Upcycled Design Lab Blog

Welcome to the Lab 

 

Are you like me?  Do you hoard crazy things?

 

That pillow case that doesn't match any of your sheets, those empty containers or old magazines that you just can't seem to part with?  Do you feel a little guilty when you throw out those empty cereal boxes or milk cartons?  I have a little confession to make, I currently have a dozen or so empty toilet paper rolls tucked in my night stand drawer of all places!!!  Some day I will do something with them I am sure of it. 

 

I am not brave enough to call myself an artist and I don't even have a true "craft."  I don't really care to spend time reproducing the same item again and again.  For me the creative part is more about figuring out how to make something into something else.  At the end of the project I always see ways that I could have improved upon the design and execution but I rarely have the interest or patience to go back and do it over again.  And that is how I came up with the Upcycled Design Lab.  My projects are mostly experimental, often they are impractical and always they feel part artistic part mad scientist. 

 

If you like the idea of re-designing old junk into new stuff please feel free to join in the experiment.  Comments are always welcome on this blog. 

 

You can also join the conversation and post your own creations on the Upcycled Design Lab Facebook Fan Page.

 

And get your own "I love Upcycling" T-shirt here.

 

 "All life is an experiment.  The more experiments you make the better."

Ralph Waldo Emerson 

Upcycled Magnetic Chalkboard Video

 

 

Just a quick post to say that I made a video from last weeks Upcycled Magnetic Chalkboard project.  I still have a lot to learn about filming and editing but I had a lot of fun working on this project.

 

 

Upcycled Magnetic Chalkboard

 

 

I think that Spring has finally arrived to stay in Colorado.  We are not expecting anymore snow storms just a few rainy days here and there.  So I anticipate working on some garden projects in the near future but this weeks project comes from the craft cave last week when I was still dreaming of spring.

I like to think that I am a fairly organized person but lately I seem to keep forgetting to pay my bills until the day they are due.  They often seem to disappear into the void that I call my desk.  I am not proud of the fact that there are time when the afore mentioned desk does take on some of the attributes of a black hole but there, I have admitted it anyway. 

 

Now most sensible folks might just resolve to keep their desks a bit more tidy but having lived with myself for close to 50 years now I have come to accept that I am not the tidiest housekeeper.  So my solution to my bill problem is to stop putting the bills on my desk at all.

 

:-)

 

I had the top of an old metal TV Tray.  Are you old enough to know what I am talking about?  They were popular back when TV channels went off the air and switched the the test pattern at 10:00 pm.  I would be giving away my age if I hadn't already told you how old I am.

 

 

After a couple of coats of chalkboard paint it looked like this.

 

 

I used a wire hanger, pliers and some elbow grease to make the somewhat acceptable hanger shape.

 

 

And then used E6000 Glue to attach it to the clips on the back of the TV tray.

 

 

 

In honer of spring, that I was sure would show up at some point even during last weeks snow storm, I made some flower magnets.  I still have quite a few scraps of t-shirts from my 20 T-shirt Challenge so I used some of the scraps to make the flowers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then I decorated some Altoid tins to hold the chalk and erasers.

 

 

 

So now I just have to see if this resolves my bill paying tardiness. 

 

 

I know you are thinking I should just clean my desk.

 

Happy Upcycling,

 

 

 

 

 

Upcycled - Dress Rescue

 

It is sunny and 79 degrees today but the forecast shows 35 degrees and 4 to 6 inches of snow on Wednesday.  This is one crazy Spring we are having here in Colorado.  I am eager to put some flowers out in my yard but I guess that I might be waiting another week.

 

I would be lying if I said that the idea of more snow didn't make me a little cranky.  But enough of my weather whining.

 

This weeks project is no great piece of design work but it is one salvaged item reinstated into useful or in this case wearable society.

I believe that I have mentioned before that I sell items (mostly clothing) on Ebay.  Well I bought this dress the other day to list in my store. 

 

But I wasn't paying very close attention apparently because when I got home I realized that the fabric was torn at the neckline.

 

 

My first thought was just to send it back to the goodwill.  But that didn't seem very green or creative so I decided to give a repair a try.

 

 

Here is what I did.  It is nothing spectacular but it is now quit wearable again.

 

Oh and I almost forgot the most important part.  I used some of my t-shirt scraps from my 20 t-shirt challenge.

 

 

Happy Upcycling,

Upcycled TP Hanging Flower Garland

 

 

Happy Earth Day Everyone. 

