It's Wednesday and that means Craftside Giveaway Day! Whoo hoo! Today's book is Steampunk Chic: Vintage Flair from Recycled Finds and the project I have to share with you is my spin on the book's plant stake tutorial.
But first the question that gets you in the running for a copy of the book:
What is the last thing you recycled into a project?
Leave your answer in today's comments section by Midnight ET on Wednesday, February 1, 2012.
OK now onto my spin on this cool way to hang or display something using a skeleton key and a dinner knife.
In Steampunk Chic there is a great tutorial on how to make a plant stake but at the moment I don't have any plants I need to label but I am always looking for fun ways to display photos.
I used the basic elements, a flatware knife and skeleton key, and wired them together. Then I filled an old jar with old chandelier crystals. Then I wired an old photo of my grandparents to the key.
For a last little detail I wired a JHB Steampunk clock face button to the jar as a kind of time in a bottle reference. :)
If you like using vintage parts in making all sorts of things, I bet you will love:
Steampunk Chic Vintage Flair from Recycled Finds
by
Jennifer O'Neil
Kitty O'Neil
Catch the wave of the popular Steampunk Style in crafting as well-known authors and designers Jennifer and Kitty O'Neil present their own version of this fun and funky look in crafts and home decor with 15 new fanciful projects. They'll show how to create delightful vintage flare from recycled finds of all kinds.
Jennifer and Kitty O'Neil are sisters and authors who love creating artsy crafts and decorating projects. Their craft and decorating articles appear in national magazines and websites worldwide.
last thing I recycled was: a picture frame into a pattern holder. Took the frame and put a metal backing onto it, its a 40x40 inch frame I found at a secondhand store. Cut the metal to fit the back, put some pretty material over the metal then put it in the frame, added a what I call a back stop - it can lean or put on the wall. Put some magnets on it- Now whether I am sewing or crocheting, I can see the pattern very handy and easily.
Posted by: Diana | January 26, 2012 at 07:27 AM
would love a copy of the book, I am always looking for old vintage gears to use, I made an clock collage using all kinds of vintage things.
Posted by: Dayna | January 26, 2012 at 07:28 AM
Beautiful frame. I am a steampunk kinda of gal. I make my own cards so I love to go thru old books and magazine to cut out anything I can to add to my projects. I recycle the bookboard to make mini books.
Posted by: mary Mac | January 26, 2012 at 07:41 AM
Oh my gosh, it appears you used the First Love pattern of silverware; that was my dad's pattern, and I have the set. I am so inspired. The last thing I recycled into art was a brown bottle for a steampunk doll, we named her Steamy Amber. I have a picture of her in Art For the Creative Mind Yahoo Group, but no idea how to link it. Thank you so much, you made my day! I'm going to do this project straight away!
Posted by: Christy Fox | January 26, 2012 at 08:07 AM
Great project! The last thing I recycled was some books and vintage Christmas items from Goodwill into a display for Christmas. It turned out exactly as I'd hoped!
Posted by: Becky | January 26, 2012 at 10:02 AM
The last recycled thing was simply a magazine. I used interesting photos and words for a collage.
Thanks for the chance to win this great book!
Happy creating,
Birgit
Posted by: Birgit | January 26, 2012 at 10:38 AM
What an awesome book!
My most recent recycling project has been making art paper books for my kidlets, using pieces of box cardboard from all of the shipping boxes from Christmas. I used the cardboard for the covers and made duct-tape books. The papers inside are all art papers I have made over time and found papers from old books and musics and junk mail. The kids love them!
Posted by: Dana Wheeler | January 26, 2012 at 12:41 PM
I love the whole Steampunk look but I've never made anything in that style. This book would be a great help with that, I think.
The last thing I recycled was an Altoids tin -- I made it into an emergency repair kit with folding scissors, thread, snaps, buttons. I painted it white and then decoupaged some old sewing patterns onto the outside of the tin. It went into my sister's Christmas stocking. :)
Posted by: Jane S. | January 26, 2012 at 12:51 PM
I recycled old silverware to be plant stakes for my Mom's houseplants - it was fun!
