Fab Freebie: A Repurposeful Life
***This giveaway is no longer accepting entries***
You know that feeling when you come across something at a thrift store that hasn’t been loved in a while but you’ve got the perfect use for it? Or better yet, when the same thing happens while you’re sorting through your own closet or desk drawer? It’s not just exciting because you’re saving money instead of buying something new – but also because you’re giving something a new life that might otherwise wind up in the trash. Well, that’s the spirit behind this week’s giveaway from Kathie’s Finds.
Kathie Armstrong’s vintage shop in Maple Plain, Minnesota is filled entirely with items – furniture, art, accessories, jewelry and more – that she has rescued, resuscitated and made ready for a new home. Heck, even the building is a historic creamery where she and her husband now both live and work. And even though we haven’t had the pleasure of checking it out in person, we’re thrilled to bring a piece of Kathie’s philosophy to you guys as this week’s prize.
Yup, we’re talking about reusable bags. One of our favorite little ways to keep plastic out of landfills is by bringing reusable bags to the grocery store (and beyond). Plus Kathie’s bags actually do double-green-duty by being made out of repurposed things like old blankets (and they’re all hand-sewn by local women). So whether you’re filling them with produce or anything else you’ve picked up at the store they’ll really come in handy and look good doing it. And this week TWO lucky readers are going to score a foursome of ‘em to upgrade their next grocery shopping trip (and the rest of you will score a nice little Kathie’s Finds discount so stay tuned for that).
Here’s how to enter:
- PRIZE: A four-pack of reusable produce bags from Kathie’s Finds in an assortment of the designs shown above.
- TO ENTER: Comment on this post with the words “BAG ME!” and…
- BONUS QUESTION: … share a story about something you’ve repurposed, rescued from the trash or somehow found new life for (whether it was for your home, your wardrobe or something else).
- GIVEAWAY CLOSES: Wednesday, January 20th at 8pm EST
- NUMBER OF WINNERS: Two
- PRIZE SHIPS: The US of A and Canada
- USUAL STUFF: One entry per e-mail address is permitted. The winners will be selected using random.org and announced on Thursday. Good luck!
Get more info about our freebies on our Giveaway FAQs page. Pics courtesy of Kathie’s Finds.
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BAG ME!!
I reuse newspapers for cleaning glass, glass food jars (like spaghetti) for dry storage and votive candle holders, and reupholstered a Goodwill bench to match my guest room.
BAG ME!
I’m trying to get better about repurposing items I already own. Thanks to this blog, I’ve already found a variety of uses for at least 4 things in my home. Feels so good to reuse rather than spend money!
BAG ME!!!
I have a co-worker who crochets plastic bags into reusable totes. They look pretty good, especially when she uses brown Kroger bags– they just look like a woven basket!
BAG ME!!!
I just saved a bicycle that was going to be junked. I fixed it up a little and now I’m using it to train for a triathlon :-)
BAG ME!
I have been looking for some of these produce bags as I’ve wanted to limit the plastic ones. I would love to win a set of these, they’d come in so handy!
I repurpose old furniture all the time!
BAG ME!
Just this weekend I scrubbed out an old, huge pickle jar and it is now happily storing corn meal that used to live in a ziplock. Also I made vegetable broth from all the bits nad pieces of veggies that never get used.
Bag me!!
I like to stack deep wooden wine crates to make bookcases of varying sizes :)
BAG ME!
I use old shoe boxes to organize the stuff on my closet shelves instead of throwing them in the trash.
BAG ME!
I reuse things all the time. I turned a little table into a kitchen island, use various things for hooks, large baskets for a variety of purposes, a window into a coffee table,etc.
http://www.3ringcottage.blogspot.com
BAG ME!
BAG ME!
BAG ME!
Bag Me!!!!
I stole your “put something in a frame and call it art” idea and cut up an old zebra print shirt and now it’s hanging in my bedroom. I also turned old red, cream and brown cable knit sweaters in to pillow cases so I can do a ‘quick change’ for my sofa pillows for more of a holiday look.
I had an old drawer from some cupboards we replaced. I put a screen in the bottom and painted the outside of the drawer with bright colors and flowers, screwed it onto a tree stump and use it as a feeder. I also had a toilet that the base was broken off of so I planted it in the yard and use it for flowers.
I forgot to say “BAG ME” in my post above.
Bag me! I always wash out and reuse the little snack baggies I use for my daughters lunch. We get quite a few uses out of them before they fall apart . . . and she’s quite willing to bring them back home. As a matter of fact, she also brings home her used toothpicks and napkin!
BAG ME! :)
We are big time re-users in our house – we wash and reuse plastic baggies, re-purpose glass jars and containers for bulk items, use cloth bags for our lunch and snacks, and re-use old t-shirts for cleaning clothes to name just a few.
BAG ME!
I reuse old moth eaten sweaters – I make blankets, baskets and other goodies from the remnants after felting them!
