Festive and Holiday Vase Decor

The Reuse Centre recently hosted a drop-in crafting activity where participants made Winter Scene Tealight Holders. The pieces of art that were created during this session were stunning, and we just couldn't resist sharing them with you.

Most participants opted to stick to the original project, and designed their own tealight holders using decorative beads and ribbon but there were a few people who thought outside the box and used their vase/candle holder to create beautiful winter and holiday scenes, sans tealight. Here were some of the creations.

Photo Credit: Tessa M.

Photo Credit: Tessa M.

 Photo Credit: Vanessa

Photo Credit: Vanessa

Want to create your own festive vase for this holiday season? Here's a quick tutorial to get you started. One added bonus, all of these items are available at the Reuse Centre.

Materials

• Glass vase, candle holder, or other type of glass jar
• Table salt
• Small holiday or winter figurines and ornaments
• Artificial greenery or floral type material 
• Ribbon 
• Glue gun and glue sticks 
• Any other accoutrements that you like (i.e. sequins, bells, glitter, beads etc.)

Instructions

1. Ensure that your vase or container is clean. Once you start to add items, it will be difficult to wipe off dust or fingerprints.

2. Fill the bottom of your container with salt. A 1-2 inch layer should be enough, but you can add more or less, depending on how much "snow" you want in your scene.

3. Once you've added your "snow", start creating your winter/holiday scene. I'd recommend placing larger items in first and then working the smaller items around them. Try experimenting by adding some glitter to your snow. And don't be afraid to trim down your artificial greenery and floral material to create little trees or shrubs. A great part of this project is that you can put items in and take them out relatively easily, so you can create exactly what you're envisioning.

4. When you've finished creating your scene inside of your container, try adding some ribbon or other items to the outside of your container. Just a word of caution, adding too much to the outside may make it difficult to see your scene on the inside. Pay attention to what your scene looks like from eye level and not just the top.

Taaa-Daaah! You're all finished!

Interested in attending our next crafting session? Be sure to follow us on Facebook to find out about any upcoming drop-in crafting activities and workshops.

- Vanessa (Staff)

DIY Tea Cup Candles

I was recently enlisted to help plan a bridal shower and the theme was a high tea party. As with most parties, I wanted to provide some kind of favour or keepsake to thank guests for attending.

I've seen tea cup candles in stores and craft fairs over the last few years and always thought they were pretty. When it came time to come up with an idea of what I could give guests I thought, why not try to create my own tea cup candle. It turns out, that they're pretty easy to make. I was able to find almost all my supplies at the Reuse Centre. The only thing that I couldn't find there was a tea cup, but I manged to find one at a local Goodwill store. Yay! A 100% reused project.

Materials

• Wax (any of these will work): old candles in similar colours, with wicks removed; paraffin wax; beeswax; soy wax
• Ceramic/porcelain/china tea cups
• Candle wicks with metal base
• Skewers
• Knife
• Cutting board
• Small metal coffee can  
• Pot 
• Water
• Oven mitts or other heat resistant gloves

Directions:

1. Chop your old candles or wax that you're using into small bits. This will make it easier and quicker to melt the wax.

2. Place your chopped up wax in your metal coffee can.

3. Submerse the can in a pot of water. The water should be about halfway up the side of the coffee can. Start to heat the water on medium heat. The water should be hot but not boiling. Occasionally stir the wax as it melts.

4. While your wax is melting, prepare your tea cups. Place one wick in each cup with the metal base resting at the bottom of the cup.

5. Place your skewer, perpendicular, on top of the tea cup and rest the excess wick on top of it. This will ensure that the wick stays upright when you pour the wax in.

6. Once the wax is fully melted, remove the pot from the heat and carefully remove the coffee can from the water using your oven mitts/gloves.

7. Pour the melted wax into each tea cup about 3/4 full. Adjust the wick, if needed, to ensure that it is upright and straight.

8. Allow the wax to completely cool, remove the skewer, and trim the wick to about 2cm above the wax.

Presto! You have a cute tea cup candle.

