Recycled Tutorial - Wire Hanger Countdown to Christmas Advent Calendar

It's almost time to begin the countdown that ends with Merry Christmas!

And you can make an amazing little upcycled advent calendar in about 5 minutes with a wire hanger and a raid of your craft drawer!

Start your countdown with your letters, beads, balls, etc on the left side of your tree and move one over every day.

I think this little guy will be perfect on everyone's desk or bedtable!

you will need:

a wire hanger, some kind of base for your tree (wood, foam), beads, letters, etc - wire clippers and a drill

This one is of course, easy peasy. Form a tree with your hanger, cut off the hook, mark your holes for the base, drill the holes, add your beads, balls, etc, push in your wires and glue those babies in. This could be a great project for your family to make on Thanksgiving - if you add the correct number of beads (I didn't) you could start it the next day!

Upcycled Holiday Gift Ideas - Week # 7

This week 3 easy, peasy upcycles.

You may not have the goods on hand to create exactly these pieces, but they may get you thinking about things that you do have and ways to rework them!

The level turned coat rack above (add hooks, knobs and hanging hardware on back) makes a great gift for someone's entry way.

These giant old casters will make someone a great pair of industrial bookends. I was originally going to screw them into a book or board, but thought I would give them as is since that would make them more versatile.

(attach directly to furniture, hold more or less books, etc)

I realize this type of thing isn't for everyone, I won't be giving an old pair of casters to my mother-in-law for instance, but there is someone on my gift list with a work table of books needing a good home.

This vintage suitcase and Anthropologie faux-vintage metal painted shelf racks will make an amazing shelf. The suitcase can be displayed opened or closed.

If your vintage suitcase has a musty smell - I have found that airing them out outdoors and then putting a bar of soap inside a sock inside the suitcase usually works. If the smell is very strong you may need to place a small bag of charcoal inside the suitcase for a few days or some newspapers (change them every couple days) until the odor is gone.

Hubby and I are going out tonight for a "we both forgot our anniversary" night on the town so I have been getting ready as I posted this causing my toenail polish to go all the way down to the knuckle and also on the carpet and maybe just a little on the baseboards - but that's just more festive, I think ...

we are determined to party until they start stacking the chairs upside down on the tables – the universal sign for "you have had enough, go home now" ... or at least until 9:00 ....

xo all

Holiday Upcycled Gift Countdown Week # 7 - STEAMPUNK - Faucet Necklaces

This week's handmade gift ideas are total awesomeness for those lovers of clunky and recycled jewelry on your gift list!

These beauties are made with 2" faucet knobs (one old and one not so old that I sanded to distress) and lots of cool doodads I picked up in the discontinued bins.

you will need: faucet knobs (valves? handles? whatever these things are actually called), heavy chain and jump rings (I just used some of the heavy chain for the jump rings), doodads, pliers, glue

These will vary depending on your aesthetic and supplies, but the basic idea is to glue a doodad into the center - for both of these I had to do a little damage breaking off the attachments on the ends of the center doodads (one is girly bling and the other is tomboy blang just like the girls I am giving these babies to), add some heavy chain that has big rings (you need to be able to open the rings over the faucet knob ends to attach - maybe bring the faucet knob to the store with you) and some extra doodad dangles.

(and yes, the words "doodad dangles" just needed to be said by someone somewhere sometime ... seriously)

The results are some serious faucet awesomeness I am calling "the farrah".

(DISCLAIMER 11/9/11 - in a little twist of synchronicity I walked into a Barnes and Noble to waste a few minutes waiting for a take-out order at the Chili's next-door and discovered that GreenCraft magazine has a very similar tutorial this month to this one - so even though I searched google images and Etsy for anything too similar prior to posting this and truly did not see this magazine first - I just wanted to add this disclaimer because if the tutorial is in a magazine it is almost for certain some artist is making this for sale somewhere so I just wanted to be extra sure to mention that this tutorial - as almost all tutorials you will ever come across - is for personal use only and not intended to make items for sale)

Make an Upcycled Ruler Frame - Holiday Gift Countdown - Week # 6

By now you can see that I am using alot of vintage pieces for holiday gifts this year

(this makes a great reason for flea marketing in the summer - you can only hoard so much stuff personally if you do not want to end up on one of those tv shows fighting to hold on to your collection of somebody else's bowling trophies and climbing over piles of old magazines to eat a slice of frozen pizza in bed with your cats)

you can make this gorgeous yardstick frame/mat from new rulers, too, but the old yardsticks make it a totally one of a kind piece for your lucky recipient!

you will need: 3 colorful yardsticks (enough to mat 2 11X11 Ikea frames), saw, adhesive, sandpaper

I decided after playing around with the rulers a bit that I wanted to keep the glass under the rulers and leave them with the framed black edge of the Ikea frame.

