Repurposing Ideas - DIYInspired.com
25th Apr2012

How to Reuse Your Old Mattress

by Dinah Wulf

Written By: Sunny Popali

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Whenever someone gets a new mattress, there is always the question of what to do with the old one after it has been replaced. Some people decide to throw it out, while others will determine that storage is the best course of action for the mattress. Whatever you decide to do, you need to make sure that you are thinking about all of your different options before making a final decision. When it comes to getting the most out of an old mattress, you should try to find some other use for it around the house instead of tossing it into your attic indefinitely.

You could always decide to sell your old mattress online or at a local store, but people are usually wary of buying used mattresses. When it comes down to it, you are probably not going to find that selling your old mattress to someone else is even worth your time. This does not even consider the costs involved with shipping or sending the mattress to someone else’s house. If you are going to be getting rid of your mattress, then the best course of action is probably going to be donating it to some kind of charity.

When you want to recycle your mattress and make sure that you get everything that you can out of it, you are probably going to need to tear it apart. You can start with the buttons on the outside of the mattress, but almost every part of the mattress can be used for something. The buttons are perfect for anyone who likes to sew or use buttons in various types of arts and crafts. The padding or stuffing in the mattress can be used to refill any kind of cushion or pillow that you may have in different rooms around the house.

One last part of the mattress that you should think about is the outer fabric. While you may think that there is no use for this material, you have to remember that this fabric is usually thick and durable. This makes the fabric perfect for creating a throwaway rug for a garage or utility room in your home. It won’t create a center rug for your living room, but you can definitely use these materials in rooms where you are not worried about the interior design.

As you can see, there are still plenty of reasons to keep your old mattress once the new one has arrived at your home. You should never think about throwing away anything as expensive as a mattress without making sure that you have exhausted all of your options when it comes to recycling or reusing the materials. You can save a lot of time and money over the years by getting full use out of the items in your home, so always think twice before you decide to toss your mattresses and other materials into the trash can. You will definitely be surprised at what you can achieve with a little time and effort on your old mattresses.

Author Bio – Sunny Popali is Global Brand Manager for Mattressnextday.co.uk, Mattressnextday sells double mattress size, single kids mattress, comfortable double mattress, soft memory foam mattress.

 

 

 

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23rd Apr2012

One Year Blogaversary

by Dinah Wulf

Hope everyone had a great Earth Day yesterday!  Today is my one year Blogaversary! I cannot believe one blogging year has passed me by already.  It went so fast.  I knew I would stick to it (as I have seen several come and go in such a short time), but I honestly did not foresee that DIY Inspired would succeed so quickly. I guess that would be “success” in my own terms.

Today, one year after my first published post, I have experience with multiple guest authors, sponsors, good and bad product reviews, over 2000 reader emails and comments, 266 published posts, 2 awards, 3 nominations, and most importantly thousands of loyal followers.

I thought I’d celebrate it by recapping my most popular blog posts of the year… kind of like my very own DIY Inspired awards and honorable mentions.

The winners of each category were chosen based on a combination of Facebook and Pintrest Social Media shares, website analytics, and email inquiries.

Most Popular Tutorial: DIY Canvas Headboard

Most Popular Trash-To-Treasure Post: Simple Ways to Reuse and Repurpose

 

Most Popular Theme Party Blog Post: Wine Tasting Bridal Shower

Most Popular Repurposing Post: Repurposed Pallets

 

Most Popular Guest Author Post: DIY Reupholstered Chair, By Loren Crane

 

Honorable Mention Guest Author Post: Easter Themed Cocktails, By David Edessa

 

Honorable Mention Guest Author Craft Post: Kid Soap Making Projects: Soapcicles, By Sandy Simmons

Most Popular Craft Idea: Simply Spray Fabric Paint

Most Popular DIY Artwork: Book Page Wreath

Last but definitely NOT least, my personal favorite post of my first year…

Most Popular Holiday Post: Headless Man and Headless Woman Costume

My sincere gratitude goes out to all of you who have “liked”, commented on, emailed, written, shared, voted, posted, pinned, tweeted, or just read my blog in my first year.  I truly appreciate your continued love and support!  Here’s to many more Blogaversaries to come!

