What do You Make-Re-purpose-Craft

[GratefulApe]

In the summer of 2016 I had two back to back weddings in my yard. My Sons and his smart and beautiful wife and my smart and beautiful Niece and her new husband. They were back to back weekends. My sons was the wedding and reception. It was a blast. My Niece was just the wedding her reception was at a different location. Anyway I made a few things for the weddings.

This piece came about by me having a huge bonfire. It was an old single bed box spring. I thought it would burn hot enough to melt the steel frame but it didn't. Then I thought now what am I going to do with this charred piece of crap the size of a human. After I took a look at it I could see that one end was pretty much fully intact, so I took a Dremel saw and cut the top quarter off. I cut the rest of it up and put it into a construction grade garbage bag for the garbage pick up.

Since the metal on the old burned box spring was like having a shelf. I got the idea of making a planter out of it. The wood was pretty charred and I didn't so much like that look so first after cutting it away from the bigger piece of box spring, I power washed it. That gave it a more cleaned up charred look. Then I went into the basement and found some old plant pots that I had been collecting. I got all of the plant pots for free off of the curb at various houses in town. They are all truely antique labled, Hall, Hull, American Pottery and Fiesta.

I found that the plant pots didn't want to stay put and were in danger of falling off, so I put the copper plumbing strapping on the creation to help secure the pots.

It was mounted to a tree and under it was the guest book. The pic. is a little blurry. I still have that plant holder. It's mounted to my front porch at my new house. Haven't planted anything in it as of yet.




Also made this for the weddings. I had been saving shovel heads for some reason. I guess in all honesty I wanted to see how many shovels I had gone through in my life. I have 3. The heavy, very heavy wire basket I found on the curb when I lived in town. I was on a walk and had to carry that thing home. Did I say it was Heavy!



And made 4 benches for the wedding. Made from bed frames that I found on the curb. The back is made from the headboard. The sides are the foot board cut in half and the side rails make up the bench seat.

[Kusa]

Nice.

[GratefulApe]

I also love paper art. I made these blown Easter eggs a few years back. I finished them off by buying Jewelry pieces. Chains and clasps for picking them up and end pieces to cover the hole. These were so much work. So many steps and the tiny cut outs to make the flower and leaf designs. I'm so glad that I saved the instructions. I let a friend pick some out that she liked and with still having the instructions I can replace the ones I gave to her. Also now the instructions are photographed. Win! as they did suffer some damage. Don't know how or why the instructions are missing a piece. I saw these eggs in a magazine at a Dr.'s office and kept them in a desk for about 5 years before I finally made them. Also the one and only time I ever tore an article out of a magazine that didn't belong to me.  Sometimes I take things too seriously. 











Anyone please feel free to post something you made. It's probably unusual that I photograph so many things, but that's what I do.

[GratefulApe]

Nice.

Thanks Kusa, I try to keep busy.

[Meat]

I made this from a light pole that was hit by a car. Keeps fools out of my property for the most part. :D

[Kusa]

I worry about you Meat.

[Meat]

I worry about you Meat.

Why? I?m actually fairly stable. 

[GratefulApe]

I've tried my hand at Origami too. I've made a few of the flower kits. I give them away as gifts or give the kit away to others who want to try it. I really want to try the Origami Bonsai kit. It seems really hard though. The paper is beautiful in the Bonsai kit and it comes with a CD. It's probably way above my skill level at this point. I've had it for about 3 years. I'll probably give it a try some day. The flowers are fun to make as I can do it while watching television or listening to music, sitting on the sofa folding paper on top of a hard cover book.

[GratefulApe]

I made this too. It was on the side of my historic home in town. The left side of the garage was so bland.  They're made out of pallets. Gosh I never realized how many things I make of such vivid colors. I didn't have room to make the second blue one like in the original photo. I didn't keep these when I moved. I put them on my curb. I did keep the small pink one.




I copied it from this photo that I found on line.

[GratefulApe]

I can't believe the stuff I've found, re-purposed and kept record of. I sure have had fun doing it.

