upcycle Archives - Everyday Edits

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. I 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 it is not haunted.

I learned this suggestion the hard way when my mother “gifted” me and my husband a antique rocking chair. It had been her family for a few generations in the Appalacian 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 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 were keys or 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 serendipty 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.

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 posts. This garage sale wreath makeover was a favorite so it gets a little more in the spotlight.

Garage Sale Wreath Makeover Before

Because it was one of my original posts, I don’t have the before photos but picture a dusty, cobwebbed and feathered filled wreath that I picked up for a $1.00.

I did not recognize the smell 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!

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

garage-sale-wreath-makeover-everydayeditsblog

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.

garage-sale-wreath-makeover

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

How to Make a Centerpiece With Branches

September 5, 2019

It was the best and first curbside find the day I asked an arborist to help me parallel park my car in Denver. I didn’t actually have him park my car- I just needed some eyes on the curb and hand signals. Once parked, I asked him 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.

As I pulled away from the curb, he asked me what I planned to do with a carload of branches. I told him I didn’t have a clue…

but, I would figure it out.

Which is basically 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 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.

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 an upcycle project 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 the the table.

The lesson with this centerpiece is o always say hi to your neighborhood arborist.

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.

Why I Wish Retailers Used Pretty Shipping Boxes

June 10, 2019

Have you ever fell in love with a particular retailer for a very specific reason. For example, I love the candles at Anthropologie. I can not walk into an Anthropologie store without buying a Capri Blue candle. If Tori Spelling’s mom had a gift wrap room, I can defend a candle cabinet. I fell in love with Bath & Body Works because the retailer used pretty shipping boxes.

Sometimes I order online just for the heavy cardboard boxes. I have talked at length about my favorite Bath & Body Works shipping boxes here. The familiar blue plaid interior sided boxes deserve a repurposed life. But you know what I don’t understand is why more retailers have not jumped on the pretty shipping boxes like Bath & Body Works.

I shared my first Bath & Body boxes upcycle idea for my home office here. But I had a stack of boxes from my online purchases of three wick candles and hand foaming soaps from last fall.

After I converted our entry hall closet to a storage closet I had a lot of white space to fill. My overhaul was designed to accommodate more light bulbs than coats. With of stack of blue gingham print boxes, it was a no brainer to upcycle these pretty boxes rather than buy plastic bins.

I love the pretty boxes against the freshly painted white shelves and interior closet walls. Upcycling the boxes to store the essentials made so much sense for an under-achieving entry coat closet.

I made no frill labels in a word document and attached with clear packing tape. That’s it! Remember, do not overthink an upcycle project.

I might make cuter tags, but at my house clearly marked, no frill boxes reduce confusion.

How cute would it be if Chewy used pretty shipping boxes with paw prints on the inside of the box? What do you think of a new trend to produce patterned shipping boxes? Would you repurpose a pretty shipping box?

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.

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.

Pottery Barn Kitchen Table Knockoff

March 14, 2019

I was this close to selling my kitchen table on Craig’s List when I saw this table on Pottery Barn’s website. In just a few minutes of side glances over my shoulder and back at the screen I knew I had a PB kitchen table knockoff in the works!

I looked at this table, zoomed in on the base and looked over to my World Market clearance table. This white PB kitchen table turned out to be the inspiration for my Pottery Barn kitchen table knockoff I finished last summer.

My veneer-ish, shiny black table was mix-matched with the shades of blue. I was so close to trading it in for something new.

I painted my round table with this Benjamin Moore color. It is Mascarpone and it is a favorite white at my house. The hardest part about this creamy white is spelling it correctly. I have to Google it everytime.

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

I think this table is the longest I have kept a piece of furniture free from new paint. Yes, I do touch it up, but I have not wavered in my decision to paint it a different color. I love it!

How to Upcycle Candle Jars

January 24, 2019

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!

How to Repurpose a Vintage Find

how to make a wood frame with thumbtacks

Wall Mounted Paper Roll Supplies

Garage Sale Wreath Makeover Before

Makeover Details

How to Make a Centerpiece with Branches

Simple Ideas to Repurpose Plastic Spray Bottles

embroidery hoops

A Fun Mix of the Everyday Edits in our Homes & Lives!