Get Creative with Upcycling

Piece by, Salvaged Silver Vintage Spoon Jewelry

We don't need to buy more new stuff, exhausting our resources and cramming more baggage into our landfills.  We can learn to upcycle.  

From within Romantic Ruins shop, downtown Nanaimo, B.C.

We all have our own talents and things we are inspired by. Maybe sewing is your thing and you can put together older clothing into something unique.  Or maybe you enjoy building stuff and can take older pieces and transform them into something with better purpose.  When creativity is ignited, the task at hand evokes a type of calm focus that rests the running mind.  The intrinsic value in this extends to other parts of our lives.  Appreciation and gratitude take center stage and our perception is one of contentment. 

Last year I picked up a beautiful hardwood, sturdy table with not one leaf, but two (great for my large family suppers).  It was only $30.  

$30 Thrift find we've started burning a design into.

My husband and I sanded it down and started burning a design into its surface.  This will become a family heirloom, passed down through the generations to come.  I love setting out meals, board games and working on homework, art projects and my own writing on it.  Since, I've moved onto my cutting boards and wooden spoons.

Wood Burned Cutting Board

The point is, so many simple things can be made into special and extravagant ones with a little creativity.  

Check out these fine souls who have found most creative ways to upcycle material objects into use, rather than have them linger around collecting dust or filling up landfills. 

Meg Gorosh

Meg Gorosh

Here's a real gem of a soul.  When her father passed away she held onto a box of his ties, wondering what she could possibly do with them.  When her yoga studio put on a fundraiser called, 'Grow Your Own Yoga' she knew he would have been thrilled to contribute to such a great cause: The David Susuki Foundation.  

Ties upcycled into Headbands

She started transforming those ties into unique and lovely headbands that can be worn casually or to dress up with.  They were a success for the fundraiser as well as an intrinsic outlet that led her into a meditative stage while creating.  




Salvaged Silver Vintage Spoon Jewelry
-Laurel Gonneau

Birkshire 1887 Cuff Bracelet

You know that set of silverware beauties collecting dust atop your kitchen cabinet?  You don't want to use them, but you also can't just give them up. Maybe they're a family heirloom or their beauty brings you joy to see and run your hands across every once in awhile.

Laurel's the one to bring these to.  She takes heirloom silverware and transforms them into elegant, feminine and most appealing jewelery you can wear.

"Friends bring me their heirlooms and they are so happy to see the final results and be able to wear them."

 

1899 Sterling sugar spoon wrap ring

  
She sees her job, not as taking credit for the original intricate details, but instead, focusing on re-inventing its purpose.  

"The quest for silverware is so rewarding...the internet, yard sales, antique stores.  Vintage silver is everywhere."   

A woman with artistic charm.  Be sure to check her stuff out:  
https://www.pinterest.com/fogwitch/salvaged-silver-spoon-jewelry-my-creations/  
https://www.facebook.com/salvagedsilver/  

Romantic Ruins
-Alice Munro

Beautiful Antique couch @ Romantic Ruin Downtown Nanaimo, B.C.

A shop filled with vintage pieces, some rescued and refurbished, others completely original, still standing solid from the days when stuff was made to last through generations.

Walking into her store, one is suddenly transported into an atmosphere of romance, tremendous beauty and curiosity to stroll through every antique poised with one another.   Not only furniture, but art pieces (paintings and their original frames), dishes (remember great grandma's beautiful china?), fabrics, toys, with anything and everything fashioned in unique displays.  

Set in the hub of Vanvouver Island, this is the place to go to find something most special and antique.  A place to buy a gift or something for your home (and she'll wrap your stuff in fabric so you don't have to worry about the waste).  

Check out her store, you might even get a chance to meet the ghost residing there.   store@romanticruins.com  

Strange Looks- A Rant

Today I experienced a very awkward moment.  After a day of gardening my family and I were ravenous for sandwiches.  Our local meat store had closed for the day, as well as the bakery.