I found this piece of wood. Where else? on the curb. pretty sure it is a table leaf. I needed a table for my front porch at my historic home. I bought the plant stands at the Dollar store. I think they were 5 bucks a piece. I didn't even have to attach them they fit snugly and I flipped it over and was finished. I even found the green wooden furniture on the curb. I had to buy cushions but still a nice find.

[GratefulApe]

Here is the green furniture as I found it. I had to use some L brackets and new screws to  firm it up.




I also made some plant holders from some old light fixtures. This is how my front porch turned out with a lot of stuff found, re-purposed and put into place.

These globe light fixtures I took the hardware off of so they would sit flat. It also made a drain hole for watering the plants.







I had fun at that little house.

[GratefulApe]

I forgot the best part. A few days after I had my porch put together. I looked out the front door and this was on my little table. I still have no idea who left it there but I do know I needed to know what it said. It was a little plastic coffee cup with a Marigold planted in it.

[Emma286]

Pity those images are no longer showing up GA. Still, think those ideas sound cool.

Started tampering just a little with paper art stuff this year. Ended up making a small snowflake garland as a new year winter decoration (along with a few basic DIY decorative jars) this month - as sidn?t like the idea of leaving my room totally bare after taking down Xmas decs.








Got a couple of paper art books for Xmas, one of them an origami one. Planning to use at least some of the ideas later in the year - maybe around Spring time. Would like to try my hand at making some paper mache objects too - starting with some item holder bowls. There?s some cool ideas on TouTube and Pin Interest that I would like to try out!

[Emma286]

Also in the process of putting together a valentines card!

The paper i used for the card is actually acrylic pad (canvas textured) paper. I knitted the heart in the middle. The white ribbon for the bow at the top was shop brought (got it from a local Hobby Craft shop branch) but the black ribbon (that I used for the bow at the bottom) was something I found just lying around the house.

I was, originally, just going to use tin foil for the two letters on here. In the end though, I used a few sequins on top of it.

I used double sided tape to attach everything on the front of the card - except the plastic gems I used around the edge which are self adhesive.

[GratefulApe]

Very nice Emma. Your creativity is original.

[Emma286]

Many thanks GA, I appreciate that! :-)

[bad actor]

Nice work GA and Emma.

When I finally get a house with a garage, I will ATTEMPT to do some things. The patio of my apt. is too small and I don't think the neighbors wanna hear me sawing away at anything.

I see cool things by the dumpsters some times that would be good for re purposing... but I have a fear of bed bugs, so I leave it be.

[GratefulApe]

I turned this, that I found on the side of the road.




Into this. I gave it to my sister.





The picture doesn't do it justice. It had orange glitter paint.

[GratefulApe]

These were found at the church across from my dads house. I think they were remodeling the children's area. I still have them and might make more dragonflies out of the fan blades.




This is a purple one that I started and never finished. You can use old fan blades for the wings and a stair post or table leg for the body or cut out the wings with a jigsaw from any piece of wood and paint and decorate as needed. The orange one and the purple one I made a template for the wings and cut them out of scrap wood.

[GratefulApe]

I made about 30 of these OMG no wonder I want to get a job. I think I'm crazy............Hey Mooby welcome to the new crafting and religious discussion forum.

[Meat]

Nice work GA and Emma.

When I finally get a house with a garage, I will ATTEMPT to do some things. The patio of my apt. is too small and I don't think the neighbors wanna hear me sawing away at anything.

I see cool things by the dumpsters some times that would be good for re purposing... but I have a fear of bed bugs, so I leave it be.

Dumpster diving is great depending on the location. I love free. 

[GratefulApe]

Nice work GA and Emma.

When I finally get a house with a garage, I will ATTEMPT to do some things. The patio of my apt. is too small and I don't think the neighbors wanna hear me sawing away at anything.

I see cool things by the dumpsters some times that would be good for re purposing... but I have a fear of bed bugs, so I leave it be.

I never dumpster dive. We live in what's called a Historic Town. Seems many people put things on the curb to be picked up by others. Often it's just sitting there waiting for someone to pick it up. I've done it myself many times. I've even seen things that I have put on the curb for sale at the used furniture and furnishings store in town.

I will look in a box if it's on the curb but I don't dig deep. I've only bought two used pieces of upholstered furniture at a store. I would never pick up upholstered furniture from the curb. 

