upcycle Archives

DO THIS WITH YOUR FAVORITE THANK YOU NOTES

August 31, 2021

Sharing a simple way to repurpose your favorite thank you notes

Growing up the best way to kill the Christmas fun was when mom reminded us we had to write our thank you notes before we returned to school.

I dreaded the idea of spending eight minutes of my remaining Christmas vacation writing thank you notes.

But once pencil and paper were in motion it was always a warm feeling of accomplishment. And handwritten thank you was the best memory to thank my grandparents for the Barbie Pop-up Camper.

Now? I am grateful my mom instilled in us the power of gratitude when the pencil hit the cardstock.

DO THIS WITH YOUR FAVORITE THANK YOU NOTES

I save my favorite thank you cards from my kids or my girlfriends or just thank you cards that make me smile. It almost borders on hoarding, but for now, it reminds me of the lesson learned from my parents.

This simple idea hit me when I received the sweetest thank you from my niece. I smiled with her perfect penmanship and heart-filled thank you.

And instead of dropping it into a box dedicated to thank you notes, I tucked it inside my favorite cookbook.

And a new tradition for thank you cards began. Now when I want to save a page I add a recent thank you note between the pages of favorite recipes inside this cookbook.

No more sticky notes between salad recipes.

Instead, I get a mix of thank you notes from friends and family who still write and mail a note of gratitude instead of a text with emojis.

And by repurposing these cards of gratitude I get the unexpected joy of rereading a thank you every time I make this recipe.

Please pin for your upcycle boards!

HOW TO MAKE ECO-FRIENDLY PLACEMATS

August 26, 2021

Sharing how to make eco-friendly placemats.

My husband brought home a plastic tablecloth for a family backyard bbq. You know, the plastic sheet every team parent used for high school banquets to catch the queso dip with 18 rugby players?

I was like, “no, no, no you can’t put a plastic tablecloth on a kitchen or dining room table.

It was like we were speaking two different languages and using hand gestures to make my point.

So I found a way to make an eco-friendly placemat suitable for any table setting. Please keep reading to find out what happens when you repurpose everyday objects.

If you are a follower of Everyday Edits you may remember this super easy repurpose idea with packing material.

So as we bring back brunches and football I scored a Hail Mary when I figured out how to make eco-friendly placemats.

Ones that would be sturdy enough to catch the melted butter and cool enough to impress my kids.

Did I mention they are “free.” Or, that these placemats are made from cardboard and will decompose in the garden.

As an added bonus, the kids, nephews or grandkids could make them for the Thanksgiving table… in minutes.

And the supplies needed are likely arriving on your front porch in a matter of days.

HOW TO MAKE ECO-FRIENDLY PLACEMATS

Okay so if you have followed me for a minute you know I love to repurpose random things. Like what to do with empty toilet paper rolls.

So I guess I inherited the recycle gene from my parents too. Last year was the year of online orders and my guilty conscience got the best of me every time I tossed boxes and packing material into the recycle bin.

Yes, that’s a great step but there was so much packing material and cardboard in 2020.

Packing material varies which adds to the challenge. But most of it is biodegradable and easy to cut with scissors.

REPURPOSED

So now when I get a delivery I pay attention to the textures of the packing material. It is like a free gift with a purchase kind of excitement.

Oh and that little thing that happens when you repurpose? There is nothing more fun than hear your adulting children poking fun at mom’s recycled projects. #wink

As long as I am trending amongst my kids I will continue to find ways to repurpose the everyday objects that make a home.

Before you go would love if you pinned this or follow me on Instagram.

SUBTLE WAY TO USE RETAIL BOXES FOR STORAGE Shelves with Retail Boxes

January 12, 2021

the subtle-way-to-use-retail-boxes-for-storage

I am a retail box hoarder- I blame it on my parents. My mom still uses boxes from the ’90s when gift-giving.

Over the last three years, I amassed a large collection of boxes. And I realized the boxes look remarkably similar to the same storage boxes I have from this store and Homegoods.

One look at the stack of retail boxes tells what was the popular brand at our house (or the age of my kids). One year everyone got clothes with these whales.

In the past, I used retail boxes to stage shelves. The boxes were usually empty and just added height.

