What do You Make-Re-purpose-Craft

[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!