I could have a thread a mile long of the things I've found on the curb. Sometimes I give them away to people I know that need things. I knew an older man who had moved back to town separated from his long time mate. My sister and I helped him put together his new apartment. He needed a small kitchen table and two chairs. I already had picked up two chairs and they were in my garage and then I found a small table. Took it all over to him. He's a good friend.

[GratefulApe]

For @Meat

[GratefulApe]

Me.

[GratefulApe]

Here is a dresser that I found on the curb. It's I think from the 70's. The top grid is actually a drawer. It took me about a month to figure that out. lol. I didn't want to paint it because I would have chosen white again. It wasn't in bad shape all of the drawers worked. It's solid wood, it was missing the drawer pull on the bottom drawer and it was missing the paint in a large spot on the top so we just added to that already distressed part of the dresser. Someone had put a red piece of rope like material in order to use the bottom drawer. I had it in my garage at my historic home.  When I moved out of the historic home my son and his new wife moved into it. For her Birthday I helped my son clean it up, distress it and he bought new drawer pulls. It turned out ok. It was my first time distressing a piece of furniture. The Tomboy tag was the only thing that was in the dresser when I found it. They have it at their new apartment now and she really likes it. It really does look better in person. I love any furniture with those type legs on it. I think they're a mid century modern type leg. They are the original legs.

[GratefulApe]

I also knit. These are knitted dishcloths. It's a sort of mindless activity that I find relaxing. Haven't made any in a while because Buddha gets all of my yarn to play with. I can make one in a day. I give a lot away.

[Emma286]

Nice work GA and Emma.

When I finally get a house with a garage, I will ATTEMPT to do some things. The patio of my apt. is too small and I don't think the neighbors wanna hear me sawing away at anything.

I see cool things by the dumpsters some times that would be good for re purposing... but I have a fear of bed bugs, so I leave it be.

Many thanks Bad Actor! :-) Haha I know what you mean about neighbours being bothered by that kind of thing and bed bugs. I?d feel just the same as you I think.

What sorts of things have you noticed around that you thought might be good for repurposing? Is it possible to purchase any of them cheaply from anywhere?

[Emma286]

I also love paper art. I made these blown Easter eggs a few years back. I finished them off by buying Jewelry pieces. Chains and clasps for picking them up and end pieces to cover the hole. These were so much work. So many steps and the tiny cut outs to make the flower and leaf designs. I'm so glad that I saved the instructions. I let a friend pick some out that she liked and with still having the instructions I can replace the ones I gave to her. Also now the instructions are photographed. Win! as they did suffer some damage. Don't know how or why the instructions are missing a piece. I saw these eggs in a magazine at a Dr.'s office and kept them in a desk for about 5 years before I finally made them. Also the one and only time I ever tore an article out of a magazine that didn't belong to me.  Sometimes I take things too seriously. 











Anyone please feel free to post something you made. It's probably unusual that I photograph so many things, but that's what I do.

Thinking those look awesome GA! Great job and very pretty!

[Emma286]

I made about 30 of these OMG no wonder I want to get a job. I think I'm crazy............Hey Mooby welcome to the new crafting and religious discussion forum.

Really liking these too. Thinking you did a great job and they look very cute. :-) I?d give another upvote but unfortunately can?t due to the software system limits here. I take it they?re made out of felt?

Like the knitted dish cloths too. Coincidentally I was recently thinking of making something kind of similar - knitted mug coasters!

I am in the process of making my first junk journal! Well, a junk note book anyway - for daily to do task lists and shopping lists. Currently in the process of decorating the cover, then need to finish working out how to prepare and bind the signatures (meaning page sections). I may end up  tea and coffee staining some of the pages. I?m making it kind of horror movie themed with a hint of gothic like decor (as that?s just my personal taste). Once done, I?ll post a photo of it here!

[Emma286]

It?s a bit of a long story, but basically I ordered a card intended to be a congratulations card to my partner (with a little bit of a gothic look to it earlier in the week as he recently got some unexpected good news) and was slightly disappointed with it when I got it (probably my fault for not looking more carefully at the card information before I ordered it but even so). It was smaller than I expected it to be and had no kind of congratulations text anywhere.

