Rock 'n Recycle

Be a recycling rock star! This Pick Punch is an easy way to make upcycled guitar picks! This punch would be a great way to upcycle old credit cards, hotel room keys, records, plastic packaging and more. To find out more, see: http://www.pickpunch.com/

image via Pick Punch

If you'd like to make your own upcycled record guitar pick from scratch, try this method: On the edge of an old record, draw an outline of a pick with a permanent marker. Place the record inside of an old t-shirt and heat the record with a clothing iron until the section of the record you are using is pliable. Using a scissor, cut around the outline. Be careful, the record will be hot! You will want to cut the record immediately, as the record will cool quickly. Sand the edges down until the pick is smooth.

Rock n' recycle away!

Upcycling ideas from Instructables

Here are a few of our new favorite DIY upcycling projects from Instructables.com. Click to try them out!

Budweiser Box cardboard wall mounted mail holder

Hack a VHS cassette tape into Super Pom Poms

Fuzzy bunny slippers from recycled sweaters

Qwerty Key Walls

Artist Sarah Frost creates mosaic artwork with discarded computer keyboard keys she collects from garage sales, garbage bins, individuals and businesses. Her upcycled artwork gives insight into the history of the objects she uses. A permanent installation of her work can be found at The James Hotel in NYC. For Sarah Frost's bio, click here.

photo credit: http://www.sarahfrost.info/

Ammmunition box tea organizer

RePlayGround just posted a new DIY project on Instructables.com, so take a look! See step by step instructions to make your own tea packet organizer out of a repurposed ammo cartridge box: http://www.instructables.com/id/Ammunition-Box-Tea-Organizer/

This project can also add a bang to your Valentine's Day gift giving!

IDSA Design Summit in NYC!

If you're looking for something fun and designery to do in NYC this week, check out the 2012 IDSA Design Summit at the Knoll Showroom on 9th Ave. There will be a very exciting panel discussion with myself and other design gurus, like Gaz Brown of Quirky, Cordy Swope of Fahrenheit-212, and Dan Fogarty of Noodles and Company. The event is organized and moderated by the lovely Angela Yeh of Yeh IDeology. Yeh! Hope to see you there!RSVP here!

Tupperware FX Pedal

The New York based band Globular Cluster has recycled flair! Guitarist Jake Adams performs with this effects pedal which is designed by artist Brendan Byrne. Byrne modifies effects pedals and rehouses them in plastic tupperware containers for easier access to the controls. This would make any Tupperware party 10X cooler.

To see more of Byrne's work, click here!

photo courtesy of Jake Adams

ReMaking my entertainment center!

My computer area has been in serious need of a makeover. I had been ignoring the poor little area being taken over by cords and piles of paper. But it's a new year, and the perfect time to freshen up my space. But there's no need to buy new. It's the perfect excuse to ReMake It with thrift store finds.

Here's the before:


I reused the existing filing cabinet and computer table. Then added thrift store end tables, a desk, and a lot of white paint (low VOC, of course!). And here's the brand new version:


The new version has the perfect spot for my printer, my many supplies, a pile of ReMake It books, and plenty of room leftover just waiting to be filled with new materials! Plus this whole set up will be appearing as the background in some new DIY videos to be coming out soon. Stay tuned for those.

To purchase end tables that fit together perfectly, I took measurements at the thrift store and planned it all out before buying anything. The desk that is smack dab in the middle was the perfect find from the Meeker Avenue Flea Market because it had adjustable feet, perfect for resting on top of different heights of tables. And to top it all off, there's a thrift store teapot turned vase for daffodils.

Happy ReMakovering!