Get into the holiday spirit with these easy peasy DIY holiday decorating ideas that you can put together in less than an afternoon. All that’s needed are some household items destined to be repurposed and little creativity.

10 Repurposed Holiday Decorating Ideas

1. Origami Wrapping Paper Ornaments – Leftover wrapping paper from holidays from years past is perfect to repurpose into origami ornaments.

2. Yoga Mat Door Mat – Have an extra yoga mat? Turn a yoga mat into a holiday-themed doormat with a box cutter, some spray paint, and letter stencils to spell out a holiday welcome.

3. Jar Light Displays – Repurpose glass jars into a festive light display with battery-powered mini LED string lights. Group a collection of jars for a seasonal light display centerpiece for your holiday gathering.

4. Mobile Tree – Using a large round embroidery hoop, tie strands of textiles and festive sewing notions like rickrack, glitter yarn and more for a low-maintenance “tree”. Add metallic holiday bulb ornaments for extra points.

5. Cardboard Tree – Anyone with pets will tell you that a Christmas tree can be tricky. Instead of worrying about the tree getting brought down by the cats, repurpose cardboard into a festive tree with a little creative spirit.

6. Fabric Advent Calendar – Repurpose textiles headed for the scrap bin into a DIY advent calendar with a little sewing know-how. Cut out shapes (star, circle, diamond) using a cardboard stencil. Sew two pieces of fabric together and stuff with batting. Add numbers with glitter paint. Use clothespins to hang from some Bakers’ twine for a homemade holiday countdown.

7. DIY Snow Globes – Mason jars that have seen one too many canning seasons (the jars do weaken from repeated use) can be repurposed into snow globes. Super Glue a holiday tchotchke on the bottom of the jar and fill it with a little glycerin, water, and glitter (the glycerin should keep the glitter from clumping).

8. Sheet Christmas Tree – Not into the whole bringing a live tree in the house or putting up a fake tree? Instead make a tree from a sheet (or tablecloth, bedspread, or another textile) that has gotten a little dingy. Use fabric dye to color the fabric green and then cut out a tree shape. Hang the tree from a curtain and use spray starch if needed.

9. Tiered Glassware and Plate Centerpiece – Repurpose glassware and plates that you might be giving to the thrift store into a tiered display centerpiece. Use Super Glue or epoxy to affix the glass to the plates. Add pine boughs, succulents, or votive with tealights to create a lovely DIY holiday centerpiece.

10. Cookie Cutter Ornaments – Don’t toss out those old cookie cutters! Instead, add a little spray paint and twine to create super easy DIY holiday ornaments.

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Get your repurposing on and make some alternative flower vases to keep those summer blooms around all season long.

Turn your home into a flowery paradise by repurposing everyday objects into functional and decorative flower vases. Most of these suggestions can be found around your house, in the recycling bin, or at thrift or yard sales (another fun summertime activity).

7 Repurposed Flower Vases

1. Mason Jars

Mason jars can easily be repurposed into flower vases with very little effort. Of course, you will want to zhoosh your jars up a bit and the ideas are almost infinite. Try decoupaging vintage wrapping paper onto the jars, wrapping them in colorful yarn, or dip dying them with leftover paint. If you are super ambitious, you can also draw on them using glass paint markers, paint them with chalkboard paint, or wrap them in fabric.

2. Glass Bottles/Jars

By the same token, glass jars, whether from your kitchen or sourced at thrift or vintage stores (think old glass milk or soda bottles) make for easy vessels for your posies.

3. Mugs and Teacups

Every wondered what to do with chipped mugs and teacups? Turn them in to easy flower vases. There’s no need to toss them in the trash, instead use them as decorative holders for the wildflowers you collected. One idea is to create a stunning centerpiece by floating peony blooms in a collection of teacups.

4. Tea Tins

Whether you drink tea or not, it’s possible to find pretty new and vintage tea tins at flea markets, yard sales, and vintage stores. They can vary in size, depending on whether they held loose or bagged tea, and make for lovely repurposed vases. In fact, any tins that you come can be repurposed into flower vase with virtually no effort.

5. Martini/Wine Glasses

One creative way to display blooms is in martini or wine glasses and thrift stores are usually full of wine and other glasses. Keep them pristine or decorate them with paint or paint markers.

6. Paint Cans

Repurpose paint cans to hold your bouquets and be a super re-user. If there is any paint left in the can, make sure to dispose of it properly. Peel off the label and DIY away. Paint the cans using an ombre effect, dip the bottom of the can in glitter, or paint the can using natural items found on your nature walks. The limit is your imagination.

7. Cement Vases

It’s actually fairly easy to whip up your own cement vases. Simply make up some cement mix and use milk cartons, water bottles and other recyclables as molds.

