You Can Never Have Enough Disco Balls

Remember the tiny disco balls I sourced second hand for our Little One’s cubby house?  I just found a large one about the size of a soccer ball (bought at a second hand charity store).  Apparently you can never have too many disco balls!

At any time of the day, light bounces off the large disco ball, adding dancing refections throughout much of our veggie garden beds.  Interesting that I have noticed this scares the annoying black birds from this area.

In conclusion it appears large disco balls, are potentially the coolest scare crows ever – loved by small children.

Finally my Upcycled Security Door, Garden Feature is Finished

My friend and neighbour Janine, gave me clippings from her gorgeous ‘ground cover like’ succulent plant.

I felt the tiny, yet hardy succulent will grow well in these old recycled coffee mugs.

The coffee mugs now hang on an old security screen door that I upcycled – painted racing car red and mounted outside, on our back verandah frame.

Finally my upcycled, garden pot plant hanger is completed.  I will post an update  in a couple of months time with photos – it will be interesting to see how the plants grow.

Reduce, Reuse, Restore, Recycled and RESCUED

Reduce – to limit the amount of our consumer purchases or to buy 2nd hand.

Reuse – finding other uses for items we no longer need, limiting the need to throw out those items.

Restored – old stuff becomes new again with a coat of paint, glue etc and some love.

Recycled – turning unwanted items into new items that we do need.

Rescued – my new ‘R’ word. Rescuing items, other people throw out and giving them a ‘second life’.

These children’s toys where left on the curb, destined for the tip – for landfill.  I still intend to give them a new coat of paint and love (to restore them).  In the meantime they are outside but under cover, near our clothes line.  Our Little One now plays with these rescued toys, as her Mummy hangs out the washing.

Brand new is rarely better. Our belief that new is ‘king’ is robbing our Earth of natural resources, our back pockets of funds and our minds of fun and creative solutions.

Do you get what I mean?

Children’s Verandah Cubby Play Area – a Birthday Present

I had grand plans for our Little One’s cubby house, so despite a month of bad health, I am proud to say I finished (just in time for her birthday as this was to be her present).

The cubby house is positioned in an enclosed section of our verandah that we don’t use, as it was in desperate need of renovating and repairing.  So before any cubby decorating could commence, I had a lot of renovating to do.

Even though the cubby is finished, I still have more ideas and hence will continue to add fun items in the coming weeks.

Everything used, has been recycled, restored or upcycled, with a good dash of healthy creativity and imagination.

Upcycled an ugly picture frame into a chalk board. Paint tin upcycled to a chalk holder. Paint brush upcycled to a decoration.

Kid's arm chair picked up from a curb side clean up and restored.

Cubby has a wonderful view of the East side garden. Lamp shades upcycled to fun chandeliers.

Hand painted fairy tree mural as a special cubby backdrop.

A section of our special birthday message for our Little One - as part of the painted mural

The only new items purchased was skirting board, black board paint, red gloss paint and chalk.

Take a look back at what this area looked like before the renovation and cubby decorating started.

May our Little One have many fun, creative and happy years playing in her cubby with her friends.

Where to Buy Second Hand, Disco Balls

On a recent trip to Sydney for work, I decided to pop into Reverse Garbage at Marrickville.

For 40 years, Reverse Garbage has been committed to diverting useable resources from landfill.  Apparently they are the largest creative reuse centre in the world.

I’m a ‘pig in mud’ when searching through this store.  As you can see, our little one’s first visit to the centre has not failed to delight – as photographed donning a pair of children’s 3D glasses found in the store (incognito toddler).

Searching particularly for items to decorate the kid’s cubby house, I am currently working on.

A large framed painting, numerous silver stars and a handful of tiny disco balls were acquired.

The cubby house grand reveal is drawing closer!

You Can Even Recycle Bras!

An old sports bra lived under my side of the bed for months.  It was my constant reminder to find a way to recycle or reuse all my old bras.

Throwing unneeded items out, is often societies first choice for disposal – but it isn’t mine.  ‘Being time poor’ is not an excuse for producing unnecessary landfill waste – which is where my bras would of ended up, if I threw them out.

After a quick Google search, I found a noble use for my old bras.  Donating them to Upliftbras. From their website:

“In the Solomon Islands it is quite difficult to access a comfortable bra. Some of the second hand shops sell bras but mostly women have to buy their bras from the Chinese Trade Stores. These bras have some problems; they come in smaller sizes, are made of nylon and perish quickly in tropical conditions. You cannot buy maternity bras or mastectomy bras in country. For the women to be given free bras is an unbelievable experience for all of them. Women feel a tremendous obligation to meet the needs of their families, and so for any woman in the village to spend money buying a bra for herself can almost be seen as an unforgivable sin. The priority for women’s spending is food and education needs of children.”
spacer.gif – Rose Wale, 2012, Report of Bra Distribution, Solomon Islands

In Australia we take much for granted, even our waste.

My old bras have now been posted and donated to Upliftbras.

Children’s Fairy Garden Tree

A 30 metre liquid amber tree stands gloriously in our front garden. The base of the tree is wide and full of textured character – a magical spot.

Don’t you feel the bottom centre of the tree base, is ‘calling out’ for a fairy door and window?

Thankyou to our Little One’s Auntie, Uncle & cousins for finding them.

This has got me inspired – how can I create more fairy doors and windows using recycled materials?

Changing nappies gave me the possible solution….

………Can you see little doors and windows?

Possibly to be continued.