Tuesday, 30 December 2014

December Reuse-It Item: Cardboard Tubes

Here at the Reuse Centre, we take paper towel and wrapping paper tubes. We all remember loving these tubes as kids - who hasn't made a makeshift telescope, or a sword to do battle siblings and friends? But we wanted to share some other ideas this month, for kids and adults alike!

Sarah 

I love these paper towel roll bird feeders from Pocketful of Dreams. They're quick, easy, and a great way to help out our feathered friends stay fed in the coming winter.

You could also attach a piece of string or wire to hang these upright, and poke popsicle sticks or twigs through the cardboard to make perches for the birds.


RuthAnn

I’m so inspired by all of the holiday crafts you can make with cardboard tubes—even something as simple as decorating tubes and using them as gift containers. Check out the tutorial from Factory Direct Craft.

But the project that really caught my eye was this DIY scarf holder from Instructables. This one requires slightly heavier-duty cardboard tubes (along with some leftover wrapping paper and ribbon), but what a fun way to customize your fashion accessory storage!


Emma

How adorable is this?
With the arrival of a blanket of snow I'm on fast forward to Christmas. Being from England I miss our iconic post boxes and decided to whip up this miniature British post box for my family to play with.

I used two toilet rolls, felt, glue, and even the miniature letters and parcels were made from reused scraps of Christmas card envelopes and brown paper.



Tamara

If you're like me, and love any sort of decorations involving plants and flowers, check out this cool DIY from paper towel or toilet paper rolls! All you need in addition are some paint colours of your choice, glue, and some basic craft supplies. Not only does it look cheery but you can also choose a colour scheme to match your existing decorations. Enjoy!

Visit Imperfectly Perfect for the full directions.


What are your favourite ways to reuse cardboard rolls? Share your ideas with us in the comments!

-Reuse Centre Volunteer Blogger Team

Wednesday, 24 December 2014

T’was The Night Before Christmas (Reuse - style)

Reuse Centre Operator, Liane, made some fun "reuse" modifications to a popular holiday poem. Read below and enjoy!
'Twas The Night Before Christmas
(Reuse - style)

T’was the night before Christmas, when all through the centre,
Not an item was stirring, not even basket filler.
The stockings were hung by the fabric with care
In hopes that St Nicholas would soon be there.

Crafty things were all nestled all snug in their bins.
Patterns in flats near the cookie tins
And Mama in her ‘kerchief and I in my cap
Had just settled our brains on a pile of burlap.

When out in the store, there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from drop-off to see what was the matter.
Away to the door, I flew like a flash
To the bingo dabbers and candle wax.

The moon on the breast of new fallen glitter,
Something that used to be thought of as litter.
When, what to my wandering eyes should appear
But a wicker sleigh and eight matching reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles, his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted and called them by name.

“Now, Crafter! Now, Feather! Now Paper and Sequin!
On, Basket! On Juice Lid! On Coaster and Button!”
To the end of the volunteer room! To the door of the garage!
Now dash away! Dash away, to make a collage!

As dry leaves before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the roof-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of crafts, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The tinkling and clinking of laundry scoops.
As I drew in my head and was turning around,
Down the stairs  St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed in faux fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were embellished with pieces of books.
A bundle of wood he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes – how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was white as the snow.

A piece of cork he held tight in his teeth,
And ribbon encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me tags belonging to bread.

He spoke not a word but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings with yarn and cork.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the stairs he rose.

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team he gave a whistle.
And away they all flew with Christmas tree’s, artificial.
But I hear his exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all Reuse Centre customers, and to all a good-night!”



Poem by Clement Clarke Moore (with modifications by Liane L., Reuse Centre Operator)

Thursday, 18 December 2014

Throwback Thursday: What makes a holiday keepsake?

