I love old tools but I love wine more

This is my little bar space in my apartment. I found this old rake head and cleaned it up and applied a clear coat to give it a finished look. It holds four wine glasses and an opener perfectly. 

Shop Upcycle Infatuation on Etsy: etsy.com/shop/UpcycleInfatuation

Metal Couch

Now that the weather has gotten warmer... I would like one of these for my deck...

I love the design of this metal couch and the attention to the details.  This piece is so colorful.  I wish I could remember where I took this picture.

Artist Life

This makes me giggle.  Happy Friday!

Kitchen Tools Dresses

I was recently at a showroom that sells kitchen tool and supplies and saw this as their advertising in the lobby.  I just love it so I had to share!  The colors and the overall idea is so fun!

The lamp is made up of glasses.

The dress on the left is potholders, an apron or towel and spatulas of two sizes to make up the skirt and a necklace to match! 

I'm not exactly sure what the middle dress is made up of. I'm kind of thinking it a new kitchen tool or serving dishes of bowls or plates

The dress on the right is silicon cupcake liners and colorful kitchen tools.

Pom Pom Flowers

These are such a fun and easy way to add some color to your decor without having to worry about keeping plants alive or buying flowers.  I love how simple they are to make and how cute they are!

How to make them:

I found some yarn around the house and some sticks from my parent's yard.  

I started to create pom poms with the yarn. 

 I wrap the yarn around my pointer and middle finger on my left hand many, many times.  Then take a different (short-6 inch) piece of yarn and push it through the base of your fingers and top of your fingers (going around both sides of the yarn). Tie that yarn so that it kind of makes the yarn look like a bow tie.  Then cut both sides and fluff your pom pom.  If my directions don't make a ton of sense... here's some directions- http://knitting.about.com/od/learntoknit/ss/pom_poms_2.htm

Take your stick and put a bit of hot glue on the end and push it into the middle of your pom pom.

Create a bouquet or a few flowers.

Denver Store's Upcycle Exterior

I was out for a walk in the Cherry Creek Area after dinner in Denver and came across this store.   I LOVE the exterior of the prAna store and what the did with these materials!

How cool is this Drawer Planter Ladder?!  I just might need to make this!

Store Hours from License Plates! 

www.etsy.com/shop/upcycleinfatuation

Upcycling Design Challenge- Win $500!!

Sorry this is a little late... my computer and I have been fighting wifi...

Uncommon Goods is having a competition for upcycling and you could win $500 and a chance to be one of their vendors!  The Runners Up also wins some great prizes!

Check out the official rules and how to enter here: http://www.uncommongoods.com/designs/upcycling-contest

Don't wait- submissions are due at midnight TONIGHT!

Beautiful Vintage Car Hoods to Tables

Check out these BEAUTIFUL tables made from old car hoods.  I love the character that Dallas artist, Joel Hester has kept from the car hoods to create the different tables.

To see more of his work, go to his company's website Weld House.

100 Amazing Upcycling Ideas

As upcycling becomes more and more popular, I have seen lots of DIY project ideas online.  I was on StumbleUpon (a fun random search site where you put in your interest and press "stumble" and website you like pop up) the other day and came across a huge list of upcycling projects.  Including the following:

Book Purse

Plastic Toy Bowl

Plastic Yarn for creating bags and other items

Ladder Bookshelf

Inner Tube Wallet

Tin Cans Wine Rack

These projects, and others, show you how to use anything and everything into unique projects by the site, 

Top Online Engineering Degrees.  

Check out the full list here.

Headboard Bench Tutorial by Scissors & Spatulas

Hi Everybody!  

Check out this great project 

(from headboard/footboard to bench) 

by Scissors & Spatulas:

Before

After

To see the full tutorial, click here.

Landfill Harmonic Video in the Works

I cannot wait to see this movie when it comes out! How AMAZING!

video from Youtube.com

Check out more about this wonderful film on their website.

Thanks to my friend, Kai for sharing with me.