 

 

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29th Mar2012

Upcycled Sweaters

by Dinah Wulf

Spring it here!!! It’s time to put away all those winter sweaters, or in my world upcycle them!  Upcycling is taking something old and repurposing it into something new.  As you may (or may not) know, I love promoting Etsy handmade sellers because I respect their craft and I just think it’s amazing all the ideas that these talented folks come up with. Here are a few of my favorite items for sale that are currently on Etsy.  All of them are hand-crafted from upcycled sweaters… so awesome AND eco-chic (hey, that’s a new term I am officially coining today)!

These cupcake pin cushions made out of felted wool sweaters are a must have for every crafter.  Complete with a cherry on top, it doubles as an ornament too!

I found some SUPER cozy pillows from Pams Warm Creations and Fancy Marmot.

Spring also means Spring cleaning and organizing!  Check out these adorable upcycled hangers made from wool and cashmere by Folk City.  What a great idea!

I don’t care how nice it is outside, every cup of coffee needs this eco-friendly coffee cup cozy made out of vintage upcycled sweaters.

Display your Spring flowers in this clever sweater vase made out of the sleeve of a vintage sweater.

And last but not least, just in time for Easter, the Easter bunny is bound to fill up this eco-friendly sweater Easter basket full of goodies made by Seasons of Wool.

 

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22nd Mar2012

Repurposed Mailbox Ideas

by Dinah Wulf

So, our new house is coming along.  We’ve been doing a lot of small things like changing light fixtures, cleaning carpets, and updating the old mailbox.  Here is a picture of the old one.

My husband, for some reason hated this mailbox.  Probably because it still had the old owner’s names engraved in it.  So we decided to replace it.  Ta Da!

Although plain and simple, to us it’s much better!  On a side note, if you decide to replace your mailbox, don’t get a plastic mount, spend the extra five bucks for and get a metal one.  The plastic one is not secure enough… at all!

Anyway, after replacing the mailbox, I thought it’d be cute to put a little one by my daughter’s playhouse outside.  Along the way I found some cute inspiring ideas for repurposing mailboxes that I had to share them.

This playroom mailbox is absolutely adorable.  Posted by I Am Momma Hear Me Roar, I can’t think of a better way to repurpose an old mailbox!

Another Play Room Organization idea; one of my favorite sites, Apartment Therapy featured this one.

How cute are these Personalized Mail Boxes by fellow bloggers, Anderson Family Crew???  These would be so cute for Valentine’s Day or organization for a little girl’s room.

Lastly, I love this idea for a wedding; an old tin mailbox for all the cards and gift cards.  It’s so simple and beautiful!

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And the winner is… SABRINA!!! Thank you to all who entered the Simply Spray giveaway!! For those of you who haven’t, “like” Simply Spray on Facebook and they will donate a $1 to Project Linus!

 

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15th Mar2012

Flea Market and Thrift Store Finds

by Dinah Wulf

I have written a prior post on some of my flea market finds.  Since then, I have had some other great Flea Market and Thrift Store Finds that I wanted to share with you.

For me, I find a thrill in flea market and thrift store shopping.  I love the hunt for a great deal on new old things and even a bigger thrill in creative ways to repurpose some of them.  Here are a few of my new old finds.

I scored when I found this old carpenter’s tool box.  I see these all the time, but they are usually sixty to one hundred dollars for one this size.  I found it in a lonely corner for twenty bucks at the Long Beach Antique swap meet.  I use it in my living room to store extra blankets and fabric collected from all over the world.

Antique blue Ball jars are highly collectable. I got a great deal on this one for five dollars at a Junk in the Trunk flea market.  I use it as a memory jar to hold concert tickets, hotel keys, and the like.

Mercury glass is timeless and matches any type of décor style.  I found these two candle pillars for six dollars at a local Salvation Army.

There is a humor in vintage ads.  Frame them in a modern frame and you have a great piece of art (I thnk I need to add a mat to this though).

OK, this isn’t a flea market or thrift store find; rather it is an ice pick that has been in my husband’s family for generations.  You can, however find these at flea markets and antique stores.  I LOVE this piece, and I think for the past decade or so, it has been repurposed into a paper towel holder (right, Jolene?).

Another Salvation Army score, I found this pedestal table for the low low price of sixty-five dollars! Yay me! Pedestal tables are classic and match several types of décor styles.  I’m thinking of painting this one a vibrant color…not sure yet. Any suggestions?