So, again, I added some sparkly gems on the outside. I also added some ribbon to jazz it up. I printed off some congratulations text I found online and cut it out (from the piece of A4 paper I printed it off on)  in a kind of circle shape and glued it to part of the inside. I then added some gold and silver sequins around the edge of the paper.

I know it was cheating really. Doing a proper job of making the card would have involved making the card completely from scratch with my own card paper, art and text. I also didn?t do the best with trimming the ribbon used with a professional looking finish (as not very experienced here).

Still, hopefully I didn?t do too bad a job:

[GratefulApe]

Really liking these too. Thinking you did a great job and they look very cute. :-) I?d give another upvote but unfortunately can?t due to the software system limits here. I take it they?re made out of felt?

Like the knitted dish cloths too. Coincidentally I was recently thinking of making something kind of similar - knitted mug coasters!

I am in the process of making my first junk journal! Well, a junk note book anyway - for daily to do task lists and shopping lists. Currently in the process of decorating the cover, then need to finish working out how to prepare and bind the signatures (meaning page sections). I may end up  tea and coffee staining some of the pages. I?m making it kind of horror movie themed with a hint of gothic like decor (as that?s just my personal taste). Once done, I?ll post a photo of it here!

Thanks Emma on the owls. A friend and I made a bunch of them. I made mine and my sisters. My friend made hers and we all had a table top Christmas tree that was all owls. They were fun to make. I like the process of organizing and streamlining the pieces and parts. I also love almost anything made of felt. 

Love the idea of a junk notebook. Reminds me of the Sketchbook project.





Also been thinking about how you said you wanted to do paper mache. That sounds really fun.

[GratefulApe]

Now this is what I call pallett art. My niece made this. She used chalk paint. Then I bought it from her for my DIL.

[GratefulApe]

It?s a bit of a long story, but basically I ordered a card intended to be a congratulations card to my partner (with a little bit of a gothic look to it earlier in the week as he recently got some unexpected good news) and was slightly disappointed with it when I got it (probably my fault for not looking more carefully at the card information before I ordered it but even so). It was smaller than I expected it to be and had no kind of congratulations text anywhere.

So, again, I added some sparkly gems on the outside. I also added some ribbon to jazz it up. I printed off some congratulations text I found online and cut it out (from the piece of A4 paper I printed it off on)  in a kind of circle shape and glued it to part of the inside. I then added some gold and silver sequins around the edge of the paper.

I know it was cheating really. Doing a proper job of making the card would have involved making the card completely from scratch with my own card paper, art and text. I also didn?t do the best with trimming the ribbon used with a professional looking finish (as not very experienced here).

Still, hopefully I didn?t do too bad a job:

I think it's awesome! has all of that texture and different elements. It looks vintage. I love how you freestyle. 

[GratefulApe]

I just noticed how you put those black gems in the arch and finished by adding them to the Owls chest. The Owl looks sophisticated.

[bad actor]

Nice work GA and Emma.

When I finally get a house with a garage, I will ATTEMPT to do some things. The patio of my apt. is too small and I don't think the neighbors wanna hear me sawing away at anything.

I see cool things by the dumpsters some times that would be good for re purposing... but I have a fear of bed bugs, so I leave it be.

Many thanks Bad Actor! :-) Haha I know what you mean about neighbours being bothered by that kind of thing and bed bugs. I?d feel just the same as you I think.

What sorts of things have you noticed around that you thought might be good for repurposing? Is it possible to purchase any of them cheaply from anywhere?

Oh, it could be anything. I don't worry about cheap particle board type furniture or things like that. But, if it's quality wood and built well then it's hard to leave.

People donate all kinds of stuff to thrift stores here. I have a buddy who checks a few of the stores weekly for stuff.

[GratefulApe]

I repurposed this. It's a mens dresser valet. I guess in times before a man would put his wallet, keys, change and stuff in it. I use it for my phone. It's made of solid Walnut. I got the idea because I found a mid century modern mens dressing valet on the curb. It was the type that had the seat where you could sit down and also had a hanger for hanging up your suit coat. I tried finding that one online to see the age of it and ran across this dresser valet. I bid on it on e-bay and got it for 1.40. It works well I even have the charger cord hooked to an extension cord that is hidden under the chair but comes up beside it to charge my phone. It looks like it could use some oil. I've had it about 3 years.

