Seasons Change

As you are probably well aware from reading this blog, I am a big proponent of reusing or repurposing the items you have tucked away somewhere taking up space.

If you aren't the crafty type to turn your old gems into new treasures, I have the place for you -- Seasons Change Designs.

Season Neucere moved to San Angelo after Hurricane Katrina destroyed her hometown of New Orleans. Not only does she scour local garage sales and use the vintage clothing and fabric she finds to make new items - clothes, purses, and other amazing treasures -- she will also take your old clothing and fabric in whatever form and make new treasures for you to enjoy. She has partnered with The House of Fifi Dubois on Chadbourne Street to have some of her creations for sale in their showroom and gives free consultations on Saturdays by appointment to look over your items, so pull those old concert t-shirts, baby blankets, school band uniforms or whatever else is lurking in your attic or closet and give her a call: 214.404.7782.

Book Review: How to Make {Almost} Everything

Ready Made How to Make {Almost} Everything, A Do-It-Yourself Primer by Shoshana Berger

I picked up this book at the library on a whim as I'm always looking for ways to recycle clutter into something useful and aesthetically pleasing. This book did not disappoint me.

From a doormat made from wooden clothespins to a dog bed made from old pairs of jeans, this book has great ideas for any type of materials. In fact, the book is broken down into chapters by the type of material being used: paper, plastic, wood, metal, glass, and fabric.

I particularly like the bird feeder made from old glassware because I know I can't be the only one with partial sets of glasses hanging around.

Each project comes with a color photo of the finished product, a list of ingredients and tools you'll need to make it and step-by-step instructions to guide you. For some of the bigger projects, helpful drawings guide you through the steps.

But the book makes for an excellent read in addition to being a great idea guide. In between the projects and witty and often funny selections of text that include the history of some of the products, advice, and random facts about various subjects. The section on various fears in the metal chapter is particularly amusing, and the section on how to use chopsticks in different countries might very well come in handy some day.

So if you're a do-it-yourself clutter recycler like me, give this book a spin. I bet you'll come away with all sorts of fantastic ideas.