I am a sucker for collecting stuff. All kinds of useless stuff most people just throw away. I am sure that sooner or later I might need it. The result was a gararge so full that there was no place for a motor vehicle.

Then I decided to start making things, using all the useless stuff. Fortunately a very appreciative niece was there to encourage me. It started off with an extra piece of leather left over from furniture that was re-upholstered.

I used the leather in combination with pieces of wood. The first one as a backpack. As it was for my daughter, studying as a winemaker, using parts of an small wine barrel as sides to the bag. An old soft rope was used as back pack carriers.

The second one was a sling bag. Cotton rope knotted in macrame style for the sling, wooden sides. The back of a chair and filling cabinet handle as cover.

A camera bag/wine carrier followed. Secret: the use of wood came in because I had no instruments to suture pieces of leather together. But the wood does look cool!

Next up was a piece of copper pipe and a garden tap:

The lampshades of the tap is jam bottles, painted white on the inside with spray paint. Standing lamp and desk lamp!

With the success so far I decided to use all the old wood in the storage space. The project was almost to big for me. But after a long time this bookcase and computer stand realized. All painted white and then sanded down again. Nine different sorts ow wood went into the making.

In our consumer society set on instant gratification it is so easy to replace with new and throw away the old. Recycling may yet save the world. creating stuff is very fulfilling. To upcycle creates something truly unique. Let the creativity flow and use what is at hand!