Refashion Files

We're talking about recycling this week...and do you know what my favourite kind of recycling is????  Refashioning!  I love taking something out of my closet that I haven't worn in ages and making it into something new again.

Here are just a few refashion projects I've shared with you in the past.

You can find them all just by clicking on the tutorial tab up top.

Another great place to find awesome refashion ideas is Refashion Files!

It's a great place to submit your own refashion projects too!  You can find all sorts of ideas for accessories, clothing, undergarments, even footwear!  Check out these cutey patooty leggings for babies...they're a refashion!

Do you have more great refashion leads?!?  Lead the way, leave a comment below so we can all visit~

Underbed Storage

It's a good thing it's recycle week here at Etcetorize this week!  I recently pulled out all of my summer clothes from storage and suddenly realized that I have WAY too much stuff!

What's a girl to do?  Give away all her pretty summer clothes?  Not yet....I made new storage!

I just cleaned up a couple of drawers from a discarded dresser that's out in the garage.

Gave them a few coats of nice white paint and some new knobs.

Pulled out my drill and electric screwdriver to add a few wheels on castors to the bottoms.

And voila!  More space to hide store my clothes!

Warning!  This is not a good place to store
your black turtleneck sweaters because
it also makes a cozy hiding place~

Which season do you have more clothes for?  Summer or winter?  My winter clothes take up just as much space but I think that's only because they're bulkier.  Leave a comment, and let us know, how do you store your off season gear?

Old Man in the Garden

I didn't make today's project but I have to share it with you anyway because it's an awesome example of recycling something that was just laying around.

This old guy was a gift from my neighbour who does wood carving from wood he finds.  He guards my garden from unwanted trespassers (the statue, not my neighbour).

Who guards your garden?  Do you have any special friends in your outdoor space?  Leave a comment below~

Recycled Mirrors

This week is all about recycling here at Etcetorize!  Most of us have too much so let's look around the house, or the thrift shop, and see what we have that we can make useful again.

Starting with these super ugo little mirrors.

I guess if you like really yellowy goldy gold mixed with silver they aren't so bad.

I just couldn't think of a room in my house where I put them up though.  So I painted them a few coats of white.  (oops, sorry, I was having so much fun painting I forgot to take photos)

Then I used the mirror that was inside and used it to trace some pretty scrapbooking paper.

Throw it in the frame and it's a whole new and updated look that I'd be happy to put up somewhere in my house now.

When I get around to buying some ink for my printer, I'll print some pics off of my niece and nephew and print off some nice black and white photos to put inside.

What do you think?  Do you have something laying around that just needs a fresh coat of paint?  Leave a comment below and let us know what you're going to recycle!

Water Feeder

Now that all of the snow has FINALLY melted and I can spend some time outside I got out my trusty Outdoor Mod Podge and set to work on this week's fun butterfly project.

This is a fun and easy project that comes in super handy if you're going to be away from home for more than a few days and don't want your flowers beds to dry out.

Here's what you need to make your own water feeder.

Materials:
-empty bottle
-Mod Podge and sponge brush
-Pretty paper shapes

Steps:
1) Clean out your bottle and remove any labels.

I just used lots of hot water and this little scrappy thing.  If that doesn't work for you try using cooking oil~

2) Have all your shapes cut out and ready to go.  I had all sorts of butterflies left over from my canvas project I showed you last year so I figured I might as well put them to use.

It's nice if you have different colours and sizes but the look is all up to you.

3) Paint on your first layer of Mod Podge, adding paper shapes as you go.  Use your sponge brush to
make sure every little corner sticks down.

**Important!  Remember that your feeder will be standing with the mouth of the bottle down, make sure you hold your bottle upside down while adhering your shapes so that their right side up when it's put to use.  (Does that make sense???)

4) When your first layer is dry make sure to go back over the whole piece with a second layer to seal in all of your designs.

5) Once everything's dry, fill your bottle up with water and tip upside down into the soil where all your pretty flowers are.

Now you'll come home to full and well fed gorgeous planters!

What kind of flowers do you plant in your planters?  Any favourites?  I'm trying wave petunias this year!  I can't wait to see how they fill out throughout the summer.

I hope you've enjoyed Butterfly Week and have found some inspiration in all of the fun and fluttery projects~

Butterfly Pins

If you've hung out here for any length of time, you've probably figured out I have a small fascination with butterflies.

I'm not even sure why, because when I think about how they start out in life the whole thing sort of grosses me out.

In any case, I love the pretty colours, I love how they casually float across your path from time to time, and I love their magicalness (not a word, I know, but it's what they make me think of).

So, of course I had to have a pinboard devoted to butterflies.

What you might be surprised by though is that I only have a measly 26 pins.  I'm pretty particular about my pins.

But have you noticed a new button at the top of all your board lately?!?!?!

If you hit that little "Find Pins" button you are automatically taken to loads more boards that are the same or similar theme as yours!  This makes finding specific pics super easy!

I have a feeling my little butterfly board is about to expand, exponentially~

What's your most self-indulgent pin board?  Is it baking?  Home Dec?  or some other guilty pleasure?  Leave a comment, and a link, below!

Happy Butterfly Week!