Every Christmas season, a very special tradition unfolds in my parents’ living room. Once the tree has been set up and strung with lights, my mother brings out the “Keepsakes” ornament box.
One by one, she removes her favourite tree decorations. There is nothing elegant about these items. They are not colour coordinated or branded with the name of a television lifestyle guru like the fancy decorations that will fill in the extra spaces later.
No, these ornaments are made from styrofoam, toilet paper tubes, pipe cleaners, toothpicks, fabric scraps and finger paint.
It isn’t the ornaments themselves that make this part of my parents’ holiday so special. It is the memories they carry, which are revisited every single year:

  • “Oh, Jim [my brother] made this one. He was only 5 or 6. So this ornament is 50 years old.”
  • “I think this was Derek’s [my oldest nephew]. Yes, that’s right. He made this in Sunday school.”
  •  “When did we have pink egg cartons? I don’t remember that. Beth [my sister] did these ones. She was so proud of them.”
And it isn’t only my mother who benefits. When I walk around my parents’ Christmas tree, I am transported back to happy hours spent with friends, classmates or my family—covered in glue and glitter and delighted with my own creativity, and gleeful at the thought of presenting my creations to my mom and dad.
Simple Christmas pleasures to cherish year after year.
If you would like to craft some keepsakes with the children in your life this holiday season, you will find all the bits and pieces you need at The Reuse Centre.
Happy Holidays!


Wednesday, 3 December 2014

Reuse Centre Holiday Tree Silent Auction!


Trees displayed at the Reuse Centre

Reuse Centre Volunteers making decorations

Beginning December 2, the City of Edmonton Reuse Centre will be hosting a silent auction to raise funds for Santas Anonymous! We will be auctioning off 4 beautiful, fully decorated trees!

Our talented Reuse Centre Volunteers got together, armed to the teeth with items from the Reuse Centre, and spent an afternoon decorating the lovely trees. Look how they turned out!

See one you would like to take home? Fill out a Bid Form at the front desk at the Reuse Centre. You'll fill out your name, contact information, and your tree (or trees!) of choice. There are four trees available. Minimum bid is $10.



Last day to bid is Saturday, December 13th. Highest bidders will be contacted on December 15th to make their donation to Santas Anonymous and to pick up their lovely, new tree!


Stop by in the next week and check out our beautiful trees! Make your bid to support Santas Anonymous!




Wednesday, 26 November 2014

November Reuse-it item: Wire Hangers


Got lots of metal hangers? Well the following blog post will take you through several reusing ideas including a yard project, some easy Christmas accents, a gorilla and creative household art. Share your ideas below, we would love to hear them!

RuthAnn

One of my fondest memories of my childhood is receiving custom-made, hand-wrapped wire hangers from my dad’s cousins. I still have them and I still love them. The woven covering over the wire prevents clothes from sliding off and is gentle on more delicate fabrics. The Crafty Gardener’s how-to creates a very similar finished product.

But there are so many other ways to repurpose wire hangers into other things, like this great candy wreath idea from livecrafteat.com (left) Visit the website for step-by-step pictorial instructions.

I’m also pretty impressed by this dining room pendant light fixture made out of wire hangers (bottom right), from Miriam Zink Product Design. It’s certainly creative!

Lana 

Winter's only just started,and I'm already dreaming about summer and being back in the garden.  Upcycled Design Lab keeps me busy and hopeful with their Upcycled Wire Hanger Garden Edging project.  A cage version should work wonders for my tomatoes and peonies.


Tamara

The holidays are fast approaching! I have found that my favourite kind of Christmas decorations are the ones that are homemade. Here is a great project to try with wire hangers; twist wire hangers together to make a Christmas tree shape, and thread a strand of lights or garland through them. Not only does it create a nice home for all those extra wire hangers that you don't use anymore, but it looks awesome and is super festive!

Sarah

I have several cheap, misshapen wire hangers at home - you know, the kind that bend way too easily from the weight of heavy coats? I think that the very thing that makes them terrible hangers will make them great for re-purposing into wall art! Check out Beth's Lemonade for instructions.


Emma

Amazing Scottish Artist David Mach uses metal hangers for enormous sculptures that are worked around plastic moulds which are then removed, I can't seem to copy a picture from his site, I understand why they would protect the images but they are huge and breathtaking, ranging from this Gorilla to a depiction of Christ's crucifixion.


- Reuse Centre Blogger Team (Staff and Volunteers)

Thursday, 30 October 2014

Throwback Thursday - RuthAnn's Curtain Gown


Medieval dress, made entirely
from thrifted curtains!
My inaugural Throwback Thursday post is a special Halloween treat. One of my all-time favourite upcycling/creative reuse projects is this medieval gown—made entirely from thrift store curtains.