 

I am still in party prep high gear this week.  If any of you that have been following my last few post will know that this makes me somewhat certifiable since the party isn't until August (Maybe).  But I am blaming the weather.  Yep you heard me correctly.  It is late in the month of April as you all well know but mother nature seems to think that it is still winter here in Colorado where the current conditions are cold and snow.  And what about tomorrow you ask well.... Cold and more Snow.

 

Anyway my point is that I would like to be working on gardening and yard crafts but the great outdoors jut hasn't been all that inviting lately.  Maybe by the weekend it will feel more like Spring around here.  Keeping my fingers crossed.

 

Have you read my about me page?  I am guessing not, but if you have you might be aware that I have for years now had empty toilet paper rolls in my night stand drawer.  I don't know how that ever became the place that I stashed TP rolls but it did.  Weird I know.  But all that is over now I have effectively depleted my stash.  I am sure that in no time at all the drawer will be full again and I will need a new project but here is this weeks upcycled project.  I am sure you have seen these before but here is my version. 

 

I made some fake flowers to cheer myself up since I can't have any real ones yet.

 

 

 

I am planning to hang them outside for the party but the colors showed up better on the white background.

 

 

 

I was lucky enough to get a few photo's this morning before the snow started falling.

I used some of the t-shirt scraps from my 20 t-shirt challenge for the center of my flowers.  So I am considering this one of my t-shirt projects.  You know.  

My challenge.  My rules.  :-)

 

Happy Upcycling,

 

 

Simple Upcycled Party Photo Props

 

In an on going effort to convince you of......what shall we call it....

my propencity to plan pre-maturally, 

I have another project for use at my impending Birthday Party. 

An event which may not even happen but as I still have several months before I really have to commit I am prentending happily that turning 50 is no big deal and presuming that I will want to share the experience with my friends and family.

All of this will actually be determined at a later date.  But if it actually happens I will be prepared with these silly photo props and last weeks bubble blowers. 

 

Material requirements

Empty cereal or cracker boxes, printed art props, bamboo sticks,  real sticks or chop sticks, glue stick, hot glue gun, scissor.

 

Step I - Find and print out the desired shapes.

 

Step 2 - Use glue stick to adhear prints to the cardboard boxes.

 

Step 3 - Cut out shapes.

 

 

Step 4 - Use hot glue gun to attach stick to the back of the shape.

 

Step 5 - Display for use at party.

 

Happy Upcycling,

 

Giant Upcylcled Bubble Blowers

 

 

Good Morning,

 

(or day or night depending on when you are reading this.)  It is currently still morning here and quite bright and sunny I am taking an extra moment to appreciate this lovely weather as I have just heard that we are expecting snow here tonight and blizzard conditions tomorrow with 5 to 8 inches of snow.  It is April right?  Oh well it is supposed to be almost 70 again by next weekend.

 

That's is Springtime in Colorado for you.  :-)

 

Did you know that I am a planner and a list maker.  Well I am and I have to admit that I am a little OCD about it.  Really.  It is a little embarrassing.  It's almost like I can't do something unless I write it down in my day planner.  Sometimes I cheat and go back and write it down after I did it as if to confirm that it was important enough to do in the first place. 

 

Sometimes I plan things well in advance which means that in some cases I loose interest long before then and I never even get the "thing" what ever it was done.  This is why I make all of my plans in pencil so I can erase them and not have to be reminded of the stuff I said I was going to do but didn't. 

 

Told you I was OCD right?

 

Anyway, one of my current long term plans is to have a big birthday party this year.  I am going to be 50 and rather than freaking out about it I am trying to, well I don't know, age as gracefully as I can I guess.  My birthday isn't until August so it remains to be seen whether or not I will chicken out and just decide to wear black all day and hide in the closet.  :-) 

 

Are you wondering what all of this has to do with crafting and upcycling yet.  I am starting to.

 

Oh yes...... I remember know. 

 

I have been thinking about decorating and making things for the party and as there may be some children or others (mostly me) trying to embrace their youthfulness,  I thought that some activities would be nice.  So without dragging you through anymore of my personal issues here is this weeks project.

 

Giant Bubble Blowers

 

 

I used a wire hanger bent into shape and secured with additional wire.

 

 

Then I got smarter and figured that duct tape would be much easier and work just as well.

 

 

I am still working on My 20 T-Shirt Challenge so I used this tutorial and my t-shirt fabric to make some fabric beads.

 

 

I used some other stuff to decorate the rest of the handle.  And then I made a couple more.

