Upcycling an Old Rocking Chair to Bench

A while ago, I found this broken rocking chair at the curb and I knew it had potential. It’s been sitting in the garage for way too long and it was totally in my way so I decided to throw it away -tomorrow or so. And when I made that decision, I finally came up with the idea of turning it into a bench. I didn’t really have a plan, I rather went from one step to the next, hoping to...
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Upcycled Wine Bottles

Today, I made something out of old wine bottles. Maybe someone else came up with this idea before me, but I think it’s a great and unique one. Earlier, I turned empty beer bottles (Shiner beer, yum!) into hanging vases -and someone came up with this before me, too, as I found out later! So here’s what I did… Recycle wine first (that’s the best part), then use the bottles...
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We Don’t Need Earth Day

Earth day is coming up this weekend and I actually couldn’t care less about it. Do we really need a theme or a specific day to celebrate earth? Common sense please! While on the one hand, it’s nice to raise some awareness to stop malicious destruction of our planet. Because it seems like the majority hasn’t heard how we (the ones on top of the food chain) kill our own and only...
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Upcycling a Street-Find: a Dresser!

I am very excited about my latest find. On my way to the chiropractor, I passed a house that had this cute little dresser on the curb. Thanks people!! I am so happy I am driving my new (used) Subaru and I don’t have to guess whether it fits into my car or not… My old 3-series BMW was a problem, I had to leave so many treasures behind just because they didn’t fit inside. I took...
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My Latest Upcycled Projects

The last couple of days have been filled with picking up scrap wood at construction sites, building stuff, painting and getting ready for my next shows. I am so excited about all the cute stuff I made and that will (hopefully) find a new home this weekend. Here’s a slide show of some of the things I made this week from scrap to upcycled home...
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What to Make With an Old Window Frame

No, I did not make a square hula hoop out of the old window frame… I always get so excited when I drive along the streets and find stuff that screams at me “no I don’t want to end up in the landfills, rescue me!”. The ugliest things get my attention because I see their value; I would say that 80% of what most people throw away could be reused, up- or recycled in some way....
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Upcycling Quiz: What Did I Make?

Recently, I have been extremely busy with all kinds if upcycling projects because the next flea market is coming up soon! But I do hope to be kissed by the muse soon (and make time) to paint with oil -running out of canvas, gotta build some more first. So, here’s a window frame that I picked up along the street last week. Now guess, what did I make out of it?! My artist friend Therese said:...
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Einen Stuhl restaurieren, Teil 1

Vor ein paar Tagen habe ich dieses Prachtstück am Straßenrand aufgesammelt -ich wundere mich immer wieder wie verschwenderisch die Menschen mit Sachen umgehen. Es gibt wirklich genügend Organisationen, wo man seine Sachen spenden kann, aber einfach achtlos wegwerfen? Des öfteren entrümple ich unser Zuhause auch aber ich glaube ich habe noch nie etwas weggeworfen, was noch jemand gebrauchen...
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I Need Your HELP: Which Fabric Should I Choose?

HELP! I picked up this chair yesterday and I am restoring it, now I need your help. Which fabric should I use? I am kind of tempted to use the flowers but not sure… I am upholstering tomorrow, so I’d need your suggestions by then! Ok, here’s all the pictures (note how I squeezed that thing into my car -definitely need something bigger): I sanded the chair (not done yet) and I...
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Upcycling Project Kids Rocking Chair

Did I say I am not going to upholster again? I guess I did it again. My last chair was such a frustrating project that I decided this was it, no more. It’s only been a few weeks but I guess enough time had passed to forget how much I got annoyed by the project. This time, I have a small kids’ rocking chair, its backrest was broken and the fabric outdated. It used to be my...
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Stylish Winter Decoration On A Budget

When it comes to decorating the house, I am always in favor of change! I usually change the decoration every couple of weeks, rearrange furniture, artwork and just love to move things around. And sometimes, I do a little too much and the house looks a little cluttered with all the pretty things I like to put on display. Then I know it’s time to get started again and clean up, remove some...
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Upcycling Project: Upholstering a Garage Sale Find

My latest garage sale find: a new chair for my studio. Well, not new but used -kind of new for me. My friend Elisabeth had a garage sale and while I decided to come by and give her some support, I immediately fell in love with this chair. I tried it on (sat in it) and it was so comfy that I had to have it. The office chair I have been using almost fell apart and I needed three pillows to not hit...
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