Should we share ideas for upcycling now on this thread or wait until we have them made/sent/rec'd?

I have collected some ideas & not all are things I've done before. I don't want to give away the surprise of the gift, but am willing to share ideas. Many of my ideas are practical because that's just how I roll especially for gardening. Some are lovely & might be more suitable as a gift, but still be useful.

Corrine

I know what you mean, Corrine. I keep running across really cute ideas, too.
I think we should wait to post any ideas until after the person we send to has received his/her box. Then post away! Of course we want to hear what was sent (pictures, too, if possible), but many of us would just like to have ideas that we can use later for gifts for family and friends, things to make for ourselves, maybe an event coming up to raise money for charity, etc.
Really looking forward to this!
Jeanne

We have a member with a birthday tomorrow:

A very Happy Birthday to smitties (Margo)!
Have a wonderful day.

I am going to send out the revised membership list to the members by e-mail. Shirley usually does this so I hope I get it to everyone okay. If not, get in touch with me and I will make sure to send it again.

Jeanne

Jeanne,
Yes, love the sharing part with pics & explanations of how you made the item for your partner in order to duplicate. I will take a deep breath & just hold on to my upcycle ideas until later.

I'm glad we're doing it now in January. I found a great quote last summer, "I sleep in the house, but live in the garden." That's definitely me when the weather warms up!

Here are 2 ideas for old shower curtains in case you have critters outside this winter or haul garden products in your car trunk. Not all gardeners drive a truck, right? They're not necessarily upcycle ideas better than original purpose, but reuse.

1. Use your old shower curtains & rings strung on rope hung across the top to close up raised rabbit, chicken or duck pens/cages during cold or windy weather. Our kids built these raised pens for their 4-H show poultry to keep them in smaller breeding groups & out of the dirt.

One is green & the other opaque kept closed with clothespins. Since they're not air tight the animals still get air & the wind escapes, but doesn't blow right through.

To the right of the red chicken coop are the raised pens with the shower curtains just to the left of the large tree trunk. To the right of the trunk is a rabbit hutch. Inside the hutch on top of the cage is a layer of burlap bags to trap some warm air & in really cold weather we pull some of them down as a flap across the front, too. The burlap bags are gathered free from a coffee roaster & if kept dry last forever. If used in paths or as top layer of mulch during our rainy season they last about 6 months.

2. The other use for those shower curtains is to fold in 1/2 then line the trunk of your car to help keep the carpet clean & dry. Wipes up or shakes out easily when you return home with garden goodies or wet ski boots from a day on the mountain.

Corrine

Corrine, great idea and great picture. I like seeing the snow. None here yet but it is expected overnight. I am looking forward to it.

Margo

Thnaks for sharing that picture, Corrine. I lived in New York State until age 22 and still really miss the snow. I used to snow ski and ice skate and the whole bit. We get snow now and then here in South Carolina. When it snows I stay glued to my window watching it and then outside to take pictures!

Here is the list of who you will send to for this swap.
You are receiving from someone different so don't let that confuse you. With an odd number of people signed up, it doesn't work out to have you send and receive from the same partner. Can't wait to see what is sent. I am finally working on my "upcycles" - it took me a long time to decide which ones to make.

Jeanne sends to Corrine
Corrine sends to Melissa
Melissa sends to Nina
Nina sends to Margo
Margo sends to Annie
Annie sends to Shirley
Shirley sends to Robert
Robert sends to Heidi
Heidi sends to Jeanne

Have fun with this and mail your packages by the 20th. If your item can ship in a padded envelope or flat rate envelope, that is fine. Just remember to put a delivery confirmation on the package.

Any questions, just ask!
Jeanne

Hi Everyone! Still don't have a computer, maybe next week. And, yesterday, my landline went dead. AND we are finally getting some snow, it is very, very cold here. The phone came back on today.
On the up-side, I'm getting a lot of reading done, had several lunches with several friends and I'm getting my wintersowing done! 86 containers so far, with lots more to come!
Robert, Jeanne sent me your address and I will have your upcycling surprise out to you before the 20th.
Jeanne, I was sorry to hear about your horse, this has been a bad year for you-hope you are doing okay.
Thanks for the updated address list!
Margo, hope you had a great birthday! My oldest son's b-day is the 12th too!
And last, I had what I think is an immature red tail hawk scoping out my bird feeders today! I got pics thro the kitchen window. I know he was after the little sparrow type birds, but hey, hawks have to eat too and I'm hoping he will come back when I'm out there with the camera. This is the first time I've ever seen a "wild" hawk close enought to get pics!
Talk to ya all in a few days!
Shirley!