But some brand stepped up their box game and it is almost impossible for me to toss these boxes in the trash/recycle bin. Some boxes are so sturdy it makes me rethink spending $15.95 for a Container Store box that sits in the closet (or on a shelf).

THE SUBTLE WAY TO USE RETAIL BOXES FOR STORAGE

If you have stumbled onto my blog for a hot minute you know I love to repurpose everyday items like this project.

I added boxes to my office’s built-in. I store thank you notes and birthday cards in a box. No more digging through drawers for cards and matching size envelopes.

The shape of boxes is ideal to store paper files and receipts.

Retail boxes are sturdy enough to be stacked and wide enough to save photos or childhood keepsakes for when you tackle this fun project.

I love to store the photos that didn’t make the cut for the frames in a retail box. When the kids are home for the holidays and summer I pull out the photos and we laugh about the bad haircuts and Homecoming date photos.
I use a few retail boxesto keep crayons and coloring books for my nieces. I routinely add fun things from the $ section.
Again, these are hiding in plain sight and are neat and tidy on a table or shelf.

The storage options are endless with retail boxes. I keep the best boxes, recycle the ones that are a bit tired and finally tackle some of those stacks of paper to organize.

How to Make a Centerpiece With Branches

September 25, 2020

If you want to know how to make a centerpiece with branches make friends with an arborist. That is how I learned how to make a centerpiece with branches. While parallel parking in the city I asked an arborist, who was trimming trees in Denver, to help me parallel park my car. I didn’t have him park my car, I just needed some eyes on the curb and hand signals. Once parked, I asked him about the stack of branches next to the curb. Before I could finish my offer to take a few bundles of branches, his crew loaded the twigs and branches into the back of my car.

The leaves and bugs were included at no extra charge.

As I pulled away from the curb, he asked me what I planned to do with a carload of branches.

I told him I did not have a clue, but, I would figure it out.

Which is my motto in life.

With a car full of branches and bugs I was on a mission to get home and spend a few ~~minutes~~ hours on Pinterest.

I needed a plan to explain to my family why there were bundles of branches leaning on the side of the house.

My craft plans tend to go sideways quickly because I lack the patience and discipline to follow directions. What I lack in talent I make up for in personality.

How to Make a Centerpiece with Branches

I tend to take a few shortcuts. Get it?

I needed an easy way to layer the branches on a base. With a quick look around the garage, I settled on a cardboard box. I made a cardboard form for my centerpiece’s base.

From there, I just needed a glue gun to create the centerpiece with branches.

My vision came together for my centerpiece. I love, love upcycle projects and this was the perfect us of reusing everyday objects for a centerpiece with branches.

And, from there it was just adding a boxwood wreath to add a pop of greenery. I get most of my boxwood wreaths from here.

My first plan was to layer berries and twigs, but then I remember the stash of boxwood. I love boxwood because it is a seasonal favorite.

I love to use a small boxwood wreath to layer and stack candles during the holidays.

This centerpiece made with branches was coming together.

I added my favorite mini candle from Anthropologie to pull the centerpiece together.

This upcycled centerpiece, made from Denver’s tree branches is ready for this table.

The lesson with this centerpiece is to always say hi to your neighborhood tree trimmer.

Pottery Barn Kitchen Table Knockoff

August 3, 2020

I was ready to sell my kitchen table when I saw this Pottery Barn kitchen table on their website. I looked at this table online and looked over my shoulder to my World Market clearance kitchen table. It was an instant love connection and inspiration for my Pottery Barn kitchen table knockoff.

My veneer-ish, shiny black table was screaming to get a makeover.

I painted my round table with this Benjamin Moore color. It is Mascarpone and it is my favorite creamy white. I use it in most of the accessories in my home.

The hardest part about this creamy white is spelling it correctly.

And, this Pottery Barn kitchen table knockoff is one of my favorites! My kitchen table went from a shiny, veneer-ish finish to a creamy color to brighten the space.

kitchen-table-pottery-barn-knockoff-feature

Taking inspiration from the Pottery Barn table, I added four navy kitchen chairs. The chairs were cheap but functional.

I am looking for a long term relationship with my kitchen chairs. Any suggestions?

Next up I purchased a round sisal rug on sale at Pottery Barn. I had plans to add a rug but waited for Elliott to finish the puppy chewing phase.

