Its always fun… waking up early, throwing on warm, comfy clothes, grabbing a handful of cash, my backpack, a steamy hot cup of coffee… and then heading off to the monthly flea market at the Great Park. Even though I wasn’t looking for anything specific this time around, I loved checking out all of the new stuff the vendors had for sale, and seeing all of the flea market regulars. This month was a good one… LOTS of temptations, but only one item had me pulling out my wallet: this basket… full of scarves in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors and conditions. $20 for at least 25 scarves. Whooopppeee!!!

I admit, I’m a sucker for a cute scarf… wearing one is such an easy way to style up an outfit. But, I have a different plan for these scarves… to use them as gift wrap!

Yes…!  My 2012 resolution is to  wrap up all of the gifts I give in reusable fabrics, scarves, towels and ribbons.  No more piles of beautiful wrapping paper to tear off and trash after a quick look.  I will give a gift within a gift… a scarf that can be re-used in some way, even if it is just to rewrap another gift someday.

I have been experimenting, with ways to fold, twist, tie and wrap.

It’s fun! I especially like the way that wine bottles look when swaddled in silk.

I’d like to come up with more creative ways to wrap with fabric… does anyone have fabric folding/wrapping/tying/twisting techniques to share??

Happy first day of spring! Yeaaaa.

The sun is shining, the temperature is rising and the garden beckons. I’m making plans and am thinking that this outdoor dresser, all planted up, is gonna be one of my first projects…  I’m obsessed!!

Do you agree that this is BRILLIANT!?  Found, on Pinterest… at 2:30 this morning. (Some of the best ideas appear in the middle of the night!)

Are you as crazy to get going in the garden as I am?

I’ve long been a fan of these fun, bright and practical folding chairs sold at the mecca of all things beautiful and bohemian called Anthropologie:

I’m sure you know all about this store… and the temptations that beckon from every corner. These chairs are FAB, but at $198 each, I wasn’t about to rush to the check-out counter with a pair.  Anyway… where the heck would I put them in my already bursting at the seams Casa Anderson?

My clever friend Hoiyin… partner in all things recycled, re-imagined, repurposed and reused, also fell in love and decided she needed such clever chairs… SO perfect to pull out for guests visiting her tiny but uber-cool loftette. But, ever the DIYer, Hoiyin made her own version with two folding chairs found in a back alley rather than at Anthropologie. She started with this:

These “ugly chairs” were found leaning against a dumpster.  No one wanted them, or even deemed them worthy of a garage sale or thrift store donation.

Hoiyin polished up the wood, and then with a bit of instruction at Alchemy Fine Living in Santa Ana, reupholstered the chairs with a collage of scraps from faded curtains and an old faux-fur halloween costume.  Several days later, with no $$$ spent, look at what Hoiyin has created.

Definitely cool and blog worthy… you can read all about her upholstery adventure here: Her photos are much much better than mine…  After all, she IS a professional photograper.

What have you remade, recycled, redone or reupholstered lately?