What's That ?!

Are you ready for this edition of "What's That ?!" Take a minute to get yourself a cup of coffee, kick up your feet, and settle in to the blue velvet chair. This time we're paying a visit to Borneo-born Hong Yi, a young architect by day, artist in the after hours.

Inspired by one of his songs, Hong Yi pays homage to Taiwanese singer Jay Chou with his portrait. Can you see what she 'painted' it with?

How exciting to be this young and talented.

Like many, Hong Yi begins her day with a warm cup of coffee. It's what she does with it afterwards that is genius.

Most people find it annoying when the coffee spills over onto the saucer, making a mess. Not so with Hong Yi. She's creating!

By now I don't have to tell you that this portrait was made with coffee cup stains. Did you see it in the first photo?

Relax for 2 more minutes and watch the video as she creates this beautiful portrait.

Not finished with your own coffee yet? Why not watch as she paints basketball star Yao Ming - using a basketball as her paintbrush!


Go on...you know you want to. Get out some paper and start creating with coffee in hand.

Until next time...
Mike

29 Recycled Easter Ideas

It's not too late to get inspired with 29 recycled Easter ideas!

Our local Metro newspaper reported that Swedes eat 6,000 tons of candy during Easter. With my very non-scientific figures that's equal to the full take-off weight of 12 Boeing 747s including passengers and cargo, or 3,600 Volvo S60s, or nearly 33 million bananas. My conclusion? That's a lot of candy!

We may not be able to recycle candy, but how about adding a recycled little bunny to your decor this year!  

recycled cardboard bunny - via Lindsay Blamey

recycled your empty egg carton for a cute little Easter pendant light - via Addicted to Decorating

recycled metal bunnies sure are cute! - via Amazon

recycle your stamps for a snail mail egg from Rusty Rooster Vintage

cute little bunny sachets from recycled fabric scraps - via Craft Passion

love this recycled brown bag nest, complete with tutorial - via Alpha Mom

recycled Tshirt bunnies - via Chez Beeper Bebe

keep it simple and reuse that egg you had for breakfast this morning - via Stylizimo

ever wonder what to do with that lint from your dryer? How about 'dust bunnies'? - via Suzanne Proulx

fill a group of recycled bottles with paint and add lilies for Easter - via Organize & Decorate Everything

recycled cardboard bunnies on the fence - via Recycle Merced

getting rid of any winter sweaters as you spring clean this year? Pull the yarn for these cute little recycled yarn eggs for Easter - via The Long Thread

recycled fabric lavender sachet bunny - via Pouch

make burlap bunny shoe fresheners with recycled coffee sacks, complete with tutorial - via Craft Passion

recycled plastic rabbit - Robert Bradford via Smudgetikka

recycled tie eggs are just my style! - Kathleen George via Crafts 'n Coffee

I gotta try one of these recycled winter scarf bunnies for Easter! Includes project download - via Lark Crafts

recycled baby chicks direct from the egg carton - via Paper, Plate and Plane

and their recycled bunny friends - via Dream It Make It

there's a couple of cute recycled egg ideas here with buttons and lace  - via Crafts 'n Coffee

this little recycled cashmere sweater funny bunny's ears come off with his hat - via Chez Beeper Bebe

did you know that the Easter Bunny leaves extra candy in recycled box baskets? - via Crafting a Green World

recycled your Christmas decorations and put bunny ears on them! - via Sweater Surgery

paint chip Easter egg garland - Modern Parents, Messy Kids via Curbly

Easter chicken from recycled bags - what about a bunny, too? - Kathleen George via Crafts 'n Coffee

painted bunny on recycled bottle - via Bunny Hop Hollow at Etsy

recycled plastic bottle bunny in Sydney - via dryasadingo on Flickr

wow...that's one big recycled components egg for Easter! - via Wonderlane on Flickr

and once Easter is over and you come down from your sugar high, think about how to recycle some of those Easter egg foils like Timothy Horn did for color on this glass slipper that sits in the National Gallery of Australia

Okay...ready to hop in and create?

Until next time...
Mike



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Walk Off the Earth - A Recycling Band

Walk Off theEarth captured my attention the moment I first heard them and saw their brilliant videos. Now they've endeared themselves even more with their latest video, Little Boxes, that includes a set made entirely of recycled boxes.







And for DIY peepers like you and me, they graciously made a 'how-to' video.








Now I just need them to come to Sweden so I can see them live!

Until next time...
Mike

10 Recycled Flower Ideas for Spring

Can you feel it? Everyone is getting Spring fever. I know I am!

We'll all be getting our flowers planted soon, but this year how about adding a little extra whimsy to your summer garden with one of these recycled flower ideas for Spring?

sunshiny bright recycled bottlecap flowers by Yoav Kotik via Treehugger

recycled book page flowers from Sunday Baker

this recycled button bouquet of flowers is one of my favorite projects - via Blue Velvet Chair

string these recycled magazine page flowers together for a fun spring garland - via Zakka Life

can you believe these recycled flowers are made mostly from bottlecaps? - via benignpxl on Flickr

seriously! Where can I get some bottlecaps to make these divine recycled bottlecap and tin can flowers? - via  Kim Groff-Harrington Gallery

recycled VHS tape flowers - via Craft Gossip

I have big plans to try to hubcap flower bomb somewhere in my town - via Blue Velvet Chair

this cute recycled rebar flower fence makes me smile - via Mark of Steel

this springtime flower pillow is from 100% recycled felt - via Pillow Pallooza

I really want to try something with these recycled plastic bottle flower cascades - via Michelle Brand

This is another one of those post collections that could go on and on - so let me know if you want to see more recycled flowers for Spring.

Until next time...

Mike

Recycled Container Classroom

All I could say when I saw this recycled container classroom in South Africa was "Hurray"! What a brilliant reuse of an old shipping container.

The gathering space and steps on the outside of the classroom are used as the lunchroom and school amphitheater.

It's as good of a learning environment than the rundown schools I attended when I was a kid.

And I could definitely cozy up on this library at the back of the container.

Find out more at TSAI Design Studio.

Seeing this container classroom in South Africa, I was also reminded of the house that Once Upon A Time is building - also in South Africa, also using recycled shipping containers. If you haven't seen this, you must hop over there to have a look - it's absolutely gorgeous. Tell her I said 'hello'.

Until next time...
Mike