A few of my friends and I had been invited to a banquet with a medieval theme. We knew we’d need costumes, or “garb,” but none of us had the money for the appropriate rich, heavy fabrics. Almost immediately we turned our attention to thrift stores and charity shops.

Shawl from a recycled tablecloth





People very often donate drapes and other home furnishings when they redecorate, but it isn’t always easy to use those items for their original purpose in your own home. Sometimes they are the wrong size or shape, or it may be that the patterns and colours are just out of date. But they can be absolutely fantastic for other uses, such as costumes.

The teal and gold brocade curtains I found were perfect for my costume. Even the lining was used for the lining of the dress and the sleeves. As my friends and I searched through donated items for the other things we’d need (trims and cording and ribbon), I found two bonus items: The quilted gold piece in the centre of the dress bodice is actually an old armrest cover and the shawl is just a recycled tablecloth.


Centre bodice gold piece used to be an old
armrest cover!
So when you’re planning for dressing up in your fancy or spooky best, don’t forget to reuse!

- RuthAnn (Volunteer)

Friday, 26 September 2014

September Reuse-It Item: Trophies

When customers first learn we take trophies, they are always thrilled. Nobody likes to throw out a reminder of an important moment or great achievement, but what do you do when your shelves get cluttered with awards?

If you're not ready to part with your trophies, but hate all that extra dusting they create, we have some great ideas for you. It's time to turn those old awards into something new and functional!

Michelle

Using old trophies and a bit of spray paint, repurpose those old trophies into flower pots in 5 easy steps! 

This would be a lovely idea for small herbs and plants.

Get the tutorial here.

Emma


My favourite idea would be to soak up the last of the Summer sun by getting out in the back yard and making a fairground style ring toss game for kids. Get some Hula hoops, line up the trophies in a giant size, bowling pin triangle formation and see who wins!

The heavy marble or concrete bases also make great pattern weights for sewing!

If you're feeling more ambitious, I came across this amazing arbor made of 300 trophies on Green Eco Services' Top 12 Ways to Recycle Trophies


Sarah

I love these display stands made from old trophies! They would be great for themed birthday parties, Oscars or award show parties, or season-end celebrations for any kind of team.

Check out the tutorial at Just Something I Made to learn how to make these cute cupcake stands from trophies and pie tins.

You could also make a really cute display shelf for a themed room if you used something a little sturdier than pie tins, like wood or plexiglass.


Tamara

Do you have items that are sitting gathering dust but you can never seem to allow yourself to discard because they carry some sentimental value with them? Perhaps yours or your children's old trophies is an example of such an item. Here's a great idea of what to do with them: turn the tops of them into a unique coat rack! How cool does this look?

See the tutorial on Design Sponge.

Do you have an interesting and innovative way to reuse old trophies? Share with us in the comments below!

Tuesday, 9 September 2014

August Reuse-It Item: Paint Swatches

Anyone who's ever done a big painting project knows that it's easy to accumulate a ton of those paper swatches, fast! Ecru vs. Eggshell, and oh, this brand's Forest Green looks just a tad darker than that brand's Evergreen. Whether your project is big or small, it's important to get the colour just right, so those little swatches come in handy! There's no denying that they're useful, but what do you do with them after you've made your choices?

If you're like many Edmontonians, you bring them to the Reuse Centre! This month, our blog team has put together a list of our favourite ways to reuse paint swatches.


Michelle

Paint Swatch Collage

Using cut out circles of paint swatches, create a stunning effect of ombre colors. I have also seen triangle cut outs attached side by side.

Don’t forget to frame your art work!



Sarah

I always have a book on the go, (sometimes two or three at a time!) but I don't actually own any bookmarks. I resort to using receipts, scrap pieces of paper, and the torn-off ends of opened mail.

I really love this simple and cute idea for reusing paint swatches and personalizing them with permanent ink or paint. This a great all-ages craft and perfect for back-to-school.

