repurpose

There are 6 posts tagged repurpose (this is page 1 of 1).

What Can you do with an Old Film Camera?

oldcameraI still have my 35mm (analogue) camera from college. I began using it about 20 years ago. It was a big purchase at the time, my Mother helped me pay for it when I was starting college and needed the camera for the Photography part of Corporate Communications at Centennial College (Warden Woods campus, which is now gone).

I can remember the teacher in the class talking about the future of film and photography. Computers were still pretty new then. Most offices had them for word processing but they were many years from being used in every home. The Internet existed, but almost no one knew anything about it. I can remember thinking how great it would be to have a camera which did not need film to be developed. The camera itself had been expensive but it was the cost of developing film and buying more film which was really making it hard to keep from falling behind in the class work.

Even though I have not used that old film camera for many years, I can’t quite let it go. I still have it in the case with the Canadian flag decorated camera strap. I could re-use the old strap for my new bigger digital camera but that just seems so wrong. Like deconstructing an old friend. I did let go of my old photography text book a few years ago. But that is as far as I have gotten to leaving behind the age of film.

What can you do with an old film camera, assuming you get the point where you can let it go?

There are a few people who still use the old film cameras? You could look for them (groups of them) and see if your camera is collectible or worth saving for posterity.

You may find a charity which will take them and be able to find people who will still use them. Or, an artist who wants to work with retro or vintage cameras.

Look for ways to repurpose them. Can parts be salvaged for other projects or for use with your new digital cameras?  A repurposed camera could be an interesting steampunk project.

Curating Cuteness: Building an Affordable Camera Collection for the Analog Enthusiast

Toronto Star: A Nerd’s World reclaims beguiling visions of our lives from old cameras

Atomic Vision: The Pleasure of Collecting Old Cameras

Camera Mods –  Take a vintage film camera that no longer works and convert it to digital.

Real Book Lovers Make their own Bookmarks

bookmarkI became more interested in bookmarks after my friend, Deanna, asked to use one of my drawings for a bookmark she wanted to print out for the First Annual Bookmark Collectors Virtual Convention. Before that I never put a lot of thought into bookmarks. I had a few, I lost a few and a few were mangled when they fell out of my book and into the depths of my purse. Most of the time I stuck something in my page, whatever was around: a restaurant napkin, a store receipt, or a candy wrapper.

Sometimes I turned down the corner of the page I was reading, at the top. But, I didn’t really feel good about marking my page that way. Mainly because it seemed to be contributing to the future dog-earred look the book would eventually get it others continued bending it’s pages that way when they read it after me.

I did find a really nice bookmark which someone had made, not the conventional long, slender cardboard bookmark. Instead this bookmark was stiff paper, folded over to cover the top corner of the book’s pages. It was like a page cap, decorated too. But, I thought this would make a fairly heavy bookmark. For me, it was too likely to wind up falling off and being misplaced somewhere. Plus, it wouldn’t do much to save my place in the book.

When I read Les Miserables (a lengthy, heavy book) I picked up an elastic which had been used on a small box of chocolates I was given for my birthday. (From my hair stylist, Megan). It wasn’t just a plain rubber band. Shiny and golden and just the right length to stretch over the pages of the book to rest in the spine between the folds of pages. The gold elastic worked very well but I retired it when I finished the book.

I’ve seen clever bookmarks made from envelope corners, repurposing them rather than putting them into the recycling bin right away. I think this idea needs some engineering work though. I can’t see the corner of an envelope staying on the pages of my book for long. This may be great for people who don’t get into bookpacking (those who keep their book in one place rather than those take it on the road, the bus, the coffee shop, etc.)

I like using whatever bookmark the book store is giving away when I buy new books. I’ve had some nice ones, depending on which books were lately being promoted. I had one for Dragonology. I was sorry to see that one get a bit wrecked from a rainy day. It was inside my purse, in the book, but the rain leaked in and got everything wet. I have one from a website SmileyWorld. But I bought that one.

It doesn’t seem right to buy a bookmark when there are so many available for free, so may ways to repurpose something else as a bookmark and so many ways (simple ways) you can make your own bookmark.

‘Why pay a dollar for a bookmark? Why not use the dollar for a bookmark?’ – Steven Spielberg

jewelbookmark

Bookmark Making Ideas

Repurpose Vintage Denim: Make a Fancy Denim Purse

A denim purse has great looks, great style and does great when it comes to wear and tear. Wouldn’t you like a denim purse, backpack, book bag, or some other denim purse sort of thing for yourself?

