Rather than get a new couch when you’re tired of your old couch’s pattern, you might consider reupholstering it! Apartment Therapy features this great mid-century modern couch that’s gotten a face lift with some new fabric and potentially some added … Read More ...
From Tea Towel to Tote
Check out this cute pink-and-lime-green shoulder bag made from a vintage tea towel. It’s offered in She-Su’s Etsy shop, along with a sampling of other wonderful wearables reconstructed from neckties, pillowcases, vintage fabrics and other thrift store finds.
Steampunk Ring
Sylvia Anderson‘s steampunk ring is a hands-down portable conversation starter. Made with an antique watch movement — including interesting embedded jewels — this particular ring is adjustable to nearly any ring size. While the gears may not help tell … Read More ...
Postage Stamp Earrings
I love the idea of recycling postage stamps — artwork in miniature — into earrings. The fact that I’m a Frank Lloyd Wright fan doesn’t hurt, either. C.D. Childs offers a number of vintage postage stamp jewelry items, each … Read More ...
Vintage-Inspired Bobby Pins
Found & Made Designs is exactly what it sounds like — a studio that creates handcrafted items using bits and pieces of vintage, recycled or repurposed materials found at estate sales, thrift stores and junk piles. In this delightful Etsy … Read More ...
Paint Chip Curtain
Paint chip samples are such pretty little things. To me, they’re the equivalent of craft candy! The chips can be upcycled into many things, including this funky decorative curtain found on Craftster by its_TRAGICx, who simply punched a thumbtack hole … Read More ...
Upcycled Piggy Bank
Save on materials while you save your pennies. From time to time I like to head over to Novica for some out-of-the-box thinking from artisans from around the world, like this piggy bank made from a used aluminum bottle that’s … Read More ...
Candy Wrapper Dress
Craftster Theperilouspopsicle had no worries that she’d arrive at prom wearing the same dress as another girl. After all, no one else would think to construct a rainbow-colored frock made from 101 Skittles wrappers (my tummy aches just thinking about … Read More ...
Upcycled Bracelets
Bracelets look great, but they don’t always feel great on your wrist. By wrapping used bangle bracelets in colorful yarn, not only have you created a soft accessory for your skin, but you’ve also created a whole new look. Here … Read More ...
CD Earrings
These cute earrings are music to the recycled crafter’s ears. Shannah at UpCycleMart upcycles discarded CDs into pairs of cute and unusual earrings, like this geometric-themed pair made from the printed side of the CD. She also works with the … Read More ...
Huipil Crafts
Erin crafts some fabulous things with huipils (pronounced wee-PEELS), which are traditional woven blouses worn by women in Guatemala. The huipil fabrics are inherently colorful and fun, which makes the upcycled works of art equally colorful. Here, Erin fashioned a … Read More ...
From Junk Mail Catalog to Paper Dolls
I love this tip from Cloth Paper Scissors reader Deb:
 “Today, in the mail, I received my bizillionth ladies catalog! … Now, I am going green with paper dolls! I cut out all of the outfits from the fashion … Read More ...
Record Paintings
No costly framing or matting needed! Dave from the Gnarled Branch uses ruined vinyl records as blank canvases for his funky paintings. And installation couldn’t be any easier: Simply hang the works of art by inserting a pushpin through the … Read More ...
MahkaCrafts Plastic Bag Creations
Many thanks to reader Annika for sending her recycled plastic bag ideas my way. For some time she has been repurposing plastic bags into knitting and crocheting projects and just recently has begun to fuse bags together to create new … Read More ...
Recycled Bag Daisy Accessories
Add these adorable daisies to the list of items that can be made from plastic bags. The Strewth! shop at Etsy, which features “the essence of the outdoors, the sea and surf of Australia,” makes these colorful cuties into magnets, … Read More ...
