Needles-n-Pins Stitcheries: Upcycle Those Christmas Gifts

I know Christmas is getting close, but there is still time for a few of those last minute gift items. Why not do a little bit something different this time and give an upcycled gift to that special person. Let's jump on over to Etsy and see what we can find. 

Do you know someone who likes to grow their own herbs? If so, PottingShedCreations has this really neat idea of recycling wine bottles. 

Need something for the "computer geek" of yours? Take a look at this hard drive clock from pixelthis! I thought man what a different idea. LOL!

How about a recycled pair of corduroy pants. I know you have that person that needs a new hobo bag. BagsByMiller has this one available.

And who couldn't use another pair of mittens. Especially if that person lives in the north country like I do. Always have to have my mittens on. SewingAtTen made these out of an old wool sweater. Pretty good idea.  

Lot of nice recycled and upcycled gifts available. 

Happy shopping!

Colleen :)

Needles-n-Pins Stitcheries

Needles-n-Pins Stitcheries: Upcycled Tote Bag Tutorial

To sew or not to sew.....if you are not into sewing, but you would like to make an upcycled tote bag why not try this no sew tote bag made from a feed bag. Now I call that recycled, repurposed and upcycled to the ultimate. And talk about easy! So if you need a new tote bag to take to the market or shopping and you have that left over dog food bag why not give this a try like Leslie from The Frugal Crafter shows us. :)

Happy Not Sewing!

Colleen :)

Needles-n-Pins Stitcheries

Needles-n-Pins Stitcheries Blog

Kidz Korner - Egg Carton Art

Here's a great way to recycle those cardboard egg cartons and get your kids to make some great wall art too! Mod Podge Rocks blog has the complete tutorial to get your kids creating today. Simply click on the photo above for the instructions.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Needles-n-Pins Stitcheries: Upcycled Birdfeeders

Hope everyone is having a good summer so far. If you like the heat...hope you are getting lots of it....if you don't.....hope yours is cool. :)

I don't know if you are like me, but I love birds and I feed my birds year around. I have so many birds here in the summer as we have a lot of migrating birds that visit us in the summer and then they have their babies here and then.........watch out.....we have babies everywhere!! You walk out of the house and get bombarded by little babies flying around. Like my hubby says......"makes you feel like the movie The Birds!" LOL! :)

Anyway....I spend a lot of time feeding all of my little birds and with that I thought of all the different kinds of feeders there are. So I thought we would look at some upcycled bird feeders today from some great Etsy shops.....


Now this is a way to use the antique china gravy bowl that Aunt Martha left you and you never use!! :)  UpcyclingEtc has this an a few more feeders available. 

Now I don't know how many of you have the availability of getting a coconut shell, but what a great idea MyFrizzledFarm has for recycling a coconut shell. 

Hey...for all of you that have that old lamp sitting in the garage or storage here is a way to make it a bird feeder! What a great idea MeadowlarkNaturals has!

Now we can't forget our little humming bird friends. All you need is a bottle and some accessories to make a feeder just like BottleRedux shows here. 

There are so many different ideas of upcycling bird feeders. Some of them are so cute. So if you have those little feathered friend around be sure to feed them. They can bring you hours of pleasure. :)

Happy Birding! 

Colleen :)

Needles-n-Pins Stitcheries

Needles-n-Pins Stitcheries Blog

Rustic Americana Flag Tutorial

Here's a great tutorial that you can make to use for the upcoming Independence Day or leave hung all year round. Summer of Plan It DIY has complete instructions to create this flag from pallets. Click on the photo above for the tutorial.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Needles-n-Pins Stitcheries: Upcyle with St. Patrick

St. Patrick's Day is next week and I thought we would look at ways to upcycle and make some really neat things for St. Patrick's Day. An of course where else to get a good variety of these than Etsy shops.

Look what you can do with a spoon! UrbanFunke has made a spoon into a ring. I have seen silverware made into many things, but I don't think I have ever seen a ring. :)

Do you have old t-shirts around and don't know what to do with them? Why not make a scarf out of them like Nat did over at TrendyEarth. I love the deep dark green of this scarf.

Now if this isn't a clever idea from Sewsomer for recycling those old ties!! How neat is this....:)

And then look at all the different shades of green in this vintage beads upcycled bracelet that MettasCreations. I just love all the different shades. So pretty. 

