Author Archives: stephen

Music From Nothing


Simply amazing. This project gives meaning to the lives of under-privileged children living in Paraguay by giving them access to music. And it is done in such an astonishing way–the instruments are constructed from pieces of trash, yet sound beautiful and stunningly close to their off-the-shelf counterparts. Also, I would never pass up the opportunity to recognize a great pun: they call themselves the “landfillharmonic”, which is simply brilliant.

Lego Earrings

Who doesn’t have some Legos left over from when they were a kid? All it takes is two little blocks and some earring hardware to create your very own set of playful jewelry. If you don’t want to do the work, buy them already made on Etsy!

Silverware Wind Chime

Very elegant wind chimes using old silverware from Or So She Says! While you may not just have some laying around, the thrift store would be a good bet to find a funky set of vintage silverware at a good price.

Coffee Maker Aquarium

Got an old coffee maker that doesn’t work anymore? There may be hope! Check out this very quirky beta fish coffee maker aquarium. Simple directions can be found here. Just please make sure the heater really doesn’t work!

Pallet Wine Rack

Very rustic, very classy, and as always, oh so trashy! This would be a wonderful complement to any home, and it doesn’t look like it would be too hard to make.

Trashy Chic Clocks

Would you believe these clocks were made out of old CDs? Artfully produced by Creative Wishes, these are a very cool way to use old CDs that you inevitably have on hand.

Reusing a VW Van

What a neat idea for anyone with a VW van lying around! Not many people I presume… Originally seen at Recycleart!

Turning Trash into Treasure!

A store in Thailand allows local residents to buy household goods by turning in recyclable materials. It’s a win-win for everyone! A lot of waste is reduced and in turn residents are rewarded for their work collecting trash.

Gumball Fish Tank!

How cool is this gumball machine turned fish tank from Upcycle That?? Not that everyone has an old one laying around like I do, but still cool nonetheless. Will definitely have to do this some time!

Corona Bottle Salt and Pepper Shakers

I was at an Ale House the other day and I was really intrigued by their salt and pepper shakers. They were simply used Corona bottles with perforated plastic cap stuck on the top. I thought they may have made the caps themselves, but I noticed they had the official Corona “crown” logo moulded into the plastic. So one quick trip to Google and I got the low-down on these little guys. Amazon sells a set of two of them for about $4, which seems a little steep to me, but at least you’re getting the real deal. (Actually if you are looking to buy a lot for a restaurant or something, HulaHangout has bulk discounts.) I imagine you could just as easily use a beer bottle with a twist-off cap and just drill some holes in it. It’s a perfect, cheap re-use idea and matches perfectly with a sports bar or tropical type of atmosphere.

Similarly, I was at Chipotle the other day and saw them using old Tabasco Sauce bottles to hold their salt and pepper. I didn’t take a picture, but I’m sure you get the concept.