Proud momma annam42 over at Craftster designed and built her daughter this finely crafted custom kitchen using salvaged cardboard and contact paper. Added touches such as hot and cold water taps, a recessed baking pan sink and a working oven … Read More...
Bottle Cap Beads
Accent your next beading project with Cathy Collison’s bottle cap beads. These shiny hollow beauties, sold individually, are made with lead-free solder and feature nearly 70 of your favorite soda pop and beer varieties, from the common Coke to … Read More...
Upcycled Vintage Record Room Divider
Room dividers can provide privacy as well as transform any space into a cozy space. Stars of the DIY network show “Creative Juice” Cathie Filian and Steve Piacenza created a divine divider by hanging old LPs from chain. Alternatively, the … Read More...
Vintage Dictionary Pins
Suzanna Scott of Sushipot Art Objects has a keen eye and penchant for vintage illustrations, typography and — really — anything old. “My inspirations come from…all things old, chipped, cracked, worn, dusty, used, found, buried, designed, loved, pieced, intricate, aged … Read More...
Bread Bag Choker
Who knew wrapping a bread bag around your neck would be so fashionable? Garbage of Eden Design at Etsy offers some fabulous trash-to-treasure items, including this bread bag choker, which was made by tightly wrapping a colorful bread bag onto … Read More...
Felted Jewelry
Lightweight and lovely describe the jewelry created by pagano designworks, who makes earrings and necklaces from recycled sweater felt. The shop’s featured earring sets are adorable sandwiches of various-colored felt, and all of the jewelry seems to be finely constructed … Read More...
Upcycled Board Game – Monopoly Chair
Game board enthusiasts will go gaga over this Monopoly-themed chair, which was an entry created by SewIn2Disney for the latest Craftster Challenge, “Super Ugly to Super Awesome.” The artist completely refurbished a throw-away chair with a Monopoly pillow form and … Read More...
Recycled LP Vinyl Record Handbag
Craftster features a number of vinyl record mini totes, including this rendition. Unlike so many other record recycling projects, this purse doesn’t require you to heat the vinyl, but it does require a power tool or two. Although it’s … Read More...
Arizona Tea Jewelry
Don’t you love it when half the work is already done for you? I’ve seen a smattering of jewelry made from beautiful Arizona tea can artwork, and Etsy member Little Libelle (so far) has filled her entire shop will Arizona … Read More...
Etsy Trashion Sale
The Etsy Trashion street team is hosting Save the World Sunday, a major sale event and celebration of all things recycled and handmade. The first Sunday was yesterday, Nov. 25, but you still have next Sunday, Dec. 2, to enjoy … Read More...
Upcycled Wallpaper Journal
Ever wonder what wallpaper outlets do with their giant books of wallpaper samples? Unless the store owners are packrats, they toss them out when the wallpaper manufacturers send them new books. I love heatherlea’s simple wallpaper journal, which has a … Read More...
Circuit Board Creations
Whether you embrace the inner geek in you or not, you’re sure to appreciate (new Etsy member) Debby Arem‘s jewelry, magnets, office supplies and accessories made from used circuit boards. I’m especially fond of her sun catchers, which she … Read More...
Salt-and-Pepper – Recycled Film Canisters
Although upcycling empty film canisters may soon be a thing of the past, here’s a sweet-and-simple modern take on salt and pepper shakers made from canisters. They’re available from the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) store for $35, but — … Read More...
Make a Homer Doughnut
Dadcando.com is a site dedicated to fathers, especially single fathers and non-resident fathers who have contact with their children. The site includes lots of hands-on practical projects that dads can cook, make and do with their kids (although it’s not … Read More...
Super Ugly to Super Awesome
This month’s Craftster Challenge once again caters to the mind and talents of the recycled crafter: The Super Ugly to Super Awesome Challenge asks that you spend $20 or less at a second-hand store on a super-tacky, super-ugly, super-revolting object … Read More...
Connect Four Photo Framer
Steven James, owner of macaroni and glitter, created a charming Connect Four Photo Frame and Calendar for Craftster’s monthly challenge of transforming an old board game into something new. (Alas, this wasn’t the winning entry, but it is in … Read More...
A New Kind of Bottle Cap Craft
Burned out on bottle cap crafts? Then maybe you haven’t seen this: Kawaii Crafter of zakka life presents a unique take on bottle cap functional art in her understated but artsy bottle cap bowl, made from the colorless plastic … Read More...
Vinyl Record Rings
Laura Beamer‘s bottle cap jewelry featured in yesterday’s post, Bottle Cap Beauties, briefly mentioned her stunning vinyl record work, but I think they deserve a post of their very own. Shown are her popular and stunning vinyl rings, … Read More...
Bottle Cap Beauties
Laura Beamer transforms used bottle caps into top-of-the-line bracelets, necklaces, earrings, pendants and rings. She’s a collector of bottle caps, which explains the out-of-the-ordinary ones you’ll find in her jewelry.
On her collecting habit she writes, “Family, friends and acquaintances … Read More...
What the heck?
Are you the type of person who likes to save everything “just in case”? Or do you find yourself buying interesting doodads at a second-hand shop or garage sale that you know will work swimmingly in a project, although at … Read More...