Shirley, cold here too and we had a nice pretty snowfall today.

Yes, hawks do have to eat. We had one pick a dove from under our bird feeder some years ago. He feasted on our back deck. Fun to see but icky to clean up. A unique experience for sure.

I still need to refill my finch feeders since the high winds knocked one down and emptied the other. I had just filled them both too. Thistle is not a cheap seed so I wasn't happy. Have to go get some more.

Margo

No snow at my home just yet, but 4-8" in the forecast for tomorrow. We had a taste of it today about 90 minutes away where we attended a memorial service for a friends' father who died of cancer. It was so fitting because he really loved the snow, skiing, & all of that winter fun! Once we were about 30 minutes away it was dry & the only snow was coming off our car! At home dry, windy & cold. When it does snow it's going to stick! I'll be sure to get some pictures & hope to have enough for a good sized snowman.

Corrine

The computer is up and running.
I'm not getting too excited about it.
Margo, know what you mean about the thistle seed. I hung two "socks" of thistle last year and the squirrels ripped them open, and then, they didn't eat it. Did not replace them because of the cost.
Corrine, is that your backyard? Just Beautiful!
Gotta go finish January's Wintersowing. And then I get to clean the kitchen! Yippee!
Shirley!

Shirley......Your package should be headed out on Wednesday. I have your address. I will post the DC# after I send.

Shirley/Jeanne......I did NOT receive the revised FOTESS membership list. Please resend when you get a chance....no rush!

No snow in our neck of the woods....NO, I am not trying to rub it in. We have been having a very warm January. I wish it would snow...LOL!! It would be a nice change. It just does not seem right to be running around in shorts in January. They are calling for some rain....probably just a sprinkle...but that is OK with me.

Happy Sunday!!

Annie

Annie - am sending the revised address list that I got from Jeanne, let me know if/when you get it. Sorry for the delay!
Oh, Annie, I WSed almost all the seeds you have sent me. Can hardly wait to see what I get!
Jeanne, have WSed all that you sent me for the Solstice swap! Did the research on "chaste tree" and it turns out that it is something I never knew I wanted!
I'm starting to get starlings at the birdfeeders; where is that hawk when I really need him!?
Shirley!

I'll have Nina's package out by Wednesday. I have several other errands to run that day, so I'll just stop by the PO while I'm out.

Shirley, yes it is our backyard with our critter homes in view from the hot tub, office, or kitchen window. We've tried to "improve" the year round interest in the forest here. We live at a year round Christian camp & conference center in a clearing the woods. Now that our kids are nearly grown we've taken over the place with the patio & greenhouse. Last spring we moved the raised pens back a bit & put in a new bed with hostas and things I don't want the chickens to eat, so they don't get to run free any more.

Here's a mid summer photo that my son took.
{{gwi:273832}}

Some snow overnight & more throughout the day, but it's melting some because it's 33 degrees. Now & then the half dollar sized flakes pile up a bit.

When we came home from church we walked around off leash with our little black pom who loves the snow. I made an itsy snowball & tossed at my hubby who just smiled. Pulled a wheelbarrow load of large branches off a back bed where a fir tree limb fell yesterday. Our son removed the limb because it also hit a duck pen, but left the branches because it was still gusty out. The duck was fine :o)

If the snow picks up & stays around we'll go inner tubing tonight as the guest groups will be gone & no cars on the roads here at camp.

Hi,
Sorry I haven't posted sooner, in the middle of a bathroom reno and didn't have time to post.
I'll have Margo's package out to her on Wed.

Corrine, beautiful picture. The hostas are fantastic. That is the one thing I regret about building on this property, no trees!!!! We don't have any trees within a half a mile of here as this is crop area. We have put in hundreds of seedlings in the past five years and there are nice size ornamental pear trees that line the drive but nothing woodsy at all. The upside is I have 5 acres to grow anything I want anywhere I want with exception of a lot of shade loving things.

Margo

Jeanne, yours went out in the mail today.
0311 0240 0001 9992 7828 confirmation number

I took some pictures of what's coming, Jeanne. If you want a surprise...don't look at the link. I made some plant stakes and I put them in a flower pot to take a photo so the ends are brown. I'm sorry for that. Have fun with them, though.