I think it is amazing all the ideas people can come up with for upcycling things. I like all the greens that are used for St. Patrick's Day and green is one of my favorite colors anyway.  So here is to the Luck of the Irish!

Have a great day!

Colleen :)

Needles-n-Pins Stitcheries

Needles-n-Pins Stitcheries Blog

Vintage Chair Drink Stand

Isn't this a great way to repurpose an old time worn chair? Looks wonderful and would be perfect for any outdoor party...maybe even a bridal shower or a barn wedding. Susan at Oh My! Creative repurposed this chair in no time flat. Have an old chair that can be put back to work? Click on the photo above for Susan's instructions with beautiful pictures.

Susan has lots of great DIY projects, recipes, holiday and entertaining ideas, I just know you'll be visiting her for a while! So grab your favorite beverage and enjoy all that Susan has to share by clicking her picture below.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Jacquie's Up-Cycle Nation: Set Sail

Summer and the high seas go hand in hand.  Whether we are setting sail or sitting on the water's edge, where the blue skies meet the sea worthy horizon, all of summer's magic is glimpsed in an instant.  Meet some Etsy up-cycle artists who keep the magic afloat in their handwork.

Tokens of the sea live large at StarHomeStudio. Romantic notions of the sea in colors that will melt the heart! From hair accessories to beachy sculptures of driftwood, summer is eternal in this gorgeous Etsy shop!

 Inspired by the New England shore,  Handofbelapeck crafts needful goods in the primitive tradition.  Shorebirds, anchors, and whales linger here where whimsy meets history on the high seas!

Sails get a second chance at life at HoistAwayBags!  The perfect summer bag crafted from retired sails and come complete with the history of where each sail has journeyed. Talk about a well traveled bag!

 Pick up a perfect summer silver gem at BlueDawnSurfShop. This Etsy artist captures the simple beauty of the sea in her work, creating a nostalgic memoir of lazy summer laughter.

 Welcome to AlaskaRugCompany for nautical décor crafted from up-cycled marine rope. Whimsy for every room in the house to keep the sea theme in view all year long.

For more seaside treasures search recycled beach on Etsy!

LOVE  &  UP-CYCLE NATION!

Jacquie Wheeler

Hand of Bela Peck

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Handofbelapeck?ref=si_shop
https://www.etsy.com/shop/BelaPeckHome

http://handofbelapeck1759.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hand-of-Bela-Peck/294397987277061?ref=hl

Jacquie's Up-Cycle Nation: The Great Outdoors

Summer is a time of relaxation and enjoying the great outdoors! Time for exploring, observing, and lingering with laughter.  For summer essentials turn to the vast resources of Etsy up-cycle experts to make this a summer to remember.

Take a first class seat  under the sun with a custom chair from

TCBarrelWorks. Made from up-cycled California wine barrels, each chair is expertly hand-crafted. So elegantly simple, nature will envy the owner.

Don't miss a single thing with ultra cool binoculars! From bird watching to fireworks to woodland walking, this vintage pair from  OddandFound helps maintain the path with a built-in compass.

Turn routine summer lunch into a backyard expedition!  Classic peanut butter and jelly tastes like fun on vintage trays in rainbow hues. Pick up this colorful picnic basket and tray set at vakvar.

 Summer learning can be fun with the right tools!  Grab these vintage Native American books at injoytreasures at take the kiddos on an educational hike.  Teach them about recycling after the hike by up-cycling the books into summer scrapbooks.

Fun for kids of all ages are these wee bug collection bags from bethmoscreations!  Okay, okay.... these are not up-cycled or vintage but oh my goodness are they cute! Affordable and oh-so-adorable, they even look like tiny camper tents! 

For more up-cycled summer wonder search recycled summer on Etsy.

LOVE  &  UP-CYCLE NATION!

Jacquie Wheeler

Hand of Bela Peck

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Handofbelapeck?ref=si_shop
https://www.etsy.com/shop/BelaPeckHome

http://handofbelapeck1759.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hand-of-Bela-Peck/294397987277061?ref=hl

Jacquie's Up-Cycle Nation: Time Travel

Summer time is travel time!  Along with the sand, seashells, and snapshots, souvenirs also will be collected to keep adventure memories fresh throughout the year.  This summer go retro by collecting vintage souvenirs from your vacation destinations.  Though they may be hard to source out locally, Etsy vintage sellers have just the city or state you need.