My Meat Jar

 
At the meat counter I tried handing over my jar.  The woman working wouldn't take it.  I explained that the meat store we usually went to has never had a problem with it, how they usually weighed the meat first before putting it in my jar.

Reluctantly she took my jar and proceeded to wrap my meat in plastic wrap before putting it in. In a friendly manner, I told her I didn't want the wrapping.  

"I don't know, you're kinda pushing it now," she told me.

"I'd rather not take the meat at all if you have to include the wrapping," I explained.

Her face turned red and she looked around as if she were committing an action that would cost her, her job and quickly stuffed the meat inside.

I thanked her and walked on.

At the checkout I handed another lady my bag of buns, told her the quantity and recieted the code.  She looked at me like I was nuts, not to mention everyone behind me eying my jar of meat.  

Maybe if I were new at this I would have felt uncomfortable, but at this stage I'm actually pretty damn proud that I chose no waste and it seems this holds an aura of certainty and the woman didn't comment.

I walked out with my package-free purchases knowing I would never return to this particular store again.  Everyone walking out alongside me carried plastic bags and I felt a sort of sadness akin to defeat realizing how uneducated our society is about plastic.

If there were repetitive commercials about how our world uses over over 2 million plastic bags every minute and how those plastic bags are responsible for millions of marine animals deaths... if people knew their bags would take 20 to 1000 years to break down into toxic particles called polymer that contaminates our food chain, would people still act so casual about using them? 

I'll accept those strange looks, stand tall and keep going on this zero-waste path.  My dream is for the greater population to become conscious of their choices and demand a change in our chain-box stores.  After all, this ultimately comes down to the survival of our species as well as almost every other living species on our planet. You might think this is an extreme comment.  Search it.  Google it.  You'll quickly learn the harsh reality the consequences of our most common purchases have on our survival. 

The Cross Over

You decide to go zero-waste but the world around you had mostly not.  Birthday parties where your child is handed a flashy plastic gift bag filled with small plastic toys they'll be bored with by the next day.  The plastic straw in the drink you've ordered.  Your children's art class working with disposable foam plates and shapes.  The gift you receive from your best friend wrapped in fancy paper that cannot be recycled or composted.  Your extended family and the stuff they bring. 

My cupboard during the Cross Over. 

Even the play dates with other parents offering your own kids packaged granola bars and juice boxes.  Not to mention the left over packaged foods you don't want to just throw-out.

It can be really overwhelming, I know. 

That's why there is a Cross Over phase.  This is when you learn from trail and error.  A stage where you use the rest of your packaged foods while learning how to replace them.  A time to figure out and deal with gifts as well as prepare for restaurant excursions.

At some point, the Cross Over will fade and your lifestyle will rest within its new ways.  In the mean time there are times when we're at a loss on how to deal with others.  Here's a list of the most common situations and suggestions on how you can handle them.  Feel free to post a comment on any other obstacle I've missed and is getting you down.

Birthday Gift Bags
Beforehand ask the host or parent of the party not to make your child a bag, explaining your zero-waste choices. As well, talk to your child about it (if they're old enough to understand).  Most times I've found parents to be understanding of this, and in some cases they've even made a separate one for my child without the plastic.

Gifts
Again, beforehand a discussion to anyone you suspect you'll be receiving something from, about your zero-waste choices is vital. 

Written for my daughter's birthday- Friendly Note

If you're throwing a kid party, send out with your invitation a friendly note on what you don't want.

Extended Family
Offer to make or buy them 'celebration' bags in place of wrapping.  Make it known you don't want anything packaged.  Drop hints of things you or your children would totally appreciate (bowling passes/new steel measuring cups ect).

Going Out
Remember to ask for your drink without the plastic straw.  Bring a fabric napkin in your purse or back pocket in place of using their cotton one that most likely won't be composted.

Kids
Talk to your kids about not accepting any packaged treats or drinks and always come prepared with your own.  This may be a little odd for them at first, but they catch on pretty quick. 

