the ReFab Diaries

Upcycle: Finding your marbles

in , by Candice


It's only been a week since I moved but what a week! Chicago was hit by a massive blizzard last Sunday - meaning we were pretty much housebound. So the final part of moving my stuff out of the old place has dragged on, finally wrapping up this morning. The snow too has clung on. And on...

So. It feels appropriate to be posting a collection of marble upcycles. Because I've felt like I was losing mine this week. But I think they're regrouping.

Starting at the top...

1. The colors in these marble topped tables - the one at the top is perfectly sweet shop, don't you think? The one at the bottom is little more grown up, with it's earth tones.

2. A little sensory marble massage? Not just for kids I think!

3. This marble toothbrush storage idea is simple and proper old marbles would work just as well and look better I think! I also like the idea for paintbrushes, pens, flowers...

4. And finally, the marble fence idea. Not at all new, but there's a reason bloggers keep talking about it. It's a LOVELY idea! See examples and tutorials here, here and here.





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Waste? Not!: Week 1 - The no-waste move in 5 steps

in , by Candice



Ok - I'm sorta cheating. Because I don't think it's that challenging to make a move "zero waste". But I'm moving in three days so I get to start with an easy one! 

When I talk about waste around moving, I'm not just talking about the packing materials. I'm talking money. A move is expensive. Especially if you're paying people to put your stuff in a van and take it out on the other side (which I am). So if you can avoid wasting money on packing materials, you should! 

1. Pack it yourself: Yes, moving companies will pack things for you. But they charge by the hour so...

2. Free Boxes: If your friends/colleagues can't help you, our online sharing culture makes this easy. Freecycle and Craigslist are good sources. I scored oodles of boxes through a local Facebook trading post. They've been used at least 3 times before and this won't be their last rodeo.

3. Pay if forward/Reuse: I already know who I'm giving them to when I'm done!

4. Recyclable/reusable padding: I've been raiding the recycling in the basement of my office building for non-plastic packaging materials (pictured above). While I will use some plastic, it's almost entirely the recyclable pillows rather than bubble wrap. Having said that, did you know you can turn bubble wrap into beads? 

5. Upcycle the cardboard: Finally, to give myself something to look forward to in the world-beyond-the-move, I have a great cardboard upcycling project planned. Watch this space :)

What am I forgetting? If you have advice to share on this topic, please leave a comment!



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Winner! Trashy Crafter bracelet

by Candice

Amanda B. wins!


Time to send this Trashy Crafter bracelet to a new home! As always, I used a randomizer to pick the winner and it chose entry #158 - that's Amanda B. Amanda, congrats! Expect an email from me later today to get your shipping details.  :)  

Thanks to everyone who entered for your interest and for sharing all the ways you've built recycling and repurposing into your lives. Here's to wasting less :) 


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Fab: "Tree Change" dolls

in , by Candice



I rarely post over the weekend, but a friend sent me a link to this today and I had to share it! Artist Sonia Singh is getting attention for her Bratz "makeunders". She's not just refabbing thrifted dolls. She's bringing them back to nature, so to speak. She calls them Tree Change Dolls, a perfect summary of the process! More in her own words:

"These dolls have been rescued and rehabilitated from op-shops and tip shops around Tasmania. These lil fashion dolls have opted for a "tree change", swapping high-maintenance glitz 'n' glamour for down-to-earth style. I hand repaint the dolls faces, mold new shoes, and my Mum sews and knits their clothing.

My sisters and I grew up playing with second-hand dolls and home-made toys in the beautiful Tasmanian natural environment. I love the satisfaction of repairing and reusing discarded items to give them a new lease on life."

The whole concept is delightful. And sends a message that goes far beyond the dolls!

Sonia's planning an Etsy store. For now, visit her Tumblr for more makeunders and follow her on Facebook. 

UPDATE: Less than a month after I posted this, Sonia's story is everywhere! She has almost 100,000 Facebook followers and her first batch of dolls sold out the day she listed them on Etsy. How's she handling all this success? By encouraging others to try this themselves. Follow her on YouTube - she'll be posting how-to tutorials. And her FB thread is full of pictures of people around the world creating their own tree-change dolls!  :)



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Upcycling: Beautiful waste

in , , by Candice



I see treasure in trash. I thinks there's joy in junk, wonder in waste. I've been showing you my upcycles, alley grabs, refabs, roadkill rescues and refashions for 6 years. As I contemplate the next step in trimming my waste (so to speak), here's a round up of some of my favorites tutorials.

1 and 2. Aluminum Cans 
Specifically, local (Chicago) craft beer cans. I love good beer and supporting local brewers. And I'm often distracted by the beautiful design featured on the cans. So much so, I thought they were worthy of jewelry. Save a few cans from your recycling and make your own geometric necklace or flower pin. 

3. Book Folding (if you're a book lover, please know that I am too. Here's my argument for why I think crafting with books is acceptable)
By far the most popular post on the blog, folded books make beautiful wall decor. It's a great way to repurpose a book that no one (and I mean no one) will ever read again. For example, old reference books, recipe books and city guides.

4. Negatives 
If you're keeping old negatives, ask yourself why? If you've lost the pictures, go get them printed! Then turn the negatives into something beautiful. Earrings, a necklace or create something decorative for your home. 

5. Pages of old books
There are so many ways to use book pages! Make your own paper beads then use them to make a bookmark. Or...
6. Big reference books 
Huge old encyclopedias are too big for bookfolds. So I made a book vase and won a Womens' Day Challenge for my trouble. I've also turned books into clocks and purses. 

