September 2, 2013

Trash or Treasure? 3 Deciding Factors

Trash or Treasure . . .

It's an instant decision that each of us has to make on a daily basis. If we didn't our homes would overflow with stuff and we would soon be featured on the Hoarder's television show.

That's not the way I want to gain my 15 minutes of fame, so I'm pretty selective about what I save. Here's how I decide:

1) Size does matter: If it's an inside item, it needs to be fairly small because I'm running out of storage space. If it is going to be yard art, it needs to be large enough to be seen.

2) Color: I can't help myself . . . I love color, especially multiple colored items.

3) Texture: I've been know to stop and stare at tree bark. I even have a photo collection of unusual textures.

Upcycled Binder Clip Pin


This broken binder clip could have easily found its way into the trash, but it didn't. I instantly loved the shape and knew what I was going to do with it. I grabbed my wire and went to work wrapping it around the binder clip, then added the arms with beads for hands. The little crab is the pin attachment. I thought about adding loopy hair but didn't want to go overboard.

What is the most unusual item you've repurposed? I would love to hear about it. Please leave a comment.