 |
From Clutter To Treasure: Re-use and Not Reject!
Make use of clutter to decorate your home! Sounds strange?
Believe me its possible! While moving into my new house, I had to
get rid of a lot of old pots, torn clothes, cracked dishes and
chipped china. At my wit's end trying to figure a way out of the
mess, it struck me that I could actually use a lot of these to
make decorative accents for my new home.
I got my 6 year old daughter involved as she was the only one
who was willing to get her hands dirty in the act! Every body
thought I was crazy, but that didn't stop me from going about my
business.
First, we sorted what could be re-used and what HAD to be
thrown away. It soon turned out that I could reuse most of the
things that I had discarded earlier.
There was my mother-in-law's old iron chest; a wooden bookrack
with jammed hinges; a couple of cracked clay planters; dozens of
paper bags; old shabby pillow-covers; torn bedsheets; my
daughter's old woollen garments; old magazines and more...
The first thing that we did was to paint the old iron chest in
black. My daughter simply loved the idea. With a fresh coat of
shiny paint, the chest sprung back to life as it were! We cut out
different colored pictures of kids, flowers and cars from the old
magazines and pasted them on the lid of the chest once the paint
dried up. Looking bright and cheerie, the old chest was
transformed into a treasure chest for my daughter's toys! In it
went all her dolls and blocks and cars whatever toys there were
scattered all over the house.
Next, came the planters. I smeared my little daughters palms
with bright red, green and yellow paint and asked her to stamp
the planters. Needless to say, she was delighted at the offer! As
most of them were cracked or chipped, they could no longer be
used as planters. We found a way to re-use them as dust bins
instead. Inside each, we neatly tucked in a paper bag. Now they
stand smart in every corner of my new house and have attracted
attention of all the guests I have entertained so far. All I need
to do, is replace the paper bags when they are full with new ones
that comes in with the grocery.
We found a way of re-using the shabby pillow covers and the
woollen garments too! I cut the sweaters, booties, caps and all
the woollen garments that were discarded into small pieces. Next,
I turned the pillow covers inside out, stuffed them with wool and
sewed the open side firmly. My cushions were almost ready. I just
had to make them more attractive. I made use of the large round
and colorful show-buttons that were taken off the old sweaters
and booties. I stitched them on the cushions, in groups of three,
and soon my cushions looked as attractive and inviting as
ever!
You too can reuse a lot of your old stuff and turn a lot of
trash into cherished treasures. Look around you, put on your
thinking caps and if you're willing to get your hands dirty,
you'll soon learn to reuse and not just reject!
Ipsita Mukherjee is a freelance article writer, an ardent
craft-lover and a homemaker for 12 years. Specializing in web
content writing, Ipsita has written articles on a wide variety of
topics for various websites.
 MORE RESOURCES updated Fri. June / 09 / 2023
|
|
|
Related Hobbies - Crafts articles:
Gold Jewelry Hallmarking
Secrets Revealed
We should be familiar with the BASIC hallmarks mentioned on
the website. It might pay you to read them again, just to
bring you up to speed and ensure you have grasped the
principles.
Functional Pottery Makes
a Great Gift, Plain and Simple
Are you looking for something unique to give a friend or
family member for an upcoming birthday or holiday? If you
really want to wow that special someone, why not consider
purchasing an original one of a kind pottery gift that
makes life better in some way. Pottery gifts come in all
shapes, sizes, and colors and they can be practical or
extravagant.
How to Make a Childs
Handprint on a Ceramic Tile
This is a fun craft to do with a group of moms and their
kids, one child per adult works the best. Each mom will
need:---One soft brush, any size but 1/2" works the
best---One jar of "One-Stroke Ceramic underglaze", either
Duncan E-Z Stroke or Gare One-Stroke.
Airbrushing Does Not
Have to be All Disappointment, Heartache, and Bloody Hard
Work!
A smart, but irritating man once told me that Airbrushing
did not have to be all blood, sweat and tears. If only I
had someone guiding me back in those hard, frustrating and
sick in the stomach days of airbrushing, I wouldn't have
wasted all that time and money!So here you are.
