Re-purposing: Ever heard of...?

[unapam]

Re-purposing is when something has been lifecycled to the end of its life and is of no use to anyone. Do you throw it out? NO you don't - you repurpose it. I am including two examples here.

The photo shows cushion covers that used to be a tablecloth. It got torn in one corner so could not be a tablecloth anymore. The decorations on them were odd bits of lace, buttons and pieces from a greeting card (see close up for details) The damaged piece was used as a duster of course.

Also in photo is a metal base of an old rusty Singer sewing machine found in an old barn. Painted black and gold and it's wooden top was a long piece of discarded fencing sanded and waxed (and leftovers used for lighting the fire)

Together they make a lovely shabby chic table. All these items were repurposed to great effect. It is so rewarding - not to mention great fun to use your imagination and get results like this. They are, after all, totally unique and can't be found in any shop for any money.

So next time you are about to chuck something out - ask yourself...can it be repurposed?
Does anyone else have an example of something that was re-purposed?

[BillieT]

Hi Unapam

you have great ideas - the cushions are very beautiful and I loved the rocking chair u did too. Well done.

Billie

[david_c]

I have tried to re-purpose old cloth as well in the past:

torn denim jeans -> bag
old t-shirt -> general purpose cleaning cloth/duster


My skill in this area is fairly paltry compared to your own though, and I don't have any photos.

A site on which you will quite likely find plenty of examples is this one (http://www.instructables.com/) - especially in the 'Craft' section.

There are lots of other similar sites, which I can't think of off the top of my head. Feel free to PM me if you want me to have a look in my bookmarks for them.

[pob]

Hi Unapam,

You have quite a talent - i love those cushions, thanks for sharing your photos on JT...very inspiring! I find I get ideas but then my little toddler distracts me!!! Some day though....

Pob

[lislaw]

My hubbie rides motorbikes. I use his old tyres to grow potatoes in. Must put a picture up sometime

[kilk]

a neat way of making a compost maker is to use the drum of a washing machine, put it in the ground with the opening upwards. you can then put all your household waste etc into it and the worms will come in through the holes! only draw back is removing compost. best not to use the door of it tho or you could break your ankle some dark nite, ouch!
regards
kilk

[unapam]

I'm interested and impressed! washing machine drums for compost and tyres for growing spuds? Amazing ideas...did you think of them?..and any chance you could elaborate a little I'd love to try both. Thanks so much...unapam

[carissa]

i've cut holes in an old tank & grow strawberries in it now, an old pair of wellies make planters, usually get a few laughs from the neighbours

[kilk]

hi again, if you have an old washing machine, while the drum makes a good compost maker- as explained above- the door glass can be used as a fruit bowl etc.
regards,
kilk

[lukiira]

I dissagree with 1st post!
if everybody does that why do we need furniture store?
to get our life more comfortable!!
why use old bended sofa with new cover? that still wont be comfortable!
The new cover does not change anything!
buy new one! get some comfort to your life!
~
what car you driving? vw beetle 1975 with new seet covers?
or 05-07 vw passat?

best regards
polish boy
lukas
(sorry for my english)

[Chris P]

I dissagree with 1st post!
if everybody does that why do we need furniture store?
to get our life more comfortable!!
why use old bended sofa with new cover? that still wont be comfortable!
The new cover does not change anything!
buy new one! get some comfort to your life!
~
what car you driving? vw beetle 1975 with new seet covers?
or 05-07 vw passat?

best regards
polish boy
lukas
(sorry for my english)
Hi lukiira,

The title of your post is "No!" You probably shouted this when Ivica Vastic scored a stoppage-time penalty against Poland this evening :-( Final score: Austria 1 - Poland 1. At least Poland made it to the European Championships, so well done on that front!

Also, there's no fear of everyone doing what Unapam does -- most people are not as resourceful so there is no danger of furniture stores closing down.

The work of Unapam and other "re-purposers" sets an example for others and in doing so helps to save another tree from being chopped down to make another piece of furniture. Their work also postpones an item's entry into costly recycling and landfill schemes. All in all, they are doing their bit for the environment and practising their craft and DIY skills at the same time. I've no doubt that job satisfaction plays a major part in what they do.

As for the Beetle versus Passat contest...give me a Beetle any day!

Thanks for the feedback, lukiira, and good luck to Poland in the rest of the competition!

Regards
Chris P
Admin

[unapam]

What car do I drive? I don't drive!

I walk to work where I teach ESOL English classes to a group of Polish builders... and I must say that your English is not bad at all! But feel free to sign up at your local DVEC. centre for classes if you want to improve it.

Fair play to you for having the confidence to have your say on here.

You might not get the message yet, but you will ...or your children will. All the best...Cheers...Unapam

[ozieandros]

IKEA and many furniture stores follow certain lines, create fashion, ensuring that most people visit their stores to have 'Must Have'' New look household furnitures. Have you ever heard about 'Keeping up with the Joneses'? Look around you these days? I swear should I walk into another house with beech furnitures, decking and what you find in every other home ... I'll scream!

