पुरानी चीज़ों से हरियाली तक — मेरी छोटी-सी Upcycling कोशिश

कभी-कभी घर में पड़ी हुई साधारण-सी चीज़ें भी थोड़ी-सी कल्पना और मेहनत से बहुत सुंदर बन जाती हैं। मुझे हमेशा से ऐसी चीज़ों को नया रूप देना अच्छा लगता रहा है, खासकर जब उनका संबंध पौधों और प्रकृति से हो।

इन पुरानी तस्वीरों में मेरी ऐसी ही कुछ छोटी-छोटी कोशिशें हैं।

एक साधारण-सी प्लास्टिक की बोतल को मैंने रंग-बिरंगे सजावटी सामान रखने के लिए इस्तेमाल किया। दूसरी ओर, पुराने धागों और कुछ रंगीन मोतियों की मदद से मिट्टी के बर्तनों को हैंगिंग प्लांटर का रूप दिया। उनमें लगे हरे-भरे पौधे इन साधारण बर्तनों को और भी सुंदर बना देते हैं।

इन तस्वीरों में मुझे सबसे अच्छी बात यही लगती है कि सजावट के लिए बहुत महँगी या नई चीज़ों की जरूरत नहीं थी। पुराना बर्तन, बचा हुआ धागा, कुछ मोती और एक पौधा—बस इतनी-सी चीज़ों से घर के किसी कोने में हरियाली और सुंदरता लाई जा सकती है।

1. जब पुरानी चीज़ें बन गईं सुंदर Plant Hangers

मेरे लिए upcycling केवल पुरानी वस्तु को नया रूप देना नहीं है। यह उन चीज़ों को एक और अवसर देना भी है जिन्हें हम अक्सर बेकार समझकर अलग रख देते हैं। और जब उस छोटे-से प्रयास में कोई पौधा शामिल हो जाए, तो वह चीज़ घर की सजावट के साथ-साथ जीवन का हिस्सा भी बन जाती है।

ये तस्वीरें कई साल पुरानी हैं, लेकिन आज भी इन्हें देखकर वही खुशी होती है—कुछ नया बनाने की खुशी और पौधों के बीच रहने की खुशी।

छोटा-सा निष्कर्ष

पुरानी चीज़ों को फेंकने से पहले एक बार यह जरूर सोचें—

“क्या इसे किसी नए काम में लाया जा सकता है?”

कभी-कभी इसी एक सवाल से एक सुंदर और उपयोगी चीज़ का जन्म हो जाता है। 🌿

xo

UPCYCLING

A FANTASTIC WAY OF CREATIVE UPCYCLING! MY HANDMADE SUNBURST MIRROR IS A UNIQUE AND VIBRANT PIECE OF WALL ART, EXPERTLY CRAFTED FROM EVERYDAY MATERIALS.

MY HANDMADE SUNBURST MIRROR IS A UNIQUE AND VIBRANT PIECE OF WALL ART, EXPERTLY CRAFTED FROM EVERYDAY MATERIALS.

"I made this sunburst mirror myself using old magazine covers, turning everyday paper into a unique piece of wall art. I rolled each old magazine cover carefully to create the textured sunburst effect, adding a vibrant explosion of color and pattern to my living room. I love that it's a sustainable decoration and adds a personal, artistic touch above my sofa." XOXO

Bhagwad Geeta,घर की सजावट के लिए बेहद खूबसूरत और अनोखा हस्तनिर्मित रीथ (Handmade Wreath)

काङ् क्षन्त: कर्मणां सिद्धिं यजन्त इह देवता: |

क्षिप्रं हि मानुषे लोके सिद्धिर्भवति कर्मजा || 12||

Persons who seek worldly gain worship the celestial gods and seek boons from them. The boons the celestial gods bestow are material and temporary, and they are given only by virtue of the power they have received from the Supreme Lord. There is a beautiful instructive story in this regard:

Saint Farid went to the court of Emperor Akbar, a powerful king in Indian history. He waited in the court for an audience, while Akbar was praying in the next room. Farid peeped into the room to see what was going on, and was amused to hear Akbar praying to God for more powerful army, a bigger treasure chest, and success in battle. Without disturbing the king, Farid returned to the royal court.

