Blog "re-Gifting" Post : DIY Gift wrap

This post came from 12/18/12 I thought I would re-gift by reposting it! I like to wrap gifts, but chances are if you get a gift from me there will be an element of garbage on it, just to make it look good. That's right- I said garbage!
I make bows (using Jessica's "How about Orange" Tutorial) This year I forewent the used Frito bags and just went with newspaper. The "ribbon" is also from the same batch of newspaper.
NEWSPAPER-

DUCT TAPE-

Now that there are so many different patterns to Duct tape, why wouldn't one find a use for it for wrapping. I wrapped my cousins' boys (whom I lovingly refer to as Huey, Louie and Dewey) with duct tape as the ribbon and a bow made from same said duct tape!
GIFT BAGS-

Sometimes it just calls for a gift bag. I bought these plain Kraft paper bags at Staples, and just apply a stamp to them and  a bow!
PHOTO TAGS-

This year I found these cool photo frame gift tags at the Dollar Tree, so I perused my family's facebook pages for pics and printed them out in Black and white! There are some really good old pics in there!

Upcycled Orangina Bottle Oil Lamp

I love Orangina! I found  some at Trader Joes in these spiffy Glass bottles. So I start thinking how to up-cycle them before I left the store! I simply took an empty bottle, scrubbed the label off, made a wick from an old cotton tennis shoe string or use a small strip from a cotton t-shirt, punch a small hole in the cap with an Awl ( you could probably use a nail, or a small screw driver). Insert the “wick” in the cap. Fill the bottle with Lamp Oil and light!

Up-cycled Berry Basket

Sitting around, with nothing to do? Me, too. I have about 6 of these plastic berry baskets. so I decided to take some ribbon and do some weaving! Now a basket that's perfect for giving out a small amount of cookies or Christmas candy (If I make some) or a small gift! The only thing I would do a bit different is a handle out of pipe cleaners!

Street Sign Furniture

Photos from Tim Delger.com

Here is an artist after my own heart. Tim Delger designs and makes unique furniture out of discarded road and street signs. A tad pricey for mem but totally inspirational. I love it when junk is recycled into funcational and creative things. I have dabbled a bit in this myself

Up-Cycled Pet Beds

Here are some clever up-cycled pet beds I found on the interwebs:

Earth 911 has some creative re-uses for wine barrels, including this too cool dog bed.

Fried Okra show how to make your dog a Television star by making a dog bed from a console Television

A cat bed made from an apple iMac is this years thing to turn your kittie into an LOLCAT! from Atomc Attic on Etsy

Picture Condo Blues

And last but far from least, my friend Lisa at Condo Blues made a pet toy box/bed for Blitzkrieg out of a wine box

Re-Using postal shippers...

In the "why didn't I think of that" department... Why not reuse those postal shipping boxes and others. Found this neat instructable and had to try it... so easy to do!!! An of course I am thinking could also be done as gift boxes as well!

Works on other boxes too!

A mug box becomes a generic gift by turning it inside out

Lit Critters

I love these lamps made by ABYU lighting... A little pricey for me, though. A little creativity coupled with imagination and one could make one of these upcycled critters of their own!

Up-cycling Cans

I found some pretty amazing ways to recycle tin cans and coffee cans, beside using them for flour canisters:

I have tons of these Trader Joe’s coffee cans; now, thanks to Lee at Leethal Do stuff Blog, I don’t have a ton of yarn around the house, but I have plenty of stuff that needs storage. This Coffee can storage unit is just the coolest. 

And Melissa at Those Northern Skies made some great ornaments out of tin can lids.

 

 

 

At Readymade there is this cool lamp made from Coffee cans.

 

 

 

  

And finally over at Esprit Cabane, some very unique candle holders made from soda cans!

So there are numerous ways to up-cycle cans. Just takes a little imagination!

 

 

 

 

Vase or Vaz?

Just thought I would share my vases I made. These are made from old industrial light bulbs found in the trash, I drill out the end and remove the filament. They are mounted on some old lamp parts I had lying around. The Geberra Daisy's are from Gehl Flowers and Gifts in downtown Burien

Earth Friendlier Pens and Pencils

A little while back I reviewed Pilot’s B2P pens(The pens are made form recycled water bottles and are refillable.) Turns out there is a whole slew of writing utensils from different companies that are greener office/school supply alternatives:

Paper Mate’s Earthwrite pencil looks like a Regular pencil except that it’s made from 100% recycled wood.
Dixon -Ticonderoga skipped the wood altogether with their line of Renew pencils made from recycled tires.

Paper mate also has a great line of Pens that supposedly are biodegradeable, and made from upcycling products from Terra Cycle!

Zebra has an “Eco” Line where the pens are made from 75 to 85% consumer waste.

And don’t forget “Smencils” a line of pencils and pens made from 100% post consumer waste! And they will be coming out with a Halloween version soon - great alternative to candy for the little goblins!

Who knows... maybe someday it won't be a gimmick to sell every day items a little differently, and maybe someday common items made from "Upcycled" consumer waste will be the norm!

Why is everyone laughing at me???

I got a bunch of snickers at Trader Joe's,

I wondered did I spill on my shirt, do my pants have holes?

Come to find out, from one old hag

Everyone was laughing at my homemade bag

Now I know how Miss Dolly Parton felt in her "Coat of Many Colors". My bag, while not the best job of sewing, I admit, is practical, upcycled from a pair of jeans the Martin simply tossed in the trash. So let them laugh. I hope they get stuck in their lotus positions in yoga class.

UPDATE 11/24- The clerk at Eat Local really liked my bag- he was amazed how much stuff it held! and that it had pockets!