You see, being older than most you guys ... I have the firm belief that home is where the heart is. When I say heart, I mean memories, a place where we have laughed and cried sometimes at different times, other times both at once. So that my idea of home is that and the moment I open the door! I know I'm home! My own home, not a repeat of too many homes I've called upon, all looking the same!

Where did individualism go? Where did creativity go? Probably all down the drain with rain forests, polar bears soon and many other species destroyed to satisfy convenience and greed.

So Pam well done! Not only for what you do, but also doing so well and inspiring us all to become creative. We were all born creative if we forgot somewhere down the line how to work on this terrific individual gift of ours.

What you did shows a lot of great ideas as indeed much love! It takes a lot of love and dedication to turn what started up as an idea into something as beautiful as what you did!

So really! Congratulations and maybe you could start a wee class for the rest of us! As for the JT member who felt that furniture shops have to have business ... He is entitled to his opinion surely if he'll find that many of us would rather have Pam's living room than a corner leather suite (How many animals die to make them) And the 'Wood of the moment' for fashion conscious dresser, table and whatever else!

And my contribution today has to be (See pic) Something I did (No way near as good as Pam's beautiful craft) But anyway ... Recycled twigs and recycled twine ... It was for my shed. Put a pic to a couple of friends and now ... Got to make a few to send over to them in Britain and in the USA LOL. Now should I have gone to a religious shop to buy one instead?

1. I wouldn't have found a recyclable one
2. it wouldn't have been made with much love as I made mine
3. How many trees would have suffered?

Oh and my shed comes from JT. Thanks to Dandeman who let me have it. So there! I rest my case!

[lukiira]

Hello everybody! :)

I decided to reply again if you dont mind.

Chris:
"The title of your post is "No!" You probably shouted this when Ivica Vastic scored "

Im not a big football fan so I didnt shouted when Ivica scored :)
It changes nothing to my life, I prefer other sports like:
digging in the (customer's) gardens, wall painting, and other constructive sports. :)

"..save another tree from being chopped"
You care about trees.. do you care about animals? are you vegetarian :)
I like new comfortable furniture especially oak ones, also I like meat - all except lamb!!! - eeegghh!!

Also I gave bad an egsample with VW beetle before - sorry, shouldnt use this eg. so am changin beetle for jetta similar year :)

unapam
says something about English classes for polish builders.
I wish to go to any classes but... most of them (99%) are offering/serving basics only.
I do not need basics any more!
in fact, in portlaoise (the place where I live) there is non classes at all,
and Im not willing travel to Dublin.

kilk
"i recently acquired a sofa and two armchairs from a fellow jtr, they are very old and i have to say they are the most comfortable seats, especially the armchairs i have ever sat in! i usually try to avoid them in daytime cos im zzz in no time, honest!"

I belive you, but you didnt wrote us, it happens since you put a new cover/cussion on it or before?


unapam
"You might not get the message yet, but you will ...or your children will"

my child is to small to get any messages :) (8months old-polish Molly)..
I got your point Pam - dont worry!

Covelay
"***********"
sometimes is better say nothing - thats truth!! You right bud!

It is gettin late and work waitin from early morning..

(Chris, I am waiting for your PM)

Best HONEST regards to everybody
polish boy
Lukas
:)

[lukiira]

I am tryin best I can :)

[unapam]

Hi, Lukirra, I hope I got your name right this time!

I know what you mean about the English classes. They do concentrate on the basics and funding is limited. Tell you what, If I can get my hands on another CD for Intermediate English I will post it off to you if you want it. I had two of these recently to give away. Pm me with address if interested.

As for baby Molly- she is going to need, want and deserve a healthy world for herself and her children. You can't change this world for her, neither can I. All any of us can do is our own little bit for our children and grandchildren.

There is an old story about a Buddhist monk walking along a beach picking up starfish that had been washed up and would dry and die in the sun before the tide changed and washed them back to sea. He was throwing them back into the water. There were thousands of them and he could only save a few hundred.

A man watching him said "Why bother, you know you are not really making a difference"
The monk picked up another one, threw it back into the sea and replied " I made a difference to that one"

[Covelay]

Unapam: There is an old story about a Buddhist monk walking along a beach picking up starfish that had been washed up and would dry and die in the sun before the tide changed and washed them back to sea. He was throwing them back into the water. There were thousands of them and he could only save a few hundred.

A man watching him said "Why bother, you know you are not really making a difference"
The monk picked up another one, threw it back into the sea and replied " I made a difference to that one"


Unapam,
That is the best thing I have seen written on this site to explain things - positive / negative attitude, resolve to change things and the ultimate solution - never give up hope.........thanks for putting it up

This is somewhat along the same lines:

An American visits South America and sees a man fishing on the banks of a river. The man stops fishing when he has caught enough fish to feed his family.
The American asks him why he has stopped when the waters are obviously bountiful. Surely, the American tells him, if he kept fishing he could catch enough to sell at market and eventually buy himself a small boat with the money he has made. With a small boat he would be able to catch more fish to sell to the fish processing plant in the city. With the money he makes from larger catches he would be able to buy a bigger boat and go to sea, catch even more fish, and make more money.
Then, he tells the man, when you are rich from having worked hard you would be able to retire, get yourself a fishing rod, relax and go fishing for pleasure.
Regards,
Covelay.

