In an effort to try to be better to the environment I have hopped on the Upcycling train! There are so many ideas out there for ways to repurpose items that you already have, all you have to do is look. Here are a few of my favorites: 

1. DIY Plant Holders 

2. Upcycled Tile Table

3. Candy Dish Candle Holders

I recently tried the #trashtoterracotta Vases after finding this clever concept on the Collective Gen blog. I swear I will never buy a new vase again 😂.  If you’re interested in trying this, here’s what you will need: 

- house Paint (you can get 8oz samples from Home Depot for very cheap!) 

- baking soda 

- funky old vases (glass or painted - doesn't matter!) 

I picked my colors out in person at Home Depot. I used their Behr brand and got the regular matte type paint (no need for any specific textures). The colors I used for the vases shown above were “Rusty Gate” and you guessed it..... “Terra Cotta.” 

Be sure to paint in an area that has proper ventilation or outside (I painted on my porch). Also wear clothing that you do not care about as this process can get a bit messy. 

Mix a small amount of paint with equal parts baking soda and watch the texture change. I say equal parts but honestly it is up to you how much baking soda you want to use, the more you add the more “gritty” the paint will look. When the mixture is the right consistency and you’ve added enough to notice you will notice the paint start to puff up a bit. Paint directly onto the vase of your choice and you should start to see the the gritty terra cotta texture. 

Many vases are painted well with one coat, although I found that the vases I have painted with two coats have turned out the best. Wait and let the vase fully dry for about an hour (depending - the larger the vase the longer it takes). Add dried flowers for a polished look! 

After trying this painting trick on vases I bought some candlestick holders to paint as well. These turned out even better than the vases! I finished off the look with burgundy candlesticks from Anthropologie.
I'm going to continue exploring the world of upcycling. I think it's so neat to look around our apartment and have items that I've created rather than just bought new. My next upcycling challenge will be painting ornaments for the holiday season! 

If you try this trend send me pictures of your final product! 

XX, 

Seffie