Painting the table instantly brightened the dining area. The navy curtains no longer had to fight with the black table. And, the chairs had an instant connection to the window treatments too.

More recently, I added the light fixture above the table. The light fixture updated the space and made it feel lighter and open.

I shared these tips when shopping for light fixtures.

Do you have a fun Pottery Barn knockoff? Here a few favorite Pottery Barn related posts. Pottery Barn Knockoff Chaise and Where I find decor ideas.

How to Repurpose Wood Shutters into Crafts

June 15, 2020

I recently shared our interior before and after paint colors. One of those rooms included our family room. Our minds were blown with the before and after when we removed the shutters. But with the open exposed windows, I found a way to repurpose wood shutters into crafts.

how-to-repurpose-wood-shutters-into-crafts

We sold most of the shutters online but were left with a stack of replacement shutter slats from the previous owner.

The slats are a crafter’s dream because of their horizontal shape and primed and painted (or stained) wood.

Don’t have a stash of shutters or extra slats? These repurpose ideas work for scrap wood too! Or, if you want a more finished wood the balsam wood at Michaels is an easy surface to personalize your own signs for wreaths too.

I repurposed these shutter slats that my husband had already deemed “disposable” into darling signs I use year round in my wreath.

How to Repurpose Wood Shutters

For these wood signs I used my vinyl cutter, but stickers work just as well and everything pops with a coat of paint!

Etsy is a great source for vinyl too! I found this gather vinyl here. Or this alphabet sticker pack from Amazon.

The repurposed shutter slats made their way outside when I made this for our backyard gate. Etsy offers a variety of custom vinyl signs on Etsy for a nominal fee.

The best part of shutter slats is flexibility and unlimited creative use. It became a fun way to create additional signs for other seasons.

Tip: When I painted the first shutter castoff red I lined up a few shutter slats because I knew I could use red paint for the summer, Christmas and Valentine’s Day.

I buy red plates at HomeGoods for the same reason. #wink

I love the idea of repurposing everyday items and objects that may otherwise be tossed. Check out my other upcycle projects here.

How to Repurpose a Vintage Find that is Not Haunted

January 8, 2020

I love when I find something I did not know I needed for my home. I love to figure out how to repurpose a vintage find. And, I love it more when I find a way how to repurpose a find that is vintage and not haunted.

But I am getting ahead of myself.

I went thru a vintage store phase where, in between work or social commitments, I would stop into this popular vintage store south of Denver.

Ond day, in between the farmhouse finds and antiques I found a brassy, metal mailbox. I love mailboxes and sadly our suburban neighborhood does not have the individual mailboxes.

How to Repurpose a Vintage Find

I studied up on vintage mailboxes as I contemplated what to do with my find. Did you know in 1923 it was mandatory that every home had a mailbox? You can read the reason why here.

The challenge to repurpose a vintage find is to make sure it works with your home. And, just as important to make sure the vintage find is not haunted.

I learned this suggestion the hard way when my mother “gifted” me and my husband an antique rocking chair. It had been her family for a few generations in the Appalachian Mountains. It was covered in what appeared to be decades of dust.

My husband never liked this chair. I would find it in the garage for a variety of reasons; it was tilted, it was not safe for a child. Finally, my husband confided he was completely creeped out by the rocking chair.

Kind of like our basement in our first home. I’ll save that for another day.

He found a reason to haul it to the garage when the rocking chair mysteriously cracked-

better the rocking chair leg, than my husband. #wink

Thankfully, the mailbox was non-threatening. I planned to have it next to our back door to hold keys or dog leases. Unfortunately, neither keys nor dog leashes were needed next to the door that leads to the backyard.

Needless to say, that mailbox went around the block (house) a few times before it found its forever home in my home office.

With an ongoing office refresh, the vintage mailbox found a new home in my office, right next to the door. I painted it a sloppy coat of Hale Navy paint to give a pop of color on the Revere Pewter walls.

Of course, I did not grab a before photo. Epic blog fail!

And, in hindsight the brassy finish would look amazing in my recently repainted home office.

This vintage mailbox was a cute addition above the light switch. I loved the serendipity moment when I realized the mailbox ended up next to a door. Maybe not the front door, but my home office door.

