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A Twist on MOOing: Making Something New Out of Something Old
March is MOO month, the month we focus on making our own. Most people think of food when they think of MOOing, but it doesn't have to be food. You can MOO just about anything.
A very inexpensive way to MOO the things you want is to recycle or remake an existing item, updating or remodelling it to become something new. There is a saying, "One man’s garbage is another man’s treasure" and it fits perfectly with MOOing.
If you have an open mind, a little bit of creativity, and a touch more imagination, you can turn something old into something new again.
What to look for while you browse
Some of the most easily overlooked items are the ones that you can make the most out of with very little money to boot. Furniture that is not in its best condition may have good bones underneath the surface. A photo album that has “Grandma” written on the front can be decorated and covered up. As you b, browse, don't just look at what an item is, but try to picture what you can make it become. A clean, or a coat of paint, add a decal or stencil and you have a beautiful new to you item. Sometimes something just needs a good clean and it's exactly what you need and want.
Furniture
Wicker furniture that is slightly used can be bought at a fraction of the cost of brand new wicker pieces. An old wicker stool can be spray-painted a pale pink and used in a little girl’s room for her favourite doll or in front of her dressing table. A wicker footstool can be spray painted and then placed in an entryway with a planter atop it. Buying some wicker furniture for a few dollars along with an inexpensive can of spray paint can yield a brand new set of furniture. Wicker is easy to clean, here are the instructions.
Wooden furniture can be sanded, and repainted or stained to make a brand new dresser or kitchen table.
The top of a dresser can be removed to make a sideboard.
Chairs can be cleaned, painted or re-stained and reupholstered to suit your décor.
Cupboard doors can become beautiful trays.
Photo Albums and Picture Frames
You can make a brand new photo album out of an old one by gluing on some batting and then a new fabric material. Ribbons, material, and buttons from clothing that you purchase at garage sales or op shops can be used to add detail to a photo album or even a picture frame.
An old Christmas wreath that has holly and pinecone picks inserted in it can become something new and different for your home. Many times wreaths have picks, which can be taken out, ribbons that can be unravelled, and wooden pieces that are being held together with very little glue.
Taking off those pieces and unravelling that ribbon will leave you with an empty slate of a wreath. You can shop the sale bins at your local craft store and pick up ½ price items to create an entirely new wreath. If you were to buy these wreaths pre-made in a store or even an empty wreath to decorate yourself, you would spend anywhere from $15.00 to $40.00. An old wreath you already have can be recycled free, but even one purchased at a garage sale for $1.00 will give you a huge return on your investment, not to mention a fun project to do.
From Curtains to Tablecloths
If you are handy at sewing, you can turn a old pair of lace curtains into an exquisite tablecloth. A lace tablecloth in a store brand new would cost well over $50.00. With some simple straight sewing and a little embellishing, that tablecloth can be the envy of all your dinner guests.
In the Garden
Old planters can be painted white and the kids can go to town with stencils, paint and decals or even trace and paint their handprints on them. An extra box of ceramic floor tiles can be decorated to make a garden path. Old boots can become quaint planters. Old wheelbarrows look beautiful planted with flowers or herbs.
Once you begin MOOing for items, picking up things here and there, you will begin to notice that you will be able to spot something and see in your mind’s eye just what you can make with it when you get it home. It’s fun, economical and adds another facet to MOOing too.
A very inexpensive way to MOO the things you want is to recycle or remake an existing item, updating or remodelling it to become something new. There is a saying, "One man’s garbage is another man’s treasure" and it fits perfectly with MOOing.
If you have an open mind, a little bit of creativity, and a touch more imagination, you can turn something old into something new again.
What to look for while you browse
Some of the most easily overlooked items are the ones that you can make the most out of with very little money to boot. Furniture that is not in its best condition may have good bones underneath the surface. A photo album that has “Grandma” written on the front can be decorated and covered up. As you b, browse, don't just look at what an item is, but try to picture what you can make it become. A clean, or a coat of paint, add a decal or stencil and you have a beautiful new to you item. Sometimes something just needs a good clean and it's exactly what you need and want.
Furniture
Wicker furniture that is slightly used can be bought at a fraction of the cost of brand new wicker pieces. An old wicker stool can be spray-painted a pale pink and used in a little girl’s room for her favourite doll or in front of her dressing table. A wicker footstool can be spray painted and then placed in an entryway with a planter atop it. Buying some wicker furniture for a few dollars along with an inexpensive can of spray paint can yield a brand new set of furniture. Wicker is easy to clean, here are the instructions.
Wooden furniture can be sanded, and repainted or stained to make a brand new dresser or kitchen table.
The top of a dresser can be removed to make a sideboard.
Chairs can be cleaned, painted or re-stained and reupholstered to suit your décor.
Cupboard doors can become beautiful trays.
Photo Albums and Picture Frames
You can make a brand new photo album out of an old one by gluing on some batting and then a new fabric material. Ribbons, material, and buttons from clothing that you purchase at garage sales or op shops can be used to add detail to a photo album or even a picture frame.
An old Christmas wreath that has holly and pinecone picks inserted in it can become something new and different for your home. Many times wreaths have picks, which can be taken out, ribbons that can be unravelled, and wooden pieces that are being held together with very little glue.
Taking off those pieces and unravelling that ribbon will leave you with an empty slate of a wreath. You can shop the sale bins at your local craft store and pick up ½ price items to create an entirely new wreath. If you were to buy these wreaths pre-made in a store or even an empty wreath to decorate yourself, you would spend anywhere from $15.00 to $40.00. An old wreath you already have can be recycled free, but even one purchased at a garage sale for $1.00 will give you a huge return on your investment, not to mention a fun project to do.
From Curtains to Tablecloths
If you are handy at sewing, you can turn a old pair of lace curtains into an exquisite tablecloth. A lace tablecloth in a store brand new would cost well over $50.00. With some simple straight sewing and a little embellishing, that tablecloth can be the envy of all your dinner guests.
In the Garden
Old planters can be painted white and the kids can go to town with stencils, paint and decals or even trace and paint their handprints on them. An extra box of ceramic floor tiles can be decorated to make a garden path. Old boots can become quaint planters. Old wheelbarrows look beautiful planted with flowers or herbs.
Once you begin MOOing for items, picking up things here and there, you will begin to notice that you will be able to spot something and see in your mind’s eye just what you can make with it when you get it home. It’s fun, economical and adds another facet to MOOing too.
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