Vintage postcards capture the original spirit of the destination in summer hues.  Perfect for display, scrapbooks, and mailing, postcards like this Mississippi set from KitschyVintage  can be scored at reasonable prices.
 
Show off that travel style with boho chic wear from EvieandLiv.  Crafted from an up-cycled souvenir tablecloth, this women's bolero vest gets the conversation started!

Looking for something unusual to commemorate a recent trip to Florida? Head on over to 3floridagirls for kitschy vintage mementos of the sunshine state. 

Souvenir pennants are perfect decorative reminders of summer vacations!  Line the back porch, family room or the kids' rooms with happy memories. Start your collection at Thebeezkneezvintage. 



The king and queen of kitschy travel souvenirs are the salt and pepper shaker! Functional fun and whimsy advertising a state's popular product or attraction are still the rage toady.  Scoop up this vintage California pipe set from Banksville79.

For more kitschy travel fun search vintage souvenir on Etsy.

LOVE  &  UP-CYCLE NATION!

Jacquie Wheeler

Hand of Bela Peck

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Handofbelapeck?ref=si_shop
https://www.etsy.com/shop/BelaPeckHome

http://handofbelapeck1759.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hand-of-Bela-Peck/294397987277061?ref=hl

Jacquie's Up-Cycle Nation: Garden Salvage

Gardening season is in full swing and April is the perfect month to go picking for vintage garden accents.  Architectural salvage adds whimsy and history to gardens both well established and newly sown.

These Etsy up-cyclers have that rusty charm your garden craves!

 

Invite the April showers with this charming reclaimed glass offered by mistyalbion. Planning a garden wedding this summer?  This seller has antique bridal accessories destined to become new family heirlooms!

An outdoor sink is a garden essential. Why not restore this gem for regular use or repurpose it into a gorgeous hanging garden.  Shop reclaimedhome for New York style at budget-friendly prices. 

 

Stop in at lakesidecottage to find wee bits of artistic whimsy for the garden path. This Etsy shop is brimming with all things vintage from picinic supplies to old timey tools!

Nothing says charm like an old Victorian iron gate but they are becoming increasingly difficult to find.  Scoop up this fine example from RefinedDecor.

Want to create your own architectural salvage magic? DaisyVirginiaVintage has a plethora of these shabby tin roof tiles just begging to be up-cycled.  Buy one for mixed media work or buy enough to create a garden focal point.  

To find more vintage elements for the home and garden search architectural salvage on Etsy.

 

LOVE  &  UP-CYCLE NATION!!

Jacquie Wheeler

Hand of Bela Peck

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Handofbelapeck?ref=si_shop
https://www.etsy.com/shop/BelaPeckHome

http://handofbelapeck1759.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hand-of-Bela-Peck/294397987277061?ref=hl

Jacquie's Up-Cycle Nation: Eco-Friendly Easter Fun

Easter celebrations are just around the corner!  Although we try to impart the true meaning of Easter on the kiddos- to them it is a time of chocolate rabbits, egg hunts and a time to gather with all the cousins.  The Etsy up-cycle artists are hard at work bringing fresh ideas to the younger folks at prices that make every parent smile!

Teach the kiddos something magical this year with this silk Easter egg kit from BooBahBlue.  Wee eyes will widen when recycled and reusable fabric scraps transform the egg into something eggstra-ordinary! (Sorry- I just had to go there!)

Keep the kitchen lessons rolling by letting the kids make their own chocolate treats.  Vintage chocolate molds lend whimsy and nostalgia to any party and the molds double as kitschy décor. Better "hop" on these molds from efinegifts priced to sell fast!

 Fill the basket with treats they can use year round!  No fear of breakage with these chunky eggs made of recycled crayons by art2theextreme.  Favorite this innovative shop for crayons in every shape and size imaginable!

 

 

Make-believe goes wild with these adorable bunny masks from EWMcCall! Made from new soft fabrics these Easter treats technically aren't an up-cycle but they were too cute not to include!

 

Pocket-sized pals are popular with the wee ones right now!  SesameSeedDesigns crafts these sweet bunnies from up-cycled sweaters and tucks them in a wooden egg for an Easter morning surprise!