Serendipity, right?

With the tiny door lift, centered on the front of the mailbox, the mailbox was ready for a re-purposed life.

Although this mailbox no longer holds the local newspaper I want to find a purpose for the scrolled arms.

Please leave any suggestions in the comments.

But, what I love most about this mailbox is it reminds us of the low tech version of mail delivery.

The little key entry on the front panel reminds us of a simple version of security.

In today’s email packed inboxes, this vintage mailbox find no longer holds mail; instead, it holds the stories from homeowners past.

Thank you for stopping by and please check out other repurposed projects here.

How to Make a Wood Frame from a UPS Delivery

December 3, 2019

This project needs to come with a neon sign that states **no tools or glue required.** This wood frame upcycle was one of my favorite projects. If you have visited my blog or follow me on Instagram, you know I love a good upcycle project. But, this wood frame made from packing materials is my absolute favorite upcycle this year.

Did I mention it requires no tools or glue? The wood frame was created with the packing materials the supplies are delivered to my door. I didn’t need to haul it from the side of a dumpster.

how to make a wood frame with thumbtacks

In fact, the only thing I needed was sandpaper, stain, and four thumbtacks. Oh, did I mention it took seven minutes to build?

Except, build is a strong word. Fortunately, the warehouse where the frame originated did all the work. The upcycled frame was at the bottom of the shipping box for a small side table I ordered from my favorite online-only decor site.

I call this frame-find a free gift with purchase.

The only thing I added was a coat of stain to keep my upcycle project moving forward. And, the stain made the frame look more refined.

Now picture me with plastic bread bags over my hands while I stained the packing frame. Never underestimate the strength of a plastic bag to protect a fresh coat of OPI red.

I propped it up on our DIY Pottery Barn knockoff mantle above our bed.

And, I wanted a framed, holiday theme piece of art for the holidays. But, I didn’t want to pay big bucks for something just for the Christmas holidays. I wanted something that could be tweaked for different seasons.

Hellooo… Christmas gift wrap.

And, all it took was a few feet of Christmas wrap I grabbed on one of my weekly (daily) trips to HomeGoods.

Sidenote: HomeGoods has a great collection of gift wrap all year round so I already have plans to switch the paper every season. But, the stained packing frame actually looked great by itself too. I may just layer frames across the mantle.

I hope this upcycle gives you a few ideas on how to repurpose everyday items that would otherwise end in the garbage. Please share your favorite upcycling projects in the comments.

How to Make a Wall Mounted Paper Roll

September 26, 2019

I have a thing for office supplies. The office supply section at Target calms me; it’s an aisle filled with the promise of organization in the form of sticky notes, black fine point Sharpie pens and file folders (even though Dropbox and pdf’s have reduced my paper exponentially). Brown craft paper is a close second for favorite office related supplies. So when I saw this wall mounted paper roll on BHG.com, I had to figure out how to make a wall mounted paper roll.

Sidenote: Up until 30 seconds ago I thought the painted floor were steps to the kitchen sink.

I created this wall mounted paper roll on the fly. My goal was to use what I had on hand. I found this size paper roll at Ikea, but check the paint department at Home Depot.

I purchased the solid iron hooks last year on Etsy in anticipation of making this project.

That gives you a look at how to long it takes me to get a project to production.

I decided to add this paper roll under these farmhouse kitchen shelves.

It was a strategic decision after we removed our upper cabinets to make way for our largest project (1/2 wall removal). One of us was a little too aggressive pulling out the cabinets and a chunk of the backsplash came out with the cabinet.

Wall Mounted Paper Roll Supplies

Craft paper roll (Ikea in children’s department)
Metal Hooks
Wood Dowel (Home Depot or Michaels) I think HD was cheaper
Scrap Wood
Stain (my favorite stain

I only had two black screws long enough to drill through the wood and wall.

The significance of the wall mounted board is it adds the necessary depth for the wall mounted paper roll can … well… roll.

That’s the extent of my technical description. Oh and there’s that chunk of tile behind below the wall mounted roll.

Garage Sale Wreath Makeover

September 6, 2019

Here’s a post before my rebrand. With redirects and pins, I have had to repost a few favorite projects. This garage sale wreath makeover is a seasonal favorite and cost me under $5.00.

