Monthly Archives: August 2011

Most of us have jars of vintage buttons sitting around our house, just waiting to be made into something useful. Personally I had a big container of push pins, both plastic and metal. Some of the plastic ones were slightly broken off on the ends, making them perfect candidates to keep them out of the [...]

Hipcycle recently received some fan mail from an enthusiastic fan, and I thought I’d share some excerpts from the letter:
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Hipcycle – from a different angle
I have been thinking about the history of the American economy and what I think Hipcycle is all about – from where I sit.
First….American history.
Making Stuff
There are any number of core [...]

Whether you are new to upcycling or a seasoned artisan, sometimes it can be difficult to find sources for material to upcycle. With that in mind, I’ve gathered up a number of ideas to consider for your next project.
Your House! The first place to look for upcycling material is always the easiest- and always free [...]

A recent posting on my local Freecycle offered a bunch of magazines for free, so I jumped on the opportunity to upcycle them. These fun magazine coasters are the result, and while the project is time consuming, it is incredibly easy, and can be done while relaxing on the sofa.
Coasters- from magazines!
Tools:

Scissors
Ruler

Supplies:

Magazine
Clear Tape
Quick dry craft [...]

One dollar!
As a young child, I remember going to a few local auctions with my parents. My memories are generally limited to the fact that I knew my dad would buy me a hot dog and soda, and otherwise he and my mom would stand around a lot. Sometimes I saw adults I knew from [...]

Earlier this week I went to the New York International Gift Fair at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City. It wasn’t as large as some of the largest shows I’ve attended when I was in other industries, but it was a pretty huge none-the-less. The show was broken up into subsections by [...]

For a recent wedding gift, I made these gorgeous paper flowers from some books that were (literally) falling apart. As an avid reader myself, I am completely against the destruction of any books that are still in good condition and completely readable, so I highly recommend stopping by your local thrift shop to find some [...]

I’m addicted. I admit it. Ever since I learned about the concept of upcycling just a few months ago, I can’t get enough of it. Whether I’m surfing the Internet for new ideas, admiring Hipcycle’s upcoming products, or contemplating what a burnt-out light bulb could be in its next life, there’s just no denying the [...]

As I have been working with my team to get Hipcycle geared up for its October launch, I have had a chance to examine a lot of upcycled products. When I check these products out, I’m looking for things that I hope will be popular with our customers and sell well. That is: are they [...]

The great folks over at Give to Get Jobs are featuring Hipcycle as their "Social Enterprise of the Month." Browse over to their blog to read their interview with me, where they ask such questions as:

What does Social Enterprise mean to you?
How does Hipcycle have a positive impact on society?
How do you balance the profit mission [...]