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Reminder: ENTER TO WIN free Simply Spray Fabric Spray Paint to upcycle your flea market finds! The winner will be announced next week!

Don’t forget to vote for us for the Top 25 Creative Mom Blogs! You can vote once a day.  The contest ends on TODAY! Thank you! Just click here!

 

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13th Mar2012

Recycled T Shirt Scrap Skirt

by Dinah Wulf

My little one LOVES to play dress up.

She’ll wear hats…sometimes more than one at a time.

She doesn’t discriminate on the TYPE of hat…

She loves sunglasses and purses…

She loves scarves…

She even wears fairy wings with her PJ’s around the house…

During my spring cleaning, I always bring out a couple boxes.  One for things I would donate and one for things I need to throw away. I noticed I had a ton of cheap (but colorful) old shirts that I was throwing away.

I decided to make a skirt that my daughter can wear to play dress up with. This project took no time at all.  This Recycled T Shirt Scrap Skirt doesn’t need to be perfect because it’s just for play and it’s very easy and inexpensive to make.

I purchased four child sized head bands at the dollar store for one whole dollar.

Simply place one headband around a large round vase or can.

Cut your recycled T-shirts at the desired length.  I cut different lengths.

One by one fold each scrap in half lengthwise and tie them in a knot around your headband as shown.

Here’s a picture of one of my daughter’s best friends playing dress up with it.

Try different colors, patterns, and fabrics.  The possibilities are endless.  You can use the same tutorial with tulle, to create a tutu as well!

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Don’t forget to vote for us for the Top 25 Creative Mom Blogs! You can vote once a day.  The contest ends on March 15th! Thank you! Just click here!

 

 

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29th Feb2012

Places To Go: Arenbeology

by Dinah Wulf

My family and I were out one day shopping in Costa Mesa.  While in route, I almost caused a car accident because I saw a sign on the side of the road that said, “100% Reclaimed Wood”, and yelled out for my husband to stop. Being used to this, he pulled over without question.

The sign led us to a small shop in what looked like an office complex. Outside, on this sunny Sunday afternoon, were several pieces of gorgeous furniture.  As my husband and daughter waited in the car, I went inside to check out more.

I can sum up this experience in three words, I WANTED EVERYTHING.  The shop, Arenbeology embodied my motto, “Repurpose, Reinvent.” I briefly met a few friendly faces, Ryan Jestin, the Owner and his employee, Ted who invited me to look further at the look book sitting at this beautifully crafted dining table.  They both explained that anything can be custom made based on your specifications and that each piece was unique and made from local reclaimed wood from old warehouses and other buildings in California. The pictures shown are some of my favorite pieces on their website.

If you are lucky enough to live locally in Southern California, here is some information.

  • Open Saturdays 10:30-4, Sundays 12-4
  • Open on weekdays by appt.
  • 3303 Harbor Blvd Unit K4
  • Costa Mesa, CA 92626
  • Phone: (714) 812-6772

If not, feel free to visit their website here.

 

 

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22nd Feb2012

Repurposed Spice Rack

by Dinah Wulf

The other day I was doing some spring cleaning and purging. Although I feel like I’m ALWAYS cleaning, I noticed a little bit of dust on my spice rack.  Then it dawned on me.  I have had that spice rack for over five years and I have NEVER used it.  Why do I have a feeling that many of you can relate?  Anyway, here it is. Even in the picture you can see how full they are!

Naturally, my next step was to Google “shelf life of spices”. I came across some interesting links. After a little research, I found out and answered the following questions:

1. Are your spices older than three years old? YES

2. Have they lost their color? YES

3. Have they lost their aroma? YES

4. Do you even know what the heck some of them are used for? NO

There you have it… time to get rid of it. Just kidding! Being the hoarder that I am, I could never throw it away! I would repurpose it; but into what? I looked around my craft room and found two containers and two drawers of craft items that I thought would fit perfectly.

I dumped out each container.

And washed and dried each bottle.

My beads, shells, stickers, pins, charms, and the like are all now organized in one place and can easily be seen! Here are some pictures of my repurposed spice rack.

