Toddler Busy Board

As soon as baby becomes mobile, there’s a mad dash to secure all hazards in the house while providing safe options for play. Instead of breaking the bank with fancy toys, look around for sights, sounds, textures, smells, and tastes that are all around us.

Enter the "Busy Board." A busy board is a collection of repurposed household items that provide exploration and play for infants and toddlers. A quick google search shows several fantastic inspirations.

Busy Board Google Images Search

Busy Boards can range from simple to very complex projects depending on your construction expertise. They can be fixed to the wall or freestanding. Their fixtures can be permanent or evolving.

I’ll admit that my first attempt at this somewhat failed. When we moved from a tiny dwelling to a larger house that had an entire room dedicated to play, I was ecstatic to build the most amazing busy board wall. As it turns out, “amazing” just meant “huge.” While we did a great job of building the board, we somewhat fizzled at supplying a quality range of items to explore.

Image Source: Ellen

Cue second born child hitting the crawling stage. It’s time to reinvigorate our wall so that she can pull herself up and practice standing while exploring all the wonderful busy wall discoveries. This is the beauty of this project; it’s ever-evolving to suit the needs of your growing children!

Begin by deciding if your board will be small and portable or fixed to the wall. Since ours was installed on the wall, and since I wanted items to be installed in an ongoing manner, I needed to build the board out from the wall with a spacer of 2x4s. Thankfully, Grandpa was visiting and he took it upon himself to get the job started. Normally, we’d have an assortment of wood scraps kicking around to use but since we had just moved, we were fresh out. If you’re working from scraps, you may have less choice in size.

Once our base was installed, we simply began adding items as we found them. Our first stop was raiding our existing stash in the tool room. Next stop, The Reuse Centre! Since then, I’ve simply been adding items as they reveal themselves. It’s amazing to consider everyday household items destined for the trash in a brand new light!

Components of the board. Image Source: Ellen

Image Source: Ellen

My son is working on dressing/undressing himself so I added the button and zipper from an old pair of pants as well as the back pocket. He’s obsessed with the telephone and the calculator—both broken and destined for the trash! Our youngest uses the bottom half to pull herself up and explore the textures, sights, and sounds.

Is your kid a fan of texture? Maybe a budding musician who seeks out sounds? Or a future engineer intent on figuring out tasks of dexterity and skill? What items would your kid love to play with on a busy wall?

- Ellen (Volunteer)

Father's Day Gift Ideas

Father’s Day is right around the corner but don’t fret if you haven’t been able to find anything in the stores yet. Here are some great gifts that you can make by repurposing items laying around the house.

For the Dad that loves to garden: Floppy disk plant holders

These are very cute and are sure to brighten up any space! Floppy disks are a thing of the past now but it’s likely that many of you still have some lying around the house. These aren’t hard to make. Simply gather up as many floppy disks as you require (min. 5 for every planter) and a glue gun, then go plant shopping!

Full details on: BRIT + CO

For the Dad that loves winter: Handwarmers

While not in season at the moment, these will be very useful come winter. You can be creative making these! Use some fun patterned fabric, perhaps you have an old t-shirt that you love but it no longer fits, or an ultra-soft blanket that has a stain on it. You’ll need to cut out two, ¾ inch squares from your fabric of choice to make each handwarmer. Sew the two pieces of fabric together, fill with rice, and sew the handwarmer closed.

See detailed instructions here: Rae Ann Kelly

All you need to do is pop them in the microwave for 20 seconds before you’d like to use them! That’s it! A very practical and comforting gift.

Here’s a fun gift for kids to make: A Father’s Day trophy

The idea is to cut out a trophy shape from cardboard and decorate it with all sorts of fun things found around the house, such as dried pasta, sparkles, buttons, beads, plastic jewels, etc. Once the items are glued on and the glue is dry, the trophy can be spray painted gold for a nice finishing touch. Photos can be added afterwards too. 

Check out this blog for more details: Smart Class


Happy Crafting!

-Tamara (Volunteer)

Homegrown Reuser: Kersti

This is the third installment of our Homegrown Reuser series. Let me introduce you to Kersti from Bramble Handmade; she love to recycle, repurpose, and redesign! It's her motto!