I took plastic bottles, cut them into butterflies and swans. Then I sprayed them with spray paint. I taped them to wooden skewers. (Wood breaks down into soil faster than metal). Can be used as decorations or to mark rows of beans or a single flower. Can write on them with a sharpie pen. You get to play with them in the house until the summer when it gets warm!

My grandmother moved to assisted living a year ago and she had a drawer full of beautiful tea towels to use "some day". Enjoy today! Use it now!
Heidi

Here is a link that might be useful: upcycle plant stakes

Corrine,
Your package is on its way to you. I took a picture of what I sent in case you can't post one. I'll wait until after you get the package and then see if you want me to post it or if you want to post one that you take.

Now I am starting to wonder what the February Swap will entail... I sure am having fun with the FOTESS swaps! I'm sure what is going out in the January Swap will have all of us intrigued.

Jeanne

Nina's DC# is 03110820000049603988
Sure hope I posted that right, that's a LOT of 0's! :P

Sorry for taking so long to get involved in the conversation, it seems as if everyone realized January is a slow month, and now they have loaded it down with chores!

Corrine, those are beautiful beds in your backyard! I don't do a lot with flowers just yet, but those make me wish I did.

Finally got all of the stakes and trellis string out of the vegetable garden so it can be plowed soon, so I am really starting to get the "fever" (though I still have at least 2 more months before I can start the spring garden). Sigh, how depressing...I just want to get some dirt In my fingers :-)

I did finally get Heidi's gift finished tonight, so I should have it packaged up and off to her within the next 2 days (they are still drying). I tried to keep it related to gardening, but still something unique and maybe something someone else didn't do already. I hope I did enough, especially since this is my first one, and I don't really know everyone yet!

Well, I'm off of here, I'll post the DC ASAP.

Robert

Hi Everyone! Just wanted to let Robert know that his Upcycled Surprise is on it's way! The DC# is 03061070000472246644. It should be there Friday!
Robert, I have to admit, it kind of threw me to get your name - a guy?! - Agggghhh! I had planned some pretty feminine Upcycles! But not to worry - I'm not sending the headband with crocheted roses on it! It was a challenge and I had fun with it! Actually, the one idea is an idea I've been playing with for awhile, and it worked out so well, that I sent you two of them!
I don't think you need to worry about "doing enough." These are supposed to SIMPLE swaps. I think you'll find that each of us did it differently, ie, one larger item, or 2-4 smaller items or any combination thereof! We're just glad that you joined FOTESS and I hope you had fun doing your Upcycle!
Hey, later, everyone!
Shirley!

Shirley,

Your Upcycled ????????????? is on its way to you.
DC# 0310 2640 0000 1354 3464

In case you did not get my email, I did receive the updated FOTESS membership info. Thanks for resending Shirley!

I am so excited to see what everyone "upcycles". I have read so much about upcycling over the last several days. It truly is amazing what some people "upcycle". As well, this kind of swap forces one to get mentally creative...not a bad thing! It is good for the soul!!

Robert, welcome to FOTESS!!

Annie

My package is ready to go. I will be mailing it tomorrow morning and posting the DC when I get home from work. Hope you like it Annie. One idea is quite handy.

Stay warm everyone, Margo

I hope I caught everyone's mailings for the list below:

Jeanne sends to Corrine - Sent
Corrine sends to Melissa
Melissa sends to Nina - Sent
Nina sends to Margo
Margo sends to Annie
Annie sends to Shirley - Sent
Shirley sends to Robert - Sent
Robert sends to Heidi
Heidi sends to Jeanne - Sent

Packages should be arriving soon! I hope everyone had fun making their item(s).
Jeanne

Heidi,
Your wonderful swap arrived today! Heidi made the cutest plant stakes (description in her posting above) and also sent lots of seed packets that she printed up. Both things that she made are great and very useful. I am hosting a seed swap right now so those envelopes might get used very quickly!
I am thinking about setting the plant stakes outside for Valentine's Day since they are perfect for that - swan and butterfly shapes and the right colors, too. I'll try to remember to take a picture when I do.
Thanks again, Heidi!
Jeanne

Hi Everyone! Annie's Upcyled Ceramic Canister arrived today! It is really pretty, great color choice, Annie, my "decor" is mostly blue!
Annie took a ceramic canister and covered it with chips (are these paper?) cemented with Modge Podge? Can't describe it well, but it has a mosaic look. Very pretty, will use it to store my teabags in!
Annie, if possible, could you post a pic of it? My computer isn't allowing me to do anything with pics and I would love everyone to see this!
Annie also sent a nice card/note, lots of mini-Milky Way bars and 6 packs of seeds: 3 basils, 2 nasturciums and an Agastache aurantiaca-Fragrant Delight mix!
I loved the Upcycle, Annie, and I really liked this swap! Great idea, Jeanne!
Shirley!