After completing his prayers, Akbar came and gave him audience. He asked the great Sage if there was anything that he wanted. Farid replied, “I came to ask the Emperor for things I required for my āśhram. However, I find that the Emperor is himself a beggar before the Lord. Then why should I ask him for any favors, and not directly from the Lord himself?”

The celestial gods give boons only by the powers bestowed upon them by the Supreme Lord. People with small understanding approach them, but those who are intelligent realize that there is no point in going to the intermediary and they approach the Supreme Lord for the fulfillment of their aspirations. People are of various kinds, possessing higher and lower aspirations. Shree Krishna now mentions four categories of qualities and works.

क्या आप अपने घर के मुख्य दरवाजे या दीवारों को एक नया और फ्रेश लुक देना चाहते हैं? बाज़ार में मिलने वाले रेडीमेड प्लास्टिक के डेकोरेशन से हटकर, कुछ ऐसा जो आपके घर को एक नेचुरल और विंटेज वाइब दे?

आज हम आपके लिए लेकर आए हैं एक बेहद खूबसूरत हस्तनिर्मित रीथ (Wreath), जिसे प्राकृतिक सूखे घास (Hay/Straw) और रंग-बिरंगे कपड़ों के रिबन से तैयार किया गया है।

GRASS WREATH

इस रीथ की खासियतें:

·         प्राकृतिक लुक: इसका बेस सूखी घास से बना है, जो इसे एक सस्टेनेबल और रस्टिक (Rustic) लुक देता है।

·         कलर कॉम्बिनेशन: इसमें नेवी ब्लू, स्काई ब्लू और सफेद रंग के रिबन व कपड़ों का इस्तेमाल किया गया है, जो किसी भी हल्की दीवार पर खूब निखर कर आता है।

·         हाथ से बने फूल: इस पर लगे कपड़े के फूल और छोटे-छोटे रिबन बो (Ribbon bows) इसकी खूबसूरती में चार चांद लगाते हैं।

इसे कहाँ सजाएं?

यह रीथ आपके लिविंग रूम की दीवार, बेडरूम के दरवाजे या फिर फेस्टिवल सीजन में घर के मुख्य द्वार (Main Door) पर लगाने के लिए एकदम परफेक्ट है।

क्या आप भी ऐसा ही कुछ अपने घर के लिए बनाना चाहते हैं? हमें कमेंट सेक्शन में जरूर बताएं!

XOXO

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Best Out of Waste: Turning Renovation Waste into Useful Things

The last three or four months have been very hectic for me, as renovation work was going on in my house. It was a long… long-awaited project, which had been pending for the last two or three years. When the deterioration finally became too much to ignore, we decided that it was time to take it up.

And so began a rather hectic phase for me!

Small pieces of discarded tiles that inspired this best-out-of-waste project.

Leftover wall tiles collected during the renovation—waiting to be put to creative use.

During the renovation, I started collecting every little bit of waste and discarded material left behind by the tile work, plumbing, carpentry, painting, masonry and other work. Instead of allowing these things to go straight into the garbage, I kept thinking about how they could be reused.

And now, look at the wall tiles!

These were leftover pieces that had been discarded by the mason after the tile work. There were quite a few of them. I had actually wanted the mason to use them on the rough surface of the open veranda, but he refused. According to him, these little leftover pieces were not suitable for his work—he preferred working only with new tiles.

So, what could I do with all those little pieces?

Well, I decided to make my own use of them!

I glued some of the leftover wall tiles onto the old waste bucket and gave it a completely different look. What was once an old, broken and almost-forgotten bucket was now getting ready for a new life in my garden.

Here is one such example—a work in progress!

I had an old waste bucket which had already served us for years. It had been a faithful companion for a long time. First, its rim broke and I repaired it. Later, its handles broke too, and I repaired those as well. Finally, I decided that it was time to give this old bucket a completely new purpose.

Giving an old, broken bucket a fresh look with leftover wall tiles.