Almost every purse or backpack I have bought myself has been denim. My Mother made me a denim purse when I was a high school kid too. I remember how often people commented about that purse, in good ways.

I do my own sewing but I’ve stuck with embroidery and sewing by hand. Most of the sewing I do is mending, hemming and Christmas crafts/ ornaments. I do have a sewing machine but I’ve hardly done more than unpack it and pack it up again each time I move to a new address. I always intend to use it, get comfortable with how it works. There are so many craft projects I could be taking on if I was using the machine and sewing patterns. Now sewing patterns are so much easier to get, for free even, online. There really is not good reason not to get that sewing machine out and make great things with it.

I want to make my own purse, backpack or bookbag from recycled (upcycled) denim and trimmings. I’m going to start by looking at patterns and ideas. I like a purse with lots of pockets and niches to stash things and keep from having everything tossed into one central big pouch. I also want good straps, since they seem to wear out sooner than anything else on the purses I use. So those are the things I will be looking for in patterns.

General Plan for Sewing a Denim Purse

Start by giving the old jeans you want to use a wash in the machine. Dry them well and if they are wrinkled give them a touch of the iron to smooth them out.

Look at patterns for purses or backpacks or laundry bags, etc. You can do this without a pattern but the pattern is a good thing when it comes to the logistics and having a plan of how to pull it all together. Especially if you want extras like pockets, lining, inside pockets and dividers.

Don’t begin cutting the jeans until you have a plan for the purse, backpack or bag you want to make. Draw a pattern for the main bag and extras like a handle. Fit them by pinning the pieces together and see how they hang – is a purse strap going to be too long or too short? Will you be able to fit your books into the book bag? Do you need a lining – which will mean cutting extra denim or recycling something else to have a different fabric for the lining.

Once you have your plan cut out the pieces, give extra space around the edge for the seam once they are sewn together. Cut the denim for the handle and any side pockets and such.

Sew on pockets and extras as you want them, not the purse strap however. Once you have the body of the purse all set and ready to be sewn together (including a lining if you want one) put the main pieces back to back (they should be inside out). Begin sewing around the edges. Leave the top open – but hem it if you have rough edges there.

Sew the purse strap on before you finish sewing the two parts of the body together. You should have left some room to tuck the ends of the strap into your seams. Or, sew extra seam and double sew over the straps for extra strength. Look at patterns for ideas on how to attach the strap to the purse if you aren’t certain. Of course, if you use plastic handles it will be different from using a length from the jeans.

You can still decorate the purse with extras like pins, brooches and whatever else you dream up.


Source: A denim purse from Poppy Patchwork on Etsy. The shop looks closed right now, not gone from the site so it may open with new items again.

Toilet Roll Doll: Restore and Repurpose Dolls

Did Your Grandmother Have Dolls in her Bathroom?

I remember these from my Grandmother’s house, in the bathroom. She knitted her own from patterns that have disappeared along with most of her stuff after her death years ago. I don’t know how to knit (I learned to crochet on my own) but it would have been nice to have some of her old knitting patterns. Sometimes I see interesting or unusual patterns in the thrift store but I don’t buy them. I don’t knit after all.

The History of the Toilet Roll Dolly

There isn’t a lot of history to the dolls. In the 1960’s they began appearing in North America and likely various Common Wealth and European locations too. I can only vouch for those I saw in Canada, mainly Ontario.

I expect the idea came along when there was extra yarn, some time for a new project, maybe a broken doll and the idea was born. Pretty up your bathroom. In the 1960’s there were other home made fashions in the bathroom. I can think of toilet seat covers, something I haven’t seen a big return on with all the vintage and retro ideas. You could co-ordinate your doll’s dress with your pretty toilet seat cover, the bathroom floor rug and anything else already decorating the bathroom. Maybe that was how she really got started. Not only could you add more home made crafts, more colour and keep that broken doll around for a reason but you could … make it all shades of pink matching.

There was likely some idea about modestly hiding that unsightly naked toilet roll too.

Specifications for Making Your Own Toilet Roll Doll Cosie

I have yet to see a vintage pattern for those old toilet roll cover dolls. That’s how I started writing about them today. I’m seeing what I can turn up online.

I can find an endless supply of the little dolls at thrift stores. They are abandoned by children everywhere, so it would be a good way to recycle/ repurpose some of them. You can pick and choose from weird blue hair colour to a weird blue skin colour and the standard human shades of brown colours too.

The only thing that matters about the doll is her height and width. She can’t stand too tall and tip over inside the toilet roll. She also needs to be the right width to fit through the centre of the cardboard roll from about the waist down. Mainly her legs need to be inside the roll as the skirt of her dress covers the toilet paper roll – that leaves her above the roll from the waist up.

