crafty reuse | Indoor Air Quality Lab

Window Crafts: Make a DIY Dry Erase Board share

We love window crafts, and this simple DIY dry erase board is a perfect way for you to get organized for the new year!

Bonnie - one of the writers I work with at Crafting a Green World - created this sweet upcycled dry erase board using an old window that she found, and I love the simplicity of it! She used her board to write a sweet saying, but you could use yours as a to-do list or even to keep track of your groceries and reduce food waste.

The genius of this project is that a window is basically already a dry erase board! A dry erase marker will wipe off of glass almost as easily as it does off of proper a dry erase surface, so there's no need to treat the glass at all.

This Crafting a Green World window craft doesn't require sanding and painting, but if you want a more modern look you can grab some medium grit sandpaper and zero VOC paint to refresh the window that you're using. To get clean lines, use masking tape to cover the glass and remove any hardware before painting. A vibrant jewel tone or fresh coat of bright white would look great!

Once you're painted - or not! - you just need to gather the short list of supplies that Bonnie calls for and make your dry erase board! Here's what you'll need:

an old window
recycled paper
glue or tape
a dry erase marker

Got your supplies handy? Head over to Crafting a Green World to get your window crafting on!

Posted: | Categories: Craft Recycled, crafting with windows, crafty reuse, creative reuse, DIY, reuse, upcycling, window crafts, windows

Dec

Pallet Crafts: Make a Tea Light Holder share

Pallet crafts are such a fun way to keep waste out of the landfill, and this tea light holder is beautiful in its simplicity!

A lot of pallet crafts call for a lot of special materials, and what I love about this one from our friend David Quilty at The Good Human is that you really don't need special tools or woodworking skills to make this candle holder. The finished project has a rustic look, so even if you're using a hand saw, you'll end up with a very nice-looking candle holder when it's all said and done.

I know, I always talk about this when I talk about pallet crafts, but it's so important! When you're sourcing your pallet, you want to be sure that you're using one that's headed for the landfill. Don't just nab a pallet from behind the local big box store. Make sure you pop inside and ask. If they don't have any pallets that are being discarded, ask them to contact you when they do have one. You're saving them money on disposal fees, so don't be shy about asking!

This simple project only requires a few simple tools and supplies. You will need:

A wood pallet
A way to cut the pallets to size - David used a miter saw, but you can also use a hand saw if you're patient
Wood glue
Spade or hole drill bits
Wood clamps
Sand paper
Tea lights

That's it! Just a few basic tools, and you're ready to get crafty. David has detailed instructions, including plenty of images to help you along the way over at The Good Human. Click here for the full tutorial!

Posted: | Categories: Craft Recycled, crafty reuse, creative reuse, DIY, pallet craft, pallet craft project, pallet crafts, reuse, upcycling, wood pallets

Dec

E-Waste Jewelry: Creative Upcycling share

Artist Marcele Godoy creates striking jewelry from reclaimed e-waste.

E-waste is a huge environmental problem. When we toss out old electronics, they eventually decompose in ourlandfills, leaching toxins into the ground water and polluting the surrounding soil. E-waste recycling is a little bit better, but unfortunately not all discarded electronics get recycled.

Godoy makes a powerful statement about the problems with e-waste with his new upcycled jewelry line created from discarded computer cables, cords, plugs, and wires. Right now, the line is exclusively of necklaces, but he's planning to expand into other creations.

The line is simply called "elle," and the jewelry is a personal project. Godoy is a Chilean grad student studying here in the U.S., and he observes:

I am surprised by how quickly multiple objects are considered garbage and you can easily find them on the streets every day. I have collected objects many times to reuse them in projects or for personal use. This is because they are generally discarded for a better, a nicer or a newer one, and not because its useful life is over.

Rather than let those objects go to waste, he reclaims them and turns them into striking pieces of jewelry. How's that for craftivism?

You can view more photos of Godoy's jewelry on his website and check out some of his other beautiful design projects.

h/t: Moco Loco

Posted: | Categories: Clothes+Accessories, Craft Recycled, crafty reuse, creative reuse, DIY, e-waste, e-waste crafts, e-waste recycling, electronic waste, Living, upcycling

Dec

DIY Planter from a Repurposed Trash Bin share

Can you believe that this super cute DIY planter used to be a humble waste basket?

