Upcycle an Old Book into a Purse (+Instruction)

One of my readers emailed me asking for some instructions on how to turn a book into a purse. I did some research and picked some of the nicest looking DIY projects to answer the question.

I have already listed cool book purses but there are no instructions. This time I made sure each project had a detailed instruction.

Here you go: How to upcycle an old book into a cute purse:

1. How to make a purse/clutch from a Book

 

I LOVE what it looks like!

Full instruction: How to make a purse/clutch from a Book

2. Turn an Old Book into a New Purse by A Beautiful Mess 

Depending on the book color you'll need to pick a matching material. I wish it had a holder but it looks neat nonetheless! You look like smart fashionista!

Full instruction: Turn an Old Book into a New Purse

3. Homemade Book Clutch 

This one comes with a very details instruction and it looks like a real book from outside. But the inside looks very practical!

Full instruction: Homemade Book Clutch

Bonus: Book iPad cover!

This one has no instruction but what an idea! If you get excited by one of the above purses, there's nothing stopping you from implementing the same techniques to create a cool iPad cover!

(Source)

More upcycled purses for your inspiration:

• Candy Wrappers Purse
• Stylish Vinyl Records Purse
• Recycle Tetrapak into a Coin Purse 

3 Upcycled DIY Ideas for Cute Photo Frames

It's spring-summer time! The season of traveling and family time: LOTS of memories to keep, share and decorate your home with.

Here are three fresh ideas to create upcycled photo frames to store and display your cherished memories:

Old tart pans (old flan tins) into picture frames

Very neat and touching idea: Collect your memories! These could be good for family pictures, food photos, your fitness tips or your memories captured through Instagram.

(Couldn't find the source!)

Metal trays into magnet boards

Turn those old trays into your family message board! Exchange notes with kids and clip your to-do list here. This looks cuter than a fridge!
Source

Clothespin DIY Frame

The beauty of this clothespin DIY frame is that you can change the pictures as often as you want! Plus it looks really neat:

Happy decorating!

More photo frames:

• Magazine Paper Photo Frame
• Expired Plastic Cards Photo Frame
• Plastic Straw Photo Frame
• Rolled Recycled Magazine Pages into the Mirror Frame
• Recycling Idea for Reclaimed Wood

Crafts from Trash: Scrapbooking with Found Objects by Christy Strickler

Welcome to our next edition of "Featured Readers' Crafts"

Today we are featuring a great series by Christy Strickler over at MyScrapbookEvolution.com

Christy uses all possible items she can find (including shopping bags, plastic lids, and metal pop tab lids) to add texture to your papercraft projects and create awesome-looking crafts!

Please check out Christy's series here: Scrapbooking with found objects

Here are some great scrapbooking supplies:

From Shopping Bag to Layout:

From Scraps to Woven Layers:

DIY Stencils from Lids:

Thanks for sharing these with us, Christy!

5 Cute Upcycled Hacks for Christmas

Christmas is coming, and no that wasn't the beginning of a carol. We are gearing up for one of the most popular holidays around, putting up our trees and hanging up stockings. It also means that DIY junkies like me are looking for projects for house decor and handmade gifts. Especially those that upcycle old items and save on materials.

Pinterest has once again come to the rescue. Anyone who has been on their DIY board knows that it is filled with cool ideas in both the simple and impossibly advanced categories. Whatever level you are at yourself, you can find something fun to do any time of the year.
But with it being winter, you can bet there are even more Christmas themed upcycle projects than ever. Here are five super cute upcycled hacks for the holidays.

1. Sock Wreath

5 Awesome Book Purses

Reading is a treasured pass time and one of the greatest things you can do. There is nothing quite as satisfying as sinking into a story and losing yourself to the plot, characters and excitement.

Which is something that fewer and fewer people are enjoying these days, the lack of appreciation of books depressing. Even with the creation of ereaders, which give us greater access than ever.
Why not do your part to show books some love? Check out these awesome purses that upcycle your favorites.

1. Harry Potter

While the series is now over and done with, Harry Potter will go down in history as one of the most popular fictional worlds of all time. Order of the Phoenix is a favorite of many, and this Etsy seller is offering purse with custom fittings, buckles, straps and decorations using the cover. I have seen many other Harry Potter books used, with every title available.

Christmas DIY Ideas: 5 Ways to Decorate Using Candles and Glass Jars

I have so many glass jars! Seriously, I have an entire cupboard full of them, most of them from old food items like pasta sauce, salsa and olives. I don't know what to do with them and I never have. While I recycle, my local place doesn't take glassware and I would have to go clear into another county to get rid of them. Which isn't exactly eco friendly when you consider the driving involved to get three hours out of town to the nearly recycling facility that takes glass.

As a result, I tend to take a fair number of them to reuse as water glasses. You know, the big ones you put on the bedside table to combat the effects of winter dryness, and all that. A couple of others have been filled and used as vases, though fresh flowers aren't much of an option now that winter has arrived. My kids have even each used one for their 'rewards jar', which they take a prize from at the end of each week as an allowance for doing their chores.

I have run out of ideas on what to do with these multiplying menaces. I learned how to make my own sauce and salsa in order to avoid acquiring anymore. But what to do with the few dozen still crammed into a cupboard in my kitchen...I could use the space!

This past weekend I sat down and started to really search out things to do with them. The holidays are just around the corner, so it seems like a good time to put them to use. I was relieved to find many struggle with this question, and some pretty cool ideas have come out of upcycling needs. As you would expect, a whole lot of these people had gathered on Pinterest. Man, I love that site.

Here are five of my favorites glass jar upcycling ideas for Christmas (psst: Don't forget to check out our previous glass jar DIY projects: DIY Glass Jar Lanterns and DIY Sun Jars).

1. Table Decorations

iPhone Stand Made out of Cutlery

Ok, this iPhone stand should made an AWESOME present for your hubby or a boyfriend. You'll have a good laugh over it and the man will surely think of you each time he puts his iPhone in there.

A valuable addition to our collection of DIY iPhone stands and docks!

Readers' Inspiration: Yogurt Container Cookie Cutter

Our very awesome reader D'angelo has another DIY gadget to pimp your creativity: a heart-shaped cookie-cutter made of a used yogurt container. This can be an awesome gift for your beloved on for Valentine's Day: first, it is hand-made (and so much valuable and appreciated) and secondly, this is practical: "I give you the cutter, you make me the cookie" :)