Have I missed something?  If I have, feel free to message me, or post a comment with your obstacle.  

Remember to be gentle with yourself.  Most things don't happen overnight.  There is a period of easing into new lifestyle.  Treat the Cross Over as a time to learn and figure things out until one day you've got it.  You'll be living totally zero-waste with ease!

     

Refusing

Every Spring my mother-in-law buys my children new pairs of crocs.  In case you're not familiar:

Croc are not biodegradable nor recyclable

They're not biodegradable nor can you recycle them.  My kids will wear them down until the straps are broken and there is at least one hole in the sole.  I cannot reuse these nor can I pass them on. Inevitably they end up in a landfill:(

This spring I failed to talk to my mother-in-law before she went out and made her purchase.  When we walked into her house there, on the floor were three brand-new pairs of crocs in their favorite colors, the price tags still dangling from the thin plastic cord. My eldest looked to me, for he realized this was something we didn't use anymore.  My middle and youngest immediately went for them, excited and appreciative of her gift, while I stood dumbstruck. 

I guess you could get creative with your left over crocs...?

I knew at this point, I was to model a kind way of refusing, yet when I looked at my mother-in-law's pleased expression I knew there was no way I was going to rain on her parade.  I was conscious of my options at hand: A) I could gently explain our zero-waste philosophy on environmental friendly items and suggest we all go to the store and exchange them for something more appropriate OR B)Accept and learn to prepare for future obstacles similar- a private conversation about her purchases for us and what would be more acceptable.

I chose B.  I accepted the moment and as dismayed as I was to have shoes that I didn't condone, I knew to fight this traditional current would have a negative impact at this point.  I accepted, acknowledging there was a kinder way to deal with the situation. 

There's this thing I refer to as, The Crossover and I'll write about it in more detail in my next post.  The Cross-over is the phases ones lifestyle takes to go zero-waste.  It's moments like the crocs and your mother-in-law that you've over-looked.  You're still learning.  Be easy with yourself.

When I was alone with my kids again, we talked about the situation.  They amazed me when they started brainstorming ways we could use those crocs when they couldn't wear them anymore: A house for their toy figures, a ferry for their cars. 

Stinky old shoe could be your pencil holder for life!

They asked me why their grandma would buy a plastic item and this opened a discussion on how she didn't know about the environmental impacts, just as we hadn't at one time.  I introduced to them the importance of their zero-waste choices and how they were like messengers to others to model a more earth-friendly way of living.  They liked this and I felt at peace, knowing I was teaching my kids purpose, and grateful for their reactions, showing me they were understanding our zero-waste lifestyle.  

It's easy to refuse a plastic straw at a restaurant, to take a cloth napkin with you in place of using a cotton one.  It's even pretty easy to refuse your receipt and plastic shopping bag.  Refusing gifts from loved ones takes some pre-meditative planning and it can be difficult at times. 

This croc episode got me thinking about future gifts and I decided to call my mother-in-law and talk about up-coming birthdays and Christmas.  I offered to sew her celebration bags to use in place of wrapping.  She was very cool with that.  I suggested gifts I knew my kids would love, and being a person who shows her love with gifts, she was all-ears.  Gift givers aim to find the perfect gift.  Work with that.  Those stack-able stainless steel containers...or the steel straws you keep seeing come up in Eco-friendly ads...drop the hints.  

Stack-able Containers for Yourself or Kids

Stainless Steel Straws

The Cross-Over involves learning from our situations and getting creative with our solutions.  Next year my mother-in-law will understand better where we're coming from and the shoes waiting will be pairs more sustainable and environmentally kind.  My eldest will have learned the grace in acceptance and gentle speech towards ones who don't yet get our choices.  

Do the best you can and then do a little more.  Little by little, it becomes familiar and those around you will learn your new flow and hopefully join it. 

Ladies Only

When Aunt Flow is in town...

