Operation Upcycle: Creative Upcycling of Vintage Goods

When I first opened my shop on Etsy, I thought I would be going the direction of the true mid century modern seller, relishing in the avocado greens, browns, golden yellows, ceramics, funky glassware and retro-ness of it all. However, as my shop has matured, I have found myself shifting in a different direction, welcoming in more Hollywood Regency style brass, shiny barware and colorful accessories.

What that means is that I have taken a load of mid century pieces and dropped them into my sale section, but they won’t be staying there for long. Because coincidentally, I have also been looking for some new DIY project ideas. Enter Operation Upcycle! My mission, should I choose to accept it, is to take each object one-by-one and consider what might be done to upgrade its functionality, fix a blemish, modernize it or take it in an entirely new direction.

In some cases, I might be upgrading the object itself. In other cases, I might pair it with like objects to create an instant collection. In still other cases, I might invent some special gift packaging to make the item more attractive for gift-giving. Finally, some I will probably leave alone, like the Ernest Sohn cheese and cracker tray above. However, now that I have my new camera and a styling challenge to practice for, I’ll be experimenting with some new styling and taking new photos.

Regardless, I’ll be starting to take down listings this week for the projects I have in mind. So if you see anything that you like as is, better snap it up quick! Because the next time you see it, it might not look quite the same!

I’ll be starting with this set of teak salad bowls that have been in my shop nearly since the beginning. I spied a cute bowl in Oh Joy’s new studio recently and since you know I love the dip-dyed trend, I thought I’d try my hand at making over these first.

Stay tuned for the makeover later in the week!

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