I turned it into a garden planter/tool container. Since it is a fairly large bucket, it can easily accommodate a big houseplant.

From renovation waste to a useful garden planter—an old bucket finds a new purpose.

From an old discarded bucket to a new garden planter—one more little experiment in creative reuse.

This is just one of the many things I made from the waste materials collected during the renovation. There are several more little projects waiting to be shared.

I will share the final version of this project later, along with the method I used to make it.

After all, a little imagination can turn things that others consider waste into something useful and beautiful.

Happy crafting!

family tradition,upcycled vase

My great-grandmother cared for my mom and aunt while my grandma was expecting her another children and after delivery. My grandmother cared for me and my sister while my mom was expecting my brothers and did cares her after the birth of my brothers. So once I knew I’d be expecting my first child, I approached my mom about doing what the nanas in our family have done for decades. But she was residing with my father and other siblings at Chandigarh, of course they all need her too . And though my husband and I had offered to stay her with us only for few days, but she doesn’t . So we decided I would go to my parents at Chandigarh for delivery. And my parents came at Hisar  to pic me up to Chandigarh.    

My mom at that time i.e. at the time of  my son's birth (1978)

pinwheel(chameli) in teracota(painted)vase

Diary Dec 2012

Pruned chameli

I pruned back my china rose  bush and brought a huge bunch of it in the house. The chmelies are in full bloom and they made a nice contrast against the deep red of the chmelies!i collect them to sit in terra-cota bowl at my dinning tabl! Not to mention that it smells amazing!

Each day the ground is carpeted with fresh chmeli flowers which are gathered for preparing the concrete.

up cycled beer vase

Love having flowers in my home. I have various glass bottles that I have decorated with wool or ribbon and love having little displays of flowers scattered around my small flat. I also love using jam jars to display flowers in.

Every corner of the house smiles when the fragrance of flowers meets your own hard work! I absolutely love decorating my small flat with these little pockets of joy. Instead of throwing away old glass bottles and jam jars, I have upcycled them using wool and colorful ribbons.  

Today, this gorgeous 'Spider Lily' flower is gracing my recycled beer bottle vase! Its scientific name is Hymenocallis littoralis, and it gets its name from its slender, spider-like long petals and a beautiful cup-like structure in the center.

Its unique white petals are spreading a wonderful sense of peace and simplicity throughout my home. This perfect blend of upcycling and nature is what truly makes my house a 'Home Sweet Home'! 

XOXO

Upcycling Memories: A Handcrafted Cross-Stitch Story

We Indians are deeply sentimental about the things we create and cherish.

Years ago, I embroidered this cross-stitch calendar for my children. Back when they were little, changing and rolling up the date numbers every single day was one of their favourite activities. Over time, as they grew up, this precious piece stayed safely stored away in the headboard box of my bed.

Recently, during the Holi spring cleaning, I dug it out again. Instead of letting it sit in storage, I decided to give it a new life by mounting it onto a mat background. Though slightly weathered by time, it is still completely intact and full of charm.

I am excited to see how it turns out with these winged fairies, colourful balloons, and intricate floral patterns.

Meanwhile, inspired by a lovely flower ...... Blanket tutorial, I am also planning to start a new blanket project using my recent yarn stash. Stay tuned to see how both projects unfold.

A nostalgic scroll through time: My handmade cross-stitch calendar mounted and given a new life.

The finer details: Winged fairies, colourful balloons, and floral cross-stitch motifs from years ago.

Intricate cross-stitch embroidery: Simple threads carrying decades of memories.

Enjoying these nostalgic craft journeys?

Don't forget to subscribe to the blog to get updates on upcoming DIY projects, upcycling ideas, and traditional craft stories delivered straight to your inbox.

Feel free to leave your thoughts and memories in the comments below!

xoxo

Idleness, Fabric basket.