 

 

 

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20th Feb2012

Simple Ways to Reuse and Repurpose

by Dinah Wulf

Simple Ways to Reuse and Repurpose

Did you know…

  • Large oatmeal canisters are the perfect size to hold 2 rolls of toilet paper? Cover it up with decorative scrapbook paper to match your bathroom to make the perfect, but necessary hiding place.
  • Pringles cans are the perfect size to store cookies. Pretty it up with wrapping paper and ribbon and there you have the perfect hostess gift.
  • An old rake can add some rustic charm and be used to hold wine glasses in your kitchen, jewelry in your bedroom, or tools in your garden. Photo Source: BHG

  • Coffee mug racks make handy accessory and jewelry racks.  Spray paint it a fun bold color and it doubles as art.
  • A spice rack can be repurposed to hold beads or small notions for a craft room.  How many of us have one of these and NEVER use the spices? I don’t even know what half of them are!
  • Drawer pulls can be mounted on your wall to cleverly and decoratively hang picture frames with twine or ribbon. Photo Source: Pottery Barn

  • Old plates and glasses (or candlesticks) can be converted into cute cake stands.  Simply adhere the two with epoxy and spray paint it the desired color.  If you paint the platter, make sure you place a napkin on top with unwrapped food to make it food safe.
  • On old plate stand can be used for extra storage in your bathroom for your toiletries and makeup.

  • The clips from plastic pant hangers make perfect chip clips.
  • Old dresser drawers can be repurposed into shelves. Paint them a fun color and add wall paper inside.
  • An unused magazine file holder can be used in your pantry to hold and organize (vertically) foil, plastic wrap, wax paper, etc.

  • An old wall mounted magazine rack can be used to hold extra towels in your bathroom or guest room.
  • You can drip old candle wax into a bottle cap and add a wick for an instant tea light.
  • This one’s for the kiddos… you can cut bubble wrap in large squares and write each number with a black sharpie to create bubble wrap hopscotch!

 

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15th Feb2012

Repurposed Kitchen Inspiration

by Dinah Wulf

My motto is, “Repurpose, Reinvent.” (If you haven’t noticed ;) )

I thought I’d put together some of my favorite repurposed kitchen ideas from some of my favorite websites.

A website I peruse often is Apartment Therapy.  They have countless inventive and creative ideas.  Check out this repurposed IKEA shoe rack turned pot holder and this salvaged card drawer turned kitchen storage.

Here are some repurposed fruit crates for shelving and storage from Poetic Home. I love the idea of displaying canned preserves in old mason jars as opposed to hiding them in the cupboard.

Anyone know where I can get truck springs? Check out these fabulous repurposed truck springs as bar or counter stools from House Beautiful. It reminds me of something from the Picker Sisters.

Card catalogues are popular. Also from Poetic Home, a card catalogue for kitchen utensils has enough compartments to store your knives, forks, spoons, serving utensils, napkins, and more!

Although not necessarily repurposed, this upcycled and salvaged dish rack from Country Living is beautiful.

I found this repurposed newsstand into a plate rack from a great blog, Craft Journal.

This cut idea from Better Homes and Gardens is simple and unique.  Consider adding a magnet to the back and hanging them on your refrigerator.

 

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07th Feb2012

Wine Crate Shelves

by Dinah Wulf

A few posts ago I wrote asking for help on recycled wine crate ideas.  I FINALLY thought of something!

But first, as a recap, I’ve had these wine crates from a Wine Tasting Bridal Shower that I did.  You can get wine crates from any specialty wine store.  Oftentimes they are free or some stores sell them for about five dollars apiece.

Materials:

  • 3 Wine Crates
  • Stain (optional)
  • Polyurethane (Optional)
  • Paint Brush (Optional)
  • Rag (Optional)
  • Four ¼” 20X36” Threaded Rods
  • Eight ¼” Cap Nuts
  • 24 ¼” Flat Washers
  • Knob

Here are the wine crates before.

As you can see here, there were white sticker labels on some of them.

To remove stickers from unfinished wood, apply heat directly with a hairdryer, peel, and voila! No sticker!

As most wine crates are made out of unfinished wood, I wanted to darken them a little with stain to give them a weathered look.  I purchased a sample from a hardware store for less than three dollars.  To do this, I first sanded and rough spots with 150-grit sand paper.