I mailed Margo's package on Wed. My stepdaughter forgot the DC though, you should get your box soon! I received Margo's package today. It had some great plant markers made from old metal coat hangers with tags to hang from them made from coke cans!!! Great Idea! I love them. She also sent me some cosmos, forget me nots, lavender and zinnia seeds!! Thanks so much, I had fun doing this!
I hope you like what I upcycled for you!!!!
Nina

Nina, that package was not from me. Melissa was your sender. Confused me at first which isn't hard to do.

My package is on the way to Annie. DC #03113260000208040161

Snowing tonight and it's our first measurable snowfall. We might have up to 5 inches of snow so we will see what is looks like in the morning. I have to work 10-6 alone tomorrow and the owner is out of town so won't know if she would prefer I open late. We don't have a lot of business right now since it is basically off season for anything. Snow will make business even worse.

Good weekend to all. Smitties

Updating our list:

Jeanne sends to Corrine - Sent
Corrine sends to Melissa
Melissa sends to Nina - Received
Nina sends to Margo - Sent
Margo sends to Annie - Sent
Annie sends to Shirley - Received
Shirley sends to Robert - Sent
Robert sends to Heidi
Heidi sends to Jeanne - Received

What a day! Got up early to take Heidi's gift to the P.O. and they were closed with a sign saying to go to the other branch (we have many branches). Since I didn't have time to make it to the other side of town and get to work on time, and i wanted you to et your package soon, I chose to just stick some stamps on it like I normally do for seeds. I haven't had a problem doing this is the past, but if you don't get your package, rest assured I made several others of what I sent you and will keep a few set aside until you get yours. I really hope they haven't closed that post office down in their efforts to 'downsize' :-(

Shirley really outdid herself! I feel like I should have made some more stuff for Heidi now! I will post pictures later, but basically here is the rundown:
-An up cycled jar with photos around the outside and it was turned into a change jar, labeled 'seed money'....very clever :-) inside were several varieties of flowers.
- 2 puzzles made from left over magnetic sheeting and her own beautiful photos!
-A magnetic white board made from magnetic sheeting and wallpaper samples.
-A magnetic pen holder made from left over wallpaper and a toilet paper tube, with 3 pens tucked away inside.

All in all, a very awesome package! Thank you so much Shirley!!

All the Best,
Robert

Shirley,

I hope it arrived NOT BROKEN!!! The mosaic pieces are NOT paper. The blue is from a very damaged soup mug and the red is from a broken coaster. I glued the pieces on, grouted it and then sealed it. The cannister...I was taking a painting class and they were dumping them out as there were cracks. I rescued a few of them. Unfortunatley, I did NOT take a picture. Maybe one of you buddies can take a picture and post it.

Shirley...chuckle...chuckle..I to have a very blue kitchen accented in red. I must confess, I was rather selfish when it came to the color choices, as I had no idea your kitchen was blue.

Robert, very clever upcycles from Shirley. She is very creative!

Jeanne, so enjoyed this "Upcycling" swap.

Happy Saturday!

Annie

Received my package from Nina today and it was really neat. I am sorry I cannot post a picture. I am just not good with the technology.

She had in the box a square cigar box she decorated and decoupaged. Very pretty and useful. She also made a bracelet and I will try to describe it. It is about an inch wide. The outside is denim and it is lined with a pretty flowered fabric. That is also decoupaged and then hand painted with colors that match the inside fabric. She really did a nice job on both. In the box were several seed packages which none are duplicates of what I have in my garden so will be planting them this spring.

Thanks Nina for a great upcycling package and thanks Jeanne for hosting such a great swap. It is fun hearing of all the great upcycling ideas.

Margo

It's exciting reading about your packages arriving!

