repurpose.remake.reuse.reclaim

Upcycling turns things into other things---which is like magic! Made this laptop cover for my Tomato out of old Trader Joe's bags and leftover felt materials. It wasn't hard to make--just took time and space. #madewithLOVE | june2016

Everybody, try laughing. Then whatever scares you will go away! – Tatsuo Kusakabe Totoro is one of our all-time favorite animated films! When #mytomato was 3yo, I wanted to surprise her by making a slew of dust bunnies and placing them on her bed--while she was still sleeping. Like magical, right? Wrong! She freaked out especially with the moving eyes! #traumatizedchild #crazymom We laugh about it now so I made some new ones #biggerNbetter for #mytomato and her love for #miyazaki =.) black pompoms + googly eyes = dust bunnies #easyNfuncrafting

The science of today is the technology of tomorrow.  ~Edward Teller For Halloween, #mymangoboy wanted to be a scientist for the above mentioned lab, so we found an old lab coat at a Goodwill store. I stenciled in the logo he sent me using contact shelf paper, the one you use for drawers and kitchen shelves. I tried to use freezer paper, as Pinterest suggested but failed that one! Anyway, this one turned out pretty good.

There is no such thing as "away". When we throw anything "away," it must go somewhere. ~Annie Leonard I've been mocked for saving stuff having our place looking like a mini- SCRAP but I really do have creative ideas to make the things I save but time is always an issue. I can't really "Save the World" by up cycling but if I could do a little, it won't hurt. I just need to be more organized so I'll have more time to be more creative. I'd love to create/make projects with others while bonding and sharing stories. But like I said, I need to be more organized! That's the key--for me, anyway. I have been donating several items to SCRAP and I just found a place to donate fabrics for St. Anthony where the ladies come together and sew things for the less fortunate. That's another alternative to my bins of fabrics and yarns. In the meantime, here's a project by Mark Montano I made out of the following. Click on the link to

I like making a piece of string into something I can wear. ~Author Unknown It's official! I really like crocheting more than knitting. Never thought I would ever learn (never say never!) how to crochet. Thanks to YouTube! It's so easy to follow. My mom crocheted intricate patterns (she doesn't do it anymore,) and I just recently learned how! So yeah, I have a couple of bins of yarn that I can use up. Here's just some I've made these past months during my sparest of spare time.    KEEP CALM  AND CARRY  YARN!

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree is the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other. ~ Burton Hills Finals are over (yay!), #dahub's off from work for a week (hurrah!), Christmas music is filling the room (yes!) We just need a tree! But I wasn't going to buy a tree. I was determined to be "green" altho' I wasn't exactly sure how I was going to pull it off, and if the kids will like it. I had something else in mind but that didn't work out. So bummed. So I had to think fast. For some reason, I only get ideas in the spur of the moment. It drives me crazy. It drives other people crazi--er! I've been in the process of purging, storing, giving away, etc. It's a long process...especially for a pack rat who thinks she can upcycle everything. Well, books are all over the place...the hallway, the living room, the bedroom, even the restroom. Aiya!  A solution came to mind (I've seen it before but keep forgetting.)