Next, I applied the stain with a paint brush. Each stroke should be in the direction of the wood grain.

Wipe the stain off with a cloth or old rag in the direction of the wood grain. I did this to the top, bottom, sides, and inside for all three crates.

Once the stain is completely dry (check the drying time on the stain you choose), apply a coat of polyurethane to each crate.

When the polyurethane is dry (approximately two hours), align the bottom and middle crate with the bottom crate upside down (as shown below).  This will make it easiest to drill and align the holes.

Using a ¼” drill bit, drill a hole in each corner, drilling through both crates.

Next, align the middle and top crates, turning the top crate upside down (as shown).  Using the holes in the middle crate as guides, drill the four holes in the top crate.

Insert each threaded rod one by one and sucure each one with a nut and bolt on both sides. Use cap nuts for the bottom and top.

I think 24 inch threaded rods may work better (sturdier). I may perhaps add metal brackets for more support too because of the height.

I added a decorative knob to the top crate with a lid.  I used a pre-existing hole.

Here are some after photos.

I think this would be perfect in a kitchen or bathroom for extra storage, or for plants!

 

 

 

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06th Feb2012

Crafting with Duct Tape

by Dinah Wulf

Walking through craft stores all the time, I noticed there were so many different patterns and colors of duct tape. Intrigued, I thought I’d do some research on crafting with duct tape.  Surprisingly I found so many cool projects!

Gift Wrap

It doesn’t get much simpler than this.  Use duct tape to embellish your graft wrap. Plus, it’ll be funny to watch the recipient struggle with opening it… tee hee.

Flower Tissue Holder

I did notice several duct tape flower tutorials, however the blue in this particular one caught my eye.  What a sweet touch to embellish a simple wooden tissue holder.

Valentine Roses

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, here’s a duct tape bouquet that will last a lifetime.

Rings

There are so many great duct tape rings! Who knew?  Heck out these from Living Locurto.

Here’s a great YouTube link for how to make a duct flower tape ring.

Purses

Check out this duct tape purse from Martha Stewart.  Yup! Martha uses duct tape!

Here are some other cute purse ideas from Second Chances.

Lamp

Last but definitely NOT least…rather this one takes the cake.  This lamp is made out of duct tape and plastic 2 liter bottles!!! What????

 

 

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03rd Feb2012

Repurposed Lighting Inspiration

by Dinah Wulf

Everywhere I go, I always have my camera.  Not only do I want to capture fun moments with my daughter, family, and friends, but I find decorating inspiration EVERYWHERE. I end up filing my pictures in digital folders on my computer.

I just noticed that I had taken several pictures of lighting ideas and thought I’d share them. Some of these pictures are old, but in my head, the store bought version is way too expensive anyway.  I’d rather try and recreate them with flea market or thrift store finds.

Anyway, here is some really cool repurposed lighting inspiration that I’ve captured on my camera over the last several months.  I think with a little creativity, you can get these looks for less.

This was a lamp I saw at Anthropologie.  It’s simply a tea kettle, lamp kit, and colorful lamp shade.  I’ve also seen lamps similar to this made out of stacked tea cups and saucers… super cute.

This one is also from Anthropologie (I frequent there often… love the window displays). It’s a lamp made out of recycled cardboard!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this one! The mix of an industrial metal basket and chic chandelier is fantastic!

If I recall correctly, the price tag on this one was pretty steep…several thousand dollars….yikes! I think a smaller version of this made out of mismatched thrift store silverware would be cute.

I can picture this one hanging in an enclosed patio or sun room.  I like the mixture of glass bottles, shells, and twine.

Technically, this one isn’t repurposed, but it caught my eye.

 

 

 

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30th Jan2012

Repurposed Nursery Furniture

by Dinah Wulf

Over the past few months we’ve had a few cool DIY tutorials perfect for a baby’s nursery.  I posted a step by step how to for a DIY Ribbon/Organization board to hold hair clips and photos. I also shared some DIY Nursery Letters that my best friend made, and perhaps my favorite, I showed you how a refurbished and upcycle an old Disney Princess play table.

But when the little one’s all grown up, what do you do with the old nursery furniture? Repurpose it, of course! I found these amazing repurposed nursery furniture ideas that I had to post. Each unique idea is creative and genius. I love them all!

