Love 2 DIY on the Weekend

The Bamboo Bike Frame

This week's project that I undertook was building a bamboo bike frame. I traveled to New York City and took a workshop that showed us from start to finish how to build a working bicycle frame. This isn't a detailed DIY article. The goal for this article was to provide you with inspiration.

If you could use bamboo to build a frame, what else could you use?

That is one of the questions as upcyclers that we can continually ask ourselves. We don't always have to create some new innovative project each time, we can look at what has already been built and see if we can use our set of skills to build that object in a new innovative way.

I go in to more detail in my article Week #5 : The Bamboo Bike Frame about how everything was built. It was a really cool project and I hope you read the article and feel inspired in some way. Enjoy!

Derek

Meet & Greet: Collagical

This weeks Meet & Greet is with our team captain Cat from Collagical. Collagical is full of vintage fashion, designer jewelry, beaded glass suncatchers, cracker jack charms, ooak collages, tag art and ephemera collage materials.

Her shop is an eclectic mix of whimsical, fanciful, and Collagical elements and objects.

Vintage Ribbon Flower Brooch or Pendant 

I asked Cat a few questions and here is what she had to say about herself and her business.

Tell us a little about yourself and what you sell.
I never thought of myself as an artist, didn’t even think I could draw all through my childhood. But I studied art with a teacher who taught using ‘Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain’, a light bulb turned on and I could see the world in a whole different way. When people started telling me how creative I was, and how they wished they could do what I do, I wondered, ‘Hmmm? Maybe I am an artist…’ So I’ve been making just about anything that inspires me or strikes a chord in me. Collaging is the closest to my heart- gathering diverse elements and bringing them together in a composition is magical for me, like writing a song or a poem- it’s a spiritual expression of the heart. But my shops are an eclectic mix of all kinds of media and crafts, some handmade, some vintage; and I’ve only listed a fraction of the items I have to sell!

Vintage Estee Lauder Compact Pendant Necklace

Why did you decide to work with upcycled/recycled/repurposed materials?
I’ve been an environmentalist since I was a little kid, doing roadside cleanups, Girl Scout projects and such. When I started leading troops, I taught the girls about nature, sustainability and how to do crafts with found objects. For a couple of years in the 90’s, I did school-wide two week seminars for Earth Day Celebrations. My favorite part was a contest called ‘Treasures from Trash’. These kids made the most amazing upcycled creations- it was inspiring. Back then, everyone thought it was clever and cute. Today it’s eco-chic, trendy and marketable! Labels aside, what matters to me is that it’s helping our planet by reducing waste.

Seaside Dreams Mixed Media Collage Upcycled Seashell

What is your favorite thing about running your etsy shop?
I’ve dreamed of owning a co-op gallery for years. One with workshop space, a supply shop with donated surplus goods from the community and room for classes and art therapy programs for seniors, abused women and troubled teens. In the meantime, I have a shop, virtual, but it‘s mine! I own it and I can spread my wings and run my little corner of the internet. I love what Etsy has done for artists and crafters! Finally a place where we can return to our mom and pop roots and once again treasure the value of quality handmade goods, and you don’t have to have a bankroll to open a shop!

Upcycled Vintage Bunnies Mixed Media Assemblage Art

What inspires you to create/sell what you do?
One of my favorite possessions is a pink striped pillow my Great Grandmother made for me when I was a little girl. Then when I was 11, my Aunt taught me to sew and I made a poncho. I was thrilled, and hooked on making it myself. I am always a bit giggly and proud as a peacock when I finish a project and can say, “I made it!”

Where you can find Collagical on the internet. 
Shops
Collagical Etsy Shop ♦ I'm Sew Pretty Etsy shop ♦ Collagical Artfire Shop
Blog
Collagical Blog ♦ I'm Sew Pretty Blog ♦ Photo Art by cnicely Blog
Twitter

Thanks Cat for sharing!

See you next week,
Valerie
Additions

From Cookie Cutter to Like Butter- Room Makeovers On the Cheap by Mostaza Seed

Stephanie, 

from Mostaza Seed

launched her new feature, From Cookie Cutter to Like Butter- Room makeovers on the Cheap.

This series is designed for folks who have identified their space as needing help, but don't quite now where to start and fear taking risks. 

Each week, she will use a photo of a vanilla room and give it a virtual makeover, of sorts, by suggesting changes that would take the room from bland to GRAND!

Now, there have to be rules because the goal is for people who identify their space as being blah and are on a budget, to be able to take these ideas and run with them, if they so choose.

Rule #1.  No makeover will amount to more than $1,000 (before tax and shipping)

Rule#2.  All suggested changes will be easy to find online or in a local store.

Rule#3.  Is more of a request. In order for this series to grow, She would like you to send her photos of rooms in need to help. You can send them to: mostazaseeddesign@gmail.com.

See Stephanie's suggestions to take this room from cookie cutter to like BUTTER!

Don't forget to browse through Mostaza Seed on Etsy!

Reuse, Reduce, Repurpose, UPCYCLE, Relove!

49 Creative Reuse Ideas from Re-Nest

Greetings Upcyclers, Upcycle Enthusiasts, and Artists!

'Tis the New Year and in order to celebrate our love of creating new from the old, I thought this inspiring post on Re-Nest would get your creative juices flowing!

Compiled by Cambria Bold, Re-Nest's Managing Editor, she highlights 49 awesome ideas to creatively reuse everyday items to give it a green facelift. There are actually well over 49 ideas in this post since they link to articles with 10 or 20 uses for everyday items. So have at it!

*CLICK* if you Love 2 Upcycle:

• Creative uses for spaghetti jars
• DIY Storage Ideas
• Toothpicks Turned Lampshade
• Garage Door Headboard
• Mailbox Umbrella Stand

Enjoy a craft-filled week!

Upcycle Love,

Tiff at

Mistle and Toe

Unique Eco Fashion, Home Decor, and Gifts

Hey Everyone!

Hope everyone is having a great New Year so far. I know I am :)

I just recently joined the Etsy Upcycling team and the Etsy community in general. I'm really glad I did so. It's so great to connect with all you hand madenites (<-- ??) from around the world. If you haven't seen me on Etsy, I'm the guy who makes wallets and bags out of used bicycle tire tubes. I just started making these about 3 months ago and I've had a lot of local success so far and I definitely want to expand. I also just started writing a blog that focuses on inspiring the and developing the creative ability in others. The main theme is solving problems with sustainability and upcycling in mind. Each article I post is a DIY article that I'll be publishing each week. This week being the 4th week of my challenge, I turned an old blender in to a lamp for my nightstand.

It turned out to be a really cool upcycling project that looks great and serves its purpose well for the price of $4.

The link is here: http://www.derekhowlett.com/2011/01/week-4-light-socket-blender-blender-lamp/

If you enjoy the article, please tweet, share and comment on it :).

A big thanks to Cat for letting me post blogs here. I hope to add lots of value to the upcycling community!

Hope everyone's 2011 is very prosperous and full of upcycling!

Derek Howlett
http://www.etsy.com/people/derekhowlettdotcom