Upcycling

I have to say that I am a little bit different than the average person, as you have seen from my choices in videos, it's true. But being different from everyone else is better in my opinion, simply because if the "herd" goes charging at a cliff, I know I won't be the one falling off. It's kinda like the "big" stock market crash from when I was little, people were investing like mad because eveyrone said it was the best way to make money fast, then the balloon popped, and people were jumping off of buildings because they couldn't face their loss of money. The way I view things is that money isn't the first and foremost thing in life. Yes, it is necessary to purchase things, and to pay bills. What I AM trying to say is that PEOPLE are far more important.

Besides, I am trying to not be a big consumer, so I am working on making do with what I have. People of the depression era had things right! Waste not, want not! One of the things that I do to succeed in this is that I repair items that I can, and if I cannot, then I try to upcycle it.

What is upcycling you ask?! That's a very good question, and the answer varies depending on a person's point of view. My point of view is that upcycling is taking an item that is no longer usable as is, and making it into something that IS usable!

I'll give you an example; I had this metallice tank top that was made of stretchy material, and I really liked the material, but I never wore it (except at home behind closed doors), simply because it was too short for my comfort. Now, MOST people would have gotten rid of it, or banished it to the back of their closet, never to be seen again. Now, I'm sure that we've agreed that I am not most people, so I pulled it inside out, put the side seams together, and sewed the bottom of it together. It now has a new and ever useful life as my FAVORITE reusable (and easily washable!) shopping bag!

I have to say that sewing is my favorite way to upcycle, but another method I have been trying my hand at is upcycling the plastic mesh bags that people buy their oranges/grapefruit in. I crochet one end together, then go to the other end and do a few rows along there, and make handles, Voila! Upcycled produce bag!

Another way I have upcycled in the past was when I had a waterbed frame that I no longer needed, but my shed needed shelving, so the frame became shelves in the shed. It's like I said, waste not, want not!

I DARE you to try it yourself!  ;)