Cribs

It doesn’t get much simpler than this.  Use the sides of a nursery crib to create shelves to display your collections or as a clever magazine rack.

This is perfect for your future crafters and little DIY’ers! Remove one side of the crib and voila! There you have an instant craft table.  Paint the new table with chalk board paint and hang a white board, hooks and shelves for organization.

This one is pretty cool… a crib turned bench.  I like the all black with white accents.  You can also add pillows made with durable outdoor fabric.

Chalkboard paint can transform just about anything.  Check out this crib turned menu board!

Changing Tables

Your little one may no longer need diapers, but every toddler needs a play kitchen! I have shared repurposed TV media cabinets turned play kitchens, but apparently changing tables work well too!

This last one may be my favorite.  Changing table turned bar cart!

 

Photo Sources: Consignment Mommies, Encore Baby Registry, My Repurposed Life, BHG, Oh Dee Doh, A Little Learning For Two

 

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27th Jan2012

Repurposed Pin-spiration

by Dinah Wulf

“Pin-spiration” is a new term I’ve been seeing a lot lately. Pintrest is yet another social networking site that allows you to create virtual pin boards of absolutely anything that fits your fancy.  Check out my Pin boards here.  Did I mention I am obsessed with it? I can spend hours perusing the site.

Here are some great repurposed pin-spiration ideas I pulled off this addictive site.

Maps are the stylish craze these days! Better Homes and Garden repurposed a globe into a bowl by adhering (what looks like, or could be) a candlestick to make an interesting centerpiece.

Good Housekeeping displayed this cute outdoor side table made out of four window shutters and a glass top.

This one is fantastic! Curbly.com repurposed an old filing cabinet into a rolling kitchen cart. It serves several purposes including kitchen storage and cutting board… genius!

What girl wouldn’t like this to show off a collection of shoes! Check out these shelves turned beautiful display case. (Photo source unknown)

This may be my favorite and DEFINITELY my style. It’s an old barn door turned sliding bathroom door. (Photo source unknown)

Another idea for repurposing old rustic doors is using two as headboards as pictured below. (Photo source unknown)

Greenisuniversal.com has this creative tutorial for repurposing old belts and weaving them into a vintage aluminum lawn chair.

And last but not least (ok, maybe). Unfortunately, not all designs work out. Although it was initially a good idea, this repurposed Nintendo game console was repurposed into a lunch box and posted on failblog.com… at least they tried!

 

**Don’t forget to vote for DIYInspired.com on Top Mommy Blogs! Just click on the “Vote For Us!” icon on the right sidebar of DIYInspired’s home page.  One click and you’re done!  You can vote once a day! Thank you in advance for your support!**

 

 

 

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20th Jan2012

Six Ways to Recycle Maps

by Dinah Wulf

Maps are so beautiful.  I’ve been looking for some ways to use them because I see them everywhere (including my glove box).  Just like CD’s, record albums, and books, they are becoming obsolete due to the emergence of electronics like the GPS and the internet.  But what I do love about maps is that they tell a story and simultaneously serve as a work of art.  Here are six great ways to recycle maps.

One: Art Work

Check out these heart maps by Tcktyboo.  Each heart represents a special place.  For example, where you were married, where you went on your honeymoon, or where the kids were born.

 

I also saw a great idea on Pintrest (I can’t find the picture or source anymore) where a map was framed and the route to a special trip was stitched in a coordinating colored string… so cute! Update! Thanks to Adri, here is the link for that map! http://www.marthastewart.com/375160/map-artwork Thank you, Adri!!!

 

Two: Pillow

This is a pillow from Etsy inspired by a vintage map.

 

Three: Pinwheels

Another Etsy find, these cute pinwheels make a whimsical vintage wedding favor.  Click here for different pinwheel tutorials.

 

Four: Upcycle Furniture

Here are three great examples of using decoupage on maps to turn an old piece of furniture into a unique and beautiful conversation piece.

Cover a wooden chest

Inspiration from Nate Berkus

Revamp an old Dresser

Add new life to an old Vanity

 

Five: Gift Wrap

Just in time for the holidays, use an old map as gift wrapping paper.

 

Six: Monograms or Letters

Use decoupage to commemorate a trip on craft letters (source unknown).

