Dumpster Diving

What do you think when you hear the term "Dumpster Diving"? I instantly ask myself, Could I? Would I? Should I? Am I above it? I am willing to paw through every garage sale free box I find. Is that any different? Many times I have hauled curbside finds home. Is that any different? In order to answer these many questions I should first define the term "dumpster diving". What is dumpster diving? A Google search will return pages and pages on dumpster diving. Basically the term means to rummage through trash. Well, that doesn't sound so bad. I know I have dug through my wastebasket to retrieve something I accidentally pitched. Have you? If so, does that mean all of us could be considered a dumpster diver? Maybe instead of defining dumpster diving I need to consider the "why" factor. Why do people submerge themselves into a container of waist high garbage? Some people will dumpster dive in search of confidential data to assist them with identity theft. I can rule this "why"out. I know I will never dive into a dumpster for this reason. Some people will dumpster dive for food. It is sad, but true. I am fortunate enough to be able to rule this "why" out. Some people will dumpster dive to salvage an item they consider valuable. Ah, this is my "why". I live by the old saying "One man's trash in another woman's treasure". My head is filled with the questions again, Could I? Would I? Should I? Am I above it? Well, first of all, I don't think that I could ever just dive in without knowing the contents. Phew, guess I am not a dumpster diver after all. But, what if I am out and about and happen to see a discarded item I want sitting on the top of a dumpster? Or, what if I see someone throwing something into a dumpster and I absolutely have to have it? Could I? Would I? Should I? Am I above it? I have decided that in the event either of these situations arise I would DEFINITELY send my husband in to retrieve it.

Keep On Junking
Nora

Junk Le Bells January Project

This is my January Project for Junk Le Bells. To find out more about "Junk Le Bells All Year Long" visit Jill Ruth & Co. here.

This is a quick easy project. I took an old candlestick and made it into an angel. I used a round Christmas Tree ornament for the head and added lots of ribbon and tulle for the wings. So simple yet so elegant...

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Nora

Window Valance from Recycled Jeans

Here is a project using old jeans. I took several pairs of ripped or outgrown jeans and cut the legs off. I then cut away one of the side seams making panels that consisted of the front and back of the jeans. I laid out my panels making sure they were placed the way I wanted. I made sure that once completed I would have a belt loop very close to both ends of the valance. I sewed the panels wrong sides together so my seam would be visible using a generous seam allowance. Once all my panels were sewn together I stitched about an inch from the bottom edge. I fringed the seam allowance between the panels making several cuts into the seam allowance using care not to cut into the stitching. I did the same with the bottom edge. I sewed several patches on the valance using vintage fabric scraps. I washed and dried to get the seam allowance and bottom edge to fray. I hung the valance onto the rod using the belt loops. I made two valances for the window shown in the picture. These are really cute in a girl's room.

Recycle, Reimagine, Repurpose, Reuse...............

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Nora

Organization

This morning I decided to inventory some of my junk. I started looking in my favorite stash places around the house. What an adventure. I very soon discovered I have shoved junk in every little nook and cranny my house has. My barn and garage are both at their maximum capacity. I have boxes under my bed. My closets are overflowing. I even have stuff hidden behind my couch. My poor son will probably never be able to use his top bunk again since I have it loaded up with boxes. In my despair I started to wonder, "what is it about repurposing and recycling that intrigues me the most"? Is it taking some poor unwanted discarded item and giving it new life for someone else to love? While I do find this transformation rewarding I know there is more to this madness. After pondering the subject awhile, it occurred to me it is the thrill of the hunt. Yep, I am so addicted to the hunt and the collecting I sometimes forget what this is all about. I have enough dishes to host a dinner party for at least one-hundred people. Zippers, I don't know what it is about zippers, but I have a drawer stuffed full of them. I collect windows, scales, coffee pots, lamps, jewelry, fabric, books, magazines, bottles, neckties, hardware, baskets, purses, ladders, furniture and the list goes on and on. I get a thrill out of hunting down and collecting all of this stuff. Before this craziness began I was so organized. Now, well by the time I find what I was looking for I forget why I wanted it. Yet, I know there is no possible way out. I am doomed to a life of hauling home every thrift store, garage sale and curbside cast-off I can find. I could never give it all up. I have come to the conclusion that organization is overrated.

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Nora

Altered Hand Mirror #2

This is another hand mirror I have altered. These are so much fun and you can really get creative with embellishments. I decorated this mirror with several different items including a belt. Thrift store belts can be repurposed so many different ways. I use belts as straps for my purses. I use decorative buckles in collages. I have even disassembled beaded belts and reused the beads.

Recycle, Reimagine, Repurpose, Reuse...........

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Nora

Altered Hand Mirror

I really like altered art. I am not sure if this qualifies or not. I purchased this hand mirror from a thrift store. It was an ugly plastic mirror. I painted, decoupaged and added different embellishments. I really like the way the back of the mirror turned out. This is another good project using up some junk jewelry....

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Nora

Thrift Store Finds

My favorite place to shop in the winter is my local thrift store. Here are my latest finds. We all know I am addicted to bling. My latest craze seems to be watches. I want to use some of my watches to try making some steampunk jewelry. I just love the vintage little story books. The illustrations are wonderful. They remind me of my childhood days, so very long ago.....

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Nora

Keyboard Jewelry

This is a fun project. I took the keys off an old computer keyboard and made a necklace. Cool way to to reuse, recycled and repurpose.

I am having a little problem getting motivated today. I really want to cut up some sweaters and make mittens. I have a purse all cut out that I need to assemble. The purse looks at me everyday and says "could you please sew me up today". I have a quilt (half finished) for my grandson and so may other projects just screaming to be completed. I should have made that my resolution for the New Year, but i didn't. Besides, I already have a resolution that I am not sticking with.

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Nora

Suitcase pocket

I just finished this project. I am very pleased with the way it turned out. I wish I would have taken before and after pictures of the comb and mirror set. They were a bright pink plastic set I purchased from the thrift store. I painted them and added some embellishments. All the materials I used for this project were either thrift store or yard sale finds.

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Nora

Necktie projects

I consign at a shop here in town. I stopped by this morning and was pleasantly surprised to find I had made some sales. A necktie bag and a couple of baby bibs were a few of the items I had sold. The necktie bag is a fun project using thrift store neckties. This can be addicting as you never look at a necktie the same again. Since I started making these bags my necktie stash has gotten a bit out of control.

The baby bibs are fun to make as well using a necktie and some old jeans.

The estate sale was a flop. They really did not have much and were priced very high for the items they did have. I bought a hamper and hubby got a travel mug for work. I went to the thrift store and found some junk.... a box full. They had woman's tops buy-one-get-one-free. I could not pass that up, so I bought two wool sweaters. I want to cut them up and make mittens out of them. I will post a pic when I get them done.

I have so many projects I want to get done ...... Stop back soon and check out my progress.

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Nora

Junk Mirror

Here is a mirror I made using up some of my junk jewelry. Once the glue has dried and the mirror is cleaned up it will be done (so I say). I will end up playing with it some more and adding to it.

Tomorrow is the estate sale.... I really hope to find some more junk for my stash......

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Nora

Small Junk Jewelry Project

This is a project I came up with. It was very simple but I only used a couple pieces of my junk jewelry stash. I am hoping to go to an estate sale and the thrift store on Friday. If I come across any goodies I will post some pics.

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Nora

Welcome to my blog

Welcome at my attempt to enter the blogging world. I am just getting started so I don't have much yet, but check back with me often. My goal is to update once a week or so. I am into junk of all kinds. My latest plan is to figure out what to do with all this junk jewelry I have acquired.

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Nora