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Reuse and recycle some of the most commonly thrown out items with these repurposing ideas for around your home.

You know the old saying “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”, but it’s never truer than when referring to repurposing items destined for the landfill or recycling center into practical, functional or decorative objects. No matter what it is being thrown out–whether it’s an old bathtub used as a flower bed or old clothing turned into a patchwork quilt–there are repurposing ideas for all of them.

So, what are some of the most commonly thrown out items and clever repurposing ideas for each of them?

Repurposing Ideas

1. Glass Bottles – Whether it’s beer bottles or vinegar bottles, we all end up with lots of glass bottles in the recycling bin. Repurpose them into drinking glasses, vases and more.
2. Wine Cork Repurposing Ideas – Regular wine drinkers end up with a lot of corks, but what to do with them? They can be repurposed into coasters, cool wall art, planters and more.
3. Repurposing Ideas for Cans – Even if you are trying to reduce the amount of food you purchase in aluminum cans, you still seem to end up with them anyway. Turn those cans into planters, vases, utensil holders, candle holders, garden lights and more.
4. Cardboard Tube Projects – You may have sworn off using paper towels, but toilet paper and those leftover cardboard tubes are a part of our lives. They are actually quite useful and can be made into all kinds of cool decorative art projects from wall art to cardboard flowers. They also make useful cord storage holders.
5. Cardboard Boxes – We all know you can give a kid or a cat a cardboard box and they will be content for days, but there are some really fun ways to repurpose cardboard boxes–like a cardboard guitar, a kitty house, a ball maze and more.
6. Recycled Paper Projects – Whether old magazines, junk mail, wrapping paper, old work or school reports we all have so much paper that needs recycled. Repurposing ideas include making your own envelopes, garlands, cake toppers, coasters and door wreaths.
7. Egg Carton Ideas – Turn those egg cartons into biodegradable seed planters, flower lights, DIY fire starters and more.
8. Plastic Dishwasher Tab Container – If you use a dishwasher and use those dishwasher tabs, turn the plastic dishwasher tab container into a trash receptacle for your car.

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Image:  girlingearstudio

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Looking to update your kitchen decor or add some organizational touches, then consider do-it-yourself repurposing ideas and projects.

Repurposing is a great way to reuse items destined for the landfill or recycling bin. You can also repurpose thrift store, estate sale or yard sale finds for way less money than purchasing new. That’s not to mention that repurposing can keep you out of that cycle of conspicuous consumption, which is a way better choice for the planet. DIY repurposing is also one way to get truly one-of-a-kind decor  for kitchen to wow your guests and to increase your kitchen functionality.

Whether reusing items from the kitchen or creating repurposing projects for the kitchen, inspiration is always the first step. Here are some great repurposing ideas to get you started.

9 Kitchen Repurposing Ideas for the Kitchen

1. Shutter Plate Rack – Need more storage space for your dishes? Try turning an old shutter into a plate shelving rack.
2. Dresser Island – Always wanted a kitchen island? You can make your own from repurposing an old dresser.
3. Muffin Magazine Rack – Repurpose an outdated magazine rack into useful muffin and baking sheet storage.
4. Ladder Pot Rack – Either hang or lean an older ladder as a pot rack.
5. Painted Coffee Cans – Simply paint coffee cans and use them for everything from utensil holders to vases.
6. Test Tube Spice Storage – For all you scientist out there, repurpose those test tubes into something a little spicy.
7. Food Pantry Armoire – Need more food pantry storage? Transform an armoire needing a little love into a practical food storage cabinet.
8. Highchair Cookbook Storage – Need some handy storage for all your cookbooks? Repurpose an unused highchair into a bookshelf.
9. Teacup Lights – Create pretty teacup lights with vintage teacups and light bulb bases and cords. Some handiness required.
10. Tea Tin Herb Garden – Give your tea tins a new life as pretty herb garden containers.
11. Tiered Fruit Stand – Give new life to old aluminum thrift store colanders and cake pans as a tiered kitchen stands.

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Top Image: thekitchendesigner.org

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Let’s get creative, folks! As the summer months are racing to the finish line (slow down already, for the love of ice pops and flip flops, sheesh!), don’t spend them in the garden of boring. To end your craft-tastic summer with a fun bang, we’ve rounded up our list of planter ideas using some of the most funky and unusual items we could find. Martha Stewart would be so proud!