 

**Don’t forget to vote for DIYInspired.com on Top Mommy Blogs! Just click on the “Vote For Us!” icon on the right sidebar of DIYInspired’s home page.  One click and you’re done!  You can vote once a day! Thank you in advance for your support!**

 

 

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19th Jan2012

Long Beach Antique Swap Meet

by Dinah Wulf

Every time I attend the Long Beach Antique Swap Meet I have the best time.  This time, last weekend, I went by myself and I STILL loved every second of it. I spent two and a half hours meandering around, admiring each vintage find, examining unknown artifacts, and meeting friendly vendors. I spoke to a father son team who fly around the country, picking up old Pepsi crates and salvaged materials from old buildings.

I also met a woman named Linda who has a full time day job but still finds the time to and design and sell cottage furniture and vintage décor for fun on the weekends. As I was walking up, she had just sold a huge dining room table.  Here is some of her other pieces.

On my next stop I met Neil who sold farm and industrial collectables.  Check out some of his pieces.  I love all the rust! It’s beautiful.

Check out some other amazing finds I found along the way.

This place had a lot of Restoration Hardware inspired pieces.  I didn’t get the chance to speak with the vendor, because he was too busy selling.  LOVE the large orbs and metal baskets.

I have to say that one of my favorites of the day was from a shop called Irons & Duck. The industrial seating and lighting is just my style.  If only I could weld…  You can see all their inventory on their website.

For more information about the Long Beach Antique Swap Meet, click here!

Oh wait! I almost forgot.  I didn’t leave empty handed! I bought a large antique wooden tool box which is a great piece for organization, and these three vintage seltzer bottles!

 

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18th Jan2012

Repurposed Crate Ideas

by Dinah Wulf

A few months ago, I did a blog post on recycling old crates.  It included using crates for shelving, bike baskets, and side tables.  Since then, I have gathered a collection of old wine crates from a wine tasting party I did in October.  I’ve been searching for more inspiration for a new project and found some other great repurposed crate ideas.  Here are a few pictures.

This wine crate dog bowl would be a perfect DIY project for me, especially since I have two little pups, Harley and Pablo.

I like these ideas of layering and using a crate as a planter.  This would also look nice outside, on a patio or atrium. The problem with this idea is that I don’t have a green thumb, so I don’t really have that many plants.

How cool is this… creating a rustic work space in the garage complemented with a wood bench. The problem with this is that my garage has no room for it.

I’m guessing these are milk crates? Love this look, but my collection of crates are too small and are in different shapes and sizes.

This is also great.  These crate shelves have two purposes. It’s functional for holding kitchen necessities as well as displays a collection of antiques. My issue with this idea is that my kitchen is so small that I have no wall space for this.

I started a list a while back of how I should repurpose my collection of wine crates including making a jewelry case, a cornice, a seat, or a dog bed, but I still can’t decide.

Any ideas or suggestions? I feel stuck… help!

 

Photo Sources: Eco Salon, funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot, Green Dairy, Love1, Remodelaholic, tangledepartment.blogspot

 

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13th Jan2012

Flea Market Finds

by Dinah Wulf

I am completely obsessed with Flea Markets.  Ever since I started blogging, I have come across so many fun places to go. I wanted to share some of my flea market finds and show how you can get hunt for inexpensive great pieces and repurpose them into something new.

I found this old milk crate for five dollars at a flea market in Orange, California. I decided to add mason jars, turn it on its side and use it for my makeup and hair products.

Old crates and boxes can be repainted and used to display collections or for storage.

Copy a Restoration Hardware look and collect old books.  Antique books are very easy to find and can at times literally cost pennies.

I found these old rusty horse shoes at a local flea market for two dollars apiece and turn them into a coat/hat rack.

I love the industrial look of these old metal card drawers.  I use them to store craft supplies.

Check out this old wooden basket turned upside down.  Add an inexpensive lamp kit from a hardware store and Voila!

Antique seltzer bottles are great to display in a bathroom or guestroom.  They can run anywhere from $10 to $50 a piece.

Window shutters are fairly easy to find.  Use them to prop behind a side table or place two or three side by side to create a headboard.

 

By the way, for all you SoCal locals, the Long Beach Antique Swap Meet is this weekend! Click here for a discount coupon.