The guests loved the candles and an added bonus of creating them was that they doubled as decor during the party. These candles would also make a great gift for lots of other occasions. Happy crafting!

- Vanessa (Staff)
All Photos provided by Vanessa

5 Tips and Tricks Before You Thrift

Are you tired of your style? Would you prefer a more sustainable way to shop? Are your funds limited? If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, you're in luck! Thrift shopping is the answer to your fashion dilemma! However, before you go rushing to the nearest thrift store, here are five tips and tricks to guide you through thrift shopping.

                                                         Photo: Cindy Caturao


1. Set a Budget

Limit your spending! With prices reduced to almost half, sometimes even three quarters of the original price, it's quite easy to get carried away and buy clothes and furniture that you don't necessarily need. Ask yourself: Do I need it? Will I actually use it? Is it worth it? Setting a budget will help you to not only narrow down the things that you need but also keep your spending in check. 

2. Shop Around 

Edmonton offers a variety of consignment boutiques, thrift shops, and many second-hand stores. Various neighborhoods will also carry different items. I suggest going to multiple locations for an eclectic mix to shop from.

3. Sign up for memberships 

I understand, there is nothing more annoying than constantly receiving promotions, newsletters and just overall spam mail from different companies but sometimes it's worth it to subscribe. Occasionally, places such as Goodwill and Value Village will email members 40-50% off coupons. 

4. Shop with an open mind

Refrain from sticking to one area of the store. The beauty of thrift shopping is that most of the time, the items that you find are from the most unexpected sections of the store. Keep your options and selections ample and explore different areas of the store outside of your comfort zone!

5. D.I.Y.

Occasionally, you may find a garment that's not your ideal size or style. Making some quick and easy alterations allows you to see beyond the original purpose of the item. It opens up the potential and possibilities to reuse and repurpose garments. 

Thrift shopping is a sustainable way to dress without breaking the bank. It promotes reusing and repurposing garments that might otherwise end up in landfill creating more waste. Lessen your carbon footprint and shop at a thrift store. You never know what you might find!

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                       - Cindy (Volunteer)

Fun Crafts from Knitting (or Crochet!) Scraps

Knitting and crochet both have a lot of benefits as autumn craft activities: they can be enjoyed alone or with friends; they're portable for holidays and road trips; and kids can join in the fun (particularly with techniques like arm knitting or finger crochet). These pastimes are also great from a sustainability standpoint, as needles/hooks are durable and rarely require replacement and yarn can be purchased (or found at the Reuse Centre) in a variety of eco-friendly fibres.

One of the reuse challenges that I encountered when I started crocheting regularly was what to do with the many scraps of yarn that I accumulated from different projects. I found that the easiest solution was to wind each piece into a small roll and store them in a mason jar or on an empty paper towel tube. Here are 3 fun ideas for how you can put those scraps to use.

1) Ornament or Hanging Mobile

Yarn scraps can be wrapped around styrofoam balls to make individual ornaments or a stunning hanging mobile. This project provides the opportunity to be creative with color, size and arrangement, making the finished project suitable for anywhere in the home, in any season.

2) Wall Hanging

This is another versatile home decor project, requiring yarn scraps and a piece of dowel. Check out A Pretty Fix for a great example. Different colors and textures of yarn can be used in combination and the dowel could be replaced with a branch or piece of pipe for a more rustic or modern look, respectively.

3) Gift Wrap

Although this example from It Happens in a Blink is for a Christmas present, the idea is great for any time of year. Alternatives to conventional gift wrap are important from a sustainability perspective, plus a fun and personalized package is sure to bring a smile to the recipient's face!

-Karlene (Volunteer)

How to Throw a Waste-Free Party

Summer is full of weekend get togethers and backyard barbeques. All these parties can create a lot of excess waste and garbage. But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are many ways to reduce or eliminate waste at your next summer party. Here are some tips.

Use reusable plates, cutlery and napkins 

• While disposable dinnerware may be tempting to use for convenience, it creates a lot of extra garbage. Most of these items are plastic, Styrofoam, or coated with a water-resistant finish so they are not recyclable. If you must use disposable items try to find ones that are labelled as Certified Compostable. 