Funky Planter Ideas

1. Old Floppy Disk Planter

Listen, technology isn’t just digital anymore and floppy disks are not obsolete, contrary to what you may have been told. You can prove it to all of  your pals too by making some of these quirky little floppy disk planters. Who’s the smarty-pants now?? This is a fantastic way to reuse an old object that would otherwise be tossed out for the cooler, sleeker, keychain-size USB stick. All you really need to make them is glue and maybe a small square box if you need a guide to build around. So floppies, don’t cry! You still serve an important purpose… On a sunny windowsill next to someone’s brand new MacBook.

2. Mini Cork Magnet Planter

Now we’re not trying to condone excess drinking over the weekend (or are we?). Really though, think about it for a minute. After a grueling work-week, you know you’re going to let loose with your ladies and probably get a little friendly with one or three bottles of wine. Instead of throwing out all your cork tops from weekends current and past, hang on to ‘em and recycle them into little homes for some baby succulents! Glue a magnet onto them and VOILA! Your refrigerator just got a whole lot snazzier. You can now justify drinking like a fish because you’re playing your renewable part in society.

3. French Press Terrarium

Where are all the coffee lovers at?! This one’s for you. Nothing like a good cup of joe to get those inventive juices flowing, are we right? French presses are the bomb-dot-com, so why stifle their amazingness by just utilizing them for coffee! Spread a little whimsy in your kitchen by creating a teeny, tiny, enchanted world for your countertop.

4. Repurposed Dresser Planter

Instead of growing a wardrobe, give back to Mother Nature and let your garden grow. Repurposing an old dresser for gardening is definitely one of the most unusual items used as a planter, but so lovely when done right! Finding a used dresser is pretty easy too. See if your neighbors are chucking any treasures or scour a local antique shop. Sand it, paint it, re-finish it, the design approaches are endless. You’re bound to stumble upon one fit for a fashionable fairy princess.

5. Retro Stereo Planter

Get all “Fresh Prince of Bel Air” with yourself and break out that boombox to bump some flowery beats. Hell, the idea of a boombox used as a planter makes us want to get all “Carlton Banks” with ourselves, how about you? Whoever it was that imagined this grand idea, we seriously commend you. Stereos are certainly unusual items used as planters, but we’re sure glad that some talented genius could potentially be saving hundreds of these archaic gems from littering landfills where they can now instead sing some sweet sustainable tunes.

6. Gumball Machine Terrarium

Terrariums are too cool so we had to throw another one on the list. Let your inner child get its hands dirty by transforming a simple gumball machine into a mini sphere of life. Gumball machines are the absolute perfect size and shape, inexpensive, and relatively easy to find. However, we don’t recommended stealing candy from a baby, catch our drift? That would just be mean. So trade your sweet tooth for a green thumb! You’ll be so glad you did.

So much DIY, so little summer left! So hop to it and start getting crafty! What are your favorite planter ideas?

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Images via Pinterest

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Hong Kong based upcycling brand, Lastbutnotleast, is stepping up to the plate to take a swing against mass production, inferior quality, and unethical working conditions with their inventive upcycled clothing ideas.

Today it’s almost too easy to go to a chain retail store and find an article of clothing for super cheap. You can find an item such as a shirt for as little as five or ten dollars. Fast fashion is an obscene epidemic the industry and more upcycled clothing ideas like Lastbutnotleast are changing the way we view fashion.

The dedicated enthusiast behind this movement is fashion designer, Toby Lam, who has observed the fashion industry first hand with all of its skeletons hiding in the closet. Lam’s dream of a happy marriage between style and sustainability became a reality in 2013 with Lastbutnotleast. The purpose of Lastbutnotleast is to not only present fun, new upcycled clothing ideas, but to also raise awareness of how dangerous fast fashion is to us and our environment and shed light on the unfortunate practices in the industry. There must be a better way to handle clothing that’s either old, no longer a trend, or damaged, and Lastbutnotleast is showing us how.

Clothing items that no longer serve a current purpose can be sent to Lastbutnotleast with the person’s new and refreshed idea for the garment. Lastbutnotleast will offer design sources and then go through the brainstorming process. With a deposit, a sketch of the new look is made and once the client gives consent, alterations can begin. Then VOILA! Just like that, you have a top that was formerly a pair of pants!

Lastbutnotleast’s upcycled clothing ideas are always unconventional and uncommon, in the coolest ways of course. It can take anything and transform it into something completely unfathomable. Shirts become pants, pants become a dress, you name it and it can be done just like magic. No fabric or material is ever wasted either. Any leftover scraps are constructed into added details on a garment.

Bringing the attention back to the concept of fast fashion for a moment, mass produced items that come at a cost of enslaving human beings, torturing our animal friends, and trashing our planet is outright inconceivable and unacceptable. Is there really even a point to buying a $9.99 top that will be worn once and then tossed in the garbage to sit in a landfill for years? Is it okay to force someone against their will to stitch labels for over half the day with just a few coins as compensation? Why are beautiful, innocent animals being abused or killed for human vanity? Think about it.