Nichole

There are so many cool and beautiful ways that paint swatches can be repurposed that it makes me want to take a cloth bag to Home Depot and clean them out. For instance, while I've always thought that mosaics are an interesting way to tszuj up a table top, the idea of smashing up ceramics for it seemed messy and slightly dangerous. But this doesn't have to stop me anymore now that I've found this awesome idea for creating a mosaic look with paint swatches! Just secure the paint chips to the wood top and cover with a piece of glass, and you have a gorgeous work of art that you can tailor for any room.



Lana

While the pretty colours of paint swatches make them perfect to incorporate into parts of a scrapbook page or a handmade card, the paper is generally not acid-free or of archival quality.

"Hey Gorgeous", takes advantage of the perfectly matching colours and light weight to create a customized chandelier that's full of movement. Check out the tutorial here. The same technique can be used for a lampshade or a mobile.


Emma

Visit Poppytalk to see how this amazing feature wall was made over the course of a weekend!

Like cleaner lines and a little more order? Design Sponge also has a great example of a paint chip wall

Or if you don't have half of Home Depot's supply of paint chips, a handy dandy calendar, could totally be made from a Reuse Centre picture frame!

Visit DIY Projects for instructions on how to make this cute, custom calendar.


Do you have a great idea that we missed? Add your paint-swatch reuse ideas in the comments below!

Tuesday, 5 August 2014

Grand Opening Celebration!


The Reuse Centre recently celebrated its move to a bigger, better, brighter location! Our new location is at 6835 83rd Street, just off of Argyll Road. We opened our new doors in early July to record-breaking drop offs and donations. In July alone, Edmontonians donated 22.5 tonnes of reusable items! 
The doors have just been opened!

On July 22nd, we held our Grand Opening Celebration. People began lining up around 11:30 a.m. and from the moment we opened the doors, we had a full house. Over the course of the day, 1.9 tonnes of reusable material was donated, and 1.7 tonnes were purchased! We were thrilled to see that so many people had come to celebrate with us. There were many long-time customers and friends of the Reuse Centre, plus a whole lot of new faces. 

Ringing up some new customers
It was an amazing day, and we'd like to extend our thanks to all of the volunteers, customers, and City of Edmonton staff who've supported us and helped us make the Reuse Centre such a success. We could not have come this far or had such a fantastic event without your help.

Councillor Mike Nickel and WMS Branch Manger Leo Girard
weighing in some office supplies

We would also like to extend our thanks to Councillor Mike Nickel, who came along to celebrate with us. He took a turn in our drop off area, along with Waste Management Services Branch Manager, Leo Girard.
Councillor Nickel, Reuse Centre staffer Karen, and WMS
Branch Manager Leo Girard

Councillor Nickel went above and beyond the call of duty for Reuse Centre customers, bringing carts to them in the parking lot and also helping some to unload their vehicles.

He and Leo had a great time accepting donations, sorting through reusable items, and, of course, being bossed around by Reuse Centre Operator, Karen.

Reuse Crafter volunteer Andrea helps
a little customer get started
Throughout the day we had an amazing contingent of volunteers who helped make this event a success. They gave tours, greeted patrons at the door, answered questions in the volunteer room while they diligently sorted out donated items, and even ran our kids' crafting workshop.

Local duo Bardic Form provided live music throughout the whole event. Thank you for really livening up the atmosphere of our party!

Linda Bodo, upcycle artist extraordinaire, was on hand to teach an adult reuse workshop. She taught patrons how to make amazing bird feeders out of plastic cd cases. 

Linda also brought several examples of reuse projects that she has created. Visit her website, absolutebodo.com, for some amazing reuse tips and tricks, as well as fantastic project ideas. 

Linda Bodo's workshop gets
underway
Workshop participants making
birdfeeders


We were also thrilled to host some of Edmonton's local news crews. Check out these clips from Global and CBC news.

Thank you, Edmonton, for showing us such a warm welcome to our new location!
Please visit us soon, at 6835 83rd Street, just off of Argyll Road.

Tuesday, 29 July 2014

July Reuse-It Item - Pill Bottles

July's Reuse Item is pill bottles! These little things seem so useful, it's hard to throw them away, and we see loads of them coming through the Reuse Centre. Read on for some practical and unique ways of reusing this common household item!