Posted by: Gayle | January 26, 2012 at 03:18 PM
My last recycled item consisted of 12 bottle caps from water bottles. They were the middle of my 6 camoflage-color (polymer clay) lego "posts" on a keepsake box I made for my grandson---he loves legos and little special boxes! Polymer clay was wrapped around each post and also glued to each side of the box. Then the posts were glued to the box lid!
Posted by: Teri | January 26, 2012 at 05:09 PM
Just tonight I was at a class at Off Center in Albuquerque NM and we were working with Glass Graveyard glass (semi-infamous dump site that has neat trinkets and rusty bits) and made two pieces for a show on upcycle and recycle pieces. see them on nmcreatrix.blogspot.com
Posted by: Shari Adkisson aka NM Creatrix | January 26, 2012 at 07:47 PM
WOOO!! that pic holder looks sikk!! My last project from recycled goods was an oatmeal cardboard canister into a vintage style desk trash can A.K.A Thread catcher for sewing, or little paper bits with bottons and lace and vintage photos modge podged.
Posted by: Kelly | January 26, 2012 at 11:32 PM
I've recently been experimenting with old plug fuses and springs from biros to make earrings; but my last completed project were some knitted squares which I made for a charity in South Africa...I got the yarn from a bag of discarded ends of wool I found at the local tip!
Posted by: Sophie Hudson | January 27, 2012 at 04:09 AM
i just love projects like this! I recycled a old book into a padded kindle cover. It was easy and fun! Not to mention the money I saved from having to buy one! And at Christmas I made adorable little houses out of cereal boxes. So much fun!
Posted by: Nancy | January 27, 2012 at 12:17 PM
The last thing I recycled was my grandmother's collection of old-style, knob-headed clothespins into a doormat for my mom's front door.
Posted by: Claudia Hassinger | January 27, 2012 at 03:21 PM
I recycle and re-sell constantly. I guess the last thing I did was cover some old plastic easter eggs with shredded book pages. Before that and ongoing is I save all my cardboard boxes from meals I prepare. I cover them with sheet music or book pages; cut into starts; add glitter then sell them as ornaments.
I've got all the stuffs laying around for steampunk but need inspirations!!
Posted by: Tee | January 27, 2012 at 04:18 PM
My last recycled project was a six-slot cardboard egg carton that I covered in vintage lace and scraps. Inside were altered bottle caps and scrabble tiles.
Your book looks a-m-a-z-i-n-g! Thank you for the opportunity to win Ü
Posted by: Tracy | January 28, 2012 at 07:11 AM
I love doing this kind of stuff~love going junkin' and finding old stuff to re-do. Great results here!!!!
Posted by: ConnieM | January 28, 2012 at 07:25 AM
Love the project, my last recycle project was making a darling book out of formica tile samples. Please sign me up for the Steam Punk book giveaway. thanks
Posted by: Dlmdesigns3 | January 28, 2012 at 10:39 AM
I last recycled project that I made is a piece of wall art...used old poster frame, covered the backboard with silver contact paper, postcard sized odd letters spelling our last name and date of marriage I used crinkled aluminum foil...very steampunk...very cool!
Posted by: Kim Defibaugh | January 28, 2012 at 02:50 PM
I recycled an old metal pan (a comal - actually) into a hanging perpetual calendar. It came out really cool.
I love your picture hanger. It really suits the photo but it's so modern too!
Posted by: Eileen | January 29, 2012 at 05:38 AM
I LOVE steampunk, its exciting that there are crafting books for steampunk now! Gotta get one for sure =D
Posted by: Amanda @ the tinkers muse | January 30, 2012 at 08:29 AM
Neat project! I always recycle empty bleach bottles (after a thorough rinse) to cut up and stamp on with permanent ink (like Stazon). They're great for making pins for swaps at conventions as they hold up to wear and tear while ordinary cardstock pins fall apart. Also, way cheaper than shrink plastic!
Posted by: Cathy Fikar | January 30, 2012 at 03:24 PM
The last thing I recycled was an animal print Santa hat with green faux fur trim. The green faux fur became the collar of one jacket and the animal print turned into new cuffs for another.
Posted by: Darlene | January 31, 2012 at 07:23 AM
Love the project and would love to have one of the books as I do not have either one. The last thing I recycled was the pop tabs from soda cans. These were woven together in two layers with silver elastic cording to make a wonderful bracelet.
Posted by: Shelley Shipley | January 31, 2012 at 09:07 AM