[GratefulApe]

Repurposed this door and this table that I found on the curb. The door is the first thing I found when I lived at the historic home in town. The day I went to start working on pulling up the carpet and tearing down the wall paper. I found it and carried by its door handle to the garage. Approx 1.5 years later I used it at my sons wedding in our yard. I also used the table that I found on the curb at the wedding. It held a box that they put their wedding vows in. They got married in front of the table.

[Emma286]

Thanks Emma on the owls. A friend and I made a bunch of them. I made mine and my sisters. My friend made hers and we all had a table top Christmas tree that was all owls. They were fun to make. I like the process of organizing and streamlining the pieces and parts. I also love almost anything made of felt. 

Love the idea of a junk notebook. Reminds me of the Sketchbook project.



Also been thinking about how you said you wanted to do paper mache. That sounds really fun.

No worries on the owls! :-) And think that's a cool idea for a Christmas tree/thanks for including that video link!

Yeah...I was really starting to get into the idea of junk journals. And trying out paper mache stuff was also on my list of creative things to start doing this year! However, it's unexpectedly happened that I've moved house very recently! What with everything I've still yet to sort out relating to that (along with other current ongoing stuff I need to keep on top of), it means that I've had to put all of that on hold for now. :-( Still, hopefully, later in the year (when things have settled down more) I'll get more of a chance to at least finish off the junk journal I've started to make (and maybe make at least one or two others) and also give some simple paper mache stuff a whirl!

Anyways, am glad that you like the sound of junk journal and paper mache object making. If you have the time/can, definitely recommend looking further into it all. There's certainly plenty of info to be found online.

Many thanks for your positive words on the card!

[Emma286]

Oh, it could be anything. I don't worry about cheap particle board type furniture or things like that. But, if it's quality wood and built well then it's hard to leave.

People donate all kinds of stuff to thrift stores here. I have a buddy who checks a few of the stores weekly for stuff.

Ah, got you!

[GratefulApe]

No worries on the owls! :-) And think that's a cool idea for a Christmas tree/thanks for including that video link!

Yeah...I was really starting to get into the idea of junk journals. And trying out paper mache stuff was also on my list of creative things to start doing this year! However, it's unexpectedly happened that I've moved house very recently! What with everything I've still yet to sort out relating to that (along with other current ongoing stuff I need to keep on top of), it means that I've had to put all of that on hold for now. :-( Still, hopefully, later in the year (when things have settled down more) I'll get more of a chance to at least finish off the junk journal I've started to make (and maybe make at least one or two others) and also give some simple paper mache stuff a whirl!

Anyways, am glad that you like the sound of junk journal and paper mache object making. If you have the time/can, definitely recommend looking further into it all. There's certainly plenty of info to be found online.

Many thanks for your positive words on the card!

Yeah, I moved house too. I put a lot of stuff on hold but I did keep a lot of stuff like tools, hardware, and building materials, metal, wood, anything galvanized. I've since started collecting again. I swear stuff just finds me. lol I can't say no to some stuff.

When we moved house It was around last Easter and I had gotten out my hand blown and decorated eggs and my good friend was here. I was so confused with all the stuff we owned and the move that I gave her some of the eggs. When I told her to take some. In my mind I was thinking "but not those two" as I had 2 favorites. Well wouldn't you know those were the two she took. So I noticed this easter that she didn't even use them. I quietly and respectfully asked her for them back. She laughed at me and said "so you want the eggs back" lol she gave them back so now I have my original 13 that I made. Today they go back into my basement storage tucked away for next year.

Here are the two she gave back to me.




That makes 13, a baker's dozen. Keep creating. :)

[GratefulApe]

May try to repurpose this or rather clean it up and use it. Found it on the curb. Needs a good cleaning. I found it about 10 days ago. This is me looking in it for the first time. I might try to power wash it. It's got some tools in it. The bottom drawer is a swing open.