Lana
Blog team member Emma thought this would be perfect for
Walking Dead or Hunger Games aficionados!

Waterproof and compact, prescription pill bottles are great re-purposed as a travel container. But even if you're not going far away, one would make a perfect little "emergency kit" for day to day. A few spare safety pins, needle, thread (or dental floss), and buttons, and you can fix and prevent a wardrobe malfunction. Include plaster bandages, allergy pills, and a rolled five dollar bill and you'll likely have all bases covered!

Sarah

When pill bottles came up this month, I thought I was going to have a hard time coming up with something other than "put stuff in them", but you really can find anything on the internet!

Can you believe that these gorgeous earrings were made from cut up pill bottles? Check out this article on LilacPOP for more really fantastic examples of jewellery made from pill bottles, including necklaces and more earrings.

The examples on that blog are all made from orange bottles, but the Reuse Centre also sees plenty in blue, fluorescent green, and clear that would look great, too!

Emma

Always forgetting your key? Try keeping a spare somewhere covert with this awesome stealth key hide.
Simply glue a rock to the top of your pill bottle, close up your key inside, and push it down into the dirt. Now you just have to remember which rock it's under!

Visit Thrifty Fun for this and other great ideas.


Nichole


When I see pill bottles, I think of handy ways to keep hair pins and craft supplies organized. When artist Mary Ellen Croteau sees them, however, she sees the potential for installation art.

Her ongoing "Endless Columns" collection, featuring plastic bottle caps, jar lids, pill bottles and other materials that aren't easily recycled, is a social critique and visual challenge for us to look at everyday things in a different way.

Visit her online gallery to see more photos and learn about this innovative art project.



What are your favourite ways to reuse pill bottles? Share your ideas in the comments below!

Wednesday, 2 July 2014

June Reuse-It Item - Packing Peanuts

Getting something, especially a package in the mail is a lot of fun! And if you have a big enough box, you might be able to do this with the packing peanuts. If not, our June Reuse-It post gives quite a few ideas on how to reuse them, especially around the house.

Sarah

I have to admit, I hadn't thought much about using packing peanuts for much other than packing, before this item came up on our list. I like practical reuse ideas, so I was really happy to find this list of ten uses for foam packing peanuts, by This Old House. Number 3 was my favourite: keep pointy ends safe! Jab the sharp ends of tools, scissors, and even stray pins into a packing peanut to create a handy little sheath. Next time you're rummaging in your toolbox or junk drawer, you needn't worry about hurting yourself on stray sharps. This is a great tip for households with kids.

Nichole

When I was little, my mom made me a pumpkin costume for Halloween that I vaguely remember as being cute, but uncomfortably warm and heavy. I suppose that might have been due to the world's supply of cotton batting required to give my costume shape. I've recently learned that there's a better way to fill costumes without weighing them down: packing peanuts! Their bulk means that a little goes a long way, but their weight makes them perfect for achieving different effects, like adding six-pack abs to a superhero outfit or putting convincing "rice" on a sushi roll.

Lana

Staring at my latest container gardening project, I cringed when I realized how hard it would be to move once filled with soil and plants. Packing peanuts to the rescue! Light weight and space filling, they are a great, cost-effective substitute for the bottom-lining gravel (added for drainage) and some of the soil.

How to:
  1. Place packing peanuts in a mesh bag (such as an old onion bag or nylon stockings). 
  2. Arrange bag(s) of peanuts in empty container to cover the entire bottom. Layer with more bags up to ¼ of container height.
  3. Lay a piece of gardening fabric over the bags.
  4. Add soil and plants as normal.
This method removes the major thorn on gardening forums about using peanuts - the hassle of removing them from the dirt when the container needs to be emptied. But because there is less weight and soil, you'll need to consider the following:
  1. Take care not to overload the container with tall plants (making it too top heavy)
  2. Make sure there is enough soil, according to the plants' minimum root depth
  3. Monitor moisture levels frequently

Michelle

A packing peanut decorative curtain is quite simple to create. Using a needle, push through each peanut. After making many strands, hang them like a curtain. I would also suggest draping this around the Christmas tree or a chandelier.
- Reuse Centre Volunteers 


Tuesday, 3 June 2014

Keep your Garden Green: Reusing in your Backyard

It's Spring again (finally!) and that means that across the city, people are getting outside, waking up their yards after a long sleep, and getting ready for the gardening season.