• An easy alternative to disposable plates, cups, and cutlery is to use your own dishes and flatware. What’s that? You don’t have enough? Ask your guests to bring some. Having an assortment of dishes creates an eclectic fun atmosphere for the party. 

• Along the same idea of using reusable dinnerware, the same applies to drinkware. Skip cans and bottles for beverages and serve drinks from pitchers or jugs. This will prevent having to recycle empty bottles and cans. It will also allow guests to have as much or as little water/juice as they want; they aren’t stuck with finishing the entire bottle or can or having to dump out the leftovers. Remember to use reusable cups and glasses too! 

• Worried about washing all those dishes? Most of the individual plates, glasses, and cutlery can go in the dishwasher. That just leaves the serving dishes, which will have to be washed by hand. This is not such a terrible thing! Recruit a couple of your guests to stay later and help. This is a great opportunity to reflect on the party and have one-on-one conversations with guests that you may not have had a chance to chat with earlier. 

Ask guests to RSVP and confirm numbers

• Knowing how many people to expect is important in determining how much food and beverage is needed and reduces the amount of leftovers after the party. Whether you send out a formal invite or a casual instant message, try to get an accurate number of the guests you are expecting. 

• For quantity planning, check out the spruce for tips on planning quantities of food needed.

Have guests bring reusable containers for leftovers, or try a potluck, instead

• This will reduce the amount of food that is wasted. Guests can take home a little bit of everything and have lunch or dinner for the next day. If you choose potluck style, then guests can take home their individual leftovers and you aren’t stuck with all of the remaining food.

Skip paper invitations

• There are lots of great websites where you can create custom invitations for your party and send them via email or text message. These sites allow you track RSVPs, set up potluck instructions, plus loads of other additional features. Punchbowl is one that I like. It’s very user friendly and offers a variety of fun templates for any theme.

Serve seasonal, minimally-packaged bulk food

• Purchase seasonal local produce and prepare and cut it yourself. This will reduce a lot of plastic waste from pre-packaged fruit and vegetable trays.

• Purchase deli meat, olives, nuts, and other snacks in bulk. This will not only save you money but will minimize having to toss empty bags and packaging.

Do you have any other ideas for hosting a waste-free party? Comment below with your thoughts and ideas.

Vanessa (Staff)

Making Paper: A Kid-Friendly Crafting Activity

After a mad session of decluttering and office organization, what can you do with piles of shredded paper? Sure, you can recycle it, but as with anything, repurposing it can extend its useful life while creating something new (to you) and fresh.

An added bonus to making paper with a toddler is the messiness of it all. Kids get free range to go elbow-deep in a tub of gooey paper pulp, feeling the messy texture between their little fingers. It's a perfect afternoon activity.

Materials:

• Shredded paper
• Water
• Wood frame
• Screen material
• Duct tape
• Blender
• Felt or similar material
• Glitter, leaves, or any type of embellishment you'd like to add

A big ol' bag of shredded office paper. Photo: Ellen Hanna

Start with a powerful blender or food processor and a few handfuls of shredded paper. Add any amount of water (you'll squeeze all the excess water out so you don't need to measure) and blend away!

Pulp A.K.A. goop. Photo: Ellen Hanna

Meanwhile, you'll need to create or repurpose a wood frame. I used an old painting canvas. I ripped the used canvas portion off (remember--you can use the painted or virgin canvas without the frame so don't toss it!) and duct taped some screen material to the frame. If you have a strong stapler or staple gun, you can use that. Try to source a very fine mesh screen or your paper will be chunky. Screening is usually sold in larger quantities than you need, so look for old material you can reuse for this.

Photo: Ellen Hanna

Photo: Ellen Hanna

Photo: Ellen Hanna

Depending on where you're doing this activity, you may need a bucket to catch the water that squeezes through the pulp. We were going to let the water drop into the grass but decided instead to press the pulp over our empty sensory bins.

