Recycled Mini Magazine Mirrors

Yikes...an entire week of quiet here at the Blue Velvet Chair blog.

But quiet in blog-land doesn't mean quiet in home-land! We've been enjoying the company of our friends who were over for a visit from England, the kids are finishing up their dance and Capoeira activities before the summer, there was crafting, dinners together, a celebration for Sweden's national day (similar to an independence day), and the regular everyday obligations of work and school. It's been a good week!

If you're a regular here at Blue Velvet Chair, you've seen my oversized mirror frame covered with recycled magazine page rolls...about 750 of them. And I've got that disease where I can't think about certain projects without songs popping into my head... every single time without fail. Does it happen to you? I literally cannot talk about how much magazine page rolling it took for that mirror without spontaneously breaking out into this song. Makes me smile every time!

The girl's wanted to try a magazine roll frame for themselves, so we grabbed some small IKEA mirrors with thick frames and set them free to create. See how their own personal flare shines through with different patterns.

And they were well pleased with the results!

If you haven't tried a rolled magazine page project for yourself yet, it's time! It's one of those crafting and creative projects that you just can't go wrong with. And the combo of colors always delights! Need a quick tutorial to get you started?

Tutorial

Or want to try something else with recycled magazines or paper? I've collected over 75 ideas on this Pinterest board.

DIY Projects for Recycled Magazines and Paper

Let me know if you've tried one for yourself yet. I'd love to have a peek!

Until next time...
Mike

Recycled Button Bouquet

Last year I made myself a small bunch of recycled button flowers after seeing some on Home Sweet Homemade's blog banner (Hi, Diane). They made me so ridiculously happy. So small, but so full of joy.

I figured if I got that much joy out of a few of them, imagine what would happen if I created a full bouquet! So I made a few here and there over these past months, and next thing ya know I've got myself a bouquet. About 65 of them now.

I really encourage you to try this little DIY for yourself. Why? You'll get little bundles of joy that never wilt and stay in season year 'round.

They also make the perfect gift if you have a friend who needs a smile today.

Check out the super simple recycled button bouquet tutorial here - and send me pics when your flowers bloom!

Until next time...
Mike

Today's Happiness Share

I don't know what it is...but experiencing something like this from today's 'happiness share', even if only virtually, gives me moments of peace and faith in humanity. Take a couple of minutes to recharge. It's hard not to smile softly to yourself when you see the smiles brought to commuters on this train.

 

 This flash mob was brought to us by the Copenhagen Philharmonic Orchestra in Denmark.

 Mike

A Day's Worth of Inspiration - Recycle and Repurpose

The weekend is inching closer and closer, and I hope you're going to be able to set aside a slot of time to re.Create - because I've uncovered some pretty fabulous projects that are definitely worth a try. It's all in the name of another day of inspiration for recycled and repurposed design.

Can't you just see yourself overflowing with inspiration as you sit in your very own beautiful button-backed chair. What? No buttons? Well first priority for you this weekend is a trip to your nearest thrift store! Or Etsy. Or Ebay.

Now imagine yourself getting up and breezing through your own recycled tab curtains as you head outdoors for a bit of fresh air. Can you hear the soft chimes as the aluminum tabs brush against each other?

Once outside, let's have a seat in one of our fabulously funky mod podged garden chairs ...

... as we have a pot of tea, kept warm by the sweetest teapot cozy covers made from Auntie Em's old wool suit that she wore when she married Uncle Ernie.

If we sit still long enough, some of the recycled golf club wildlife that lives in the area will certainly pop in their curious little heads to catch some crumbs from our high tea scones.

Look over there in the garden - the scrap metal flowers are blooming!

I don't know Anne of Green Gables very well, but she stops to ask if we've seen her repurposed book purse. She can't seem to find it and she needs to get home to finish creating her very own rolled magazine page mirror frame.

I suggest that she look on the scrap wood nightstand in the bedroom, furthest down the hall and on the left.

But you mentioned seeing it on the repurposed LP end table in the living room.

"Oh thanks," she said. "You're both absolute recycled angels!"

There's so much recycled and repurposed goodness in the world. So, you see, I hope you find that time this weekend to create something for your own home or garden.

Until next time...
Mike

Fun with Repurposed Legos

We breed legos.

Or at least that's what it feels like. The little critters are everywhere underfoot! And they just seem to multiply at staggering speeds. None of them have homes anymore. They all seem to wander around the house aimlessly...waiting for greatness.

Looks like I'm gonna have to find some projects to repurpose my growing litter of legos.

I'm thinking about having a little fun with lego wigs for our next family photo shoot - wouldn't this actually be a blast for a kid's photo?

Elroy Klee

Not ready to put them on your head? Don't forget these cool lego street bombs. I'm sure you can find a wonderful little spot nearby that is just screaming out to be loved with Legos!

Lego bomb in Arnsberg, Germany

Lego bomb in Barcelona, Spain

Lego bomb in New York, New York

Lego bomb in Venice, Italy

And when you add them to your own little corner of the world, you can upload them at Dispatchwork and claim your 15 minutes of fame.

We definitely have enough to create a superstar lego mirror frame like this one. Makes me think of Star Wars.

What do you think? Do I need to find new homes for my lego litter?

Until next time...

Mike