Challenge: Week #3

I’m feeling like my regular haunts are not putting forth any creative material for my upcycling projects. I was in a bit of panic because I couldn’t find anything. I was headed down to the Hudson Valley to have some fun on a wine tour and wouldn’t have time to do any of that type of shopping. Maybe stop at some yard sales along the way? That didn’t sound like much fun to me. Although add a little wine and I might see things in a different light!

When I pulled into my daughter’s driveway, I could see that one of her neighbors had been cleaning out their back room. Several artist canvasses, some still wrapped in plastic, were piled up next to the dumpster ready to be taken away. I was sure I could find a project somewhere among them so I gathered up a few and tossed them in the trunk to take home with me. Dumpster diving wasn’t included in the contest rules, but I don’t think Mom will mind.


I love to save my brochures and tickets from places I have visited and the shows I have seen. A few years ago I started scrapbooking with this memorabilia which was fun for a while. Last year I bought a journal with pockets for “stuff” that I filled up throughout the year. That was fun, too. Both of these methods are nice but you have to pick up a book and look through it to get any enjoyment. I wanted to be able to walk past my things and smile at the memories.

The project that I have created this week is a shadow box for memorabilia. I turned the canvas around to use it as a little box to hold my stuff. It is only a few inches deep, but paper doesn’t take up much space. I used my neglected scrapbooking materials to decorate the background and added a clear piece of plastic to create a pocket. I chose clear because some of the tickets are small and fall to the bottom and I wanted to be able to see them. It looks so cute hanging on my wall. This would be a good idea for take-out menus or recipes, too. The possibilities are endless!

Mom’s project this week was just amazing! She has always had a fondness for old glassware and dishes. But honestly, how many pieces can one person use not to mention store? I was happy to see her idea because it lets her snap up the interesting pieces she finds and put them to good use. This project looks like a bit of a puzzle as the pieces must fit together just right to not only look well together but to balance the piece as a whole so that it doesn’t tip over. Mom is very good at puzzles so I don’t imagine this was a great challenge for her.

She used a dowel as the support and a plate at the bottom to give the piece some strength and stability. The glassware is adhered together using a clear silicone which not only seals them together but is weather-tight. Otherwise the glue could start to fail as the rain settles into the crevices. It sounds like she really liked this project too because she has made several pieces. I have one waiting for me and I can’t wait to put this piece of sculpture in the garden!

It looks like we both came up with some uniquely decorative projects this week. I can’t wait to see what next week brings! Are there more ideas waiting for us among the discarded and unwanted?