Who are you? 

Hi, my name is Kersti, from Bramble Handmade. I am a local artist from Calgary who recycles, repurposes, recreates and redeems old items into happy, new loves. I strive to give old and unappreciated pieces new life through changing their looks and updating their uses.
I love to take old (usually ugly!) picture frames, and recreating them into lovely practical earring display frames, chalk boards, or white boards.

Where do you get them?

I get all my various frames, furniture, tins, buttons everywhere, literally, from back alleys. To the dump!

What is your favorite piece of work you have done and why?

I don't know if I have a favorite piece to be honest. I really love that every piece I make is different and I try to pull the unique features out of each piece, because we are all different. Similar, yet different. 

Vintage Button Bobby Pins

What inspired you to do this?

I have always been able to create and use recycled products, so it just made sense! There is so much in the world that we think is useless,but it isn't. It just needs to be recycled, redesigned, repurposed, and finally redeemed!

Do you have any tips/ inspiring words to share with newbie reusers?

Just have fun, get dirty, and challenge yourself! 

What are your goals for the future, both with work and life?

My greatest goal for my life is to love Jesus, live with passion and love others fiercely. How that works itself out I am very excited to see! With Bramble Handmade, I am just trying to learn as much as I can, help make beautiful useful art for our homes, and completely unique jewelry. I also want to teach others how to look past what is in front of us, and see the beautiful potential in old, used or broken pieces. 

Where can we find you?
I am on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest under Bramble Handmade. I also have a website which is under construction. So very soon you'll be able to see what I do, know where I am going and where to buy my pieces. at www.bramblehandmade.ca. 

Facebook: Bramble Handmade

Instagram: Bramble Handmade

Pinterest: Bramble Handmade


- Michelle (Volunteer)

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!

Blogger Team's New Year's Craft Resolutions

The Reuse Centre blog team got together recently, to touch base and brainstorm for the next year of Reuse-It Edmonton. As we traded ideas and proposed topics, discussion turned to our own personal New Years Craft resolutions. It seemed like each one of us had something we wanted to learn, or a neglected project that's been languishing in the back of a closet somewhere.

We made a pact - each one of us is going to try and tackle one of those things, and we thought it would be fun to share our crafting goals with you!

Sarah

Meet my refashion pile. It's huge, it's embarrassing, and my boyfriend probably thinks it's gained sentience because I keep moving it while he's not looking, in the hopes that he'll forget it exists.

My 2014 craft resolution is to get through this pile and refashion everything so it can be reintroduced to my regular wardrobe. And, of course, to stop adding to it!

Michelle

My craft goal for 2014 is to build a dog bed or house. I don't have a dog but my best friend has a puppy named Bella and stays with me quite often. She is a one year old long haired Chihuahua, so a very tiny dog. Here is an idea that inspired me to do this. I want to reuse old items to create the structure, maybe a stool or old furniture. I am not really sure what the exact plans are yet but wish me luck!

Hayley

2014 is the year that I will learn how to sew! I have been inspired by all of the incredible crafty people I blog with and also our customers at the Reuse Centre. I have signed up for a Learn to Sew class in the spring and I am really looking forward to learning these essential skills.  My ultimate goal is not to make clothes for my cats (as my sister suspects) but to be able to mend my own pant legs to the proper length, and after that use my new found skills to make a duvet for my bed and try other home decorating projects (so many great ideas on Pinterest)!          
Nichole

My craft goal for 2014 is to furnish my new apartment with as many antique and repurposed items as possible. I found a craft book with ideas on how to make candle holders out of plumbing parts, and bulletin boards out of pegboard and rubber bands.

Lana

I loved the book Generation T by Megan Nicolay since I first looked through it (almost 10 years ago!). It fully convinced me of the versatility and wonders of cotton jersey knit. Since then I’ve saved up every promotional T-shirt that came my way, but I didn’t get much further than that. My 2014 craft resolution: Use those T-shirts (two garbage bags full) to make some of the projects in this book and its sequel.