[kevin]

lol

does that ancient sabre saw work? those have been made of plastic for insulation for about 40 years

[GratefulApe]

lol

does that ancient sabre saw work? those have been made of plastic for insulation for about 40 years

I dont know what a sabre saw is. I think its an old jigsaw and an old staple gun. I like the stuff in the thing but i dont really need the cabinet.i could try mmaking some tool box flower planters lol

[GratefulApe]

I havent taken anything out of it yet.

[kevin]

sabre saw

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fssli.ebayimg.com%2Fimages%2Fg%2FN2MAAOSwHPxZyCS-%2Fs-l640.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fp%2FVintage-Craftsman-Sears-100-Sabre-Jig-Saw-Model-315-279815317-Original%2F1824587311&docid=dKx3ncslUSWYMM&tbnid=HADpKP55JHQuJM%3A&vet=10ahUKEwj2ta6vmfLaAhWviOAKHam5DhAQMwh6KBQwFA..i&w=640&h=480&client=ms-android-verizon&bih=280&biw=640&q=sabre%20saw%20vintage&ved=0ahUKEwj2ta6vmfLaAhWviOAKHam5DhAQMwh6KBQwFA&iact=mrc&uact=8

jig saws usually have a table and are stationary, but people mix them up. sometimes they call them chop saws maybe

[GratefulApe]

jig saws usually have a table and are stationary, but people mix them up. sometimes they call them chop saws maybe

A jigsaw isn't stationary. A table saw or a band saw is. A jigsaw is a saw you use to move across the wood to cut out shapes and curves.

[kevin]

well, remember i said people use the terms interchangeably. this is a traditional jigsaw. people also call them scroll saws. the blade moves up and down like a handheld sabre saw, not on an axle or around pulleys.



names for tools change all the time, and in different places.

this a mole wrench in britain and australia:



ring spanner in britain, box end wrench in america:



in australia this is a shifta, in sctoland a shifter. in south africa its a bahco. in british theater work, it's a AJ:



in america these are monkey wrenches, but they used to be called coach wrenches. and the scots call them bahcos as well.



tools are named for all sorts of weird reasons.

[GratefulApe]

well, remember i said people use the terms interchangeably. this is a traditional jigsaw. people also call them scroll saws. the blade moves up and down like a handheld sabre saw, not on an axle or around pulleys.



names for tools change all the time, and in different places.

I see what you're saying. Coll saw! I've seen one of those before can't remember where. It looks like a saw for making small wooden items like trinket boxes, inlaid. Maybe small wooden clock parts, jewelry.

[kevin]

for making jigsaw puzzles too.

jig saws and scroll saws and sabre saws are like cutting dikes and sidecutters.

there are real differences in some tools that people mix up, like reed-prince and phillips screwdrivers, or pipe wrenches and stillson wrenches. but mostly you just call them by what the people next to you call them.

there's also different terms for standards used in different places, especially with nuts and bolts, threads and head diameters. people use those interchangeably as well.

look that jigsaw over carefully for frayed wires. they went to double insulated plastic-bodied tools about 40 years ago because an internal short or one in the cord can shock you through the housing. so if the cord is worn, put on a new one. i have some old power tools made of aluminum that i still use.

[GratefulApe]

Finally re purposed this thing. It was left here when the house was bought. It's very well made out of solid wood. It was a built in type thing and had a headboard for a bed that went with it. My DIL is putting together another bedroom and she needed bedside tables.

The headboard was put on the burn pile last fall and the built ins ended up in the basement. Now they will be put to use.

[GratefulApe]

I've made 3 of these. I kept 2 and gave one to my best friend. Make them out of scrap wood. The red table stand I found on the curb. It goes well outside on the back porch. I think I'll leave it alone for now.

[GratefulApe]

Repurposed a summer plant.

[Emma286]

Repurposed a summer plant.

Cool stuff! :-)

[Emma286]

Made these to decorate the house for Halloween. I crocheted the pumpkins (and used cotton wool balls as stuffing for them) and ghosts. I used felt, cotton balls (for stuffing) and made the voodoo doll out the same kind of stuffing, felt, embroidery floss and used a spare button for one of the eyes!