Use Your Own Space to Create a Personal Yoga Retreat

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For me, there's nothing like a nice relaxing session of yoga to get my day started or to unwind at the end of the night, but sometimes, the cold weather gets in the way of going to a yoga class, which gets in the way of relaxation.  

 

 

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Lately, I've been thinking of ways to incorporate a yoga practice into my lifestyle so I can get the benefits of yoga even when I don 't make it to the gym, and that's got me thinking about creating a yoga space of my own. 

 

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Most of us don't have a full studio or yoga room in our home, but can make use of an extra room or  an unused space to serve as our own personal yoga space.

 

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A big open space, like a garage or a spare room, is great for yoga.  With a little effort any space can be your yoga space, even a small one. While it's important to choose a spot that is uncluttered and free of any distractions, all you really need is a mat. You can practice moves you learned in class for increased benefits, exploring your own body on a more personal level by tailoring the yoga routines to your own needs, or you can use an instructional DVD and YouTube videos if you're unsure of how to begin a practice and need a little inspiration.



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While you may not get the same structure that you get from attending a studio yoga class, you will have the benefit of being able to practice yoga whenever you need, along with having the benefit of  a practice that is solitary and personal, which may be even more enjoyable.


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An extra room can be transformed into a place for yoga practice with the addition of therapuetic scents, yoga accessories (such as yoga blocks and eco-friendly mats), and calming music; making it an easy way to incorporate a little tranquility into your daily life. 

Fun Trashion Accessories You Can Find on Etsy

 

I have explored Etsy's website in the past because I think it's a cool place to look for one of a kind items to purchase and a place to get creatively inspired for my own projects.  Recently I have had more time to look at the offerings available on the site and have found myself pleasantly surprised to see that among the many crafts made with traditional supplies, there are also many people using upcycled materials to make intriguing stuff, "trashion" that is.  They even have an Etsy Trashion Blog that is composed of Etsy sellers who focus on recycling and upcycling found and discarded materials, according to their site.

 

While there are many people online selling items they call "trashion" (some of which are less than fashionable or creative to put it nicely)  there are also creative individuals using re-purposed  items and traditional "trash" items to make very cool and very chic products, many of which are sellers on this site.

 

Here are some of my recent favorites:

 

 

 

Earrings



Dr. Pepper Earrings - wearwolf Etsy

Home Decor Items



Cork decorated wall hanging - KristinRebecca Etsy

Jewelry

 

 jewelry made from watch and computer parts - sleeplessstoryteller Etsy

 

Purses

Plastic Grocery Bag Clutch -Ekisa Paper Beads Etsy

 

 

More Jewelry

 

Upcycled Cuff Bracelet - truformjewelry Etsy

 

 

What to Wear This Valentine's Day

For the person who's looking for something different, clothing with subtle hearts can feel holiday appropriate and be worn year-round:
 

 

 

Photo from ModCloth.com

For those into trendier, bolder looks, something in fuchia will set you apart from the crowd:



Fushcia-dn't Have Dress
Photo from ModCloth.com

For a laid back nod to the season, a Valentine's themed screen tee requires minimal effort but is still fun:



thegoodwitchclothing
Photo from Etsy.com

For those who don't love Valentine's Day, there are fashionable tee's to spread your message as well:




Broken Heart T-Shirt
Photo from cafepress.com

 

 

For those who prefer to be subtle, small accessories make their own statement: 



Heart Ring
Photo from freepeople.com

For the girl who wants to look feminine and stylish, a pink dress in a flattering cut is perfect:





Splendid
Photo from lyst.com

Visual Inspiration For The Week

A few things that will be on my mind this week when looking for inspiration for crafting, creating, thrifting, and enjoying:

 

 Fashion Inspired Decorations

Porcelain Shoe and Hat Figurines

I love clothing-inspired accessories almost as much as the real thing and I'll be searching antique stores and thrift stores to find more favorites to add to my collection. 

 

 

 

 

Intriguing Artwork

 



Brian Dettmer Prehistoric Societies, 2011, Allegheny College Re-ContTEXT: Book as Object

 The piece, Prehistoric Societies was one of the many interesting book inspired exhibits at my schools recent gallery show, Re-ConTEXT: Book as Object.  As an extreme reading junkie and book lover, it not only gave me a nice chance to take a break from studying and enjoy art, but also to re-imagine the way I see books and to think about the transformations an object can make (especially important as a lover of all things upcycled and repurposed!)

 

 

Possible Craft Projects  

Beaded Doll Jewelry

 

A friend of mine received this hand-me down necklace from a co-worker, and I can think of several beadwork projects that I might be inspired to take on after seeing this hand-crafted necklace and wanting one of my own. 

 

 

 

Upcycling and Crafting Combo Ideas   

Repurposed Silverware Art

 

Flowered Lamps

I often collect old saucers and cups for the sheer prettiness they evoke.  Aside from a few that serve as catch-alls or jewelry holders, most don't get a lot of use.  These pieces, done by local crafters really have my mind turning, thinking of new ways to re-use those pretty old plates that would otherwise end up as unwanted clutters on the thrift store shelf, or mismatched settings that would remain unused. 