What a storm we've had here since Wednesday! We had some snow on the weekend & it was cute and all. The forecasters warned that we had several weather systems coming our way with some punch, but I had no idea what was in store when I went to bed Wednesday night.

When things return to normal I'll have pictures to tell the story. For now, we're on generator power & internet was just restored this afternoon and I'm tapping away on my son's laptop making more typos than I want to admit. There's no way I can figure out how to get the SD card to load here for posting pics & he's gone over to my dad's to help out there.

The heavy snow was lovely on Tuesday night into Wednesday, but the ice storm that followed caused widespread tree damage to our entire camp & surrounding area. We were awakened at 2am to snapping sounds as 25' sections of treetops snapped and fell to the ground knocking down other trees or limbs on the way. Snap, snap, snap... all morning, day, night, & into Friday afternoon. I held my breath as I'd hear the snap & wait for the boom of the landing tree trunk or limb praying all the while that it wouldn't hit us in our beds in the night. Two nights of restless sleeping with all those popping sounds and last night was only windy, so not as many fallen trees & limbs. I hope to sleep better tonight as it's calm now. We have a lot of work ahead just to be able to walk or drive around at camp, but I'm thankful that all of our backyard animals made it through safely & we didn't have major structure damage here. Only fences, chicken coop runs, cold greenhouse roof, raspberry trellis, rain barrel, etc. to repair. Some camp buildings and volunteer staff RVs have damage. Our roads are down to one lane until we can get equipment to help move the trees properly. Live power lines are crisscrossed across the main road in & out of camp, so the mail has not been delivered, though our UPS driver drove right over them. I'm not, but my family is working hard to try to get the camp cleaned up enough for guest groups to come stay as well as the high school that leases some buildings here and our before/after school school-age daycare to open on Monday morning if at all possible. The power crews have said they'll work here on Sunday & Monday, so the road is closed until then. We're across the creek from the main camp and our power comes from the nearby neighborhood with underground lines, so we have no idea how long of an outage is ahead. Main things are restored first & since hundreds of thousands are without power we're not going to be a high priority like public schools, stores, etc.

The package for Melissa is taped up tightly & waiting to be taken to the post office for delivery confirmation when I can get out. I was so anxious to get it packed up the other day I forgot to take a photo, so hopefully Melissa will post one. I used a lot of imagination to make everything practical & usable for the garden and/or gardener. Especially, since hazelnutbunny has a lot going on in her family with a baby on the way and other children I wanted to help make her gardening work a little easier! I can't help you care for those chillins' or carry that growing baby, but I did what I could to send you a helping hand and a smile, too!

I would have posted earlier, but we've been without service since the storm. I sure hope my package from Jeanne waits at the post office alright. I can't wait for the debris, ice, & snow to be out of the way for the mail carrier to come again!

Corrine

Whew, Corrine! I definitely know what you're going through there with that storm! We had a HORRIBLE ice storm here, exactly 3 years ago this month. I'd just had baby #6 -she was 3 weeks old!- and the forecast was supposed to be 60's and pretty...then it changed to .25" of ice...but we ended up getting THREE INCHES of ice! We live out in a rural area, and had lots of old trees around us...we lost EVERY SINGLE ONE. They all fell, all our neighbor's trees fell...we had lots of damage to our house, trucks, outbuildings...
We're still cleaning up and repairing the damage to the house! And while all that ice was breaking limbs & trees- sounding like WWII outside, with all the crashing- my hubby was stranded at work. We were without electricity for 3 weeks, and no heat except a woodstove (talk about irony!!) and no way to get food because roads were blocked and the grocery store was completely sold out. That was an awful time, so I definitely feel your pain!
We had some WONDERFUL friends help us through everything, sending us supplies...I don't know how we'd have gotten through (sanely!) without them!

Don't worry about getting a package out to me, just concentrate on doing what you need to do right now, OK?
I will love whatever you send, whenever it gets here. :)

Hi Everyone! Just checking in.
Robert, glad you enjoyed the box. I've been wanting to try the puzzles for a while now - made a couple for my granddaughter while I was at it!
Annie, the cannister wasn't broken, and it is really pretty - filled with teabags as we speak.
I had never heard of Upcycling before this swap. I discovered lots of neat ideas for future use.
Oh great - now, not only do I have to judge EVERY jug/container for it's wintersowing qualities, I have to check them out for upcycling! Along with everything else that I throw in the trash/recycling bin! Or give to Goodwill - agggghhh!!!
Hope everyone had a great weekend.
Shirley!

