March 2013 | the ReFab Diaries


Here's the first of the Finch's Threadless tutorials... super-simple earrings! I'll also cover the basics of working with aluminum cans (in my limited experience!). 


If you know me (or you've read my bio) then you know I love good beer. Emphasis on good... really good. And since I live in Chicago, I'm spoiled for choice when it comes to local craft breweries, creating amazing brews. Great branding (visual design and names) seems to go hand-in-hand with craft brewing. I'm always entertained (and impressed by) the packaging, the quirky names and the rich, fun descriptions of each beer.

Finch's has been around since 2009. I'm no expert, but they seem to have made their mark very quickly!  And the collaboration with Threadless in 2011 (to create a branded IPA) produced not only a great beer, but a really inspiring collection of designs. When I saw the winning can, I thought jewelry! Yup. I really did. Ever since I posted a collection of "upcycled can" ideas, I've been wanting to try it myself. Apparently I finally found my inspiration! So, over the course of the next week, I'll post tutorials for each of the pieces you see above. As each one goes live, so will the links below so please check back!



1. Teardrop earrings

2. Pin / Hair clip

3. Simple pendant

4. Statement geometric necklace










I seem to be living in perpetual winter. I had a 5 week break in sunny South Africa and still feel like it's been winter forever. Because it snowed today. Today is 25 March. I want to cry ... and hack up all my winter clothes. But that would be bad and wasteful. But just in case I can't help myself, here are lots of cool things I could do with those hacked up sweaters:




As always, I used random.org to pick the winner and it chose entry #62 Lyza Jo!  Lyza Jo, I will be contacting you via email to get a shipping address  :)

Thanks to everyone who entered for your interest. I think this book would make an amazing gift for the right person. Buy your own copy now!






Old kitchen (rubber) gloves can apparently be beautiful!  So don't throw them out because of that one tiny hole...


1. Make a bracelet

2. Be inspired by this incredible jewelry

3. Cut them up into hairbands and headbands

4. Fill it with plaster and create a jewelry holder

5. Ducky finger puppets!







Is it just me, or are zip ties (cable ties) bombing the blogosphere? Maybe it's a bandwagon... but it's certainly a colorful one! So, in lieu of actual spring color, I'm bombing today's post with zip-tie colors. Here's a whole array of ways to repurpose these funny little things...


When I happen upon a blog called Filth Wizardry, I'm going to spend some time looking around. And I'm going to have certain expectations. In this case, expectations were met!  Click through for the full how-to on the Fairy Houses and the amazing milk-jug dragon.






Ok - my first book review and giveaway! And how hip do I feel, getting to give this lovely work to some wanna-be-whittler!  I grew up working with wood. Both my grandfathers had workshops (one made ostrich marionettes!) and I was able to take "woodwork" as a school credit when I was 12. So the material is close to my heart and I love the smell of sawdust. But I've never whittled or carved. Enter Tiny Whittling ... it's already so popular, Amazon is about to run out.  Enter now to win a copy!



I love old leather satchels. But old brown pleather? Not so much. So hooray for spray paint! Wrapped Up in Rainbows turned this drab old thing into something I LOVE. Actually, it's similar to something I already own. So I'm predictable ... but can one really have too many turquoise / teal satchel-like thingies?  Full DIY.





I looked ... I looked again. And yes - this refab does, in fact, involve upcycling soda bottles. And there's duct tape of course (separate tutorial for the shade).

Will this kind of fun repurposing solve our plastic problem? Of course not. But every time you look at materials getting reused this way, you're reminded of their durability. Plastic is forever. It is not disposable. So let's repurpose as much as we can.  Head to Matsutake for the instructions.






I love repurposing projects that literally involve re-envisioning. The ability to look past the thing into the crystal ball of its potential. Or something. You know what I mean? If you're Natalie at My Little Secrets, that means somehow "seeing" a sheer crop top in a pair of pantyhose. I think I have a few too many .... um... "curves" to pull off this kind of hugging, sheer thing (I cut up old pantyhose into hairbands). But, it's a no-sew, creative-problem-solving wonder and I'm guessing a few of you will have some fun with it.

Complete DIY here. 




I think I own one magazine file ... mostly they (the magazines) just live in piles around my house. But this is the second post (in a row!) dedicated to magazine files. Perhaps I'm trying to tell myself something?  Anyway, this is a classy refab. Simple. Smart. Head to Desert Willow Lane for the tutorial.



This insanely clever repurposing of magazine files won the 2012 Ikea Hack of the year (yes, there is such a thing. Please click through and take a look at the details - there's so much more to it than what I can picture here. (via)






Old garage doors are ... ugly. They're often the first thing to go in a "curb-appeal" makeover. I was really inspired by these ideas for repurposing the poor things!

1. Turn it into a bench

2. Make a serious statement with a garage-door table care of Instructables

3. Or, a sweet picture frame refab





As always, I used random.org to pick the winner and it chose entry #147 Jessica Poston!  Jessica, I will be contacting you via email to get a shipping address  :)

Thanks to everyone who entered for your interest and the great comments on the post. 

My next giveaway will involve a couple of firsts for me: First book review ... and first book giveaway! Stay tuned.



To amp up your lamp
and fab up your walls,
just say catted and hatted
from Fabulously Flawed!


Happy birthday to Dr Suess!  I'm marking Dr Seuss day with some great repurposing of a classic. Read good books with your kids today ... then head to Fabulously Flawed for the Seussical DI-Yuuuusical!


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