DIY Upcycled Wine Bottle Gas Lamp

Posted on August 14, 2009 by Matt Embrey .

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 [...]

DIY: Turn Your Camera into a Scanner or Copier

Posted on August 11, 2009 by Matt Embrey .

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 [...]

DIY Cardboard Laptop Stand

Posted on May 4, 2009 by Matt Embrey .

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.

DIY: Fresh Fabric Scrap Bouquet

Posted on April 8, 2009 by Becky Striepe .

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!

Etsy Finds: Upcycled for Spring

Posted on April 5, 2009 by Becky Striepe .

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. [...]

Sublime Stitching’s Upcycling Contest

Posted on March 27, 2009 by Matt Embrey .

Here’s a great opportunity for all you crafty green upgraders… Sublime Stitching’s Upcycling Contest

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

Posted on March 17, 2009 by Becky Striepe .

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!

Sleep it Off Inside a Wine Cask

Posted on March 15, 2009 by Paula Mitchell Bentley .

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.

Upcycled Cardboard Sculptures

Posted on March 7, 2009 by Paula Mitchell Bentley .

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.

A Safe Way to Put Plastic Bags Over Your Head

Posted on February 22, 2009 by Matt Embrey .

Check out our friend Recycle Cindy’s latest creation… a Plarn hat.  All you need is 20 plastic bags and a blatant disregard for your mothers warning not to put plastic bags over your head. 
Check out the pattern on her site MyRecycledBags.com to make your own, and make sure you reassure your mother that this creative [...]