Trash to Treasure: Upcycling is cool!

I've done several posts about "scrapping green" or "upcycling" or "trash to treasure"...

No matter what you call it, the facts remain the same. You simply take something someone else threw away or no longer wanted, and you repurpose it into a storage piece or home decor. You save it from the land fill, which is something we really ALL ought to strive for. You may think that just one person "saving one little old thang" won't make a bit of difference, but I strongly believe that it does. The more of us crafty and frugal folks that do this, and actually SHARE it with others, the better. Why? Because word of mouth really does work. Take this blog post you're reading right now. I may not personally know all the people who read this blog by name, but that doesn't matter. The fact is, if you see this, it JUST might inspire you. If it inspires you, you'll go out and upcycle things in your neighborhood. You'll share it with your friends and family, and they might join in too. Before you know it, there are thousands upon thousands of folks out there repurposing things and keeping trash OUT of the land fills... See how that works? I find it very liberating, and I do so hope that you will join me in this!

Today's project was something that was actually in the trash bin. I saved it because it seriously ROCKS and so much can be done with it! It's a Coin Changer Tray that banks use. I loved the patina from years of use, so I only lightly wiped this down to keep that old look. Have a peek, wouldn't YOU save this baby if you saw her in the trash?





Wow, isn't she just beautiful? This is one HEFTY piece of work, let me tell you. Honestly, I wouldn't mind having her as a keychain. If someone messes with me, this thing would knock them cold. It is that heavy, a beautiful and bold chunk of metal. You can see in the picture the things I chose to alter her with. Lots of textured trim, Simple Stories papers, and my trusty Epiphany Crafts Button Studio tool. I had a good time playing with these things, and in the end, I love the results. Check out my new showpiece, just days earlier left for the dumpster.. NOT on my watch!