"Biking Two Ways"

~ ReCycle ~ UpCycle ~ BiCycle ~

"This Green World is an Awesome, Creative, Inspiring place to be an Artist and Designer"

 The Green World is truly Your Oyster, Your Playground! 

Once you start looking around through the "green" lens at all those discarded items that are forsaken, gathering dust, rusting and rendered useless by many, you quickly realize the hidden gems, the wonderful materials, the abundant resources you truly have at your fingertips.

  

I don't think I have stopped at a yard sale in recent years that didn't have a second hand bike for sale. In most instances a bicycle is something that can function in its original state for a very long time. Bikes can be re-used, fixed, used again and customized. The bicycle offers purposeful functionality for both pleasure and business. Bike couriers would be lost without their ride!

Having a couple of bikes is the norm for many of my friends. Racers, Cruisers, City Bikes, Electric, Stationary (okay, I jest with the stationary). If I told  a few of my die hard cycling buddies that I was going transform a bike into something other than a bike they may scoff at the idea. They might be first in line for a little BiCycle Paraphernalia though!

Check out some of these cool projects fellow Artisans and Designers have come up with.

"Biking Two Ways"

~ Ride It! or Hide It! ~

~ ReCycle ~ UpCycle ~ BiCycle ~

1. TICK-TOCK~ Rim & Pedal Casing

 

  
2. INDUSTRIAL CHANDELIER ~ Bike Chains & Rims

 

3. TABLES ~ Rims & Spokes

4. CYCLE ART ~ Chains & Frames

5.  ARCHITECTURAL FEATURE ~ Bike Vanity

 ~ ReCycle ~ UpCycle ~ BiCycle ~

D.I.Y. starring the "Pallet"

~ pal·let ~

"A Portable platform for storing or moving goods that are stacked on it"

Most of you probably remember the pallet as that 

"crude-structured-wood-crate-looking-thing" 

that would have a whole bunch of stuff piled up on it.

Forklifts would carefully haul and stack these pallets in  

garden nurseries, supermarkets, warehouses and various stores. 

Growing up, I even found the odd few in my basement or garage. 

My handy dandy father had used them to keep his many wares 

organized or off the cold damp cement floors.

Back then we would reinvent them into go carts or forts...

Well the pallet has come a long way!

There is a resurgence of green thinking that promotes 

reclaiming, re-purposing and reCREATing.

Here are a few of my favourite pal·let DIY projects...

Courtesy of various artisans, crafters and designers.

These coat and hat hook systems are creatively awesome 

and something that can incorporate found objects, 

re-purposed hooks & knobs, various finishes and styles. 

This is a DIY project that every "do-it-yourselfer" 

should try at least once.

~

 

Framing and wall art systems using the pallet is also an idea 

that can vary depending on your own creative desire and design acumen. 

Once again a cool idea!

~

Shelving for the walls...

~

Or shelving... 

stackable, a-la-carte, freestanding or mounted.

~

These tables in various finishes and styles are all made 

with the pallet as the foundation. By adding glass, inlays, wheels, re-purposed legs and deciding on the finish each table is crafted beautifully 

and has its own personality.

~

These more complex DIY pallet projects are just special...

Serving Table ~ Chest ~ Armoire

All Awesome!

~

Inspired to go pallet hunting and reclaim, re-purpose and reCREAT

D.I.Y. starring the "Pallet"

Cool Coffee Tables

Coffee Tables are both functional and stylish. 

Always seen as that piece of furniture that you either go "wow" when you walk in the room or you don't really notice that it is there. Regardless of how they look, Coffee Tables are a handy diversion for placing objects on or serving from. Once upon a time the traditional Victorian design prevailed and then transitioned into a clash of a glass and laminate. 

Nowadays the Coffee Table designs are industrial, reclaimed, re-purposed and totally recreated.

Here are SIXTEEN fabulously natural  
Coffee Tables that I adore.

They are Green, Cool and Stylish.

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Three "Cool" Little Books ~ Series #1

Reading Interior Design and Architectural Books is something I enjoy doing. These types of books are both resourceful and inspirational for me. 

I find the photography enchants me! Drawing me into a world I am fascinated by...

Although, I am actually open to reading most anything,  

giving it a chance as it were, I definitely have personal design preferences 

as it pertains to interiors and exteriors. 

Everyone has the right to make their own decorating choices, creating their living space in which to relax and refuel... 

Three "Cool" Little Books is a series of mini reviews of the many books that I own or have borrowed.  Consider checking out some of these books. 

 Feel free to let others know what you thought of the book.

Enjoy Three "Cool" Little Books...

My Brick House goes to...

Undecorate: 
The No-Rules Approach to Interior Design

Christiane Lemieux, Rumaan Alam

Published 2011

256 Pages

  


Inspiring, creative, and unpretentiously appealing. Naturally cool and green inspired interiors.

  

Infusing personality, colour dense and/or neutral. 

Comfortable yet artistically captivating and daring.

 Mixing things of every age, vintage, antique, and contemporary.

Undecorate inspires me to continue having my home reflect the 

designer, decorator, artist, creative professional, writer, stylist in me...

Unique and beautiful.

My Stick House goes to...

 

Casual Living: 
No fuss Style for a Comfortable Home

 Judith Wilson

Published 2010

159 Pages

Casual style replaces overly contrived spaces. Things

in a room don't need to match.    

·

      Design is within financial reach in Casual Living as you realize that by re-purposing stuff you can get almost anywhere, stuff that other people are throwing out rooms are beautifully decorated simply but rustic.

My Straw House goes to...

Decorate: 1000 Professional Design Ideas for Every Room in the House

Holly Becker, Joanna Copestick

Published 2011

288 Pages

A wonderful mix of retro and new...

Three "Cool" Little Books...

#1
Brick
Undecorate: The No-Rules Approach to Interior Design

#2
Stick
 Casual Living: No fuss Style for a Comfortable Home

  #3
 Straw
 Decorate: 1000 Professional Design Ideas for Every Room in the House