Do Your Own Upcycling

It wasn't until I opened my etsy shop that I heard the word "upcycle." The word literally means turning something that would normally be considered useless into something useful and beautiful. Think about the amount of money we could save over a month or even a year if we looked at things we might usually throw out as the supplies for upcycling something new and wonderful.

For example, without even realizing it I took an old beat-up cake pan and turned it into my year-round centerpiece. I wasn't even familiar with upcycling, but the pan was something I had planned to donate to the thrift shop. Instead, it has become one of my favorite pieces.

Other ways to upcycle:

* Cut the pictures out of old Christmas cards and turn them into tree ornaments.

* Old, broken jewelry can be restrung to make new, original pieces.

* I read about a woman who shredded her family's old T-shirts and knitted them into dish cloths.

* Turn old CDs into clocks, magnets and photo albums.

* Artists are finding ways to upcycle jewelry, furniture, dishes, clothing and crafts.

For more great ideas on how to save money by upcycling, head to http://www.etsy.com/ and search "upcycle." You'll see tons of ways women and artists are turning trash into treasures, and you're sure to come up with some creative ideas of your own.