Stephanie Lee’s Semiprecious Salvage: Creative Found-Art Jewelry is a notable new title for both jewelry and mixed-media artists. Focusing on vintage and vintage-inspired style, the artist provides practical and timeless techniques and projects that readers can put into practice with items found around the house. I especially like the projects that feature tiny snippets and scrolls of text that are aged and then embedded into works of jewelry.
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I Found a Table Made from Mannequin Legs—and I’m Still Not Over It
Okay, I have to tell you about one of the most bizarre-yet-brilliant DIYs I’ve come across in a while. While scrolling through google (as one does when deep into a late-night upcycling rabbit hole), I stumbled on a video tutorial for a table made out of mannequin legs. And honestly? I couldn’t look away.
This project is peak creative chaos—in the best way. The concept is exactly what it sounds like: four mannequin legs, flipped and fixed in place, supporting a standard tabletop. It’s got this quirky, surreal vibe that makes it feel part high fashion, part modern art installation. Think: Tim Burton meets IKEA.
What I loved most about this video is how surprisingly accessible it is. The creator breaks the process down clearly—so even though the end result looks totally wild, the steps are manageable. You’ll need a few tools and a decent amount of glue or screws (depending on how permanent you want this table to be), but nothing too technical.
Design-wise, this piece is an absolute conversation starter. It would look amazing in a creative studio, a funky coffee shop, or even as a statement piece in a minimalist home—anywhere you want to break the “normal furniture” mold. The contrast between the realistic mannequin legs and a basic tabletop is just the right kind of weird.
If you’re into recycled home decor, eco-conscious DIY projects, or just love adding some unexpected personality to your space, this one’s worth bookmarking. Whether or not you ever make it yourself, it’s guaranteed to make you see mannequins—and furniture—in a whole new way.
Catch the full tutorial and see the visual magic for yourself on Recyclart. Just be prepared to say, “Wait, is that a leg?” every time someone visits your house.
the major detriment to this book is that there is very little salvage. she promotes the use of copper tubing, getting a tubing cutter, using resin (which is harmful to people and other living things), getting brass, aluminum and nickel sheet.
i reveiewed this book hoping that it would really be about things that could be salvaged to make other things, particularly jewelry, but it really isn’t.
i will just continue to use really salvaged materials to make my ooak jewelry.