Through the efforts of Lastbutnotleast, we are given an opportunity to start turning things around for our earth and our future while supporting a small business. We need to start considering the fact that if we don’t stand up for the sustainability of our world, we will exist in a very dim factory-like environment. Lastbutnotleast has come to us at the perfect time to help us protect our surroundings, our animals, and our people.

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Image via Lastbutnotleast

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Despite valiant attempts to extend the life of our electronics, eventually they pass the point of no return and bite the dust. Environmental responsibility prevents us from dumping them in the trash to be carted off to the local landfill (thank goodness), but what do we do with them? The National Center for Electronics Recycling (NCER) has some answers.

NCER, an organization responsible for tracking such things, claims that “except for California, every [electronics recycling] program tracked by the NCER saw a per capita increase between 5 and 50 percent.” In other words, people appear willing to recycle old or broken answering machines, computers, printers, monitors, TVs, and so on if they know where to dump the stuff.

Many larger cities and towns have “e-cycling” programs in place with standard pick-up or drop-off times each month for residents who want to clean out the attic or garage of the wiry junk they’re not using. If your township doesn’t have a standing schedule, NCER still might be able to hook you up. Enter your zip code the homepage of its website to get the 411 on local recycling centers in your area.

To get a broader overview of the e-cycling process, click around the website and check out some of the links. For instance, there are two main ways to recycle electronics. The first involves manually dismantling each product and re-purposing the components whenever possible. Oddly, the second method is to simply shred them in a giant machine. Who knew?

Just about any type of electronic product can be recycled, but if it’s old cell phones you’re trying to get rid of there might be a better way than dropping off wherever old toasters go to die. Consider donating them to Verizon Wireless’ HopeLine to be updated, fixed, and given to victims of domestic abuse.

Image: Extra Ketchup

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Judge these belt buckles by their covers and all you’ll come up with is a serious case of eco, clever and fun. And maybe an urge to go to the library.

I’m a serious book lover, and these one-of-a-kind Literary Belt Buckles are too cute for words.

I call them the bookworm’s belt buckle because each one is made using a small part of the covers of various vintage library books – books long forgotten, discarded and headed right for your nearest landfill.

There’s the Studious Boy buckle and the Pediatric Nursing Textbook buckle. My favorite is the Firefly buckle (shown).

The cover images are set in pewter and protected with a thick layer of resin. Each buckle measures 2 ½” by 3 ¼” and fits a 1 ½” or 1 ¾” belt.

Maxine, Dear is the brainchild behind these buckles, which are yet another example of going green by resurrecting the old into something new and useful. Bravo!

Find your favorite buckle online for $32 at Rare Device or Maxine, Dear’s Etsy store.

via Poppytalk

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I’ve always identified with the simple beauty of neoplasticism. And, it is this appreciation that has inspired me to embellish my walls with Mondrian, Doesburg and Bolotowsky prints. Well, in my dreams anyway. Fortunately, I can give my pad a geometric makeover with some of the looks from Brave Space Design. These skilled designers hold the corner on modern furniture, and we’ve raved before about their unique Light Block, modish Hollow Dining Chair and colorful Tetrad Shelving. Here’s one more to add to the wishlist: the Prism Stool. Made from repurposed walnut, this sharp piece is a stunning myriad of various shapes and hues. (Available at Brave Space Design for $795.)

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What’s a girl to put on her fingers if diamonds or their counterparts are off-limits or out of her budget? All kinds of green options exist to glam our hands without gouging the environment or supporting civil warfare – from vintage to recycled to reused to repurposed.

The jewels created by Los Angeles designer Amanda Loos are all that and more. Her company is called KYYOTE (pronounced Kai-oat) and her pieces are unique, dramatic and architectural with a twist of the natural, but you won’t find a stitch of granola here.

Loos uses found objects, recycled and rescued woods, vintage fabrics and plastics, humanely harvested and organic feathers, as well as all natural and non-toxic sealing oils and dyes. Each KYYOTE piece is hand-crafted, simple and divinely inspired by Loss’ commitment to caring for the planet. And for each piece she sells, she plants two trees via Trees for the Future.

I’m a fan of simple and sophisticated so the Admiral ring ($218) is currently on my most wanted radar. Made from rescued purpleheart and rosewood with vintage bakelite plastic, it’s smooth surface and graphic components remind me of a Mondrian. Contact KYYOTE for more information and to purchase.

Her designs also include jewels for the ear, neck and soon, the wrist – which means more eco-eye candy for more parts of the body.

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