Tampons, pads and panty liners take up a lot of our waste one week a month.  Pads and liners have a plastic lining.  All of them are individually packaged with plastic.  The alternatives?

A menstrual cup is probably the cleanest, most efficient and sanitary option.  Two of the many benefits of a menstrual cup is that you don't have to deal with it as often as a tampon and there is no leakage.  On my heaviest day I feel confident wearing one to yoga class.

My Diva Cup

The cost to buy one may seem like a lot, but if you look at what you spend overall on boxes of tampons throughout the year, you'll quickly see that a menstrual cup saves you at least 75%.

Yes, they're made from latex, not usually a zero-waste purchase, yet these will last you so long, the waste comparable to tampons is not even a question.

What about ladies who prefer pads and panty liners:  Reusable cotton pads (otherwise known as 'moonpads') you can either make yourself or purchase.  Etsy has a wide selection of 'moonpads'. 

Moonpads sold on etsy by MotherMoonPads

Breastfeeding
I remember going through at least three boxes of disposable breast pads with my first baby.  My breasts leaked at the sound of any child crying and even just the anticipation of my baby's next feed.  I couldn't imagine going without my breast pads and one doesn't have to, even when going zero-waste. 

Again, you can make your own quite easily or purchase reusable ones.  With my next two babies I opted for the reusable ones and the greatest benefit was when removing them.  With the reusable ones there was nothing to wipe off from my nipple while the disposable ones always left tons of lint-like fluffies.  When your baby is hungry and your nipples are sensitive any breastfeeding mother knows there isn't much time to carefully clean a breast before a feeding.  Again, check out Etsy if you'd like to purchase some rather than sew them. 

There is an alternative for just about anything!

Transforming Your Home

Going zero-waste doesn't mean you need to give up all your stuff to live in a an empty home, yet it could mean giving up all the accumulated excess that no longer serves you.

Going zero-waste does mean that you will consider deeply the purpose and environmental impacts of your next purchases.  

More stuff means more time spent on managing those things or finding what you need. It is far more enjoyable to be in a room clear of clutter than it is to be suffocated in a space of over-accumulation.  

Think of your home as your base that extends to all other areas of your life.  Your home is where you rest, prepare food, make life decisions, nurture, spend intimate time alone or with family or roommates.  Shouldn't this be the place you feel most comfortable in, a place to revive with opportunity to contemplate feeling safe and secure?

I purged once (sometimes I refer to this as 'clearing').  It took about a month and even after that I still found spaces in my home that felt were clogged with excess belongings that served no purpose in my life. 

It was overwhelming to begin this process, yet once I started I begun to feel a shadow weight lift and continued on in a state of pure inspiration.  In the end, I felt so clear and suddenly had so much more time to do things I'm not sure I would have otherwise even considered.  I wrote a novel instead of cleaning up toys.  I learned to bake bread and pitas in place of tidying counter tops and stressing over the next days school lunches. 

How?  I'd love to give you a precise model, but really, I've found this process is very individual.  I'll share my own personal steps and feel free to mirror them, but I suspect, once you begin you'll figure out your own mode.

I started in the towel/sheet cupboard since I'm least attached to linens.  First I dumped everything out.  Everything.  I wiped down the shelves and left them to breath in new air.
I went through my great pile, taking out all the items I didn't need, use or really like.  I think we all have a pillow case or two we opt to never use whether it's because of the scratchy material or design that irritates us.  I put those items in a box to bring to the thrift shop.
The towels and sheets fraying or holed up I put in another box to later use for other purposes (made into wash cloths, used as art drops or for my husband working on an oil change).

In the end I had a whooping three large boxes to donate full of sheets we didn't have the right size bed for, pillow cases I loathed but knew another would love and some extra towels we never used. I even had left over mattress covers for a crib.

