September 2012 | the ReFab Diaries

So... me showing you corners of my home was supposed to be a weekly thing. Hah! But I've finally got to the bathroom before/after post that's been sitting in limbo for a long time. So I'm proud of myself. This is by far the biggest project we took on in this home (painting the kitchen and dining area and creating a nursery were nothing in comparison!). When we were considering buying this condo, the HUGE bathroom was a selling point. The purple walls... not so much. Deep, greyish purple. Really?? So I knew the painting would have to happen asap.

The result: two different paint colors on the walls (think "clean joins") and we took on the cabinets ourselves. The cabinets... oy. A LOT of work. But five years (and one toddler) later, they still look perfect so it was worth it.


If you've ever considered turning a hobby into a business, then this story is for you. Lisa Polderman (aka PoldaPop Designs) was given an old sewing machine in 2009. After leaving her intense job to become a stay-at-home mom, she decided to dust off the machine and take lessons. That was in 2010. Since then she's grown a small, but thriving, business creating custom-fitted skirts, dresses and accessories for local clients (Lisa lives and works in Berwyn, IL). Lisa is, essentially, a tailor - remember those??!! Most of her work is custom. Everything is unique. And when she has 10 spare seconds (!) she makes unique things to sell in her Etsy store ("like" her on Facebook right now and get a free shipping code). Beautiful, unique things. So I'm promoting an inspiring small business, but where's the ReFab you ask???  

Hmmmm... I'll tell you. You see the wallet? And the purse? Lisa is a master at thrifting/inheriting buttons, zippers and incredible vintage fabrics. Her wallets are created almost entirely from upholstery samples. Any time you see a flower, it's made from fabric scraps and vintage buttons. And if you want some help making something yourself, check out her tutorials. Meanwhile, the giveaway... 
I'm charmed by the simplicity of this idea! I don't think white-and-crystals is necessarily my style. But I really want to try making this!  Complete tutorial (use the translator) at Craft and Fun. And while you're there, oggle the rest of her amazing jewelry-upcycle DIYs.





There's a story out there about spinning straw into gold. This stuff is not quite gold ... but each item is a whole lot more interesting than the thing it's made of! Read on for lots of fun projects and inspiration...


LOVE this!  It's a "Marni for H&M" inspired DIY that involves some simple (but ingenious) repurposing of horrible little plastic containers. Head over to Matter of Style for the full DIY ... 

I rarely (almost never?) put together posts that are more "inspiration" than MAKE. But a few months ago I found myself rounding up what I've come to think of as "gravity defying" or suspension bookshelves - shelves that, for whatever reason, should not really be able to support books. But they do. And beautifully so. The image above is what started this collection - a completely fantastical library space. The image below takes the idea the extreme ... read on for more practical options!


What can you do with old hangers? Vintage wooden clothes hangers are beautiful things and generally crafted to last forever. 

Image via Household 6 Diva

Yes, it's possible that old wood hangers might break, and somehow no longer be able to perform their hanger-ly function. But that's not the point. I think old hangers are beautiful things that should see the light of day! So bring them out of the closet, show them off and keep them out of the landfill. Here are 16+ new uses for old hangers: 


As always, I used random.org to pick the winner and it chose #323 - Michele Daley!  Michele, I'll be contacting you asap to get a shipping address  :)

Thanks to everyone who entered this giveaway! The creative folk at FlipFlop are doing amazing things... keep up with them via Facebook

If you've followed this blog for any period of time, you know it's riddled with ideas for refabbing old books and book pages (folds, clocks, accessories etc). I don't think old books should end up in landfills. I'm also really picky about what they get turned into! These two recently caught my eye and join the ranks of "great idea!": A fresh spin on the book-as-secret-storage idea, at BHG (above). And an old book cover used to hide an ugly wireless router (below) from Anamu - genius.




Ok ... I had to try! If the FlipFlop Recycling Company can create art from destroyed flip flops, surely there are some refabulous projects out there that us mere mortals can try?? Well, there are. But they're really hard to find (outside of turning brand new flip flops into slightly nicer sandals - just search Pinterest for those). Here's what I could find:

I thought a DIY stamp was a no-brainer really. After all, we're talking about rubber sandals! Finally found the idea pictured above at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast!


One of the most visited posts on this blog is a little roundup called "Silverware becomes silver WEAR!" I'm a fan of refabbed jewelry so I will often think in that direction first. But I've seen many other great ideas for repurposing old cutlery or silverware. And I recently got to wondering: Could you refab a kitchen by creatively repurposing old silverware? Would it be possible to round up projects that could, arguably, all appear in your kitchen or dining area? The answer is ... yes! So get the silverware out of drawer and to put it to good, fun re-use! (20+ projects ... so read on)
Ours is a story of logic and magic; the logic of recycling our rubbish using the magic of imagination, creativity and finally, plenty of passion! The result is a bouquet of colourful, well designed sculptures, household items, fashion accessories and bespoke pieces.

Let's face it - old flip flops are, well ... gross. But even when they're old and disgusting, they're still rubber and they take upwards of 50 years to decompose ... so they don't just "go away" when you forget them on a beach at the end of the summer. They do, however, float away. Apparently, by the hundreds of thousands. Then what? Well, Cleaning Beaches, Creating Masterpieces is the FlipFlop Recycling Company’s solution. And their motto! This eco-business (based in Nairobi, Kenya) collects discarded flip flops that were previously blighting waterways and coastlines around the world. Then, through the magic of talented local artisans, the collected waste is turned into amazing flipflop creations. And people from local communities earn an income in the process! Are you impressed?  Me too! 
And I have a couple of FlipFlop creatures to give away ... read on!
© the ReFab Diaries · THEME BY WATDESIGNEXPRESS
–>