 
For more up-cycled Easter treats search Easter up-cycle on Etsy!

LOVE  &  UP-CYCLE NATION!!

Jacquie Wheeler

Hand of Bela Peck

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Handofbelapeck?ref=si_shop
https://www.etsy.com/shop/BelaPeckHome

http://handofbelapeck1759.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hand-of-Bela-Peck/294397987277061?ref=hl

Jacquie's Up-Cycle Nation: Spring Cleaning

Spring cleaning has its roots in the Celtic tradition of Beltane.  When the weather began to warm, cottage windows were thrown open, floors were swept out, and herbs were used in an attempt to rid the farm of negative spirits that might have roosted over the long winter. Today spring cleaning is seen as the perfect time to freshen our modern homes.

 

These Etsy artists keep Mother Nature happy with their earth-friendly products featuring locally sourced materials and all natural components..

 

Only essential oils and castile soap go into safe all-purpose house cleaner concentrates from myessential8.  One 4 ounce recyclable bag pours into 64 ounces of usable liquid.  Check out this shop for a wide selection of home products in crisp spring scents..

 Save money on dryer sheets and reduce waste with brightly colored wool dryer balls.  Using locally sourced wool, BogBerryHandicraft offers balls in every color making laundry time more efficient and globally conscious.  Shop Bog Berry Handicrafts and use the coupon code SPRINGCLEANING now through the end of May to receive 10% off purchases of $40 or more!  Now there's inspiration!

Be sure to have hankies ready for dust sneezes during cleaning. Made of ultra soft sustainable bamboo and organic cotton, these reusable cloths are perfect for wiping hands as well as noses. JuniperseedMerc creates a beautiful line of "unpaper" products and cleaners to make your home super green.

 

 

 Get the kids involved with this mother-daughter broom set from Broomchick.  Using 100% broom corn  harvested by the artist these all natural sweepers will outlast and out-clean any store-bought synthetic. Even the handles have a higher purpose having been sourced from a reforestation project in Oregon.

 Infuse the home with lavender filled sachets from SalvageSeamstress. Using up-cycled vintage fabrics this artist stitches perfection into additional home accessories such as aprons, pot holders, and dish towels.

 For more fabulous eco friendly finds search spring cleaning on Etsy. 



LOVE  &  UP-CYCLE NATION!!

Jacquie Wheeler

Hand of Bela Peck

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Handofbelapeck?ref=si_shop
https://www.etsy.com/shop/BelaPeckHome

http://handofbelapeck1759.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hand-of-Bela-Peck/294397987277061?ref=hl

Jacquie's Up-Cycle Nation: Wearing of the Green

 At Up-Cycle Nation going green is celebrated year round, but today green goes a shade deeper to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day with four leaf perfection.  Irish or not, these Etsy up-cycle artists have envy-worthy goods for the lucky seeker. 

 

Grab a wrist-full-of-whimsy at Belmonili where vintage buttons and costume jewelry are repurposed into dreamy bracelets, necklaces and bridal accessories. Be prepared to linger, this artist's shop is bursting with fanciful delights! 

Spring flings, garden parties, and prom season are hot on the heels of St. Patty's day. Shop early to score that one of a kind vintage dress for a special occasion or everyday wear at Pinebrookvintage. 

 

 

Need vintage with an attitude?  Strut over to Boston's  RenegadeRevival and claim your inner rebel. This sharkskin jacket is oh sooooo sharp!

Waxed canvas and up-cycled wool marry urban and rural tastes at WoolyBison.  Handmade with quality and durability in mind, these bags are destined to become legendary.

 

Of course, it wouldn't be St. Patrick's day without raising a good mug of beer and toasting all Etsy up-cycle artists who work everyday to keep the "Go Green" movement alive! Cheers to you!

 

To find more fabulous eco-friendly finds like this vintage brewery tray from paroliro, search recycled green on Etsy.

 

LOVE  &  UP-CYCLE NATION!!

Jacquie Wheeler

Hand of Bela Peck

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Handofbelapeck?ref=si_shop
https://www.etsy.com/shop/BelaPeckHome

http://handofbelapeck1759.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hand-of-Bela-Peck/294397987277061?ref=hl