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:
This is the story of a feathered girl
with a clockwork heart.
And her magician love who,
at long last, fashioned the key
And her magician love who,
at long last, fashioned the key
that allowed her to fly.
As promised, a little steampunk pendant doodle for you. I made this on a whim, after finding the available tutorials a little thin on the ground. This little key pendant is now, hands down, my favorite piece of jewelry! I started with an old quartz watch and a key I've had lying around for years, waiting for just this moment to shine. And let me say ... I think old keys (especially little ones) are magical all by themselves.
I didn't really know where I was going until I opened the watch. I've never taken a watch apart before (I know, I haven't lived, clearly had no childhood etc). And when I saw the mechanism, I felt like a magpie! Much more appealing than I was expecting it to be.
I'm turning the lense on two of my repurposes today. In case you can't tell, I'm unabashedly sentimental about "stuff". If it means something to me, I try hard to find a way to keep it around. But I don't hoard (much) - I've moved enough times in my life to be very very scared of my potential inner hoarder. And, I really like my stuff to have a purpose - not hide in a drawer.
Towel #1: One of my oldest friends gave me a hand-painted tea towel / pot-holder gift set about 12 years ago. I love the colors and its Cape Town origins. Ultimately I didn't use it much in the kitchen because all that bright white wouldn't stand a chance. But I hung on to it. When I got a new sewing machine a couple of years ago, I wanted a simple cover and found the tea-towel idea via Martha. My towel wasn't quite big enough, so I cut it in half and added a strip of bright cotton across the top. I cut the painted cherries out of the pot holder and appliqued them to the plain side of the cover. And voila.
Towel #2: When my gran moved from her little flat into a nursing home, my mom selected a few of her things to store for me. Including a set of 2 thin, oddly sized towels from the 50s. The fact that my grandmother still had these towels in the 90s tells me something about my genetic predisposition! I loved the orange detail on them but could never figure out how to use them (odd size). Then, on a whim some time last year, I chopped one up and turned it into a smock/apron. Because when I cook, I seem to need to wash and dry my hands 15 times. I added bright orange ribbon, some hand-sewn detail on the pockets... and now it hangs in the kitchen, actually getting its delicate 1950's hands dirty.
This post was, of course, inspired by the light fixture above (seen on Etsy) - one ugly cord, a bulb and a few old books. Not so hard to do if you're interested in trying a little bookfolding. Anyway, it got me looking for other cool ways to hide ugly cords ... and otherwise upcycle ugly old lamps. Five more for you:
Two awesome tutorials to step you through upcycling those ratty old cargo pants. The version above is from Noodlehead. The version below is from Bludor
I made a little spring mobile for myself. This would be a fun craft to do with kids - very easy! The complete instructions (including printable template) are via Joann Fabrics. Their craft is all about promoting an embossing machine. Without that, it becomes cheap and easy: you need paper/ cardstock, mini brats, a hole punch and string or ribbon. Now that I've actually made them, I will add a couple of tips.