As many of you know, my father was—and always will be—my GURU. I grew up following his guiding mantra: "aaram-haram-hai." (Rest is a sin). Yet, despite that deeply ingrained discipline, I often find myself reflecting on a wonderful ARTICLE from The New York Times by Tim Kreider titled The Busy Trap. He wrote:

"Idleness is not just a vacation, an indulgence or a vice; it is as indispensable to the brain as vitamin D is to the body, and deprived of it we suffer a mental affliction as disfiguring as rickets. The space and quiet that idleness provides is a necessary condition for standing back from life and seeing it whole, for making unexpected connections and waiting for the wild summer lightning strikes of inspiration — it is, paradoxically, necessary to getting any work done. 'Idle dreaming is often of the essence of what we do,' wrote Thomas Pynchon in his essay on sloth. Archimedes’ 'Eureka' in the bath, Newton’s apple, Jekyll & Hyde and the benzene ring: history is full of stories of inspirations that come in idle moments and dreams..."  

Keeping my hands busy is my way of balancing these quiet thoughts and keeping sweet memories of my MOM close to my heart.

Instead of throwing away old clothes, I love upcycling them into something warm and functional. This basket was handmade using strips cut from an old Shalwar_kameeez suit. Recycling worn garments into fabric baskets, rugs, mats, decorative pieces, or cutting old t-shirts into yarn for knitting and crocheting is one of my favorite creative pastimes.

Upcycled fabric basket

Old clothing is something that it seems like many people throw away, it is also one of my favorite things to recycle. I like to make baskets like the one pictured above, I also enjoy making  rugs, making  mats

………, making deco items and cutting t-shirts into strips and knitting or crocheting them.

Fabric basket holding fresh guavas

Close-up of the crocheted fabric basket

Happy Day to you all!

Another Junk Project: Turning an Old Thermos into a Useful Box

I just LOVE making something cute and useful out of junk!

I hadn’t had a chance to make anything for several weeks, and I was simply chomping at the bit to create something new. Finally, things slowed down enough for me to enjoy some quiet time with my crafts.

Some time ago, I had bought organic wheat packed in a very large burlap sack. Instead of throwing the sack away, I carefully unravelled its jute yarn and saved it for my upcycling projects. I had already used some of this yarn to wrap old paint and varnish containers and a few discarded thermos bottles.

Then, one day, my mother noticed that I still had a ball of the unraveled jute yarn left.

She decided to do something with it herself.

She knitted a rectangular piece of fabric from the jute yarn. It was simple, rustic and beautifully textured. I immediately thought of an old thermos that could be given a completely new life with this handmade piece.

My recycled Jute box

Turning the Old Thermos into a Box

First, I cut the old thermos to the required length so that it could be used as the body of a small storage box.

I spread glue over the surface of the thermos and carefully began wrapping it with the jute yarn. I worked slowly, adding glue as I went along so that the yarn would stay firmly in place.

For the main body, I also used the rectangular piece knitted by my mother. It fitted perfectly around the thermos and gave the box a warm, handmade character.

For finishing the upper edge, I used a beaded fringe left over from one of my earlier projects. I simply glued it around the rim. The fringe added a little decorative touch without taking away from the rustic look.

A Little Crochet for the Lid

For the lid, I crocheted a small circular piece and attached it to the top. I decorated its edge with the same leftover beaded fringe.

The sides of the lid were wrapped with the jute yarn and glued into place.

Interestingly, the decorative fringe was actually the selvedge of the original burlap sack. I loved the idea of using almost every little part of the discarded material instead of throwing it away.

From Junk to Something Useful

And here it is—the old thermos has been transformed into a completely different object!

I placed this newly made thermos box on top of another box that I had previously covered with the same jute yarn.

What was once an ordinary discarded thermos is now a rustic little storage box with a handmade, earthy charm.

This project reminded me once again that upcycling does not always require expensive materials or complicated techniques. Sometimes, an old container, a discarded burlap sack, some leftover yarn, a little crochet and a few scraps from previous projects are all we need.

And, of course, a little imagination!

Recycled Box

For me, the most special part of this project was that my mother contributed her own handmade work by knitting the jute yarn into fabric. So this little box carries not only recycled material, but also a small piece of our shared creativity.

I still love the thought of giving discarded things a second life.

After all, why throw something away when a little creativity can turn it into something useful and beautiful?

XO