesome stuff.

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How to reuse a silk tie and hand sew a ruffled necklace

Lauren — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 02:56:07 +0000

After a whirlwind of a few vacations, from New York City to Fairbanks, Alaska I am back home and back in action.

Today I would like to share a quick tutorial with you on creating your very own hand sewn ruffled necklace from an old silk tie. I think this tutorial is so fun because you can really just be inspired by it and create your own look with a silk tie. My favorite part about this new necklace of mine is that it sits a bit sideways on your chest. I think that gives it uniqueness and a bit of character. I would love to see what you create with your neck ties. Send images of your creations my way via email (upcycledunlimited [at] gmail [dot] com) Can’t wait to see them.

On to the tutorial.

How to reuse a silk tie and hand sew a ruffled necklace:

1. Wrap the neck tie around your neck and measure (including enough to ruffle the fabric) where to cut the tie. The length is up to you. I wanted my necklace to sit at the top of my chest.

2. Cut the tie to the correct length. Mark where the top of the first ruffle will start.

3. Place the tie so that it overlaps itself where the first ruffle will start. Sew a straight line using the bottom layer of the tie as your guide. I used red button thread so that it would pop against my yellow tie.

4. Create your first ruffle and sew it in place.

5. Continue to sew as many ruffles as you would like or until you run out of room on the bottom layer.

6. You are finished! Wasn’t that so fun?

7. Find a place to show off your new creation!

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How to REuse playing cards to make a wedding boutonniere.

Lauren — Wed, 25 May 2011 12:16:33 +0000

There are so many different ways to create a boutonniere. Just like each wedding is a little different than the next, so is the boutonniere. You can go from a very simple, classic red rose all the way to a playful super hero figurine. They can be elegant, they can be funky. They can be whatever you want them to be. Today, I am going to show you how to make a simple, super funky upcycled boutonniere from a playing card! Perfect for that Vegas wedding or just a great way to add a bit of uniqueness to the normal wedding decor.

How to REuse a Playing Card to make a Wedding Boutonniere.

1. Find a King card. Cut a circle around the king’s head. Take another card and cut a long petal shape from it.

2. Turn the petal card so the back side is showing and glue the king to it. You can glue it anywhere you like!

3. Cut two different sized circles from a piece of fabric (one larger than the other). For this example, the larger circle is about 1.5 inches in diameter.

4. Find a button you like to place in the center of the two circles.

5. Glue everything together in your own way or how it is shown here.

6. Flip your new boutonniere over and tape a pin to it. It is ready to be worn!

Other great resources for inspiration when brainstorming your creative REuse and upcycled boutonniere:

Fabric Scrap Flower Boutonniere.

Funky DIY Burlap Button Boutonniere.

REuse Pantyhose to make a floral inspired boutonniere.

What would you upcycled into a wedding boutonniere?

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