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Tag Archive | " upcycle "

Reknit Turns Your Unwanted Knitwear into New Treasures

Reknit Turns Your Unwanted Knitwear into New Treasures

After reading Gary Smith’s expose on cruelty in the wool industry on Elephant Journal a couple of weeks ago, I’ve had knit goods on my mind. Combine that with being pretty bummed about retail waste, and things were looking sort of grim. That is, until I ran across an awesome new company: Reknit.

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DIY Upcycled Wine Bottle Gas Lamp

DIY Upcycled Wine Bottle Gas Lamp

Upcycle an old wine bottle into an eclectic porch gas lamp… While I haven’t tried this DIY yet I think it’s my new favorite. Erik Anderson of Gerardot & Co. (a team of branding experts, creative marketers and designers) came up with this DIY when he was looking for a Tiki Style lamp to fend [...]

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DIY: Turn Your Camera into a Scanner or Copier

DIY: Turn Your Camera into a Scanner or Copier

Over the years I’ve been consolidating my stuff.  As appliances and computer peripherals have died I haven’t replaced them unless they were an absolute necessity. My mircrowave died and now I just cook things that don’t require a microwave (which is healthier anyway).  Another piece of machineryI haven’t had for years is a scanner/fax.  With [...]

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Posted in DIY 6 Comments

DIY Cardboard Laptop Stand

DIY Cardboard Laptop Stand

Get your laptop off the table and stop hunching over to see the screen with this DIY cardboard laptop stand. It's small, light, free & green and it will help you cut down on the trips to the chiropractor.

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Posted in DIY 133 Comments

DIY: Fresh Fabric Scrap Bouquet

DIY: Fresh Fabric Scrap Bouquet

Spring is here! I want to bring my mother-in-law a pretty bouquet when we visit for Easter, but cut flowers make me so sad! They come from so far away and are usually grown with all sorts of nasty pesticides. Rather than head to the flower shop, I decided to head to my gigantic scrap bin and make her a pretty bouquet that would last longer than a live one and was more personal to boot!

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Posted in DIY 7 Comments

Etsy Finds: Upcycled for Spring

Etsy Finds: Upcycled for Spring

If the tulips popping up in my garden are any indication, spring has officially sprung. You can even catch some spring fever over at Etsy! Check out these sweet, upcycled finds. Clockwise from the top left:  I’m pretty much in love with this Circus of Smiles - Vintage Enamel Flower Assemblage Necklace from Bionic Unicorn. [...]

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Posted in Living 0 Comments

Sublime Stitching’s Upcycling Contest

Sublime Stitching’s Upcycling Contest

Here's a great opportunity for all you crafty green upgraders... Sublime Stitching's Upcycling Contest

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Posted in DIY 0 Comments

DIY Roundup: Don’t Pitch It, Stitch It!

DIY Roundup: Don’t Pitch It, Stitch It!

We live in a culture of new. Whether we're talking cell phones or a pair of jeans with a hole in the knee, if something is worn out we're supposed to replace it with a shiny new one. Sometimes it feels like folks consider mending and repairing almost quaint when it's just as easy to hit up a big box store for a replacement. It doesn't have to be that way! A needle and thread are your weapons against waste! Let's arm up and get mending!

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Posted in DIY 5 Comments

Sleep it Off Inside a Wine Cask

Sleep it Off Inside a Wine Cask

Ever found that you drink a little too much on holidays? Now you can sleep it off inside of a wine cask in these repurposed 14,500 litre casks turned into hotel rooms. The Hotel de Vrouwe van Stavoren in the Netherlands offers you the opportunity to choose from one of their four upcycled rooms that are amazingly comfortable looking considering their start in life.

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Upcycled Cardboard Sculptures

Upcycled Cardboard Sculptures

These amazingly realistic, lifesize sculptures are made with nothing more than cardboard and glue.  Chris Gilmour is an artist whose creativity has been captured by the idea of upcycling.  He literally picks up cardboard boxes from the street and takes them into his studio to be transformed into incredibly beautiful sculptures.

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Posted in Art 5 Comments