It was actually kinda thrilling to give up all that stuff taking up so much space.  A sense of cleanliness and pride for what I chose to keep inspired me for the next space.  First I had to put all my chosen belongings back.  With all that new-found space I was able to segregate a 'home' for each type of item.  I rolled my towels and placed them low so my kids could reach them easily. I neatly folded each set of sheets and placed them in a pillow case and rolled the extra pillow cases and placed them in their own space.

I next moved to the bedrooms, starting with my own.  I took every piece of clothing I owned and dumped them on the bed and even scoured the rest of my house for any other clothing.  With my entire wardrobe sitting in a heap I realized I didn't wear over half of it. 
 One by one I picked up each article of clothing and asked myself how I felt about it (do I feel comfortable/beautiful/does it even fit?), then either threw it in the To-Go box or the Keep pile.  I quickly found myself with a third pile of Indecisions.  This third pile was a collection of clothes I mostly felt guilty to get rid of (someone had given it to me) or I had a memory attached (the silk dress I wore when I was pregnant).  I disregarded it all to the To-Go box, reminding myself that these items took up space and when I looked at them I didn't feel inspired to wear them.  Why keep anything you don't feel great, comfortable or beautiful in?

What's left hanging on my side of the closet.

After my drawers were wiped down and had aired out I put my few clothes back and now, every time I go to get dressed I feel happy to see only what I love to wear. 

My Shirt Drawer Now

I went through this same process with my kids and kept only a weeks worth of each category of clothes (pants, shirts, swimming ect).  The pay off has been less laundry, messy drawers or the feeling of being weighted down by excess.  

My daughters shirt drawer

I did this with my children's toys (with my children), using an empty bottom drawer in their dresser to store what they chose to keep, the one or two larger items on a shelf.  Anything in my own closet that didn't belong or sat stuffed away, I gave up.  This has resulted in a sense of calm and I sleep better and wake up without the clutter staring me down.

I repeated this process throughout my entire home, even outside in the yard and in my garage.  My vehicle as well has went through a clearing and even my e-mail account opens to only what is needed to easily trash the stuff not. 

When I take a day to clean my home, I do so with appreciation and gratitude now.  I don't have to spend the extra time clearing the floor to vacuum and I watch my children take the same enjoyment in the few thing they chose to keep.  

It's a lesson in not taking on more than you need.  It's freeing up time to let your true purpose stream out more easily so you can actually experience your life in a place of calm and focus without the clutter to scatter your thoughts astray.  

My fireplace mantel used to be stuffed with things that didn't have a 'home'.  Today it only holds what we use, and each month I prop a different piece of art or photo to enjoy.

Start with a space you are least attached to the items to deal with.  Please post a comment of your experience with this.  I would love to see your before and afters as well!

Zero-Waste a Minimalist Lifestyle?

Zero-waste a Minimalist Lifestyle?

One could gather how these two modes of moving through ones life go hand-in-hand.  Anything purchased will have been done so with thought of the purpose of the purchase.  Sales, deals and their low prices will no longer hold allure as one becomes conscious of consumption. As one becomes more accustomed to a zero-waste lifestyle their purchases become only necessary ones.  The quality of a purchase takes priority. 

For example-

Now that Spring is here and lends hint to Summer, stores have started to fill their shelves with beach toys.  Plastic shovels, pales and water guns, all brightly gleaming with their toxic neon-colors, attached to the low, low price tags meant to sell you.  

These products rarely last through the first few weeks of summer before they break.  And it doesn't seem that big of a deal considering the low price to purchase another.  We don't think about what happens to those broken toys (where they end up and the consequences on our environment.  

By the time summer is through, you've more than likely spent the same amount of money it would have cost you to buy a stainless steel gardening shovel (or three) that will have lasted you umpteen future summers as well as served it's purpose in the garden.  Minimalist- yes, zero-waste- for sure.  