1. lay out your rulers
2. saw rulers to size (be patient and careful with this if you are using a little wobbly handsaw like I did)
3. lay out the pieces and then glue them into place.

I was originally thinking I would glue the ruler pieces to the glass, but decided in the end it would be better to glue them to each other and to the inner frame.

* onion print by f2images

To get your own yardsticks - check out the Etsy listings HERE

Upcycled Wood & String Name Plaques - Handmade Holiday Gift Countdown Week 5

You have probably seen these wood letters in the craft store and this is one easy-peasy way to make them uber cool!

You will need: the letters to spell someone's name or initials, wire brads (I used 3/4" X 17), colored string, hammer, I got away without drilling starter holes- but you could split the wood, so if you have a drill it might be a good idea, sawtooth hangers

1. Add a sawtooth hanger to the back of each letter (I didn't do this step until the end and you do not want to do that)
2. Nail in your brads - placing one each time the line of the letter changes direction - you may need to glue the brads in
3. Tie on your string and follow the brads. Tie it off.

Voila! I think these are super cute and turn those cheesy letters into something adorable.

Upcycled Tutorial - Plastic Tube Necklace with Switchable Inserts and VALENTINE'S DAY LOVE NOTE!

This week an awesome changeable design necklace you can make for an amazing gift!

The paper inside the plastic tubing easily switches out for different looks and you can package this with a few slips of colorful scrapbook paper.

For the supplies to make one of these yourself - just add your own colorful papers and a little elbow grease - contact me by 2/7/15 using the LET'S CHAT button, lower right column. There is just a $2.00 shipping fee to get one set right out to you.

You will need: clear plastic malleable tubing from the hardware store, end plugs (you can use plastic, but I have used cork, of course), eyehooks, cording, (2) sliprings, design paper

1. cut tubing to the size you would like (I've cut mine to 2.5")
2. screw eyehooks into your end caps
3. add slipring and tie on your cording
4. cut paper to size (I've cut mine to 1.5")
5. roll paper and push into the center, add your ends
6. cut and tie off your cording (I have added hardware to mine)

This makes a great kid's project, too - if you can get the kids making your gifts for you, you will be way ahead of the game!

(and by way ahead of the game, I mean passed out on the couch, feet up, pinot empty on the coffee table)

Don't forget to add a little LOVE NOTE for Valentine's Day to the back of the paper!

Upcycled Tutorial - Drawer Repurposed into a Map Shelf - Xmas Gift Countdown Week 2

This week's easy peasy upcycled gift is a beautiful little shelf repurposed from an old drawer.

There are really countless things you can make shelves with, but an old drawer creates lots of little cubbies and crannies for your whatnots and the background can easily be fitted with something amazing!

(in this case a vintage map of Europe)

you will need: drawer, map, spray adhesive, scissors, tape measure, yardstick, hammer, sawtooth hangers

This is one of those measure twice, cut once projects - so measure your openings (easiest with a tape measure) and then mark and measure your map (easiest with a yardstick) - the idea is to have the map look like one solid piece when hanging so cut your interior pieces so they line up with each other.

Layout your cut pieces into the drawer and make any adjustments with your scissors or a razor knife. Remove your pieces. Spray your interior wood working from the top down. Lay out your paper (this stuff dries fast so work quickly, to adjust - lift and don't try to slide). When you have it positioned in the right place press it into place - I used an old VHS tape because ...

well, what else can we do with them ....

Add a couple sawtooth hangers to the back and you have a wonderful (and huge ... everyone loves big presents) gift for someone special.

(Note- if you decide to do this project and need a couple sawtooth hangers just drop me an email through the link at right and I will pop a couple in the mail to you at no cost - I have hundreds)

A series of these shelves on a wall would be amazing. To find a vintage map, check THIS link

Upcycled Tutorial - Vintage Children's Block Initial Necklace - Xmas Gift Countdown Begins!

I thought I would begin my annual upcycled holiday gift tutorial guide

(whoa say that 3 times, I dare ya')

early this year so I might actually finish it!

Everyone loves personalized gifts with their inital - and this is an easy, peasy one to make!

(the only kind of tutorial I do, because let's face it folks those long, complicated tutorials may look amazing, but are you ever really going to make them?!)


you will need:

vintage blocks (new blocks will just look cheesy- we need some vintage wabi-sabi for this one), chain or necklace cording, washers, eyehooks, slip rings, charms, beads, doodads

you may need a drill for your eyehook starter holes, I didn't, but I do lift a 20 lb terrier/beagle 482 times a day, so have one handy just in case

determine which block letter you want visible for the wearer, measure and mark your center, drill starter hole, add eyehook and washer, tighten with pliers, add chain or cording to top, repeat on bottom andding charm or doodad to the bottom

(note - if your name starts with a V and you get a Christmas present from me, please close your eyes at this point)

I added an amazing and gigantic lobster clasp to this one! My block is approx 1.25" with a 30" chain- smaller block/smaller chain- if you want to make one of these and need a 30" ballchain pop me an email and I will pop one in the mail to you.