 

 

 

Happy Upcycling,

 

DIY T-shirt Earrings for 20 T-shirt Upcycling Challenge

 

Oh me, Oh my where does the time go?  Here it is Thursday and I am just getting around to writing my blog post.  Better late than never I suppose. 

 

So onward...

 

I have long held the opinion that one could make earrings out of just about any material imaginable and therefore I would be remiss if I did not have a few examples for my 20 T-shirt upcycling challenge. 

 

My only self-imposed rule for this project was to used different techniques for each of my designs.

 

Here is what I came up with.

 

Earrings 1 - Tiny square cut "beads"

 

 

Earrings 2 - Rolled Fabric Beads

 

 

I am sure you have seen how theses beads are made before but just in case you haven't.

 

Step 1 - Cut a long triangular piece.

 

 

Step 2 - Glue and wrap around a small stick or paperclip.

 

 

 

I am not really sure how or why I came up with this last idea, but I wanted to try something different and well, for some reason during my contemplation of what to try I thought "humm......

 

I have this mustache candy mould." 

 

And that lead to....

 

 

Earrings 3 - Fabric mustache "clay beads"

 

 

Step 1 - Cut t-shirt fabric into tiny pieces.

 

 

Step 2 - Add Elmers Glue.

 

 

Step 3 - Mix into thick paste.

 

 

Step 4 - Press into candy mould.  Warning - this part is a little messy.

 

 

Step 5 - This is the tricky part.  I removed the mustache "bead" before it was completely dry and hard because I wanted to be able to get a needle through it.  Some of the small pieces did stick to the mould and I had to reshape the mustache a little bit.  But it does get less sticky and more like shape-able clay as it dries.

 

I must confess I really enjoyed making my silly little pink mustache earrings.  So.... I made a necklace to match.  :-)

 

 

Happy Upcycling,

 

 

 

 

 

Another Upcycled T-shirt Abstract Art Dog with Instructions

 

Hello,

Sorry to repeat myself,  if you saw my last post you will know what I mean but the thing is I found last weeks project quite enjoyable and well...

the truth is we have two dogs and I would hate to be accused of having a favorite so.....

 

here is my latest project.

 

 

 

This is not going to be a true tutorial as I don't really have a step by step of how I made these but I will let you in on a little secret, lest you get the wrong impression and think that I have more artistic skill than I really do.

 

You start with a photograph like this one.

 

 

And then using the magic of computer software (I have Adobe Illustrator but I am sure that many other programs allow you to transform your photo into greyscale or in my case a 5 color version)

 

It looked like this.

 

 

 

I did play around with the photo some until I got the definition that I wanted with the least amount of tiny details.

 

Then I printed two copies.  One to use as a guide and one to use as a template.  I chose my t-shirt colors and then using pins and double sided tape I cut out the larger shapes and then cut out and layered the smaller shapes on top using Elmer's glue to hold it all together.

 

Two things you also need for this project are a really sharp pair of scissors and a fair amout of patience.

 

 

Oh yes and I almost forgot this does count as another project for my 20 T-shirt Challenge.  :-)

 

Happy Upcycling,

 

 

 

 

 

Upcycled T-shirt Abstract Art Dog and 4 Step Frame Makeover

 

 

I blinked and February went by. 

 

I do hope I am back to a semi-regular posting routine.  I am here today anyway and I am happy to announce that I have completed another project from my 20 T-Shirt Collection.

 

For those of you that my be interested or just confused.  Some of my tee shirt projects like my last post are not from this group of 20 t-shirts.  What I have left from the original 20 T-shirts is mostly smaller pieces now so I am having to get a little more creative as time goes on. 

 

On another semi-related note I started this project in 2011 with the intent of finishing it with in a year.  Well you know what they say about the best laid plans.  Anyway I am still working at it every so painfully slowly. 

 

And I recently finished this:

 

It needed a frame so I bought one at the thrift store but it was pretty boring and not the color that I wanted.

 

 

So I cleaned it up and added some texture with my hot glue gun.

 

 

Sprayed on a coat of primer paint.

 

 

Added a top coat of bright yellow.

 

 

And framed my t-shirt art.

 

 

Here is my model.  :-)

 

 

See a more detailed tutorial on how to make the t-shirt dog portrait here.

 

Happy Upcycling,

 

 

 

Quick and Easy No Sew T-shirt Make Over

Hello and Good Morning or Good whatever time of day it happens to be where you are.

I have been meaning to try my hand at more videos so here is my latest project in a minute and a half.

 

  

 

 Thanks for so much stopping by.

Happy Upcycling,