We live in a rough climate, and chances are that your planters, pots, trellises and stakes are all a little worse for wear if you've left them outside over the winter. Garden centres do booming business this time of year, and not just on plants, as folks replace their old containers, tools, and garden decorations.  New items might make our backyards and flowerbeds look beautiful, but with a little creativity, you can have a gorgeous garden for less, AND reduce your environmental impact.

Whether you've got a sprawling backyard or a few manageable pots on your balcony, here are some of my favourite ideas for reuse in your planting spaces this summer:


Get creative with planters.

There is no rule that says you must grow your plants in pots. As a former florist, I can tell you that anything that holds dirt will do, as long as you make a few considerations for plant health. Don't use metals that will rust unless you have a liner in place, and make sure your plants have adequate drainage. This means that if your container doesn't have holes in the bottom, a) make some or b) fill the bottom inch or two with rocks and take care not to over water.

Check out this site for 30 great reuse and DIY planter ideas.

Use found or reused lumber for wood projects.

Want to know how to build this awesome walkway? Check out the tutorial at Funky Junk Interiors.

Pallets are a reuse gardener's best friend. You can make furniture, planters, or use the wood to make fences or square off garden beds. Here in Edmonton, Habitat for Humanity's ReStore is a great place to get re-use or cast-off construction materials.


Make your own garden markers.

From popsicle sticks to venetian blinds, juice can lids to painted stones, there are a ton of ways to make markers for your plants. These are a great way to get the whole family involved in taking care of a home garden.

Check out Housing a Forest's 27 DIY Garden Markers for a list of tutorials.


Don't forget the critters.

You can attract birds and other wildlife to your outdoor spaces with funky, functional feeders and houses. Not only will they make your outdoor spaces look pretty, but attracting wildlife can improve your garden experience by keeping your insect and pest levels down.

Check out these 23 upcycled bird feeder ideas and this list of 20 birdhouse tutorials.

You can also build an easy bee house out of reuse materials. These little houses attract solitary pollinators; these bees will improve your flowerbeds without the aggressive behaviour of hive-bees.

Compost!

This isn't reuse in the way we typically think of it, but composting your organic materials, from veggie peelings and rotten fruit, to kleenex and dryer lint, is one of the best ways that you can reduce your garden's environmental footprint.
Not only will you be returning valuable nutrients to the soil, but you'll eliminate the need to use chemical fertilizers on your plants and produce.

These are just a small number of reuse ideas for your outdoor spaces this summer; the possibilities really are endless. Get creative, and share your favourite ideas for reuse in the garden in the comments below!


-Sarah (Volunteer)

Monday, 26 May 2014

May Reuse It Item - Puzzle Pieces


According to Wikipedia, a puzzle is a game or problem which tests the ingenuity of a would-be solver. Reusing a puzzle seems to bring out the ingenuity of the crafter or artist as we see here in May's Reuse-it item post.

Sarah


Source: Instagram

There are tons of craft tutorials out there to use up mismatched puzzle pieces, but in my quest to find something for this month's topic, I wasn't seeing a lot of ideas that keep the puzzle intact, or use the original pictures. This crafter has taken large chunks of a puzzle, shellacked them with some kind of crafting glue, and used them as gift tags. I really liked this approach, and I thought this idea would also work really great as part of a scrapbook or shadowbox collage. This way, even when some pieces of your favourite puzzle go missing, you can still enjoy your favourite parts of the picture.

Lana
A puzzle with all the pieces can be covered and personalised to make a new one - but what of the ones that are missing pieces? Kids' Chaos has designed some really cute greeting card printables that make use of them, offered for free here. All you need to do is print and add puzzle pieces! Using theirs as inspiration, here's one I made for my anniversary.




Nichole

I've realized I personally own about 70 percent of the world's total jewelry, so I spend a lot of my time looking for cool DIY furniture crafts. If you thought I wouldn't find one for puzzle pieces, you'd be completely wrong! UK designer Rupert McKelvie spent hundreds of hours gluing thousands of puzzle pieces from incomplete sets into a side table. Not sure how sturdy it would be for actual use, but failing that what you really have here is art. Check out the website Design Milk for more pictures.