Photo: Ellen Hanna

 Next, spoon, pour, or grab handfuls of goopy pulp and place on the screen of your frame. We tried a paintbrush to spread the pulp but found our little fingers were just as effective. Spread the pulp all the way to the edges of the screen. The thicker your layer of pulp is, the longer it will take to dry and you'll end up with a very thick, rigid  paper. If you want to embellish your paper with glitter, leaves or flower petals, or any other addition, now is the time.

Photo: Ellen Hanna 

A very thick layer of pulp. Photo: Ellen Hanna

Photo: Ellen Hanna

Once your pulp is in place, use a sheet of felt to squeeze the water out while smoothing out the surface. We first tried the leftover piece of canvas but the pulp stuck too much and was pulled up from the screen each time. If you don't have felt on hand you could try another type of fabric, like a towel or old piece of flannel.

Don't rush this step; the fun doesn't end with that squishy pulp! We tried rolling the pulp with a toy rolling pin and the wheels of a tiny truck (neither worked very well but were super fun to do).

A piece of felt can be reused over and over until it's soaking wet. Photo: Ellen Hanna

Ineffective but fun rolling pin. Photo: Ellen Hanna

Also ineffective toy truck wheels. Photo: Ellen Hanna

Once you've removed as much water as possible, gently peel the wet paper away from the screen using your felt as a transfer medium. Then gently peel the paper away from the felt. Since the wet paper can be difficult to relocate, consider a good place for your paper to dry where it won't get ripped or stepped on. Ours was very thick so it took days to dry out.

Pulp waiting to become a sheet of paper. Photo: Ellen Hanna

Once your paper has dried out, it's ready to be used. Ours was a nice chunky and stiff piece with lovely accents of colour--perfect for cards. We used one piece as a Thank You card for a friend and another as a Happy Birthday tag on a present. Next time, I'll add some seeds to the paper so that when we give the paper to friends with a gift, they can then plant it to grow some wildflowers.

Ellen (Volunteer)

From Kitchen Trash to Canada Day Crafts!

Now that the kids are out of school, it's a great time to start on some fun and easy summer crafting! Instead of going out and buying new supplies, why not use items that might be already lying around the house? Reusing is less expensive, more convenient and eco-friendly.

If you're looking for new-to-you craft items, the Reuse Centre is a great place to start as they have an ever-changing selection of arts and crafts supplies at a fantastic price (only $5 for up to 25 kg of materials).

With Canada Day fast approaching, here's a selection of craft ideas that the whole family can enjoy together. Each project takes a common kitchen recyclable that can be found in your blue bag and turns it into something festive!

1. From Soup Can to Wind Sock

This craft is a great example of how a common waste item (like an old soup or vegetable tin) can be upcycled into something celebratory! This activity is also great for using up scraps of coloured paper and ribbon to create the windsock and string, yarn or wire for the hanger loop. Check out Today's Parent for a tutorial.

2. From Glass Jar to Centerpiece

Although the original project calls for mason jars, spray paint and wood cutouts, this project can be made more inexpensively and kid-friendly using empty jars from jams or sauces, acrylic craft paint and a DIY maple leaf made from leftover card stock. Check out Love to Create for details.

3. From Milk Carton to Bird Feeder

This feeder from Today's Parent has been painted to resemble Jellybean Row houses in St. John's, Newfoundland, but you can come up with any design imaginable! Setting up a bird feeder provides a great opportunity to observe and learn about local wildlife and to share why nature and sustainability are so important.

Happy Canada Day!

-Karlene (Volunteer)

3 Easy Ways to Reuse Water

Canada has a bountiful supply of freshwater, accounting for 11.7% of the country's total area, according to Stats Canada.  Despite having such a large amount of water available, it is important to be mindful of the amount of water used, as water is not an easily replenished resource. Currently, the average amount of potable water used per person in Canada every single day is 466 litres! With that in mind, here are three easy ways that every individual can reuse water in their home to reduce this gigantic number.

