It’s another Guest Post Thursday!!!
Today, Gretchen will be introducing you to something that is near and dear to my heart…upcycling!!!
I’ve said before how I love the concept of making something new out of something old, and upcycling does that very thing. You can take an item that may seem like garbage to most and turn it into something really beautiful and functional.
In our disposable society, upcycling can save you money and reduce your garbage output while giving you a fun, creative outlet. It constantly amazes me how we are always buying something new rather than finding a way to use something we already have.
To me, the best part of upcycling is coming up with a way to use standard junk in a non-standard inventive way!
Take a look at the awesome way Gretchen at Upcycled Goddess turns a simple can into a cute, useful storage container.
Tin Transformation
By Gretchen Anthony at Upcycledgoddess.com
I am a little crazy when it comes to organizing. I like everything to have its place and for that place to be beautiful. In my dreams my home is as beautifully organized as Martha Stewart’s without having to have a stint in the slammer. My hope is that this post will give you confidence by starting with a smaller upcycling project. Knowing that you can easily master a bit of artistic storage could give you the courage to tackle some bigger projects like that piece of furniture sitting in your garage taunting you everyday to be completely repainted or stained.
The above picture is where I currently keep all of my kitchen sponges. It is a functional container but definitely not pretty.
To start this project this is a list of items you will need to have:
- 1 tin can – you can use a soup or paint can depending on what size fits your needs
- burlap
- trim
- hot glue gun and sticks
- paint and brushes
- stencil
- Sharpie
Once you have gathered all of your supplies you will lay out a piece of burlap. Measure the burlap using the can as your guide, then use a Sharpie to mark anywhere you may need to cut. You will want the length to be the circumference around the can and the height to be double the height of the can. Next, fold the burlap in half. Now with your warmed up hot glue gun squeeze a strip of glue down the length of the can and press the burlap firmly into the glue. Repeat this process along the top and bottom of the can until both ends of the burlap meet. Secure the last end of the burlap with hot glue.
If there is excess burlap at the top fold it around the top edge of the can securing it with hot glue on the inside of the can.
Pick out your favorite stencil and tape it to the front of your newly burlapped can. Gently dab on your paint color of choice. Lastly, pick out your trim. I used two different trims on this project, binding and a piece of vintage trim. With the hot glue gun handy, place a few beads of glue around the top of the can. Press the trim firmly into the glue. Continue wrapping the trim around the top of the can laying it into the hot glue until you have gone around the entire can. If you wish to add another layer of trim the repeat the above process overlapping the bottom trim on top of the first trim.
Lastly, pick out your trim. I used two different trims on this project, binding and a piece of vintage trim. With the hot glue gun handy place a few beads of glue around the top of the can. Press the trim firmly into the glue. Continue wrapping the trim around the top of the can laying it into the hot glue until you have gone around the entire can. If you wish to add another layer of trim the repeat the above process overlapping the bottom trim on top of the first trim.
Before
After
How gorgeous is this sponge container now?
Makes me almost want to do dishes…almost!
Thank you so much Starr for allowing me to take over your blog today.
How awesome was that upcycle of a simple can???
Comment and tell us what upcycling projects you will tackle!
Gretchen Anthony is a newly-40 mother of 4. After leaving her decade-long career as an owner and baker at 2 bakeries, she is now trying to reinvent herself. She describes herself as “an aspiring writer whose right brain runs at 450% while my left brain tops out at 5%.” Her blog is about upcycling and creating or finding beauty in everything. You upcycle your clothes, food, home and yourself; physically, spiritually, intellectually and emotionally. Gretchen would love for you to come along on this journey with her to create a more beautiful and frugal life.
Read more and follow along at www.upcycledgoddess.com or on Instagram.
Thank you again, Gretchen, for sharing your post with us today!