Decorated Light Switch Covers Revisited

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This is one of my go-to craft projects, partly because I sell them at SCRAP's ReBoutique.  Recently I was in SCRAP and they were selling baggies full of origami paper.  The papers were really pretty and I thought it would definitely add some design to the boring white light switch plates.  I was right and now I need to get back to SCRAP and see if they have more of that paper...too cool.

Repurposed Tea Cups

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A few years ago I received an aloe farm as a gift.  I am kidding.  I received one aloe plant that had sent up about 20 shoots over the past two years, but I totally love it.  It has made me come up with some unique planter ideas. 
Here are a few examples:

Vintage Tea Cup Planters

 My favorite is the tea kettle.  I found it at a thrift store.  It was missing the lid and I knew instantly what to use it for.

Use mugs that are broken or a tea kettle!

Refrigerator Monster!

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My partner, Brandon, has been wrapping the organic veggie labels around our fridge door handle since we moved in three and a half years ago and it has grown to such a degree that people always comment on it whenever they are over.  The funny thing is that I don't even really notice it until people comment and then I think, yeah, that is crazy. 

He and his prior roommate wrapped them around the kitchen island legs and so I think it's just something he's been doing for a while now.  I haven't really come up with a good use for the veggie labels and it's really a lot of waste considering we always buy organic.  I will have to be on the lookout for a project since it's getting harder and harder to keep them on the door handle.

DIY Bedazzled Phone Cover

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I was at work on Thursday, and this student pulls out her phone and I immediately said, wow, that is so cool!  I certainly had to take a picture.  She had covered her phone in rhinestones and jewelry and it looks fabulous. 

I was able to give her a bit of crafting advice on the matter, as well.  It turns out she had never heard of E6000, which a crafting must have, especially if you specialize in gluing stuff to stuff, which I am a pro at.  She had used Tacky Glue and it items were starting to fall off, but that's okay because crafting is a learning process.
I hope this inspires you to add a little flare to your life wherever that may be and to just go for it!

Glittered Album Covers DIY

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I saw this amazing woman crafter/artist in Chicago about three years ago at a holiday craft fair selling glittered album covers and I was blown away.  I love glitter so much that when using it, I always say --  more glitter, please -- in the style and accent of Oliver Twist.  Anyway, I instantly wanted to do this project.  Well, three years later I have finally done it.

The superbowl was yesterday and I was interested in checking out the Seahawks, but I needed some craft projects to enhance the experience.  I wanted to do something I had never done before and voila:

All you need is an album, some Mod Podge, a paint brush and a lot of glitter and you've done it.

Costa Rica Reuse DIY and Crafts

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I went to Costa Rica in December for 2 weeks.  It was quite lovely.  I had never been to Central America and I really enjoyed it.  I had seen photos from friends' trips to Central America of crafts made of reused material and was hoping I would spot some for myself.  I certainly was successful.  This post is all about the various crafts, reused or otherwise, that I came across in my travels. 

I traveled December 10th through the 25th, so there were quite a few art pieces that were Christmas themed.  The first of which I spotted in La Fortuna near the Arenal Volcano. 

Awesome Christmas Tree in the Central Park

Yes, it's made out of plastic bottles.

The next stop was Santa Elena to check out the Monteverde Cloud Forest.  There were quite a number of repurposed and recycled crafts being sold at the gift store there, but these were a first for me.

Rubber Tire Toucan

Rubber Tire Fish and Parrot

I guess a baby or child can swing in these.  Cool.

I saw another Christmas Tree made of plastic bottles in the lobby that greeted you as you bought your pass to the cloud forest preserve.  It is my favorite.  I might try to make one of these next year or sometime down the road.

The bottoms are painted!

On the walk back from the cloud forest, we came upon this kid school and art co-op.  It served delicious food, sold cool recycled art and crafts and upstairs we came upon the workspace. 

Brandon with a hummingbird mask.

Workspace where the supplies are kept.

Papier machet toucan mask.

Brandon trying on a frog mask; doesn't quite fit.

The coop from the outside.

There were a lot of masks, maybe for a play?

Sweet sloth costume!

Next stop was San Jose where we were to catch the bus the next morning to the Osa Peninsula.

This has nothing to do with reuse crafts, but this band was really jamming out to Sound of Silence in the main square and I just had to share it with you all.

I came upon this on a street in the shopping area near the main square and I was blown away!

Yes, it's made of plastic bottles.

I couldn't help but think that might be the plastic bomb that kills us all.

On the 8 and 1/2 hour bus ride down to Puerto Jimenez, which is the only major town on the Osa Peninsula, I spied this at the rest stop/cafe.  Keep in mind that this display takes over the entire corner of a very large establishment.

Can you see all of the camels right above this caption?

There wasn't a lot to report on the Osa Peninsula.  It isn't extremely inhabited by people, but it contains 2.8% of the world's animals and plants, so I saw a lot of that.  However, on the three day guided hike we took into Corcovado Park, I decided I would bring this coconut shell home to use as a planter.  I couldn't quite get all of the coconut meat out, so I let nature clean it for me.  I went back the next morning and the crabs had definitely done their job.

Hermit crabs, their job is to clean the beach.

There was actually a little craft/farmer's market type thing at a local's surfer type bar up the road from Boca Sombrero, where we staying for relaxation, yoga and surfing.  At the market there were a number of recycled crafts.  I didn't have my camera, but they are very fond of the crocheted plastic bag craft, which is pretty cool.

We caught a plane ride back to San Jose, which only took an hour and 10 minutes, much better than the 8 plus hours down.  We spent our last night, which was Christmas Eve, in Alejuela.  The streets were really bustling.  We stopped at this indoor shopping area right by our hostel to check it out.  I then discovered where people bought those figurines for their manger scenes.  There were a couple of shops totally dedicated to it.

I know it's a bit after the fact, but I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and that things are starting to settle down.  Maybe this will provide some inspiration for next year!

New Nutcase Helmet!

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Well, I retired my DIY, upcycled, repurposed, scrappy bike helmet because it was about 6 years old and I think that's too long to have a helmet and hope for its safety.

My lovely friend, Meghan, works at Nutcase, which is an amazing bicycle helmet company, super cool designs and they are local.  I received a new helmet from her, which the design has yet to hit the stores, so I'm the first.  If you saw me ride home from Nutcase headquarters this afternoon, then you caught a glimpse of the helmet in its pristine form, but since I am still the reigning Pink Princess, I removed the pink tiara from my old helmet and affixed it to the new; voila:

Remember all you cyclists out there:  safety first, protect your assets and there's no reason you can't have fun and be creative and awesome while doing it!