1. Place a Bucket in the Shower

Let's be honest, nobody gets in the shower after immediately turning it on. Since it takes a while for the water to get warm, most people aren't crazy about hopping into the cold. An easy way to save that cold, potable water is to place a bucket in the shower while waiting for it to get warm. The water collected in the bucket can now be used to flush the toilet by slowly pouring about 4 litres of the reused water into the toilet bowl. Flushing a toilet can use anywhere between 6 to 14 litres of water each time. Therefore, the ability to subsidize water by flushing the toilet with cold shower water minimizes the total amount of water used in a household.

Source: Giphy 

2. Pasta or Vegetable Water to Water Your Plants

Cooking pasta takes about 16 cups of boiling water for a family of four people. Normally, when the pasta is done, the next step is to use a colander over the sink to drain all the water. Instead of draining the pasta water into the sink, why not save it by putting the colander on top of another pot? The pasta water is full of starch which plants will love due to the added nutrition. This is what I call a win-win situation: more nutritious water for your plant and a smaller water footprint for you.

3. Install a Rain Barrel Under the Gutter

When it rains, rainwater is normally sent down the drain and left unused. That means that using rainwater is free and that it does not take any special plumbing for you to use. Installing a rain barrel underneath the downspout of your rain gutter is the perfect way to capture rain water -- and there will be lots of it. Edmonton receives an average of 80 litres/m² each summer month with June and July being the rainiest months. A great way to use all of this captured rainwater is to use it to water your lawn, as watering the lawn can be one of the most water-intensive activities during the summer months.

Water is a super precious natural resource. Every time we find a way to reuse it, we minimize our everyday impact, leading to a more sustainable way of life. If you have any other ways to reuse water, please comment down below!

-Dolly (volunteer)

Create a Cheerful Craft Nook on a Budget! (Part Two)

We will continue our project of creating a fun and sustainable crafting space!

In part one, we discussed how to find a workstation and think about storage. Now we will move on to the next steps.

3) Choose energy efficient lighting. Good lighting is critical for your crafting area, especially if you’re reading patterns, taking photographs or working on a smaller-scale project like cross-stitch. Especially in the winter, our natural light fades quickly!

Photo: Karlene L.

My craft nook is in a basement with dimmable LED fixtures and an LED desk lamp with adjustable brightness and position. This way, I can control the amount of light I need – whether I’m watching a movie or working on a project – and the energy used is a fraction of that consumed by conventional incandescent bulbs.

4) Accessorize! Congratulations, you’ve made it to the really fun part! Your space should be an extension of who you are, so whatever brings a smile to your face, now’s the time to display it using shelving, cork boards, pegboards or a gallery wall!

My area is a work in progress so the walls are still bare, but I’m taking inspiration from my office where I have a beautiful vintage map of Belgium (to remind me of my travels) and a display of some of my completed craft projects (to provide inspiration).

Photo: Karlene L.

My accessories include a vintage tall ship model, a locally-made ceramic yarn bowl, two "Made in Alberta" letterpress cards, a repurposed IKEA (zebra print!) office chair and a whimsical button-print rug.

Photo: Karlene L.

Another great idea is to hang paintings that you can make with your family – no experience necessary! With a few inexpensive stretched canvases (available locally at Michaels, DeSerres or The Paint Spot), brushes and acrylic paint, you can have a fun family afternoon and decorate your space at the same time.

So there you have it! With a little bit of time and creativity, you can have the whimsical and sustainable craft nook of your dreams. Instead of saying, “there’s no way I’m cleaning off my desk and dragging the sewing machine out,” you can just sit down at your workstation and start making.

-Karlene (Volunteer)

Create a Cheerful Craft Nook on a Budget! (Part One)

Like many of you, I pour over craft blogs and gaze longingly when they profile their work spaces. Such beautiful storage! Such beautiful lighting! But, how do you begin?

For years, that’s as far as I went. I didn’t set up my own work space because I thought that it would be too expensive nor did I have the time or the room. I didn’t even know where to start!

That all changed when I saw a profile of a sewing space that was simple yet functional on the British Tilly and the Buttons blog. It looked like a charming place to curl up with a tea and a project on a rainy afternoon.