Hit the thrift store for a wire waste basket, pick yourself up some eco-friendly yarn, and you are ready to make a cute planter for your favorite house plant! This is kind of a time-consuming project. Tranae at Becoming Fabulous says it took her about 10 hours over three days to complete it, but this DIY planter is what I like to call a "couch craft." Put on some bad TV or a favorite movie, kick back, and weave.

I love how Tranae used a mix of bold colors for her bin, and you could really play a lot with your colors to get different effects. She's got a lot of contrast, but I think you could get a cool ombre effect by using a few yarns that are different shades of the same color. You could also have fun with art yarn or even play around with mixing in some plarn or newspaper yarn to add extra texture.

This DIY planter tutorial uses a waste basket from a big box store, but you can make this a green craft by hitting the thrift store for your waste basket instead. It might take a little bit longer to find, but you'll save money on materials and you'll be upcycling, so it's totally worth the extra leg work!

All that you need to make your own DIY planter are:

a reclaimed trash bin
plenty of yarn
tape
scissors
a plant in a pot that's slightly narrower and slightly shorter than your basket

Got your materials together? Head over to Becoming Fabulous for the complete DIY planter tutorial!

Posted: | Categories: Craft Recycled, crafty reuse, creative reuse, DIY, DIY decor, DIY planter, green decor, planter, reuse

Nov

Spotted: DIY Vase from a Glass Bottle share

How sweet is this hanging vase made from a reclaimed glass bottle?

You know that we're all about indoor plants, even if you're dealing with a small space. This hanging glass vase is a great way to get a little bit more plant life into your life without sacrificing an inch of valuable shelf or floor space.

You can't stick just any plant into this hanging vase. It's specifically for air plants. As someone who is a frequent killer-of-plants, I will say this for air plants: they are beautiful and delightfully hard to kill. You really just need to mist them with water occasionally to keep them happy. Air plants also don't need a lot of light to thrive. They're a perfect low-maintenance house plant!

This tutorial uses a vintage bottle, but you could also use a reclaimed glass bottle to make this hanging vase. Fancy ginger ales come in some very beautiful bottles, for example. They'd work great for this project!

Caitlin of The Merrythought shared this awesome hanging vase tutorial over at Poppytalk, and I am in love with it! You only need a few simple materials for this project. I'm going to list them here along with one small substitution to make this project even greener!

Ceramic/Glass Drill Bit (I used a 3/16")
Spray bottle with water
Vintage Bottle
Jute
Leather Lace - leather isn't the most eco-conscious material, and you really don't need this to do the project. This is really just for looks, so you can use more jute, some reclaimed ribbon, or hemp twine instead.
Hot Glue Gun

Easy peasy, right? I bet that you have most of these materials in your stash right now. Head on over to Poppytalk to get the complete step-by-step!

I'd love to hear from you guys, too. Have you created any fun DIY vases or other upcycled planters? Tell me about what you're making in the comments!

Posted: | Categories: bottle crafts, Craft Recycled, crafty reuse, creative reuse, DIY, DIY vase, reuse, upcycling, vase

Jul

Spotted: DIY Fruit Basket Made from Grocery Bags share

These sweet fruit baskets are made from reclaimed paper grocery bags!

As much as I'd like to say that I always bring reusable bags to the store, sometimes I slip up. Other times, I bring one bag because I think I'm going to just grab a few essentials but end up with a cart full of groceries. Next time you have to take a single-use bag at the store, don't fret. Ask for paper, and head home to get crafty!

Do you remember doing old-school paper weaving when you were a kid? Crafter Lia Griffith uses that same technique to create these cute berry serving baskets. I love the simplicity of this project and that you probably have all of the materials that you need to create it right in your house!

To make your own DIY fruit basket, you'll need:

an old grocery bag
ruler
pen or pencil
scissors
clothes pin
hot glue gun

Lia has a beautiful photo tutorial showing you how to weave this basket together. Click here to check it out!