Garage Sale Wreath Makeover Before

Because it was one of my original posts, I don’t have the before photos but imagine a really dusty, cobwebbed and feather filled wreath that I picked up for a $1.00 at a garage sale.

The wreath’s smell did not hit me until I had it in my car. I would have passed on this wreath if I had detected the damp, basement smell.

I am so happy I did not sniff the wreath and I am thrilled I had the windows down on the drive home!

But, I am telling you finding this tired, worn-out wreath was destiny. Dusty destiny, but destiny.

What I loved about this wreath, sitting on the driveway, was the size of the grapevine and its potential.

Makeover Details

removed the picks that were broken or beyond the makeover
placed the wreath outside to air out
sprayed the wreath with vinegar & water. repeat. repeat.

Because this was a garage sale find I stayed with the thrifty budget and used the miscellaneous leaves that fall off the garland. You know the leaves and pinecones and sticks that fall to the bottom of the box or storage tub? I just grabbed a few of those and fresh pinecones and either glued or tucked them into the wreath.

It was an instant makeover. I paid $3.00 for the wreath.

The size of the wreath takes up the width of the front door which I love. My motto: go big or go home.

With garage sale season in full gear, take a second look at those dingy wreaths, crafts and accessories.

Thanks for stopping by today! Please join this brand new private Facebook page with before and after finds from garage sales and Goodwill. Are you on Instagram? You can find me here and I’ll follow you back.

Simple Ideas to Repurpose Plastic Spray Bottles

August 5, 2019

I blame genetics for my obsession to find simple ideas to repurpose plastic spray bottles. I carry the repurpose gene from my Ireland- to- Appalachia great grandparents. And, the Catholic guilt for tossing an operational spray bottle is real. #wink

That is the only way to explain my inability to toss any plastic bottles that have a nozzle. Unless the lever is broken, I will find a way to repurpose my stash of spray bottles from my favorite HomeGoods finds.

Simple Ideas to Repurpose Plastic Spray Bottles

I have an unusally high feeling of guilt over the plastic spray nozzles. The plastic spray nozzles have no chance at a repurposed life once they end up in a landfill.

To balance the purchased cleaning products, I buy vinegar and baking soda in bulk. Then I just play junior high chemist to create eco-friendly cleaning products. I use my plastic spray bottles to stash around the house.

My sister told me about Nature’s Miracle for pet accidents and stinky workout gear. As she explained, the vinegar neturalizes the odors. Eventually, I switched to purchasing a gallon of vinergar for less than the cost of a latte.

I removed the labels and glue from the spray bottles and used chalk labels or scrap paper to identify the bottles. This fun dog print was perfect for the vinegar based cleaning products for dog messes. The puppy print was the visual the family needed to clean up the pet messes and puppy puddles.

I loved these chalk friendly labels but added a layer of clear packing tape to keep the labels dry.

Last summer was the summer of Snapple at our house (until I saw the sugar content). I had saved dozens of Snapple bottles. With a few minutes of boredom, I realized the Snapple bottles were the perfect to size to store dish soap and baking soda.

Check out this list for Good Housekeeping’s uses for baking soda.

And, a little sprinkle of baking soda to add sparkle to the sink and a great way to remove rust from serving trays.

With 19 Snapple bottles left, I stored Dawn dish soap in bottles for the laundry room. Dawn worked great to remove oil-based makeup stains.

I tucked these spray bottles into closets for quick cleanups or fresh scent smell. No more running around the house to find a surface-specific cleaner.

How do you upcycle plastic spray bottles? Do you have any suggestions for my Snapple bottles or spray bottles? Looking for other ways to repurpose, check out this Earth Day is Everyday post.

How to Make Embroidery Hoop Orbs

May 9, 2019

I am so excited to share these embroidery hoop orbs. I am a sloppy crafter which means my craft projects will never trend on Pinterest. And, I am good with that. So when I was asked to join an embroidery hoop craft challenge I thought this was my chance to get my craft on.

But, first I Googled “embroidery hoops” to confirm they were what I thought they were.

I ordered a “lot” of embroidery hoops on eBay because I wasn’t sure what I was going to make or how many hoops I would need. Let’s just save I can make a dozen orbs.