When I flipped through the crafter’s blog, I realized that she and I had actually been neighbours! If she could make it happen in her space, then so could I. All I needed was the UK profile of an Edmonton blogger to help me realize it!

Photo: Karlene L.

Although my space is a work in progress, it brings me joy every time I see it. Using a small corner of the basement, I designed an inexpensive, functional and eco-conscious playground for creating and exploring - and you can too! Here’s how to start.

1) Find a workstation. Your workstation needs will vary depending on your crafting interests and the space you have available. If you’re into crochet and lettering, you’ll need less flat space than someone who quilts. If you have the luxury of setting up a full sewing room, you’ll have more space for tables than someone carving out the corner of a larger room.

Photo: Karlene L.

In my nook, my eco-friendly workstation is my mother-in-law’s beautifully re-purposed dining room table. The wood is solid, the construction is meticulous and it’s expandable with two additional leaves hidden under the table top. Look for similar vintage gems at thrift stores, garage sales, Find or the Ambleside and Kennedale Eco Station Reuse Areas.

2) Think about storage. If you’re a minimalist: well done, this part will be easier! If you’re more like me, less so. Having all of your craft supplies handy makes projects faster and far less frustrating. Less time finding bobbins means more time stitching.

Photo: Karlene L.

My main storage piece is a happy yellow IKEA KALLAX, which offers space for both storage and display and is a more environmentally sustainable version of the classic EXPEDIT. I also re-purposed a pink IKEA office storage unit from several years ago, which is fantastic for storing patterns and notions. For smaller items such as buttons and crochet hooks, I reused mason jars (from preserves that we had received as a gift) and old coffee mugs (like the one from the Ambleside Reuse Area on the right).

Check back next month for Part Two where we work on lighting and accessorizing our new spaces!

-Karlene (Volunteer)

2018 Reuse Resolutions

Happy 2018! With another year, comes another list of resolutions. You may have committed to some resolutions that are still going strong, or your resolutions may already be nonexistent. In any case, there's still time to take action this year, especially with regards to reuse. Let's change our waste habits together in order to produce less waste in 2018. Who's up for the challenge?

To get started, here are some simple reuse resolutions that you could commit to this year.

1. Be a reuse champion in the kitchen

We often transport our food or store away leftovers in the fridge. These are great habits; yet, how can we make these habits even more sustainable? One way is to remove disposable packaging materials such as plastic wrap, plastic bags, disposable containers or any other 10 Disposables to Ditch from your Kitchen. You may not choose to eliminate them all at once, but removing one kitchen disposable at a time can decrease your waste. Then, add in reusable products such as reusable containers, reusable snack bags, reusable wrap or even just start reusing your yogurt containers.

Want to go one step further? Start bringing your reusable containers to restaurants and other events where there might be food. Package up your leftovers in reusable containers, while encouraging others to do the same next time.

2. Rethink the free swag

It can be hard to resist something that is free: lanyards, stress balls, pens, notebooks, magnets, buttons and other trinkets. You can accumulate a lot of free swag, but do you ever use it? Not always. It is definitely great to repurpose free furniture and eat free food, but maybe let's slow down on all the free swag. Stop to think -- will I use it? If not, leave it for someone else who might really need it.

3. Bring out the reusable grocery bags

How many times do you go shopping and forget to bring your reusable grocery bags? With more and more grocery stores charging a fee for plastic bags, it is also a cost savings solution to bring your own reusable bags. Stash them in your vehicle or hang them on your doorknob to grab them on your way out of the house. 

Want to go one step further? Invest in reusable produce bags or make your own DIY produce bags. Use them at the grocery store, instead of disposable plastic bags. Or just grab your produce, without a bag!

4. Borrow instead of buy

As consumers, we are prone to buying new items whenever we see a need. It can sometimes be the easiest and simplest solution; yet, definitely not the most cost effective nor sustainable option. This year, before making a purchase, look at other lending option beforehand.