An Interview with tjk DESIGNS

I first met Tami, the designer for tjk DESIGNS at an arts and crafts show about a year ago.  I loved their beautiful products and the fact that they were constructed from wine barrels. Today she shares a little bit about herself and her work with us.

Tell us a little bit about you and tjk designs.

I started the business a little over 2 years ago.  I guess it began when I started making gifts for family and friends out of my father-in-law's old barn wood and then decided it would be fun to get a old wine barrel.

When did you first start upcycling wine barrels?

A little over 2 years ago.

What is your favorite product that you design?

My favorite product...probably anything where I get to cut into the wine barrels.  The smell of the wine in the wood of the barrel is amazing! If I had to pick something...the new wine barrel frames and mirrors are my current favorites.

Anything else you would like to tell us.

The average age of a French Oak tree that is used to make barrels is 170 years.  My website is tjk-designs.com.  I do not have ordering online, but can be contacted by email or phone.

Head to her website to check out more including jewelry and custom work!

Car Show Find

How cool is this???

Ford Mustang Pool Table

Small Living Gardening with Using Upcycling

I love plants and gardening but it's not always easy to participate in the excitement and joy of them when you live in a small space unless you are super crafty...

This spring, I attend the Minneapolis Home and Garden Show and came across an exhibit put on by Linders Greenhouse of St. Paul called Naturally Urban.  I loved their ideas of how to bring plants and gardening into small spaces and some of these ideas were upcycled.

Here are a few of their ideas:

rain gutter vertical garden

spring bulb in a vase

succulents in wine cork magnet

(sorry about this picture...)

To see more ideas go to:

http://naturallyurban.com

Tshirt Wall Art

I love good designs on tshirts but because of stains, tears, shrinkage of the shirt (or the human), it sometimes makes it challenging to be able to continue wearing the shirt so why not continue to love the good design but from your walls instead?  

Tshirt Wall Art is now for sale in our Etsy shop:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/UpcycleInfatuation

Do you have a tshirt that you love and want made into wall art? Please contact us at upcycleinfatuation@gmail.com

Interview on the University of Minnesota's RadioK

Last fall I was interview by a UofM student who worked at Radio K, the university's radio station.  If you would like to listen to the chat about upcycling go to:

https://soundcloud.com/mfornoff/reduce-reuse-upcycle

Upcycled Wine Stopper and Organizational Board

This last weekend, not only did I go to Junk Bonanza but I hit up an occasional shop in the small town of Farmington, Minnesota called Occasionally Yours.  They sell local artist work including some upcycled work. So I did make one purchase this weekend, a wine stopper. 

How beautiful is this?

I also saw this board made from an old cork board, covered by a burlap coffee bag and then a yard stick is put across the frame for clipping on papers. The burlap has been sewn to have pockets for paper pads and pens. I love it!

 http://occasionallyyoursstore.com

A Weekend of JUNK!!!

This weekend I went to Junk Bonanza (along with what seemed 1/2 of the Mpls/St. Paul area) and got really excited by all the ideas and fellow lovers of everything JUNK!!! After Saturdays show, all I wanted to do was go and create! Check out the pictures below...

Check out all the Junkers!

Love the reuse of STUFF for signage

Go to their website to learn more at:

http://www.junkbonanza.com

Put it on your calendar for this fall: 

Junk Bonanza 2013 Fall Show

September 26, 27 & 28

Junk Bonanza- Spring 2013

You read that right!  One of my favorite events of the year is happening this weekend!  If you live in the Twin Cities, Minnesota (or close) area and you love junk, then this event is totally worth the $9 to get in the door.  A few details for you to know:

Canterbury Park- Shakopee, Minnesota

Thursday 4/18 10am-5pm

Friday 4/19 9am- 5pm

Saturday 4/20 9am-5pm

Check this out for a preview:

To find out more about Junk Bonanza including the vendors that will be there, go to their website.

ETSY!

I have been thinking A LOT about opening an Etsy shop and have finally made it happen, come check out some of my work at:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/UpcycleInfatuation

I hope to have more items posted soon but for now, go explore!