Thursday, February 5, 2009

Upcycling

Upcycling is the act of creating useful products from waste materials. You’ve probably seen several upcycled products on the market today–reusable bags are often made from old plastic bags, t-shirts, juice pouches and cookie wrappers. Among design junkies, craftsters, and green folks.

This shower curtain doesn’t have to be just that. It could also be a curtain for a window or a work of art hanging on the wall. It is made from brown paper bags, magazine, and, soon to be thrown away by everyone, 2006 calendar. Sealed with Modge Podge and zigzag stitched together.






Skateboard Stairs


Old Pallet Furniture

Innertube Wallets



Belt Bracelets

Old Jeans Hand Bags
Mexican Chicklet Gum Wrapper Purses
Larry and I bought one of these in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico for his daughter. I think we paid $7 for it. Sadly, they are selling on EBay for starting bids of $50. Heck, I thought about flying back down just to stock up on the suckers, come back and sell them on EBay. Oh well. Maybe that skill of folding gum wrappers back in high school will come back to me and I could actually make them???

Do you "Upcycle"? Have you seen any cool upcycled products?

Happy Friday Eve!!!

- Jennifer

10 comments:

Mnmom said...

I've always done that! Make potholders from old fabrics. I made a great purse from the bottoms of my daughter's jeans - they had great embroidery on the bottom and were too cute to waste. I love the shower curtain! I also used up towels until they are itty bitty rags.

Dr Zibbs said...

Those stairs are really cool.

Mama Dawg said...

I mostly take old beaded necklaces apart to use the beads in something new that I create.

I love that skateboard steps!

Our Two Blessings From Above said...

The skateboard steps are very cool. I have seen many things made from old hockey sticks that are really cool too! We actually have our bathroom mirror downstairs framed with old hockey sticks. Great post!

Anonymous said...

Listen I got a stack of old playboys if ne-1 wants to lash together me a shower curtin

Susie said...

I don't upcycle but I am the queen of repurposing:-)

Michelle said...

Very cool!!!

You are very creative and artistic!!!

Cowguy said...

I'm a living breathing example... Ask my wife.

:-)

Candy's daily Dandy said...

that whole post was very cool!

I really like the skateboard stairs

Retaining Wall Contractor Gary said...

Greeat share