Out of This World! Upcycling Ideas for Vintage Globes

Oct 28, 2008 by

Globes have been making appearances in decor magazines everywhere, but with these upcycled ideas, your vintage globes will enjoy fame around the world.

Left: The Idea Globe™, invented by NineInchNachosII, takes an ordinary globe and turns it into the perfect world for all your ideas and drawings.  Right: A vintage globe repurposed by slone2601 sheds perfect light on cosmopolitan workspaces.

Left: Serve up jet-setting snacks via Etsy seller’s streetwolf repurposed globe creation; the best part is that the entire bowl is made of repurposed materials, including vintage maps and an old cake stand.  Right: The South Pole is always on time with this fantastic repurposed vintage globe clock by Etsy seller IMOTIME.

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Repurposed Card Catalog Transforms into Table

Oct 28, 2008 by

Although card catalogs do not need any further nostalgic appeal, Summerswann repurposed a thrifted card catalog (which she purchased for only $7!) into a unique coffee table.  After putting in hours of sanding and staining, she added mid-century modern inspired legs, and voila!  A fantastic repurposed conversation piece was born.  Not only does she have plenty of storage, but I especially love the original organization tags.

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Honorable Fridays in Tosa-Shimizu

Oct 24, 2008 by

This week’s honor system is in Tosa-Shimizu, a beautiful coastal city in Japan.  According to Omid Abroad (where you can read more about the city and see more of his pictures), along the road, there are surprising wooden cubicles that lovingly feature items for sale via the honor system, including artwork, handmade musical instruments, persimmons fruit, and other treasures.  You simply place the money into the box and walk away a happy, honorable customer.

Happy weekend everyone!  May it be filled with unexpected surprises and delights!

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Julian, CA — A Repurposed Town

Oct 24, 2008 by

One of my favorite weekend getaways is Julian, tucked into the mountains approximately 50 miles east of San Diego.  Originally settled by silver miners, the town is a beautiful testament to historic preservation — and repurposing!  Enjoy these photos from a recent day trip, where I enjoyed shopping in homes turned into retail boutiques, hot apple cider, and world-famous Julian apple pies.

What are your plans for the weekend?  I hope it is filled with fun adventures and historic finds!

“Ask for Purity at the Repurposed Watertower”

On the left is the historic Julian water tower — which has been repurposed into a spiritual haven, where you can enjoy channeled readings on the weekend, along with meditation classes.  On the right, at the Oakwood Creek, one block off of Main Street, you enter into the wonderful boutique via an upcycled door handle that reads, “Ask for Purity…Milk Butter.”

The adorable Julian bookstore resides in a Craftsman home.  My favorite part is entering into the “living room,” which showcases a fantastic collection of rare, old, and first edition books.

What a timely find!  Fueling my current obsession with upcycling antique silverware, inside the cute Oakwood Creek boutique, I found old silverware pieces repurposed into elegant, re-fillable pens with matching letter openers.  This historic home was transformed into a retail shop, filled even to the hallway brim with lovely new and old treasures.

Main Street’s Miner’s Diner, which has been serving delicious malts, shakes, and sundaes since 1928, gives you quirky cards after you order, instead of table numbers.  I wish I had received the Queen of Hearts for my lunch order, but I’ll settle for Ace.

There is no lack of San Diego entertainment venues everywhere you go in America’s Finest City.

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Repurposed Tricks & Treats – Halloween Decor Ideas

Oct 21, 2008 by

For the next week, I am excited to share with you different ideas I styled to make your home spooktacular!   This first installment was inspired by the literary elements in my home.

If you have a typewriter, use it as a way to hold up spooky signs (mine was created from a page out of an antique “psychosis diagnosis” book topped with cutout letters).   With chalkboard paint, I gave a few old books a face lift — making them perfect for penning ghoulish messages.  Then, I transformed a baroque gold planter with a coat of chalkboard paint, tracing its lines with chalk, to create a fresh look that can be used around the year.

Decorating around the holidays is a fun way to revitalize one’s home, but I rarely purchase seasonal decor items that will collect dust after the holiday.  Instead, if you look around your home, there are so many items waiting to be used in a different, frightful light!  Couple these with fresh flowers, plants, and of course, pumpkins, and you have repurposed tricks and treats!

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