Civil War Uniforms: 5
Tips on Making Your Trousers Last Forever!
Are your pants wearing out too fast?Does it look like you
are expecting a flood because your pants are too short?Make
your Civil War Uniform trousers last forever by following
these 5 tips!1. Cut your trousers long, so when you first
start wearing them you will have to roll them up a few
times.
Where Antiques Originate
and How You Can Find Them
It's important to understand where antiques originate. Many
antique buyers make the mistake of mis-understanding the
process by which antique items are found.
Antiques From
Europe...Is It Really The Goose That Laid the Golden
Egg?
Many dealers and auctioneers have been bringing container
loads of antiques from Europe for years now. The lure of
getting "fresh to the market" antique furniture and
"smalls" is something that can bring renewed excitement
back into your antique business.
Simple, and Stylish
Wedding Reception Centerpiece: Craft Project
This simple, yet elegant table centerpiece is a great way
to make a fancy "to do" at each table, without breaking the
bank. This is so easy, even a child can do it! I had my 8
year old son help me.
The Making of a
Slipcover: A Lost Art
Today in this world of fast everything, most of us just
don't have the time (nor patience) to do an all consuming
job of making a slipcover. We go buy them and not always
are they what we want.
The Leather Look,
Accents, and Punching for Your Scrapbook
A leather look can add elegance to your scrapbooking
page. To create a unique leather look, simply distress
cardstock.
Rubber Stamps : 10 Great
Tips For Making Multiple Cards
You know the feeling. The kids have tons of demands,
vacation is just around the corner, that big project at
work is eating all of your free time.
Making a Living Making
Soap-Questions to Ask Before You Begin
Soap making can be a wonderful hobby but if you've ever
thought of turning your hobby into a business you know how
overwhelming the idea can be. Here are some questions to
help you think through your decision:*How much of a
business do you want to be? Do you really want to this to
be a full-time job? Or would you rather just make a couple
hundred bars a year for your church fundraiser? Your answer
to this question will determine your next steps.
Setting Up Your Display
Case
One of the best ways to display photographs, memorabilia
and other prized possessions is by using a display case.
When properly done, a display case can showcase your
collectables for all to see in an elegant manner.
Diecast Collectibles:
The Collectors' Guide to Making a Profit
Millions of people have made a hobby of collecting items of
one sort or another, but some take it to a higher level.
These collectors view their collections as more than just
an accumulation of trinkets that they happen to enjoy; to
them, it's a business, and they're not in it to lose money.
Bookmarks As Unique As
You
Racks and racks of bookmarks ranging from funny to
inspirational are available in most bookstores. But for a
truly unique bookmark, make your own from a treasured
digital photo.
What Do I Need to Start
Scrapbooking?
The best thing about scrapbooking is that although there
are a plethora of scrapbooking supplies available on the
market, you really don't need a lot to make your very first
scrapbook. Basically, all you need to scrapbook is an
album, some glue, a pair of scissors, and some photographs
or newspaper clippings.
Scary Halloween
Crafts
Looking for some great Halloween crafts for your Halloween
party, haunted house, or just for trick-or-treaters? A fun
craft is something that can keep you occupied for hours on
end especially if you enjoy it. Here are some ideas that
will hopefully set you on your way in preparation for your
next Halloween.
Use Tags and
Embellishments to Give Your Scrapbooks that Personal Yet
Professional Touch
Tags are a little added touch of professionalism that adds
to the overall well thought out look to your scrapbook.
Tags can be used for accents, captions, and thought bubbles
as well as dedications.
An Easy Way to
Understand Your Collectibles
What kind of gifts you often receive? Is it toy dolls,
animal figurine, antique, pottery, game, memorabilia or
something you consider as a collectables? Well, what ever
it is, as long as it pleases you, those entire gifts are
full with memory which you then consider as a collectibles.
Gifts and collectibles are not contradicting each other;
instead they are supplementing each other.
Need A Scrapbook
Journaling Idea?
Try using song lyrics in your next layout. Song lyrics can
be a great source of title and page inspiration for a
scraper.
|
|