DIY Inspiration: Fall Festivals

One of my favorite things to do is to explore local fall festivals.  I love to bundle up in a snug knit sweater and long scarf and mill around looking at the displays, watching the Autumn leaves as I pass by. 

Although I don't usually buy a lot at the festivals, they are a great place for me to find ideas and inspiration for my own DIY projects.  A few weeks ago, I went to Applefest in Franklin, Pa, and saw a few displays that really have me thinking about craft projects and upcycling projects I can try out this fall. 

Shadow Boxes

One thing I saw was a series of shadow boxes featuring different insects and butterflies, which were odd but quite striking at the same time.    I don't think I'll be making any insect art of my own any time soon, but I really like the idea of bringing the outdoors inside when choosing decorations for fall.

Butterfly Shadow Box

 

 Glass bottles-turned birdfeeders were another project I saw, and things like these are definitely a favorite of mine. I like these, because they are fairly simple to construct and make use of bottles, which people seem to discard frequently. Glass bottle upcycling projects are quite trendy right now, and they really make for some chic accessories.

 

 

 I also really like these cutting boards made from old glass bottles, though a project inspired by this craft would definitely be the most challenging.  For those of us without kilns or other glass cutting tools, finding another use for our glass bottles is probably the best bet.  

Cutting Boards constructed from old glass bottles

There are lots of ways to re-use those bottles that don't include major construction issues, such as turning them into a vase for flowers, a hair band holder, or using them in an art project. But if you're really enticed by the upcycled cutting boards, you can always head out to a fall festival and try your luck at finding a well-crafted one, or head online to purchase one from the shops on Etsy. 

Chic Chalkboard Wall Hanging You Can Make On The Cheap

 

In planning dorm room decorations for my senior year at college, I wanted to keep it sparse so that end of the year packing and clean-up would be a breeze.  In my attempts at minimalism, I overlooked the fact that an undecorated dorm room can be quite ugly on the eyes; not at all a good environment for a creative and crafty person like me. 

 

 

 

Not wanting to spend a lot of money and not wanting to create a lot of extra clutter, I decided that my goal would be to create some cheap and easy decor from the things I have in my room already or things found.

Using just paper scraps, old cardboard, chalk and tape, I created a cute Chalkboard-Inspired wall hanging that ads a personal touch to my boring white wall above my desk; a simple project that can be done by anyone looking for a cheap update or to create some decoration in a temporary space.

 

 

Here's how you can make your own:

1.  Find a scrap of paper, newspaper, or cheap poster board to create the backing.  I used a square of paper leftover from another project. 

 

 

2.  Cut cardboard into  inch wide or two inch wide strips to use for the border of the frame. 

 

 

 

3.  Cut the ends of cardboard strips diagonally so that two strips can connect to form corners. 

4. Tape the cardboard strips to the outer edge of the paper square to frame the square. 

 

5.  Match the strips together at the corners. 

 

 

 

 6.  Continue placing strips around the edge of the paper until you have created a full frame.

 

 

7. Use excess cardboard to cut out small heart shapes, which can be used to decorate the frame. 

 

8.  Place hearts on corners or anywhere that needs a bit of sprucing up. 

 

 

9.  Use chalk to write an inspirational quote, to-do list, or goal board. 

 

 

 

Easy Eco: Simple Upcycled Projects You Can Do This Week

Most people want to do the earth-friendly thing, but not all have the cash to shell out to buy top-notch eco products or the time to spend finding new ways to use old things.  If you are new to upcycling or are just looking for an easy project, here are a few ways to get started.

Use your old bottles and jars for something new.

The easiest thing to do is to clean out old glass beverage bottles, mason jars, and canisters and use them to store something new.  My favorites are mason jars and Starbucks frappucino bottles, because I have plenty of them lying around and they are super versatile. 

I especially like this milkaholic bottle idea from Half Baked: The Cake blog, which helps you to transform old bottles into adorable milk bottles in a matter of minutes.



Milkaholic - The Cake Blog

 

Another easy project is making drinking glasses out of old mason jars.  This craft idea seems to be everywhere from DIY blogs to stores.  The cheapest and  probably easiest way to get your own set is to make them yourself. 

 

 

Using hot glue or rubber cement, you can glue the bottom of an old jar to a candlestick base and have an almost instant wine glass.

 Another thing you can do is use old scarves or fabric scraps to make upcycled lingerie, throw rugs, or even clothes.

 

Things like shirts, lingerie, and scarves are easy to make out of old clothes and materials, because they don't require much fabric to create.  I like the idea of this paisley bikini set from Crafting a Green World, because it's fairly simple in construction. 




Crafting a Green World
 

If you've got a lot of scraps, or don't want the stress of following a particular pattern, you can create an interesting throw rug simply by sewing random pieces together.   

 

 

Free People BLDG 25 Blog

Inspired by Free People's BLDG 25 blog, I experimented with my own scraps to make an easy eco project:

 

My in-progress version of an upcylced throw rug

 

I really liked the idea of rug composed entirely of blue jean scraps.  I also found that mixing textures and patterns can create a really cool effect when creating upcycled pieces. 

 

 

Finally, you can simply cover something old in something new: Whether it's paint, glitter, or upholstery, sometimes old things can be salvaged with a minor facelift.

  

 

 

 

 

New coat, new look: