Repurposing has got to be hands down my favorite of the three R's. Wait, repurposing isn't actually one of the three R's. Let's see. There's reducing, reusing, and recycling. Well, it should be one of them. There should be four R's.
 |
| There are two dish towels inside each hot pad. |
I can see how you could lump repurposing into the reuse category. After all, when you repurpose something, you are reusing some or all of its parts. But it's more than just reusing your shopping bags or reusing your plastic containers, it's finding a different purpose for your stuff. My kiddos old cloth diapers have found new purpose as cleaning rags. My old kitchen towels have found new purpose as hot pads.
I love the challenge of repurposing. I asked Orry what he thought one of Daddy's old work shirts should become. In my mind I imagined it would make a cute stuffed bunny, but he said it should make a scarecrow. Good idea. We'll have to implement that plan this fall if our pumpkins make it that long.
 |
| Pass me a cloth napkin! |
The other thing I love about repurposing is being able to keep using things that you really love. I have a top that I got in Korea and I love it for that reason alone. The bottom edge started to fray and instead of just boxing it up and looking at it longingly for the rest of my life, I repurposed it into a dress for Annie. It's far from the cutest dress I've ever seen, but its sentimental value sure gives it a boost.
I am far from being the expert at repurposing. Most times I just donate the things I don't want or don't have a use for anymore. But I want to challenge myself everyday to think of new ways to use old things. I also want to challenge my kids to do the same. So let's get our creative juices flowing! Leave some comments with ideas for ways to repurpose or ask for some inspiring ideas for something you have lying around.
Here are some links I found to help us get started:
Let's have fun creating a cleaner world!
One thing you can do is take pants and cut the legs short and wear them again as cutoffs.
ReplyDeletehttp://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr333/troydanielbecker/cutoffs.jpg
Bonn, as the holder of a fashion degree, please do not allow your husband to try to bring back cutoffs for guys ;)
ReplyDeleteBonnie, I love to read your blogs. I will love to have your talent. You make even a kitchen towel looks as pretty as a hot pad. Keep doing things that you love. Love for Orry, Isaac and Annie.
ReplyDeleteyour oldest niece asked your mother-in-law to make a quilt out of some old t-shirts she had that she didn't want to get rid of, but didn't want to wear either. that's a clever way to keep sentimental clothes!
ReplyDeletemy crafty friend made THE ABSOLUTE CUTEST hair clips out of scrap material. (they're little cloth flowers.)
i sent some old diapers up to a sister in washington to be repurposed as padded training panties, because sometimes they are really hard to find!
i love wind chimes and there are millions of different ideas of things you could repurpose into some funky hippy wind chimes!
my gramma used to take old worn out blankets and patch them, by taking an old mis-matched sheet and covering the old torn blanket. she'd do this over and over and the blankets would just get heavier and heavier... which are awesome for cold winter nights! or brisk summer nights under the stars.
if you go to flea markets you also can get great (or even awesome) ideas of repurposing things!!!!! we saw some totally rad lawn/garden art thingies made out of old pretty china plates.
and speaking of old pretty china plates, that same crafty friend that made the hair things also makes cakes. she built some beautiful cake platters by glueing gobblets under pretty plates. they turned out amazing!
that's it for now. great post. i love repurposing but my 3 r's that i like most are reading, 'riting, and 'rithmatic!
Pantyhose or old socks make the BEST stuffing for kid toys (or pillows, if you have enough of them) since they are small, they don't bunch up.
ReplyDeleteLaura,
ReplyDeleteTroy's dad has already done that! It's too late! (the cutoffs, that is)
Once your nose mittens start to get old you can use them as nursing pads.
ReplyDeleteOr vice versa.
ReplyDelete