Kelly:

This year I've resolved to upcycle thrift finds into more current pieces rather than supporting disposable fashion. For the same price, you can thrift unique, quality clothing that really only needs some creative tweeking to be perfect. Bloggers like A Pair & A Spare's Geneva Vanderzeil and Love Aesthetic's Ivania Carpio are great inspiration for fashion reworking!

Emma

I have sooooo many projects in the works at any one time so I resolve to finish a WIP (work in progress) a week. Since I like to have too much on my hands. I also resolve to hone my knitting skills. There's nothing better than a crafty new years resolution, can't wait to see how far my knitting takes me in 2014!!

We would love to hear your reuse crafting New Years resolution! Share them below!

- Reuse-it Edmonton Blog team (Staff and Volunteers)

Scraps Project: Slipper Boots

It's almost the end of summer, and sometimes the nights and mornings still carry a bit of a chill. This was one of those mornings; temperatures dipped overnight and since we leave the windows open 24/7 this time of year, the apartment was a bit nippy when I got out of bed. Brisk as it was, I was loathe to close the windows and deprive myself of the fresh air. We're on weather lockdown 8 months of the year; we have to take advantage when we can!

My toes are always the first things to get cold. Enter one of my favourite things about fall and winter in this region: slipper boots. Unfortunately, my own were a few years old and they were looking pretty sad. After a few seasons of good use and many a trip through the washing machine, the soles were cracking and on the right foot, actually breaking off in chunks. The pom-poms had fallen off one slipper, and on the other had long since unravelled and shed their stuffing.

I've been meaning to replace them for a long time now, but once spring hits, slipper boots become difficult to find. I've toyed with the idea of making some, but it just never seemed that urgent. Well, today was the day. With freezing toes and the initiative required to pull out my sewing machine, I sat down to work. 

I had a surprisingly difficult time finding a pattern on the internet. Most free slipper patterns and tutorials seem to be for knitting or crocheting, and of those that were for sewing, hardly any were for boots. Taking a cue from this tutorial I decided to make my own. Of course, since I was making boots instead of snug ballet flat style slippers, things got a little wonky. I simplified. 

First, I traced the bottom of my slipper onto a piece of plain white paper, adding roughly half an inch for seam allowance. Then I grabbed one of my dingy old slippers and a pair of shears. I could see from the seams that the top of the boot was only two pieces, so I cut the top away from the sole and snipped along the joining seams, to end up with this:

The one that's shaped like weird pants? We'll call that pattern piece "Top 1" and the other shall be known as "Top 2".

 I traced these onto paper as well, again adding room for a seam allowance and voila! I had a pattern. Now, I could have started with a nice, fresh bolt of fabric, but where would the fun be in that? Slippers are small and don't take much material, so they are perfect project for using up leftover scraps, or even old clothing. Wooly sweaters make awesome slippers. In my case, I had a failed sewing project, made of the funkiest flannelette in the world. I'd been waiting for some inspiration and a project small enough to use what little I had.

I adore this weird, busy print but it was too much to take in cardigan form.

 My slippers would also need a lining; luckily I was also sitting on some artificial sheepskin that I'd purchased for a coat before changing my mind. I was happy to have a chance to use some of it up. What really urged me to action though, was this recent find at the Reuse Centre:

You really never know what you're going to find in the "Sewing Notions" bin! 

Now, here's a great tutorial if you happen to have two sided fabric, or something thick that doesn't need a liner. If you don't have an old pair of boot shaped slippers, it's also a great reference for pattern design.

Again, using this tutorial (from above) I simply adapted the author's directions for a slightly different shape. I pinned and sewed my boot pieces together using the remaining, uncut slipper as a reference.

Remember me? Top 1 is the heel and ankle piece, and Top 2 is the toe piece. Simply sew (right sides together) the curve of Top 1 to the flat part of Top 2, and then sew the sides of Top 2 together to make the upper half of your boot. 

Even with all of my fiddling and adapting the pattern (not to mention watching TV at the same time), this project only took about an hour and now I have a pair of adorable, cozy new slippers. What do you think?