Emma

As a parent jigsaws are a double edged sword; they make a great quiet activity for the kiddos but making sure all of those matching pieces stay together is a job in itself. Knowing that I could make these gorgeous fridge magnets with puzzles missing pieces makes me not want to be quite so worried about keeping them all together.

Michelle

In this blog, there are many ideas on how to turn a name into a fun and personal room design. This one, on the blog, Honey & Fitz, especially caught my eye as it incorporates dozens of puzzle pieces. Using bright colors, this fun craft would stand out in any room!
Hayley

It's wedding season and website, Mrs2B has some great suggestions on how to use puzzle pieces to personalize the big day! My favourite are the simple wedding cake toppers which are unique and easy to create!

Now it's your turn! Share your favourite ways to reuse puzzle pieces in the comments below.

Friday, 16 May 2014

5 Ways to Reuse Your Way Through Spring Cleaning


Who doesn't love spring? I know I do. After the long and cold winter in Edmonton we're all ready to break out the shorts and flip flops when the thermometer barely hits 10 degrees. Then, of course, we all start getting to work on cleaning out the house and yard from a season of hibernation. Spring cleaning usually means de-cluttering. Fortunately, there are several ways that you and I can pass on any unwanted but reusable items in Edmonton, rather than throwing them out.

Here are my top 5 reuse suggestions for your spring cleaning:

1) Host a garage sale: Why not sell your unwanted items from spring cleaning to people who will enjoy them, and make a little bit of money while you’re at it? Garage sales are also a great way to get out and enjoy the nice weather on the weekend.

2) Donate items to organizations who need them: visit our Reuse Directory here to search for businesses and charities in Edmonton that will accept whatever item you’re trying to rehome.


You can also check your community or those nearby to see if anyone is hosting a Reuse Fair. These amazing events are a one-stop shop for donating items to local daycares, schools and charities.

   
 

We also can’t forget about our trusty Reuse Centre! Remember to check out their list of accepted items to see what you can bring to be reused there! Things like your books, board games and craft supplies will find good homes.



3) Eco stations: Have large items, electronics or household hazardous waste? Bring them to an Eco Station, where many of items, including paint, chemicals and electronics, can be reused or properly recycled. And bonus, most items can be disposed of for free!


4) Big Bin Events: Another option is to drop off your big bulky items is at a Big Bin Event. 12 Big Bin Events, happen in different communities throughout the spring and summer. These events allow residents a chance to drop off large items (like mattresses, couches, chairs, etc.) at no cost! Find the schedule of big bin events here.


5) Grasscycling: Reusing can also be done in ways you would never think possible. There is one way we can reuse all of those wonderful nutrients found in our grass clippings: grasscycling! This fancy word just means taking the bag off of your lawn mower and leaving the clippings on your lawn when you mow. It’s simple to do, it's easier than bagging the grass and it gives some valuable nutrients back to your lawn! For information on how to best grasscycle visit: edmonton.ca/grasscycling


 

Well, I think we've come up with some great ways to help us reuse this spring! Reusing has a number of benefits including reducing that amount of unwanted but reusable items going to the landfill. So, time for some cleaning. Now that you know where everything can go, it’s time to grab the mops and brooms and get to it! Good luck!

- Leigh-Anna (Guest blogger and staff)

Tuesday, 29 April 2014

April Reuse-It Item: 7 ideas for wooden spools

April's Reuse-it item is spools. Our blogger team has compiled a creative, easy DIY list to make such things as furniture, massage tool or organizers for your crafting items. Share your ideas in the comments section or on our Facebook page!

Lana:
Achy muscles can usually benefit from a massage - and a massager can easily be made from small / medium wooden spools and other materials found at the Reuse Centre.
The Back Massager from Story Soup Kids website needs only 4 spools and twine (length according to own measurements).
I decided I wanted something a bit stronger and structured for hands and feet and started off with spools and coated hangers.


And, made this as a first attempt:


Unfortunately, it's not very pretty, but it is a start. 
During the making, I realised another cool item that could come from the same materials: A bead roller coaster (as inspired by IKEA ):

Hours of fun I'm sure, but first I'll save up some more spools.

