We’ve all heard this before…
[Blank] is the new black.
And I bet you can fill in the blank.
Well, here’s the thing. The other day a mystery envelope was left on our porch. I recognized the sender’s name (thank you so much, Alicia), but had no clue what might be inside.
I was so curious.
When I opened it, these fell out!
How cool are they? Don’t they just make you smile?
My hubs is a social media guy, so the top pencil was for him. Skill testing question: Which SM platform does this apply to?
The other two were pour moi! 
By now I’m pretty sure you know this about me: I’m good with old black, new black… any kind of black, but to see D.I.Y. and Upcycling coined the ‘New Black’, well what’s not to love about that?
Can I just say,
Hello Audrey…
Hello Jackie…
Oh No They Didn’t Live Journal
Mind if we join you?
Do you know what the difference is between D.I.Y.ing and Upcycling?
D.I.Y. stands for ‘Do It Yourself’, and it literally means to build, modify or repair something without the help of experts or professionals. Did you know the phrase,”do it yourself” became common in the 1950s? I know, right! I thought it was newer than that! See, what’s old is new again 
Upcycling is all about finding a new purpose for things instead of throwing them out. And usually this means you will be D.I.Y.ing whatever it is you’re upcycling, but not always. You can also hire someone to do the upcycling for you!
But did you know that upcycling, though a form of recycling, is in fact a greener way of recycling? That’s right, they are actually different, because recycling requires energy and resources to collect, sort and process unwanted items and waste in order to turn them into something useable in the future. Upcycling does not.
The ottoman below is an example of an upcycled project that was D.I.Y.ed. What do you think it was made from?
Would you believe me if I told you there’s a tire inside that forms the shape? And the feet are repurposed from another piece of furniture?
Just in case you’re wondering about the value of D.I.Y. projects, especially ones that are upcycled… well, when I pinned this ottoman to my Pinterest board just 5 days ago, I was able to read all the ‘how to’ steps, you know, in case I want to make my own. Today when I put this article together I discovered this ottoman has been trademarked the ‘Ottire’, and will be hitting the market soon! And I bet you’ve already guessed, the ‘how to’ steps have been removed! This is such a great story, and the perfect example of finding value in upcycling through the power of D.I.Y.ing.
To see some examples of how recycled tires have been put to use, I featured a few things here.
So, you heard it here, D.I.Y. and Upcycling are the new black!
Did I mention how much I love black? And how about you? Do you love black, too???
THANK YOU FOR STOPPING BY!
PS – did you get the answer to the skill testing question? If you said, Twitter, you’re right!
Cute pencils! I really like black, but not as much as white. I guess I could be categorized as a DIY-er and an upcycler. I just found 2 old benches at my parents’ farm and I’m going to make them over. Hope they turn out!
I can’t wait to see what you do with the benches! There’s no doubt they’ll turn out… didn’t you make over a piece of furniture that your brother wanted to reclaim when it was done? I’m pretty sure the benches will be sought after, too
Well you know I LIVE for diy’ing and upcycling so this makes me super happy. I adore those pencils. What a really nice thing for a friend to do for you!
And I LIVE to see what project you come up with next! You’re such a great inspiration, and I really mean that…
How clever! Black is a classic and will always be a classic – it’s always my go-to for a top or pants for work when I need to be “dressy”. And I love Twitter – it’s quick, it’s easy, and it conveys a clear message (in 140 characters or less of course). I always marvel at how many small businesses are still not on Twitter, and how much presence they could have by getting on Twitter. Slowly but surely I guess.
I keep trying to break out of my black-safe zone, but I really do love black! It’s definitely classic, and I love that DIY-ing and Upcycling have made the inner circle to classic
I used to be on Twitter a lot more than I am now, but I think with summer coming to an end, and life finding its routine again, that will change…
This is what social community is all about. What a great article celebrating how relationships, design, and business should be woven together. Nicely done.
Thank you! Do you think osmosis is working?
xo
Hey!! I have those pencils!! Aren’t they fun? Huh, I will look out for upcycling! Love the pic of Jackie.
Love your pictures and ideas as usual! And you know I love to DIY! Great post Sheila!
Beautiful post Sheila! Love the pencils. Anyone who has met Sheila in person knows that she has a real thing for black. Always classy, just like Sheila.
Wow, what a nice thing to say? Thank you. I really appreciate it… and you know me, as much as I try to break free from my black, it always calls me back!
What a fun post!! i love all things DIY and upcycle so those pencils are right up my alley!!! Cool pencils are the new black.
Don’t you think there should be carpenter’s pencils modeled after these, you know, for all the DIY projects we need to mark out?
I love black too and those pencils are great! That up cycled ottoman is very cute, and I can see why it is now being marketed.
Wow! That is an amazing story! I love that someone bought that idea… now can’t they stumble upon my upcycled DIY’s and trademark me!