Stopping in to say hello. It sounds like the upcycles that have arrived so far have been great ones. Corrine, so sorry to hear about the bad storm. You stay safe and don't worry about the post office. Okay?
I am eager to start wintersowing. It's starting to look like it may not be until after this week though. Things have been busy here.
I'll check to se if more pacakges are received tomorrow.
Jeanne

My internet just came back on - DC # 0311 0240 0001 9717 2695 for hazelnutbunny. Gusty winds in forecast tomorrow, so likely I'll be silent for awhile again. The snow isn't melting fast enough with overnight freezing temps. Thinking spring sounds pretty good right now, but everything in it's time. I chose to smile about this excuse to eat chocolate one piece at a time slowly savoring the sweetness & hope I don't eat too many! Self discipline is easier when I know I have to work it back off and in this weather I'm not working outside.

Corrine

Margo's UPCYCLING creativity arrived yesterday. I opened last night......very cool!!!

Margo sent.....

*6 small (1 1/2 inch) seedling pots made from papertowel/toilet paper rolls....these are great as they can be planted directly in to the ground. Great idea...I will be making these!

*5 plant markers made from spoons. The spoons were hammered flat and then the names of the plants was stamped in to the round mouth portion of the spoon...TOMATO....GOURD...ZINNIA...BASIL...CONE (coneflower)
These are very cool...love them! I am curious what you used to put the letters on the spoons. More info please!!!!

*Seeds and more seeds....
Pear Shape Gourd
Baby Bottle Gourd
Echinacea Hot Papaya
Echinacea Double Decker
Coriander
Sweet Pea Astronaut Mix
Cinnamon Basil
Zinna Chippendale
Tomato Sweet 100

Now I have plant markers to go with my seeds!!!! Bravo!

*Kahlua Hazlenut coffee

What a wonderful package with fantastic ideas. Thank you so much!!!!

Annie

Talented & crafty Jeanne sent me all of this in a small priority mail box.

The lovely card depicts mice having tea in the garden of course and inside explained all about the gifts.

She made the tote bag out of sheets & I just love the delicate edging. Daisies have been my favorite flower since childhood. What a lovely way to repurpose fabric!

She created a wire hanger for the butterfly dangle leftover from a windchime no longer in use. I promptly hung it on my medicine cabinet in the bathroom so I'd see it often until I decided where to put it. There's so much tree debris outside it would be quickly lost in the garden.

She wrapped up a good amount of perfectly uniform window blind markers inside a homemade fabric bag tied with raffia & a silk flower. The ones I've cut have never looked so nice, so I'll save these for special container labels.

The paper seed envelopes were misprints she said, but look perfectly good to me & will make a great passalong.

The twix bar was just because & I'll save it for a special day when I need some yummy caramel & chocolate.

Thank you, Jeanne for such lovely upcycled gifts to cheer my week! I hung the bag on my behind the door rack in my bathroom & have smiled at it several times already today.

Corrine

Corrine, I'm glad your package is there. After all that bad weather, you needed something to cheer you up!
As for the seed packets, Corrine, they are printed on the other side of some paper that messed up as it went through my printer, so just a little mess up that doesn't show because it's inside the packet. Kept you guessing, I think!
I will try to find the site for making the tote bag and post it for anyone who is interested. It did not say to make it out of an old sheet, but I was upcycling! LOL

Updating our list:
Jeanne sends to Corrine - Received
Corrine sends to Melissa - Sent
Melissa sends to Nina - Received
Nina sends to Margo - Received
Margo sends to Annie - Received
Annie sends to Shirley - Received
Shirley sends to Robert - Received
Robert sends to Heidi
Heidi sends to Jeanne - Received

Good job on getting the packages out! We are well on our way to be completed for the month. Please post when the last few packages arrive.

Jeanne

If you want to see some of our storm photos I posted some of what my son took on the MNF Jan swap thread.

When looking out my back windows I keep telling myself what I've read in one of garden writer, Marianne Binetti's books... The difference between an old gardener & a new gardener is this: a new gardener cries when a plant dies & an old gardener cheers because there's a spot for a new plant! I should be cheering, but I feel like crying sometimes when I look at the mess out there frozen in place. I'm sure once it melts more & is freed up to move off the gardens I'll know what was pierced by limbs & tree trunks, flattened, or just covered up. I'm so glad we were all safe inside our homes including our little dog inside with us and the chickens, ducks, rabbit, & doves outside in their pens with strong roofs. Everyone rode out the storm alright!