Posted: | Categories: Craft Recycled, crafty reuse, creative reuse, DIY, DIY fruit basket, grocery bag crafts, paper crafts, reuse, upcycling

May

5 Wine Cork Crafts share

Do you hoard wine corks like I do? Let's bust that stash with some upcycled wine cork crafts!

Unless you're buying box or screw-top wine (no judgement here - lots of good bottles come in boxes or with screw tops these days!), chances are every time you pop a bottle of vino, you're left with a cork in your hand. Don't toss those suckers into the trash! Save them in a bowl for some rainy day crafting instead!

Wine corks aren't always made from actual cork, which for most of these projects is a-ok! The plastic corks are just as fun for crafting as the natural cork ones, and those plastic ones are actually a lot easier to cut up than natural cork. For either sort, a sharp, serrated knife gets the job done nicely if you need to slice and dice your corks.

Ready to get crafty? Check out some of these wine cork crafts!

1. Wino Cork board - If you have a nice stash of corks going, you can turn them into a mini cork board to keep your a little bit more organized.

2. Micro-Planters - Make your self the teeniest garden ever by transforming your old corks into micro-planters for succulents.

3. Plant Markers - This project works best with natural cork, but if you use a permanent marker that contrasts with the color of your synthetic cork, you can even use the plastic sort to make these cork plant markers!

4. Decorative Heart - Another project that's best with natural cork, though you could modify it with some artfully-placed synthetic ones. Gather your corks and make a sweet cork heart to hang on the wall!

5. Pendants - Use paint to add a pop of color and stamps to embellish your very own handmade wine cork pendants.

Have you made anything cool out of old wine corks? Tell us all about your favorite cork crafts in the comments!

Posted: | Categories: cork crafts, corks, crafty reuse, creative reuse, DIY, how to reuse wine corks, reuse, wine cork crafts, wine corks

Apr

5 Ways to Reuse Cereal Boxes and Organize Your Life! share

[This magazine rack is made from recycled cereal boxes!]

Feeling guilty about the cereal boxes in your recycle bin? Pull 'em out and try some of these upcycled projects to give them a new life!

Recycling is great, but reuse is always better! Cardboard recycling is pretty efficient, as recycling goes, but it still takes energy to turn old cardboard into new paper products, and transporting cardboard from your home to the recycle center produces carbon emissions, too.

Boxes are a natural pick for storage, right? When I was researching some ideas for cereal boxes, I noticed that so many of them were organization-related! Next time you polish off a box of cereal, save the box for one of these home organization cardboard crafts!

1. Magazine Rack - Do you have magazines all over your house? Tidy those suckers up with a cereal box magazine rack!

2. Expandable File Folder - Get organized! Check out how to turn an old cereal box into a chic way to store your files.

3. Mini Album - Get your photos all in order with an upcycled album.

4. Fabric Storage Baskets - Cover old cereal boxes in fabric to make boxes for all kinds of organizing needs!

5. Closet Organizer - Tame a messy closet with the power of upcycled cereal boxes!

Have you guys made anything fun with reclaimed cereal boxes lately? Share your ideas in the comments!

Posted: | Categories: cereal box crafts, Craft Recycled, crafty reuse, creative reuse, DIY, Home+Decor, Living, reuse, upcycling

Apr

Spotted: Mini Photo Album from Recycled Cardboard share

Turn reclaimed cardboard into a DIY mini photo album!

That light cardboard from old cereal boxes, frozen pizza boxes, or six packs is endlessly useful for crafting. It's sturdy, easy to cut, and flexible enough to use in all kinds of projects from gift boxes to sweet little toys. Over at Dollar Store Crafts, Rhonda shares another awesome craft you can make from reclaimed light cardboard: a mini photo album!

Rhonda uses new wrapping paper to decorate her photo album, but you could really use any kind of pretty paper you like. Maybe you are like me and save pretty wrapping paper from gifts that folks give you? You could also use recycled scrapbook paper or even the insides of junk mail envelopes to cover your album. Oh, the upcycling possibilities!

