April 2012 | the ReFab Diaries
Looking for a new use for your kids' old toys? Upcycle them into quirky decor.


new uses for old toys

I had a lot of fun putting this post together! Using old toys as decorative items or home "accessories" requires a certain sense of irony. Definitely a sense of humor. But old toys are so often at the top of the trash pile that we definitely need a way to upcycle them.  Read on for 20+ ways to repurpose old toys.




My very talented friend Lisa is the one-woman power behind PoldaPop Designs. When she sews for herself, she's super thrifty ... and this week she's sharing some of her thrifty thinking! She's posted a free sewing tutorial that shows you how to 

1.  Create a pattern for a cowl neck top using your own favorite top or bodice pattern
2.  Make the top!

(UPDATE:  New tutorial for the deep cowl now available here)

While you're there, check out her great list of free sewing tutorials

If you want to own a little PoldaPop for yourself, you need to see her Etsy store

I actually went to a thrift store this morning ... my very favorite one - The Brown Elephant.  I spent a grand total of $10.25 ... and bought what you see in the picture.  The onesie will soon be converted into a top for Ms Ro.  I often buy earrings and turn them into pendants for me and a friend ... but these might get new hooks and stay earrings.  :)
One beat up, $10 desk, a little carpentry, a little paint and hellloooooooooo.... yes please!  Get the how to from Sugar Bee Crafts.

Most shoe re-do's or "upcycles" I see involve very high heels, glitter, jewels and dipping in neon paint. It will probably not surprise you to hear that I don't wear a lot of glitter-dipped, bejeweled stilettos. I enjoy heels on very specific occasions.  But my current favorite shoes are blood red Dansko mary-janes that I got at a thrift store for $15. I "upcycled" them with a little shoe polish - wonderful substance!  Anyway, I am intrigued by the idea of shoe re-do's ... and shoe repurposing.  And once in a while, a project stands out. Here goes!

First, head over to A Little Tipsy and learn how to use an old t-shirt to turn flip flops into espadrilles (pictured above)!    

So you splurged.  And now you need a cover for the thing.  You could buy a smart cover.  Or sew yourself something, should you know your way around a sewing machine.  Or ... you can be *really* cheap about it.


One bubble mailer, scrap fabric and buttons.  From Creme de la Craft.  


Styled.  Issue Six.  Out now and very very beautiful.  Check out the many lovely DIY's along with this free printable.




'Tis (almost) the season!  Head over to Oh Happy Day for the free printable template ... and turn your paper grocery bags into sweet individual picnic baskets.
It was a beautiful Sat morning in Chicago, spent at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum.  The indoor farmer's market is in full swing (hello first fresh asparagus of the season!) and my toddler loves the place.  The light was amazing today so I'm indulging myself a little and sharing some pics with you.  Happy Earth Day!










The first time Ms Ro saw an umbrella (9 mnts?), she looked like Chicken Little - face full of fear ... then she burst into tears and refused to look up at the green alien thing hovering above us.  For at least a few months are that, she was terrified of umbrellas, in general. Brollyphobia? Poppinsphobia?

I, being a brave grown up, am not afraid of the brolly.  But I do find them annoying. They break. Far too easily. And then what?  You have to dump them and buy another one.  Because you need both a good raincoat and a working umbrella right?  When I saw the Stenciled Umbrella idea (below) I went looking for other ways to brighten up or repurpose umbrellas. Here's what I found:  


Most of Ms Ro's clothes are hand-me-downs or consignment/thrift store buys. Because Ms K is thrifty. And because Ro grows out of everything so fast, what's the point?  One BIG issue is the shift from season to season. Example: I bought a 4-pack of beautiful long-sleeved onesies (babygrows) from a Carter's outlet ($5 for 4!) ... that Ro hardly wore because they were too big. Since most of them were in good condition, I didn't want to just pass them on! So, I combined them and turned them into summer swing tops. I want them to last a while, so just cutting off the bottom and sleeves was not enough. My goal was to make them wider too. That way, when they start getting a little short, it won't matter as much.  This is not a great tutorial I'm afraid.  My "demo" onesie ended up a mess because I got distracted mid-project.  But here's what I can show you.  


A modern, woodsy mobile for baby?  Yes.  Love.  Especially if you (or someone you know) has wood veneer pieces lying around from a previous home DIY.  Get the how to from You are my Fave.