7. Guitar strings
I played guitar regularly for 12+ years. I threw out so many broken strings in that time. What a waste! I could have made bunches of these beautiful flowers. And if you have an old, broken guitar lying around, here's a round of ways you could repurpose it.

8. Postage stamps (or any other pretty paper)
Betsy Siber makes beautiful jewelry out of stamps from around the world. This earring tutorial she created for me a few years ago is still a favorite. And here are other ideas for things you can do with old stamps.

Looking for more ideas? There's a long list of repurposing ideas in the sidebar. Lots of tutorials here and big roundups here. 




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Zero waste - Trash4Teaching

in , by Candice


Minimizing waste, maximizing education. That's the goal of California based T4T (Trash for Teaching). T4T inspires, students, educators, businesses and communities to rethink what others overlook. They rescue manufacturing overruns, discards and castoffs, originally headed for landfill, and re-imagine these items. Just look at what they collect - dumping it would be a horrible waste!
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ReFab: West Elm inspired dresser

in , by Candice



There's a furniture makeover. There's even a rescue. Then, there's what Retropolitan did with this dresser - more like a resuscitation, or resurrection! I don't shy away from a challenge (see this) but this transformation blows me away. I can't wait for my next alley rescue ... wood veneer here I come! Visit Retropolitan for the complete refab.





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Fab: I Didn't Throw it Away

in , by Candice


I happily admit to being sentimental at heart. But we moved a lot when I was a kid and I've lived on four different continents in the last 25 years. You don't move that much without leaving a LOT behind along the way. Nevertheless, when Agy invited me to contribute to the "I didn't throw it away" blog train, it was easy to say yes. Because somehow, in spite of all the moving, I'm surrounded by things I've had for 20+ years. I'm Capricorn. I once read that Capricorns "love to fill their homes with association." This seems to be true for me! So what are these things I've hung on to and why?



Things I still use


 Today is my 39th birthday (hence the Capricorn reference!). On my 19th birthday, I asked my mom to take me shopping at the local (Durban, South Africa) flea market. That day she bought me the leather purse/handbag and silver bracelet pictured above. They're not only things I still have but things I use often. Especially the purse. Why have I kept them? Because I still love them and they're in great shape considering their age. I think I can get away with wearing such old things because leather and silver aren't really vulnerable to trends. And considering my age, I think they still suit me - thanks mom!




Things I've inherited


These are the very few things I inherited from grandparents. I definitely love them as "things" but I know I keep them because they act like Time-Turner's for me. When I look at the glass jars, I'm transported back to my mom's parents' home. I can smell the mothballs, Jeyes Fluid, my grandmother's 4711 fragrance and my grandfather's Old Spice. And I remember playing with the sprung metal shirt-sleeve holders my Grampy stored in that bigger glass jar. He worked for the post office on the railway - I guess it was crucial that his sleeves stay up?

My great grandmother's sewing kit was a treasure I found when my Nanny moved from a small flat into assisted living. I never knew my great grandmother, but I was always told I have her hands. And I'm deeply attached to the tools she once used to create!

Finally, the little silver pill box belonged to my father's mom. After growing up in a Catholic orphanage on the east coast of South Africa, she got married and had SEVEN children. This woman was somehow the warmest, wittiest person (in spite of my very difficult grandfather) and was adored by her many grandkids. She didn't have a lot to leave, so this little box (and the pair of tiny ruby earrings that live in it) are beyond precious to me.




Things I've repurposed


One of my best friends gave me a hand-painted tea towel and oven glove for my 21st birthday. I always loved them but never used them because bright white cotton in my kitchen ... well, I knew I'd wreck it. So I carried them around for years then, one day, decided to repurpose them as a sewing machine cover. I've never regretted the decision because now I see the cover every day and think of Lyndi. 




Words ...


When I decided to tie a ribbon around these letters and keep them, I was being romantic. Now, 20+ years later, they represent a way of life mostly gone. And I don't just mean letter writing and the use of snail mail. I also mean the kind of delayed gratification we were once capable of. And the amazing quiet and intimacy of communicating this way. And the permanence of the words. One day I will actually re-read the letters. For now, I'm grateful to my younger self for hanging on to them.

Note: As I contemplated what to share in this post, it struck me that most of what I haven't thrown away I actually use, or look at, daily. They're mostly things that are very much part of my life and they all have stories. I have one small box for hoarding - I call it a memory box. It's the place that holds things like the letters and other sentimental bits and pieces I will never get rid of. If I ever overflow the box, I know I'll probably get rid of some things. Until then, I cherish what it holds.



This post is part of a blog train hosted by Agatha from Green Issues by Agy (now Agy Textile Artist) on "I Didn't Throw It Away". We have become such a throw-away society, but there are some things in our households that we still keep. Why is that so? Perhaps this blog train (that began Dec 1, 2014) can unlock the reasons behind it! Follow the daily posts and read about the stories behind the things we have kept for many years and why we didn't throw them away.





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Fab: New Year!

by Candice


From one of my favorite authors (and people) ... wishing you all the best for 2015!



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Peace, love and upcycling to you all...

by Candice


Best wishes to all of you ReFabbers out there ... whatever you celebrate, may it be brimming with the things that are most important to you. Thanks for all the support this year. I'll be opening 2015 with my contribution to the "I didn't throw it away" blog train. See you then!




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