For example, head to an Edmonton Public Library to borrow books instead of buying new, check out Edmonton's Tool Library to rent tools for your next project or even reach out to a friend to borrow a dress for a special occasion. You would be surprised how many people are willing to lend out their things. Or you could even organize swaps in your community such as clothing swaps, baby item swaps or even tool swaps.

5. Box up those Reuse Centre donations

In order to reuse waste in your home this year, why not commit to the goal of bringing your accepted items to the Reuse Centre. To make this happen, find a box, label it, attach the Reuse Centre accepted items list and place it near your other waste containers (garbage, recycle, Eco Station).

One of the best ways to create a change of habit is to make a resolution simple and accessible, while also having a visual reminder. Therefore, the first step of creating a purposeful Reuse Centre donation box will get you on the right track. Need help sorting your waste? Don't forget about the WasteWise app which can help you learn what goes to the Reuse Centre and what goes to the other waste streams.

Have some other reuse resolution for 2018? Share them in the comments below!

DIY Vision Boards: Making Your Dreams a Reality in 2018

Every December, nearly all of us make New Year's resolutions with the best of intentions - maybe you want to eat healthier and start exercising more, or get out of debt and start saving money. A new year means new possibilities and opportunities; but, by February most of us have already lost sight of our often lofty goals. Unfortunately, only 8% of us will stick to our New Year's resolutions and accomplish our goals by the end of the year.

How can we increase our chances of achieving our resolutions and stay focused on our goals all year long? Cue vision boards! Visualization techniques are incredibly powerful mind exercises that have been helping professional athletes increase performance for years. By creating a vision board that legitimizes your goals and aspirations, you create a sacred space for your hopes and dreams that will help keep you focused on your resolutions all year long.

Here at the Reuse Centre, we are always looking for ways to reduce our waste and lessen our impact on the environment. Follow the steps below and create your own vision board for 2018!

1. Set your goals before you start

Even before you pick up a thumbtack or a pair of scissors, take some time to focus on what you want to accomplish over the next year. Reflect on your achievements from 2017 and visualize the direction you'd like to go in 2018. What would you like to change about yourself? Are there areas in your life that you would like to improve? Successful vision boards focus not only on material things, but also how you want to feel. Once you have a clear vision, you can start building your board!

2. Choose a base and gather materials

There are so many amazing vision board ideas out there! A quick search on Pinterest will deliver endless ideas and possibilities for designing your board. You can choose to keep it simple and fluid with thumbtacks and a cork board, or you can create something more permanent with a specific flow of ideas on a poster board. Personally, I really like the designs that feature goals and aspirations radiating outward from a central point, but the choice is yours!

Once you decide on an overall design or theme, start gathering your materials. The sky is the limit! You can include personal photos, inspirational quotes, daily mantras, magazine clippings, art or doodles you've created, bucket lists or literally anything else that speaks to you. Try to keep your visions as clear and concise as possible to help you stay on track. Here at the Reuse Centre, I used a variety of magazine cuttings, paper scraps and letter tiles to create the foundation for my vision board:

Laura's vision board in progress

Source: City of Edmonton

3. Make it your own!

After you've added the bulk of all of your goals and aspirations, feel free to add details to make your board come to life! Experiment with 3D elements and don't be afraid to use different colours, patterns or textures. I used a variety of materials found at the Reuse Centre, including calendar photos, burlap, artificial flowers, puzzle pieces, sequins and bottle caps to finish off my board:

Laura's vision board details

Source: City of Edmonton

4. Put it on display

After you've finished your board, place it in a visible area where you will interact with it every day. This could be your office at work, your room, your kitchen or anywhere else that you could use some inspiration. Take a few moments each day to focus on the goals you have laid out for yourself in order to keep your resolutions in check. Check out a few more examples, including my finished one!

Laura's finished vision board
Source: City of Edmonton

Want to make 2018 your best year? The Reuse Centre will be hosting a free DIY Vision Boards workshop on Saturday January 20, 2018. Drop-in anytime between 1-3pm to create your own board with repurposed and reusable materials.

Have you made your own vision board before? Tell us about it in the comments below.

Laura (Staff)