Here is a link that might be useful: pics from recent storm

Jeanne,

You can mark my package to Heidi as sent (mailed on Friday afternoon).

Robert

Corrine - WOW-that storm looks like it did some major damage! Glad you, family and animals are all okay.
I'll be posting the February FOTESS swap as soon as this one is done, which it almost is!
Just wanted to say, one more time, that I really love the idea of Upcycling! So many new ideas for projects! Thanks, Jeanne!
Shirley!

Great packages arriving here.

I just finished three swaps and all received the hand crafted spoon markers and I have received many inquiries as to how they are made. The following is a site where I found some for you guys to see what I am talking about. I love how they added the little plant stamps so will have to find out how they did that.

http://paperandplanes.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/dsc07503.jpg

I used new spoons I got on sale but have made some for myself from spoons I found at the Goodwill. My husband used a rubber mallet to flatten the spoon. I then purchased a steel stamping letter/number set. I just line these up on the spoon one letter at a time and bang them with a regular hammer about 25 times to assure they indent the spoon. We used a work table my husband has and placed a large garden border brick on that to bang on. When flattening the spoon, places an old towel over it so as not to scratch it up.

http://stampingjewelrysupplies.com/images/letter_numbers/il_430xN.157647088.jpg

These are very easy to stamp and I enjoy doing it. I plan to make many more for my gardens as these will last forever.

Corinne, it is amazing to think what happened to that your beautiful gardens since the first pictures you posted. How powerful nature can be.

Margo

Oh What Fun! You did GREAT Robert! He used junk mail to make his own paper, added food grade coloring and created 4 seed cards. They are blue flowers and each has seeds inside them. I just plant the cards and they grow:
1. white marigolds (I don't have any of these and wanted to try some#
2. Christmas basil
3. Hone Bee Blue Agastache #will google this one#
4. mix of seeds #Surprise!)

They're great. I love this idea. Anticipation was growing when you posted it had to dry. Now I know why.

Thank You!
Thank You!
Thank You!
Heidi

Here is a link that might be useful: Robert's Upcycle Paper Seed Card Flowers

The flower seed cards are really cute! Margo, the spoon idea is great, too. We are almost wrapped up here for January:

Jeanne sends to Corrine - Received
Corrine sends to Melissa - Sent
Melissa sends to Nina - Received
Nina sends to Margo - Received
Margo sends to Annie - Received
Annie sends to Shirley - Received
Shirley sends to Robert - Received
Robert sends to Heidi - Received
Heidi sends to Jeanne - Received

Your very welcome Heidi! I'm glad you enjoyed them, and they were a lot of fun to make as well. I wish I could have made some more for you, but it took me so long to figure out what to up cycle that I only had time to make 4.......well 6, I kept 2 for myself :-)

Robert

I received a very creative package from Corrine today!
She sent a variety of different things, all upcycled from different things we'd otherwise throw out, I think! :)
She included:
~a Pea pre-sprouter (made from a sleeve of an old t-shirt)
~a nesting materials bag (from an old apple bag, you put nesting materials inside for birds to find)
~natural inhaler (from an empty chapstick tube)
~magic pencil (an old pencil, used to plant tiny seeds)
~DIY insect trap (made from old meat trays)
~power cord labels (plastic bread clips)
~Tselaad Fogel (feathers shed by doves- you make a mini scarecrow out of them)
~plant marker (made from a butter knife & glass marble/wire)

Even the card was upcycled! :)

Thank you, Corrine! These were all really neat ideas, and I can't wait to try them out!

Melissa has received her swap so Upcycling int the New Year is completed!
Great ideas from everyone.
If more of you want to share information about how to make what you made or other ideas, please do.
These are the directions that I found to make the tote bag.
http://www.skiptomylou.org/2009/07/17/how-to-make-a-simple-reversible-totebag/
February will be here before we know it!
Jeanne

Many thanks to Jeanne for hosting this month's swap; she is also hosting the Theme Garden Swap, which is huge and lots of work on her part! Kudos to her for doing both!
I'll be posting the Feb. FOTESS swap over the weekend, hope to see ya all there!
Shirley!