-Sarah (Volunteer)

Valentine's Day on a Budget: Quick and Easy Candle Tutorial

With Valentine's Day fast approaching, store windows are filled with red and pink, and we are being encouraged to buy, buy buy! But there are plenty of ways to be thrifty and environmentally friendly around what is often characterized as a very consumerist holiday. For example, if you're thinking of buying flowers for your sweetheart, why not bring in your own vase instead of purchasing one? Most of us have a selection of rarely used vases, and Valentine's day is a great excuse to bring them out and show them off! Remember that it's a busy time for them, but with a few days' notice, most florists will be happy to create a beautiful arrangement in your own, special vase or container.

Dining out can be a major drain on your wallet, when you can usually buy the ingredients to make the very same meal at home for a fraction of the cost. Grab your partner, don your aprons, and have fun cooking a meal together.

So now that we've got flowers and dinner on the table, it's time to set the mood. Dim the lights and impress your sweetheart when you light up your very own, home made Valentine's Day candles.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

- A mold of some kind. Pictured is a silicone ice cube tray, but I also had success using a heart shaped cookie cutter and a sheet of tinfoil.

- Wax. You can use new paraffin wax or melt down old candles, which is a great way to use up the stubs and bits of those leftover red and white Christmas candles.
- Candle wick. You can buy this at any craft store, or if you're reusing old candles, you can actually reuse the wick as well
- Crayons in red or pink to give colour to your wax mixture.
- A pot and an empty tin can for a makeshift double boiler. A deep pot with a narrower top is the best, so that you can fit the can easily inside with room around the edges for water.
- Cooking spray

THE PROCESS

Set a pot of water on the stove to boil while you prep your other ingredients. You'll want to clean your tin can thoroughly and remove the label from the outside. Be sure to take care as the opening of the can may have some jagged or sharp edges. If you are using older candles and crayons, make sure to wash any dust or grime that may have accumulated on the outside. Remove any paper wrappings that may be around the crayons, and spray your moulds lightly with cooking spray.

If any of the wicks can be easily pulled from the candles, do it now.

Toss all of your wax and some of your crayon bits into your clean and sparkling tin can. Breaking up the pieces or shaving them down will reduce the time it takes everything to melt, but it isn't strictly necessary. If you are intending to reuse the wick string, make sure to leave it intact inside the candle chunks!

Using caution and a pair of oven mitts or kitchen tongs, lower your tin can into your pot of boiling water. If using a lot of wax, the can will be fairly stable. If not, you might need to hold on while things melt so that the can does not tip over.

I got bored and hot standing there above a pot of boiling water, waiting for my wax to melt. A quick dig through my cupboard turned up a metal strainer that, when set on the pot, still allowed the can to sit in the boiling water without tipping over. Using this method, you no longer have to hold on but it is still important to keep an eye on things, as you would when cooking. You may need to top up the water level every so often.

 If reusing old candles, fish out the wicks with a utensil after the candles have melted. Be prepared with an old plate or a piece of tinfoil, as this process can be a little messy. Use caution; the tin can, wax, and wicks will all be hot enough to burn your skin. Lay the salvaged wicks out to cool for a few minutes before attempting to handle them with your bare hands.

Pour your melted wax into your prepared mould and allow it to sit for several minutes so that it is not so liquid when your place the wick inside, or else you will be standing there holding on for quite some time. After the wax has solidified just a bit, the wicks will stay in place on their own instead of flopping over sideways.

If using a cookie cutter and tinfoil, make sure to press down on the cutter and hold while you pour the wax in order to minimize seepage out the bottom. Again, be careful! The wax will be very hot and if using a metal cutter, it will also get quite warm. Hold for about a half a minute and lessen the pressure for a few seconds. If there is major leakage, press down for a bit longer. If it is minimal, you can leave it to harden. Cooling time will vary based on the size of your molds, so it is best to leave them for at least an hour. Putting your wax-filled molds in the fridge will cool them more quickly.

Once your candles have cooled and the wax has hardened through, you can pop them right out! If the bottom of your mold was not completely flat, you can set your new candles on a warm surface (like a bit of heated tinfoil on a cookie sheet) for a few seconds to melt them into a flatter shape so that they don't wobble. If they are small, you can also try floating them! Trim the wicks and they're ready to light!

Now you have some cute candles to share with your Valentine. 

- Sarah (Volunteer)