What to do with deflated balloons? 

Balloons are a cheap way to bring a lot of color to a party space ... so we use too many of them and don't think much about it.  Then we dump them in the garbage or, even worse, happily release hundreds of helium-filled orbs into the air.  Eventually, they come down and cause havoc.  

So, since we don't generally think of balloons as reusable, we need to see them as the single-use plastic items that they are and stop using them.  If you love decorating with them, buy a bag and make yourself a reusable set, like the ones picture below.  


If you want some ideas for how to reuse balloons once they've performed their party duty, read on ....

This little DIY from Garden Therapy is making my Friday.  I'm thinking of flowering teas... you know the dried blooms that you put in boiling water and watch open?  These candles would be a great way to use old mason jars ... it also means that you can pop a lid on your beautiful creation and surprise whoever gets to open it.

I think that burlap is something you either love or loathe. Either way, it's a much more interesting fiber than you'd think. And it can contemporary... not just country! It's "green" because it's made from jute, a very low-impact plant to grow. So it's renewable. Even compostable! Also, it’s pretty easy to get second-hand/used burlap, if you know where to look. Local coffee shops, especially ones that roast their own beans, tend to be rich with big, empty burlap sacks.  For other ideas on how to find the stuff (and to read more about why burlap is awesome) visit Crafting a Green World.  Once you get your hands on some, make these pretty things (25+ projects for you):
Let's talk about bread boxes. Or not, since there's not a whole lot to say about them, right? So what to do old bread boxes, because they're still around and need a new purpose in life. 



Saw the  top left breadbox upcycle on Apt Therapy (via BHG) and went in search of others .... I know one corner of my kitchen is a mess of cords so this project will happen as soon as I can find an old breadbox 

Earlier this year, I featured the Faraway Tree created by the amazing ex-physics teacher / mom blogging at ikatbag.  Just recently, she set out to construct a Barbie House for her three girls.  It's a wonder... complete with an elevator and glowing fireplace. Go take a look at it in detail.





I love Anthropologie - the store designs and overall aesthetic of the buyers.  I don't love the non-sale prices.  And I don't love the political leanings of the man atop the brand (which includes Free People and Urban Outfitters). I own clearance items purchased with gift cards.  More than anything, I get a kick out of "athro-hacking" or "anthro-morphing", if you will.  If I can be inspired by (i.e. steal) their ideas and make it myself (or anthro-morph something thrifted), I will.


So here's my most recent morph, based on lots of leaf earrings I saw in store a couple of weeks ago.  I liked the idea of white (I don't wear gold) ... and I loved the beads down the center of the leaf.  Here's my version ... instructions below.


I have no idea what this lamp is worth, but I found it in a barn in Michigan.  The place was crammed with dusty, rustic antiques.  We were about to leave when this incredible green thing leapt out at me.  I knew it would go with the frog prince chair ... so it had to come home with me.  I paid less than the asking price, but more than I wanted to.  Now that I've owned it for several years, I know I'd pay pretty much anything for it.  



Anthropologie (NYC) window display ... using little plastic bags.  I wonder what they're growing? This would be finicky to replicate, but a great idea for a sunny window in a small space (Via Upcycle Us)



The Martha Stewart Weddings blog (Brides Guide) recently mentioned Stringcycle's guitar-string flowers ... they said "we see them fitting into a quirky vintage wedding theme as totally unique table decor". I think fresh-flower alternatives are big for bouquets too ... and this enamel-brooch repurposed wonder deserves a look.  It's bold and out there.


How many trends can you cram into one little project?  It's retro, it's (almost) neon, it's embellished with pom-poms ... and it's eco-friendly (would be a great way to use t-shirt yarn).  Loving everything about Scissors and Steam.  Go get the instructions.

What to do with old doilies? 

Starch and doilies ... would your kids even know what those are? 


I know my grandmother loved both of them - starch for collars and doilies for decorating. And I mean doilies decorating everything. 

They adorned side tables, the backs of chairs, her dressing table, her nightstands. She said they were "feminine." Ak.  I was never a fan, but I do like the way they've returned.  

And I've found 19 fresh (and yes, feminine!) ways to repurpose old doilies in eclectic decor: 
© the ReFab Diaries · THEME BY WATDESIGNEXPRESS
–>