Upcycling is a growing trend that’s still under the radar for some. Simply, it’s all about taking old objects and furniture, and adding your own creativity and craft to make it something new, unique and beautiful.
Upcycling Day on the 24th June naturally arose as a way to bring attention and to encourage everyone and anyone to get involved in throwing less away and upcycling more.
I've had the advantage of Autentico paint which we stock in the shop and I have used to paint the old fire place in the house, the tiles behind the range and the old fireplaces in the bedrooms, the kitchen cupboards, the window sill outside. Nearly four years later they have all stood the test of time and I'm particularly impressed at how the paint has not crazed or flaked behind the range that is more or less always on. We've painted over old chairs, dressers, fabrics and so much more and there is more to come. Just because you want to change your decor doesn't mean you have to change the furniture and it's a lot cheaper too. The paint is eco friendly and safe to use on kids furniture. It can even withstand the harsh Belmullet weather - just look at the front of our shop if you don't want to take my word for it. See some of our project on our Pinterest page. The possibilities are endless.... and so are the range of colours.
There is also so much that you can do with old clothes. From leg warmers to T-shirt bags, to jean feathers you check out our Pintrest board here. Some of the projects are super simple that can be done in less than an hour.
And if upcycling furniture or clothes doesn't float your boat you can check out our Upcycling Project ideas here. From old tyres, to old drawers to old records and CDs. I challenge you have a rummage around for some unwanted items and get creative with your upcycling.
Teaching your kids about the effects of being wasteful and our impact on the community can be a good motivation to jumpstart their own love of upcycling. So get creative, get the kids involved and share your upcycling stories on social media to raise awareness too. Go on...Go for it!