To find some amazing vintage blocks to make these gifts check out these Etsy sellers:

1. agentobsolete
2. vintagebyalexkeller
3. brooklynretro

I have another tutorial using a child's block you may want to try HERE

Upcycled Tutorial - Hanging Chair Bookrack

Now, I know this isn't really a tutorial, but I haven't posted a tutorial in awhile

(saving the best ones for my annual Xmas countdown series which starts next month)

but thought I would throw up a couple pics of this amazing old chair I bought at a local flea for $5.00.

I hung it on some bicycle hanging hardware from Ikea and now have an adorable mini-bookcase for some of my vintage Trixie Belden books.

I have 3 of these chairs (all different) that I am going to hang in the stairwell (which is pretty high) and will post pics of this when I get a chance to get them up there

(I have to do this when hubby isn't around because he hates the idea - he will love it once it is up though ... as long as - a. he doesn't have to hang it, b. it isn't in "the way" - and c. it doesn't fall on anyone's head - all possibly do-able - of course, I can't really guarantee that last one)

I have seen people make towel racks and things by dismantling this type of chair, but I couldn't bear to make any permanent changes to this one - it is just too perfect!

Upcycling Flea Market Finds for Your Garden or don't be afraid to mess with the old stuff

Last weekend was my favorite local flea - which was disappointing because it had alot more new junk than old junk this year but I did manage to find a couple nice oldies but goodies

including a boardwalk faucet (imagine how many sandy feet this baby has rinsed off), some vintage spools (I buy these once in a while for my display - they make great hangers), a Partridge Family lunchbox for only 15 bucks (a bargain and my daughter collects them) and these 3 amazing pinball games from the 30's that I had never seen before.

Sometimes these old finds seem too precious to actually use and maybe once in a while they are, but mostly things are made to be useful

(the same goes for people)

so don't hesitate to make some old thing into something else.

Adding some clear beads and fishing thread to the faucet (remove head, thread through, tie off the beads and trim thread) adds a little whimsy to a potted plant.

Winding some wire hangers around the spool

(I used a little fire to make this work, but you can totally do this without it)

to form wings and a dragonfly body and attach it to an old metal garden stake and you've got another upcycled garden doodad.

There are some gorgeous handmade gardening goodies on Etsy, too!

1. monkeys always look
2. simply pretty prints
3. blossom farm
4. glazed over
5. kat gallery
6. pumpkin ridge pottery

Upcycled Corkboard Tutorial - from Blah to Cork-tastic in 10 Minutes!

This is another easy-peasy tutorial

(not sure why I am doing all these cork tutorials lately - it just seems to be working out that way)

all you need for this one is a piece of cork or your existing corkboard, some scrap fabric and furniture tacks.

I made mine with a vintage hanger, but this is equally awesome on your existing corkboard.

(you can also make this on solid wood and furniture by drilling starter holes - it is alot of work though - I did something like this once using paint for the petals instead of fabric on an old cabinet - you need to measure the starter holes so the furniture tacks are placed exactly where you want them and you need to use a very small drill bit)

1. Cut a cardboard petal template 2. Cut out your fabric petals 3. Lay out your flower 4. Add your furniture tacks securing the fabric as you go

STRANGE BUT TRUE

After writing this post I was suddenly so tired that I had to lay down on my front porch - well not on the actual porch floor if that is kind of what you are picturing, but in a wicker chair on the porch with my feet on the railing -

one moment I am staring at my dandelion garden and listening to Harry Chapin sing that sad song about the taxicab and the next moment I am shooting Lance Armstrong in the foot ... uhuh - at least no vital organs were involved - even in my dreams I only maim, never kill - I'm kind of nice that way.

I have no idea where or how I got the gun or why I decided to go all Clint Eastwood on his Nikes but I clearly remember seeing Lance sprawl backwards onto my shipping table, landing squarely in a pile of customs forms and manilla mailers.

What this says about my subconscious I don't really want to think about - I was on the livestrong site looking for recipes the other day or it could just be my brain's way of reminding me not to eat tylenol pm for dinner ... again

BTW is anyone getting up tomorrow to see the wedding?? Maybe if I really do slip myself some tylenol pm this afternoon and fall asleep around dinner time I can get up early enough ...