Sarah:


This is a really easy craft that you could make a thousand different ways. Write out a message on long slip of paper or fabric, and attach it to an empty, decorated spool to make a unique greeting card! 

.You can use wooden spools or paint plastic ones a bright colour or cover in pretty fabric or paper before attaching your scroll. This is great for any celebration, and makes a cute keepsake ornament for a Christmas tree. 

This would also be a great project for kids to make and play with. Instead of a greeting, draw an adventurer's treasure map or write a secret message inside!

Here's a link to a really basic tutorial.

Hayley:

Using spools as picture holders is a creative way to display those smaller pictures, especially those gems from elementary school that we all have. 

Miniature Rhino has a great tutorial on how to complete them. I also like Belrossa's take on the project. It leaves the thread on, adding a burst of colour to the end result.


Emma:
Empty spools are a great way of organising small pieces of treasured lace, ribbon or trim, just wind it up and pop in a pin. It solves the problem of them getting tangled or mixed up and if you have a lot of little scraps you could even separate by colour and keep them tidy in a Mason jar. Check out Gertie and Mabel for inspiration.

Kelly:

I've always liked the ease and speed of spool knitting. ...but never quite knew what to do with the lengthy cord, which is likely still living in my parents' attic. Pinterest to the rescue! These pieces are great inspiration to whip up a new Knitting Nancy by tapping finishing nails into the top of a large spool. 


- Reuse Centre Blogger team

Friday, 25 April 2014

Reusing in Edmonton: Green Window City Project

The Green Window City Project has brought Edmonton artists and business owners together to #rethinkjunk! How? With creative window installations made from reusable, but unwanted, materials. The event officially launched on April 18th with installations brightening several shop windows in Old Strathcona.

Green Window City Project organizer and Reuse Centre volunteer, Kelly Atkinson, may have "made up" the idea of the Green Window City project after getting involved in the Edmonton art scene and the Reuse Centre, but there was a lot of work involved in getting it off the ground. She had to create a dialogue with several Old Strathcona businesses and local artists to ensure their participation. Kelly also pitched her idea to the Awesome Edmonton Foundation and was awarded a small grant to help support the project.

She invited the Reuse Centre blogger team to participate in this recycled art initiative. We got together on Saturday, April 12 to help build an upcycled window installation to be displayed at Old Strathcona Books. Kelly’s vision for our installation was of large block letters, spelling out "WE ♥ YEG , one letter per window, and every letter covered in a different repurposed material from the Reuse Centre.

Finishing off the cardboard letters

So we cut the letters from cardboard then we all played Goldilocks for a few minutes as we browsed the shelves of the Centre for supplies. These shortbread tins are too big. These trophies are too heavy. These packing peanuts could be cool. But this Physics textbook and that smutty romance novel were just right. Back upstairs with our loot, we made a unanimous decision. The front of the block letters would be different, but the back of every letter would be covered in pages from some of the amusing books we found in the store. There were six letters to be decorated and six volunteers, so everyone chooses one. The "Y" was calling to me.
The G is ready! 
My "Y" ended up covered in bits and pieces from the Physics textbook, a Calculus textbook, a Windows '97 manual, a 2003 astrology guide for Aquarius, a directory of hydraulic motors, and choice sections from Blazing Vixen. Feeling impressed with myself, I started browsing the bounty we had brought upstairs for the perfect thing to decorate my letter.

Michelle working on the heart 
I covered my Y with large, multi-coloured, three-dimensional bows that look surprisingly fabulous glued closely together and covering every inch of cardboard. I had never been so proud of something I'd made by hand, and I don't think I'm the only one. Kelly's enthusiasm is so contagious, and we were all excited to be part of something so cool.

The final result, can you guess what we used to decorate the letters?
The installations officially launched on April 18th in Old Strathcona and will end on Sunday, April 27th. Event details can be found on the Green Window City website.  If the project is well-received, Kelly hopes to see Green Window City extend to other neighbourhoods. So show your support for this innovative recycled art project by stopping by this weekend to check out our installation and the 12 others in Old Strathcona!

- Nichole (Volunteer)