Things I Like Part 2: Upcycling

Ah Upcycling. The art of finding something that is no longer of use and giving it a new purpose. I guess it’s a posh word for recycling but doing it yourself.

• Using a jam jar or tin can as a vase. That’s upcycling.
• Melting and bending old records to make bowls. That’s upcycling.
• Cutting up old envelope and scrap aper and writing on the back. Consider that upcycled.

• Sewing a favourite old T-shirt up to make a cushion cover. Yup, upcycled.

There’s MILLIONS* of pins on Pinterest about upcycling and reusing things. Some make me go “OMG why didn’t I think of that!” Some make me go “What’s the point of wrecking X to make THAT?” 9 Times out of 10 though my reaction is the first way. (The last time I reacted in the second way was when I saw a pin where someone had gutted a working SNES console to make a tissue box holder. I’d rather have the SNES thanks.)

I’ve got a couple of small projects in the pipeline. I just need to get some pretty sticky back plastic. Best get off to Boyes (or Ebay). 😀

*Not ACTUALLY millions but a lot.

Things I Like: Part 1 – Vintage

I like Vintage. I like stuff that was around before I was born.

I’m not keen on the phrase ‘vintage’. Everything seems to be vintage these days.

• The popular idea of Vintage = 1950’s and before. but only as far as the 1920’s then it becomes ANTIQUE.
• Second hand shops have ‘vintage sections’ where they feel they can sell a the dregs of 70’s & 80’s fashion and bump the price while they are at it.
• Fearne fucking Cotton refers to every song from before 2007 as vintage.
• All the twee mass produced stuff palmed off as ‘vintage inspired’. Cath Kidson notebooks aren’t vintage.

I guess in that sense Vintage is a state of mind. Anything old has to be labelled as vintage. and in that case the bottom 3 examples above are spot on.

This post wasn’t designed to be a rant about the recent fad for ‘vintage’. More of a ‘just because its not fashionable  now doesn’t mean you can’t like it’

Pictures work better than words so here’s a few things I like:

50’s & 60’s kitchen larders

Trabants

Brutalist Architecture (Trellick Tower, London)

Not your usual definition of vintage. but It’s what I like. And if you are like me and like your vintage a bit more, shall we say,  offbeat then there are 2 websites i suggest you go have a look at.

The first is www.retronaut.com which is kind of a look back in time at the things we all forget and take for granted. I mean the humble Argos catalogue. Maybe it’s just me but being able to have a look in one from 1976 fascinates me andI wasn’t even BORN then!

The second site www.voicesofeastanglia.com focuses more on retro pop culture. I particularly love the retro advertising section.

A Nice Cup of Tea

It about time I did a blog and stuck to it.

Lets have a nice cup of tea and a sit down shall we?

I’ve tried before but never really had much of interest to say or things I think people would be interested to read. Turns out people do like reading other peoples inane ramblings (see Twitter and Facebook statuses) although I’m hoping that the stuff I put in here will be of interest to someone if not just for me to document what I’ve been up to. I mean, I have people I can witter on to but sometimes I feel I’m boring them with talk about stuff they have no interest in or don’t understand. On the other hand I’m not confident enough in my own ability to just leap into a conversation about stuff on a forum or what have you. at least here if no one reads this then its just for my own sanity. And if people do read this blog and like the stuff I jib about then that awesome too.

Right so this year I have decided I want to learn some sort of programming – Possibly Android and then write my own small shitty game, app or whatever.

I also want to be able to turn the skills I have in to CA$H. I’ve already started doing that with my sewing skillz selling hats and soft toys.

Hopefully this blog will record these things or at the very least this post will spur me on to DO STUFF. We shall see.