To make your album, you will need:

Reclaimed cardboard - old cereal boxes will work best
Reclaimed or recycled paper
Mod Podge
A brayer - this is a rolly tool that will help you cover the cardboard in paper without ripples and lumps. A rolling pin will work in a pinch!

Ready to make your own upcycled mini album? Get the tutorial here!

Posted: | Categories: cardboard crafts, cereal box crafts, crafty reuse, creative reuse, DIY, DIY photo album, upcycling

Mar

Tutorial: Turn an Old Playpen into a Launry Sorter share

by Cristin Frank, author of Living Simple, Free & Happy: How to Simplify, Declutter Your Home, and Reduce Stress, Debt & Waste

Hi Green Upgrader readers! I'm Cristin from Eve of Reduction and I'm thrilled to announce that my debut DIY book, Living Simple, Free and Happy is now available for purchase on Amazon!

This guest post is one stop on my virtual book tour. This means, if you go to the book tour page and leave a comment, you can win a copy of the book (mailed to US residents, digital copy if winner lives outside the US). If you go ahead and purchase a copy (thank you!), please leave a review on Amazon and let me know on the landing page of my blog tour, you will be entered to win a free, online upcycling consultation with me, Cristin Frank.

And with that announcement I want to share an upcycling project that will help organize and simplify your life: upcycling an obsolete playpen into a lights and brights laundry sorter.

Anyone born before 1980 will probably recognize this wooden playpen from pictures of their toddler years - or the movie Back to the Future. Yeah, no one wants these any more. Well, except me...and maybe you by the end of this tutorial.

A neighbor of mine was getting rid of this playpen, so I took it off her hands before it became landfill fodder. I put it down in my basement and the next time I went down there, I was like, "What's that awful smell!" Yikes, this thing smelled so musty, to the point of reeking. The good news was, I was planning on hacking it up, which meant it would be in small enough pieces that I could seal it in a large black garbage bag with some kitty litter. The clay litter absorbs moisture and smells wonderfully and can save many old, musty pieces like suitcases, too.

I cut up the playpen into 8 sections so that they could be reassembled as two, four-sided laundry sorters.

You'll notice that I'm making 2 structures, each with 4 legs, but there are only 4 casters. To remedy this, I positioned two casters as the back legs, then repurposed a crib spindle to use as the front legs of the laundry sorters.

Because there were so many cut edges, and now the miss-matched wood from the crib spindles, I painted the laundry sorters to bring it all together.

Next, I reused a fitted sheet to make the laundry bags. This worked out great because I reused the fabric and elastic, plus the casing for the elastic was already sewn.

Click here to get the sewing pattern for the laundry bags.

The last detail was adding a bottom onto the sorters. I fully intended to cut up the original particle board bottom that came with the playpen, but the sorters left a very tiny ledge for them to rest on the inside and from underneath, I'd have to cut around the added front legs. I decided it would be easiest to simply use the remnants of the fitted bed sheet to tack down a fabric bottom. The fabric was really easy to work with.

If you like DIY projects that are easy, inexpensive, reduce waste and add beauty and function to your home, please check out Living Simple, Free and Happy on Amazon. It is also available at bookstores, home improvement stores and craft stores nation-wide.

The book includes 10 upcycling tutorials that take easy to find furniture items and transforms them into customizable, organizational solutions from your home.

What else do you get?

Simple techniques that eliminate clutter and keep it from returning
A personalized plan to help you reclaim your time
Practical (and profitable) ways to sell unused items in your home
Tips to eliminate debt and curb consumption
Dozens of exercises that help you identify and honor your talents, values, and goals

Please remember to leave a comment on my blog tour page to be entered to win a copy of Living Simple, Free & Happy. There you also see my blog tour schedule and can check in to learn more about upcycling, simple living, decluttering and writing a book.

Please know that I look forward to reading each and every comment, and Becky, thank you so much for being a gracious book tour hostess!

Posted: | Categories: Books, craft books, Craft Recycled, crafting books, crafty reuse, creative reuse, DIY, DIY laundry sorter, Living, reuse, upcycling, upcycling books

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