citymade

Repurposing Binder Clips

Here are a couple ideas for repurposing binder clips:

-Use a binder clip to assist you in inserting your down comforter into its duvet cover. Slide the top two corners of your down comforter into the duvet and use two binder clips to secure the corners.  Shake the rest of the comforter into the duvet and then remove the clips.  Now that task is a one-person job!

-Clip one or more binder clips onto your office desk to help control computer cords.   You won’t be crawling under your desk searching for your USB cable anymore.

Sarong Scarf

This scarf was made from an old sarong that we had.  We loved the fabric but just didn’t use the sarong often enough.  Now we can still enjoy the fabric and still have some left over for future projects.

Today’s re-purposing project: Mobile Upcycle.

We had a package from popsicle molds (the kind you pour juice into and then freeze). By painting it pink and adding a few sewn circles on ribbon, we made a cute baby mobile.

We at Citymade must take a moment to mourn the loss of a dear, useful friend.

Last week, regrettably, Melany’s sewing machine succumbed to a mysterious illiness, resulting in it’s death.

We will take a moment of silence for this dear friend taken way to early from us. It will be hard to replace this friend (mostly due to the cost of said replacement).

Sun Dress to Booster Seat Cover

We received a hand-me-down booster seat from a friend that was in pretty good shape except for some tears in the cover.  We took a sun dress that the girls had been using for dress up and re-purposed it into a slip cover for Anna’s “new” booster seat.   

Melany and I recently went to IKEA in Chicago. We had a great time and love their stuff, but we also noticed that there were some things that we, at Citymade, can make with re-purposed items.

Today, it’s the scarf/belt organizer. IKEA’s version uses a knit wound around circles. We took some old tape rolls (from masking or duct tape) and some cardboard circles used for packaging in-between glass bowls, wound fabric around them and glued the ends. Then, we tied them together with ribbon to make a pattern and secured them to a coordinating hanger with the same ribbon. Now, the pile of messy scarves are hung neat and orderly and can go in a closet.

Today we have another clothing redo.

We had a skirt. We liked the pattern, but it just didn’t quite work for either of us. So, we decided to make some chic, re-usable sandwich wraps out of it.  We were able to get a couple of  wraps and still have some fabric leftover (snack bags perhaps?), plus we saved the zipper.

Today’s re-purposing idea combines two good things, beer and cookouts.

When the beer is gone, save the container and use it to store the silverware for the cook out. You could also use it to hold the condiments. Then, when you are finished, it can go into the recycle bin.

Tennis anyone? No. Then how about using those dusty old tennis balls for something else?

Tennis ball weights.

By making a small incision in the rubber of the ball, inserting a weight of some kind (we used pennies-about 115 in each), glue the incision up (use super glue) and you have a weight that you can use while you walk, run or in Christian’s case, juggle.

In this season of runny noses, thank you spring, we go through a lot of tissues.

We turned an empty tissue box into a handy storage for the few plastic grocery bags we do end up with.

Yes-the box can go in the recycling, but then where would you put the bags?