**I heart comments! If you have any comments, ideas, or suggestions, please feel free to comment below.  Is there a craft project you want me to try? I’ll gladly do my best to take on your craft challenge and I’m always looking for new ideas! Just let me know! Also, if you have a project you’d like to share, please email me at dwulf@diyinspired.com.

 

 

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12th Jan2012

Paper Flower Magnets

by Dinah Wulf

After making a Hollow Book Safe out of antique books that I inherited, I kept the left over pages in case I wanted to use them to make other craft projects. I ended up making these cute Paper Flower Magnets out of a few of the recycled book pages and beer bottle caps.

I actually made these book page flowers a few months ago but I wanted to wait to post the tutorial to see if they would pass the test of time.  So far so good!  My toddler has tugged and pulled and played and they remain intact… phew!

So here is a quick picture tutorial on how I made them. The materials needed are:

  • Pages from books (colorful children’s books would work nicely too)
  • Flower Craft Punch
  • Bottle Caps
  • Decoupage Medium
  • Paint brush
  • Magnets
  • Glue
  • Rhinestone Embellishments (optional)

The photos are self-explanatory, so here are a few tips.

Tip One: Make sure to decoupage both sides of the flower.

Tip Two: If you are using layers, let the coats of decoupage medium dry completely in between coats and layers (approximately 15 minutes).  Use two coats.

Tip Three: When adhering the magnet, use a strong glue bonding agent.

 

 

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10th Jan2012

DIY Ribbon Board

by Dinah Wulf

DIY-Ribbon-Board-19-1024x768 (560x418)

I always see these cute ribbon boards at gift shops, catalogues, and craft fairs.  They are great for organization for an office or (in my case) my daughter’s room.  I made this DIY Ribbon Board for items such as her hair bows, clips, and photographs.

Another reason I wanted to make this DIY Ribbon Board is because the my daughter’s first baby blanket was getting worn out by the washing machine and I wanted to preserve it somehow, without hiding it in a keepsake trunk where no one would see it.  Here is how I made it.

Materials:

  • Old painting or frame and canvas
  • Fabric
  • Ribbon
  • Scissors
  • Staple Gun
  • Paint (optional)
  • Pliers (if you are using an existing painting)

I had this old painting that was sitting in a box in my garage.

I turned it over and discovered that I needed to use pliers to remove the staples. Remove the canvas.

I took my daughters first baby blanket, trimmed it, and stapled it taut to the canvas.

I decided to paint my frame. I used two coats of paint plus a touch up.

In the meantime, while waiting for the paint to dry, I cut out my strips of ribbon, laying them out in the desired pattern.

One by one, I stapled each ribbon bottom to top and left to right (or vice versa), and then weaving bottom to top right to left. I also stapled the ribbon to the edge of the canvas to make it more secure.

Finally, when the paint is completely dry, (I waited overnight), insert the canvas.

Here are some close up and after pictures.

Thank you for reading!

 

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02nd Jan2012

Wine Bottle Frames

by Dinah Wulf

I made these wine bottle frames out of recycled wine bottles for a wine tasting party.  It was also a bridal shower party, so I used them for a “who knows the bride best game”. I framed each question and placed the wine bottle frames all over the room so that the guests could mingle, talk, drink their wine, and play the game at the same time. Each guest wrote their answers next to the corresponding question number on their wine scoring card.

These wine bottle frames are very simple to make. The materials needed are, an empty wine bottle, a wooden frame, picture frame hangers, and string or ribbon.  I purchased the wooden frames from IKEA which were only $1.99 for a set of three…CHEAP!

The pictures speak for themselves, but all you need to do is to screw each picture frame eyelet into the wooden frame by hand in the desired area.  It takes a little pressure at first, but it should screw in fairly easily.  Use a ribbon or string to hang the frame onto the wine bottle.

Also consider, decorating the bottle with wallpaper remnants or scrapbook paper, or ribbon or you can also paint the inside of your frame with chalkboard paint.  I preferred to remove the wine label with warm soapy water.  There is something beautiful about a plain wine bottle.  Arrange your display with other wine bottles of different colors and sizes.

Another option is to frame a letter and place several bottles in a row to spell out the bride’s (guests or honor’s) new last name.  Use decorative paper as a boarder.  Make displays by using other recycled wine bottles and recycled wine crates.

 

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