BAG ME!!
I recently got a console table from someone going to throw it away because they were moving out of state. I sanded it down and painted and LOVE it! I also use newspapers to clean windows. Seems to leave it less streaky.
bag me!
we reuse newspapers to line our rabbit cage! and then we use his litter as mulch!
BAG ME!! My whole house is made of repurposed items. I’m an avid thrifter! Nothing like outfitting your abode with great stuff from yesteryear!
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Barbara
http://ifididnthaveasenseofhumor.blogspot.com
Bag Me! I have had a table runner that I LOVED sewn to the bottom of an old panel to make a shower curtain. Then recently had the panel from the shower curtan (we can not use the shower curtain any longer)onto the bottom of different panels to make them longer for my son’s room…talk about repurposing:)
BAG ME!
I reused wedding decorations to make DIY wall art. I also have big plans to make some cute new scarves with old cashmere sweaters.
BAG ME!
I like to use repurposed things to decorate. Currently I have a mobile made out of embroidery hoops, an oatmeal tin holding kitchen utensils, bottle caps as vase filler, and the spheres from a milk glass lamp (they look kind of like your white Ikea vases) as tiny round vases.
BAG ME~
When you mentioned ‘rescued something from the trash or somehow found a new life for’ I couldn’t help but think of my little hedgehog, Velcro, that I found in his cage on the curb side about a year ago, waiting to be unnoticed and tossed inside a dump truck.
Apparently the previous owners of Velcro moved away, decided not to take him, and just toss him out.
Long story short, I took my little hedgie, his cage and all his belongings home with me and now I have a loving, healthy little pet. Talk about rescuing and finding a new life for something huh?
Sorry if that is a little off topic : D
BAG ME! The best thing I can think of off the top of my head is we re-use all our food scraps in the compost bin. We’ve been doing this for a solid year now and plan on planting our first vegetable garden, so we are really looking forward to using the compost!
BAG ME!
My roommate and I found his current desk in the street and carried that puppy 14 blocks back to our apartment! It has served him well for the past 2 years. One man’s trash…
“BAG ME”
BAG ME!
I use old socks to dust!
Bag Me! Much of our furniture has been repurposed, reused and/or hand-me-downs. Lately it has been my mission to go through the stuff in our house and find items that I can repurpose (and if not, I plan to donate them!) Sort of an early spring cleaning! :)
Bag Me!
BAG ME!! I repurpose furniture a lot; always on the lookout for a gem!
“BAG ME!”
I have to projects I working on fixing up that I picked up from someones trash pile.
BAG ME!
BAG ME!
My mom found an old random table that was ugly and falling apart. So me and my boyfriend screwed in some reinforcement, repainted it black with gold accents, laquered it and now we have a really cute TV stand in our bedroom.
Bag me!
These are so cute, economical and green! I try to make sure I donate or re-fashion to turn into something the equivalent amount of existing clothes I have before I buy new ones. Sometimes it updates my wardrobe, and sometimes it turns old pieces into something completely new! I also love using random odds and ends to make jewelery, and using old jewelery as something new–for example, a broken necklace into a bracelet.
BAG ME!!!
BAG ME!
I absolutely love glass in all shapes and sizes so I save every single candle container that I buy. That’s a lot of glass in the freezer trying to get the wax out but it looks so pretty when they are all together.
BAG ME!!
I love trying to find new uses for things and also FreeCycle! I love being able to pass things on that I don’t need anymore and would just get rid of to someone who could use them.
BAG ME!
I’m currently trying to convince my husband to let me paint some of our old furniture to repurpose it, but he can be quite stubborn!
Bag me!!
Yay! winner can be from Canada! That is not something you see everyday!
My whole house is full of stuff I have rescued and found a new life for! I love thrifting!!
BAG ME!
BAG ME!!!
I reuse plastic shopping bags as my lunch bags.
BAG ME!
I work at a flea market and I am constantly taking home discarded items – like two end tables, one with a missing leg. I replaced the leg and now both sit proudly in my living room!
BAG ME!
When I was teaching art in East Harlem in NYC, we went dumpster diving (not literally) for ALL of our stools and easels! :) Needless to say, I worked for a non-profit. In my own home, I reuse mason jars for just about anything: coin holders, herb gardens, etc…
BAG ME…….
love find new uses for old things such as using old wrapping paper from a birthday party, wedding shower or even Christmas to scrapbook/make a shadow box of all the fun photos and memories from the day. Also, taking old sweaters to make mittens or fun stuffed animals.
BAG ME!
BAG ME!
Bag Me!
I always use reusable bags at the store, but I don’t always have enough for my whole order. This would be soo helpful to that end. I also have a whole storage unit full of boxes to reuse when we move…again…this summer.
BAG ME!
As a child, I turned my favorite dress into a shirt and then an even shorter shirt over the years as I refused to get rid of it!