“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful”. William Morris
It wasn’t until I moved to a country where the cost of living is so ridiculously high, that the concept of upcycling even appeared on my mental radar. As soon as I realised that my salary here didn’t match my taste I knew that one or the other had to change.
At the point where desire meets reality, is where creativity and imagination start to grow. This is where my ‘different’ was born. When you can’t afford what you want, the neural pathways in the brain ignite in a way to bridge the gap to get what you what in a way that you can afford. Well, mine did.
Luckily for me, I was raised in a very pragmatic, practical manner. When we couldn’t afford something, we would either go without it, save for a very long time for it or, the best way…make it.
I am no stranger to creativity or finding a different way around the problem. I grew-up with it.
I clearly remember my Dad’s best efforts to make my sister and I a go-kart. Using old pram wheels, bits of wood and some washing line, he created the best go-kart in the whole world (we thought so anyway). My sister and I had some serious fun driving it, until, one day when the steering column failed and it hit a wall, it made its final journey to go kart heave.
And my mum, well she is the optimal Mrs Resourceful – baker, cook, creator, knitter, crocheter, seamstress, decorator, sculptor….talk about magic hands and a creative mind. I remember one time when I had seen a dress I loved in a store but we couldn’t afford it. So, guess what, my mum made it for me.
So, when I found myself unable to afford the furniture I wanted, I decided to create it.
Enter the verb, ‘upcycling’.
I became fascinated in how I could change things up. Not build the piece of furniture as such, but to ‘pimp’ something that already existed to make it even better. There is something very appealing about taking a plain jane piece of furniture and transforming it into a real beauty. Redefining it. Making it something to shine. I really love this concept.
I love that in our easily replaceable, disposable society I have found a way to limit waste and reduce my personal carbon footprint by using what I already have.
I realise the older I get, the less I need.
When you change your thinking it is amazing what you can do.