I decided to make orbs because I liked the look of similar projects on Pinterest and orbs matched my decor style.

embroidery hoops

I knew I wanted to stain these. I took the lazy route and didn’t separate the hoops.

Do as I suggest, not as I d0.

Take a few minutes to detach the hoops, it made a huge difference in the time it takes to stain and the quality of the finished look. I used a foam brush and a small paintbrush to get around the metal fasteners. After I stained the embroidery hoops I decided it was harder to stain hoops than furniture.

I loved the difference the stain made to the embroidery hoops. The stain gave them an instant Pottery Barn like finish. This craft project was headed in the right direction.

The stained orbs looked great with our shelves on the opposite ends of our this updated fireplace.

I wanted an easy way to attach the hoops, but finally committed to the power drill to drill pilot holes and then attach a small screw at the top and bottom of the orb. The wood was soft enough that with a little muscle you could secure both ends with a tack.

I figured this out when my drill’s battery died mid-drill.

I love the finished look of the orb. The embroidery hoop’s stained wood finish added much-needed character to the shelves. I have a few more embroidery hoop orbs “in production.”

On a side note, I love the shadows created from the lighting above the orbs onto the white shelf.

Thank you for stopping by today. Do you have any creative ideas for embroidery hoops? If you have time please take a look at these

one hour projects.

5 Simple Ways to Celebrate Earth Day Every Day

April 22, 2019

Just like Christmas, I tend to think about the earth during the year and not just on Earth Day. If you know me you know I love a good up-cycle project. Sometimes I think my up-cycle enthusiasm is from my grandparents and my parents’ generations. They learned at an early age to save, recycle, repurpose and reuse everyday objects. Oh, and then repeat those steps. My mom has a stack of aluminum foil in her pantry.

But today we use fancy words like up-cycle and repurpose. So in honor of the big day here are five simple ways to celebrate Earth Day every day.

How to Up-cycle Chipped Dishes

April 16, 2019

This up-cycle project is the result of a split second decision to consider a second life for a tired item. Usually, I either toss or donate an item that is passed it’s prime. And, that’s almost what I did when my crock pot shaped soup bowls began to chip. Here’s a fun way to up-cycle chipped dishes.

This up-cycle project works great for those small chipped dishes that might not be table worthy for guests, but still, have a lot of potential uses.

I had a few crock soup bowls with chips and I got this idea that these cute bowls be perfect on my tiny deck. It was the perfect size to add to my tiny cylinder table. I pulled those clumps of grass that always migrate to the other side of the border. You know those clumps of grasses that think the grass is greener on the other side? wink

The clumps of grass worked out well because they are easy to maintain and they grow vertical. The grass added some much-needed greenery to a tiny space.

This would be a fun craft project this summer with kids, cousins and gran, children. Everyone goes home with chipped dishes filled with freshly pulled grass!

Before you leave, here is another fun up-cycle if you have a small side table in the basement or garage.

How to Upcycle Candle Jars

January 24, 2019

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I love candles and any excuse to light a few. I love to light candles on rainy evenings and snowy weekends. Just a forecast for snow gets me excited to light candles. love candles over three day weekends in the winter. But, all these candles means I had to find a way how to upcycle candle jars.

But first! Where do you love to buy candles? My favorite places to shop for candles are Bath & Body Works and the Capri candles at Anthropologie are a favorite.

And, I can’t walk into a HomeGoods without taking a peek down the candle section. All of these candles have one thing in common: great packaging! The jars are glass and metal which makes them perfect for an upcycle.

For me, candles are the closest thing to a wood-burning fireplace in a state that has largely banned wood-burning fireplaces in residential homes. I wonder if candle sales are higher in Colorado than states that allow wood-burning fireplaces?

Candles give many of us a feeling of warmth, home, comfort and peace.

So with almost empty glass jars piling up after the holidays, I figured out how to upcycle candle jars.

And, I discovered the key to cleaning out the wax was to freeze the jars, followed by hot water. That’s it! For an entire month, my freezer had a 1/2 dozen candle jars.

And, when I had a few minutes I boiled water and watched the frozen wax pop out or break down into smaller pieces. The wax residue just needed soapy water and a little elbow grease.

The results were awesome and all of sudden these beautiful candle jars can be re-purposed for new uses. Stay tuned!