Free Toilet Roll Cosie Patterns

Toilet Paper Doll Cover: Crochetnmore.com
Toilet Paper Roll Cover and Kitschy Doily
My Kid Craft: Paper Toilet Roll Doll

The last pattern is an update on the vintage dolls. This one can be made with children, from paper and crayons. Simple and faster for those who don’t want to buy one.

\What do you Call your Toilet Roll Doll?

I guess you could properly call them toilet roll cosies, or toilet roll toppers too. I never found out what my Grandmother actually called hers. I always enjoyed seeing them though. She never made one for me, that I can remember. Maybe she just thought they weren’t really anything special. But, they were.

If you haven’t had enough toilet roll dolls yet…

YouTube – The Toilet Roll Dolls Perform Some Juggling

YouTube – The Toilet Roll Dolls Help Themselves to Chocolate

Dolls in Cakes: Restore and Repurpose Dolls

I never thought about not liking the doll in a cake. I asked my Mom to make one when I was a kid but it didn’t happen. She made cakes from scratch and we would usually wrap up coins and buttons and cook them in the batter as a birthday game. But we never did do the doll in a cake. I think she just didn’t want to take on the challenge of decorating with icing. It wasn’t our strong point.

The first time I ever saw a doll in a cake was for another girl’s birthday. Later I saw one as an ice cream cake. The best one was in a magazine, not a home-made or store bought cake. Magazines always have the fanciest, elegant cakes. At the time I just thought people working at the magazines (or TV cooking shows) were just far more skilled than anyone else. Now, I realize they have the time to arrange and fix everything, down to the smallest detail.

I like the idea of the doll cake partly because I see so many discarded dolls in the thrift stores. Last time I was looking in the secondhand toys the big basket for Barbie-sized dolls was over flowing. But, you don’t have to buy a real, full doll to make the doll cake. Some baking supply stores will have the short cut doll. Just a doll topper with a spike to stick in the top of your cake.

Don’t think you can only make a pretty doll cake. Think ugly doll, think Halloween, think vintage costumes, think seasonal and cartoon character. You can add any type of doll to the cake, no need to stick to girl dolls or shapely Barbie-type dolls either. Play with the general idea and come up with your own unique version.

Making the Doll Cake

Recycle dolls from thrift stores or use something cheap from a dollar store. You can even spend the money and buy a new doll and give it as a present if you are making the doll cake for a child or someone who loves dolls.

First, any second hand doll needs to be well washed. You should be able to use your kitchen sink, add good soapy water and bleach. Let her soak a while, but not so long she gets water logged. Her hair may not handle being wet well so keep an eye on that.

Second, a doll from the thrift store may have a really bad hair day. Try brushing it out when it’s wet. Be very careful because hair may pull out when it is really tangled. You don’t want to end up with a bald doll. When the hair is dry (give it overnight to be very sure it is dry) tuck it up in a ponytail or roll it up in a bun. If the hair looks good after the wash and brush you might leave it down. But, I find doll hair is usually frizzy and tends to be hard to deal with (or maybe I’m just too impatient).

The top layer of your cake will need to be carved to give it the dome or bell look for the doll’s skirt. If your doll is too short give her an Empire waist gown. If the doll is too tall (but not so tall she is toppling over) give her gown a drop waist. Look at other doll cake ideas to see how they handle the cake design as far as creating the skirt. Some have unique ways to create the shape, beyond carving the top cake layer.

Before you put the doll in the cake you will wrap her up in plastic so she is not actually touching the cake. This is important because some people are very much put off from eating the cake if the doll has actually touched it. They probably assume the doll is just stuck in the cake.

You will also cut a whole through the layers of your cake (or use a Bundt cake pan) to slip the doll through easily, without cracking or other wise mangling you cake up. Once the doll is inside the cake begin to decorate her bodice and of course, her big wide skirt.

As an added touch, give the doll a crown, a fascinator or some kind of head wear. She could have a necklace or bracelet too if you have something small enough to add extra decoration to her.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repurpose and Regift!

Regifting isn’t beloved by everyone. But, it makes sense in a world of reusing, recycling, reducing and repurposing. Why not find  a new home for a gift that did not suit you? Unless it’s a pretty odd ball gift there is a chance someone will think it is wonderful. Or, you can at least give it to a thrift shop to resell. It’s a shame to just throw away a gift, it should be very bad luck at the very least. It is bad manners and inconsiderate. That’s how I felt when it was my gift that was thrown away.

What do you feel about regifting… why or why not?