[unapam]

Ozieandros... Your cross -I love it! And being nosey ...where is it? cos I like the look of those painted white beams boards or whatever they are behind it. Cheers...Pam

[unapam]

Unapam,
That is the best thing I have seen written on this site to explain things - positive / negative attitude, resolve to change things and the ultimate solution - never give up hope.........thanks for putting it up

This is somewhat along the same lines:

An American visits South America and sees a man fishing on the banks of a river. The man stops fishing when he has caught enough fish to feed his family.
The American asks him why he has stopped when the waters are obviously bountiful. Surely, the American tells him, if he kept fishing he could catch enough to sell at market and eventually buy himself a small boat with the money he has made. With a small boat he would be able to catch more fish to sell to the fish processing plant in the city. With the money he makes from larger catches he would be able to buy a bigger boat and go to sea, catch even more fish, and make more money.
Then, he tells the man, when you are rich from having worked hard you would be able to retire, get yourself a fishing rod, relax and go fishing for pleasure.
Regards,
Covelay.

Hi Covelay, I love this story too. It kind of says it all. Cheers...Unapam

[unapam]

Ros (I'm calling you that 'cos ur name is too long and hard to remember)
You have given me a great idea with your cross. I have lots of those twigs about the place and a ball of twine. I am going to make a rustic twig trellis for the rambling roses around the door.

Think of more great ideas for me. Go on - go on - go on.

[ozieandros]

Lukiira!

Yes it's got to be pretty hard for you settling in in a foreign country, and learning another language can't be that easy either. However your english is really good and little Molly will speak fluent english probably with a local accent too! The cross I made using twigs after a tree fell following a bad storm. We're still waiting to find a mulcher and put it to use but meanwhile ... I cut off twigs because the dogs and I all got suffered grazes while walking by. Tree's a blackthorn you see! Ouch! So I spent most of a day with a pair of garden clippers and cut, cut, cut! Mick used some of th twigs to light the fire and I kept some for my own use at some stage if I couldn't think what!

Got a shed on JT and I painted the inside white, then wondered what i could put in it. So the white beam you see is the front part of the shed and as I wondered what to do with a big length of recycled twine in my hand ... Thought I'd make a cross! Mick (My partner) watched me doing it wondering what i was doing then I went 'Woo-Hoo! What say you' And he told me he loved it because it was so simple and simply beautiful. So up it went!

I've kept stacks of dead branches (Thin ones) That will be used for fencing. We have old wooden poles that he will put on the wall and simply nail the branches (Cut to size) To it. It'll mean privacy and ... No more trees cut.

I know that none of us are going to ever change what went wrong but you see I'm thinking of my brand new grand-daughter Othilda and also little Molly and all our JT babies throughout Ireland! I want them to grow up to enjoy life with nature not cured (It's too late for that) But maybe healing! If we can all work together doing it then we'll have achieved something.

I love animals too and very much so but I am not a vegetarian. I eat meat maybe twice a week. I only eat organic meat just as I only eat free range eggs.

JT is a big community and to many of us it's turned into a family. So it's nice to see a new member of the family and another JT child!

Take care and have a lovely week-end.

Pam! Ozie is one of my dogs LOL (My Bobtail). I've had him since he was a baby. As for more ideas ... Well I'm not as artistic as you are but I do love to find things lying round and ask myself 'Wonder what i could do with these'. I was a Beaver Scout Leader for many years (Scotland) And I think that's how I got the bug abut doing things out of nothing! You couldn't teach children to love and respect nature unless you actually taught them an alternative,. So we had lots of craft days when we simply went for a walk in the wood or on the beach, picked things up and off we went! Made things out of them.

We also picked up rubbish on the beach! Imagine 24 screaming kids and one Racoon (LOL My name as BSL) picking up stuff you wouldn't believe. We found someone had dumped old tyres (A dozen of them) So brought them back, painted them and planted daffodil bulbs in them! Our little village looked ever so bright came spring time! We also made a collage using bits of carrier bag all stuck together on a board. My Beaver Scouts stuck drawings of fish on them and little notes from 'Aave our fish' To 'Dump your bad habits, not your plastic bags' Etc.

Covelay! Sending you PM for Monday! Kilk how's the shed now? Have a lovely week-end everyone!

[paprika]

I love the cushion covers, they are very stylish! And the repurposed tank is really cool, also the wellies. Hmm, I have a pair of leaky wellies somew here, will try to use them the same way ;)
The tyres are very handy too, I got a few from lislaw (thank oyu very much!) and used them to lift the stable floor for my goat, so now they are dryer and warmer. |Still have 2 or 3 left, gonna use them to plant flowers.

I try to recycle as many things as possible, that's what my parents did, too. I use the yogurt tubs and plastic trays for planting seeds, all sort f rubbish for decorations and for the last 2 years I got only second hand furniture - I love that old touch on them, besides I can't afford new.

So keep up the good ideas for recycling, repurposing, I love them, and I hope I can try them too!

Regards,
p