This year my kids and I scoped out the kitchen section in one of our local thrift stores and found some metal bowls and buckets as well as some different shaped stainless steel cups and containers. We went to a hardware store and bought a couple stainless steel hand shovels.  These will be our beach toys.  These items will last beyond their childhood years and even then continue on with no negative impact on our environment.  In the Fall we can use them to collect berries, seeds and harvest the food from our gardens while the hand shovels will be used all through these two seasons for both gardening and the beach. I will never spend more than a few dollars on beach toys again in my lifetime and the earth will never be damaged.  

Our thrift store finds- Beach Toys that will also Serve in the Garden and last beyond their childhood= Zero Waste

Less consumption of items that don't last (quality) or only serve a single purpose rarely needed, means less excess belongings to store away and deal with.  When you own only what is needed a sense of appreciation for those items becomes apparent.  The mind is less consumed with unimportance and inspiration to experience ones true purpose is able to stream through much easier. 

For many, travel is the only time they will experinece this freedom as only what is needed is packed.  They are more able to be in the moment.

A lifestyle in the home and workplace can feel similar when only what is needed surrounds.  Suddenly work is a place of creativity and ultimate focus for the task at hand, while the home is a place that holds an atmosphere of calm and serenity.

I love returning to my home.  It is the place where I can relax, create, contemplate and spend intimate time with my family.  There was a time when my home was filled with excess and I did not feel good in it, but instead stressed out by the amount of tidying, cleaning and organizing owning that much stuff requires.  Now my home holds only what we need and use.  When we clean it, we do so in a grateful manner and since everything has it's place, there is never the need to tidy.     

Living a zero-waste lifestyle is practicing minimalism in that we know we don't need to over-consume to fill a void that is not there.  The void only appears as that when over-consumption sprouts a hungry beast that yearns to be fed constantly, creating disconnect between our true selves and our experiential mind.  

In my next post, I'll share how I transformed our home into our place of serenity.  For now, consider your next purchases and the validity they'll hold in your life.  Ask yourself these two questions before committing to another material object:  

1. Is this object something I NEED (do I already own something that could serve this purpose?)

2. Is this object environmentally friendly (will is last and when it's through where will it go and will it have a negative impact on the environment?)
 

Zero Waste as a Mindful Practice

My name is Skye and I've learned in my nearing 37 years that everything I partake in can become a conscious practice. I don't need a monastery with empty rooms and forests beyond to keep me up through the night (I've got kids for that) nor to test my patience, or even to bring lesson through selfless challenges (did I mention I'm married with children?). Every day is an opportunity to practice awareness and in doing so, an opportunity to experience awareness. Once such practice is the waste my family and I produce. 

Only a few months ago we decided to go zero-waste.  To be honest, I would have sooner, but I didn't consider this an option.  Our packed full extra-large recycle bags alongside our black stinky garbage bag had been getting me down for some time, not to mention all the videos and statistical blurbs of the consequences of our waste on our environment that kept springing up on my facebook news feed. It didn't seem right that we were producing this much waste, yet it felt impossible to reduce it or even come close to eliminating it all together considering I'd been living one way for so long, had so many young dependents and a set income.   
Then I watched this and my heart picked up.  



This video was soon followed by an image:  

Bea Johnson and her 2 year collection of garbage.

I spent the next while watching and reading anything and everything I could find about these two admirable ladies and their zero-waste lifestyles.  One thing I noticed was, while one had two children, they were quite a bit older than my own and the other didn't even have children.  I took the next while to tweak what worked for them and make it into my own, figuring out solutions for my own family going zero-waste.  There were times when I first started out that I felt completely and utterly overwhelmed as well as clueless and doubtful that this type of lifestyle could even work for us.  Sure enough, I eventually found my own rhythm and I have to say, going zero-waste has been one of the most satisfying practices I've taken on in my life.  And I never have to take out the trash. 

In my posts to follow I will share my experience of going zero-waste, what has and hasn't worked for me and tips of how you can make it work.  

I'll leave you with a video that really hit home for me. If you're wondering what is so wrong with plastic waste if it can be recycled, please take a moment and consider: