In the admittedly unlikely event that you have an old birdcage lying around, there are some really rather wonderful ways you can upcycle this symbol of avian oppression, turning it into something quite beautiful. I've noticed this lighting trend cropping up in a few places recently, and it got me wondering how complicated it would be to make one of my own. So I looked around a few how-to sites and found absolutely dozens of ideas, each one unique, but most pretty straightforward to assemble.
Here are two very different ideas for turning birdcages into lamps: the first uses the cage as a base unit for the lamp itself, whilst the second has had its inner bits removed and replaced with a string of LED lights; a fantastically simple idea!
Follow the jump for more ideas and some great examples of birdcage lamps!
If you're hoping to save energy in the home this year, don't forget that fridges make heat and heat takes energy. There are some useful tips here on how to get the best from your fridge without letting it suck up too much juice from the grid, but Treehugger drew my attention today to a simple way of preventing cold air escaping from the fridge while it's open.
It's a special curtain you can make for your fridge by doctoring the sort more commonly used in showers. I imagine it would be great for keeping out curious pets, too!
Home repurposing needn't be complicated: it can be as quick and easy as you like, and still every bit as worthwhile in terms of the materials you'll save.
This yardstick coatrack is a good example of a really simple project that uses up old stuff you may have around the house, or can source at flea markets or by deconstructing old bits of furniture. You can find a tutorial for this one here. [Via Crafty Crafty]
Continuing in our quest to find great new uses for old stuff around the house, I wanted to share this great idea from Crafty Nest, who've posted a tutorial on turning an old cupboard door into a stylish and useful serving tray - one that would be a godsend for anyone with hordes of relatives coming round at Christmas. What I like best about this project is that every element of the original item is used in the new one, with the drawer pulls becoming functional handles on the tray - a sure sign of good repurposing.
Full instructions on how to turn a cupboard door into a tray can be found here [Via Crafty Crafty]
We've had a great response to this project over on Crafty Crafty, even if I'm not at all sure I'd want to don it myself.
Shower puffs, you see, are like pipe cleaners, safety pins and egg boxes, in that they seem to have been almost invented for crafty types. Yes, they do have that scrubbie-washing feature as well, but crafters love to put them to more creative uses. And since they're also a menace to dispose of, I can only approve. Threadbanger are responsible for the tutorial on how to make this dress, which could just suffice for a credit crunch, eco chic Christmas party frock if you're desperate!
Seen from a distance, you'd be forgiven for thinking this stylish storage system was an original piece of '60s minimalist furniture, or bought from an expensive, quirky furniture store. But no: it's upcycling at its most basic, made by simply placing old drawers from a disused dresser found on freecycle on top of each other after giving them a lick of paint and some new lining.
The result is just so funky it makes me want to go home right now and start tearing chests of drawers from the walls and messing around with them. Visit the owner's blog, Crafty Nest to see some inspiring 'before and after' shots.
Wrapping paper has got to be one of the most blatant displays of waste that Christmas subjects us to, and the number of trees that have given their lives to conceal our presents at Christmas alone has been estimated to be as high as 50,000. You can help the situation by re-using old paper, or buying only recycled giftwrap. But an even better solution is using fabric that can be re-used to make your own beautifully wrapped gifts.
In the video below, Recycle Now takes you through one option: the Japanese art of fabric-wrapping: Furoshiki.
In the admittedly unlikely event that you have an old birdcage lying around, there are some really rather wonderful ways you can upcycle this symbol of avian oppression, turning it into something quite beautiful. I've noticed this lighting trend cropping up in a few places recently, and it got me wondering how complicated it would be to make one of my own. So I looked around a few how-to sites and found absolutely dozens of ideas, each one unique, but most pretty straightforward to assemble. 
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