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Crafts and DIY

Making Upcycled Christmas Gifts with Gumtree

December 4, 2015

I get to do some really great things through blogging and one of the most fun things I’ve done in a while was an up cycling workshop hosted by gumtree and Max McMurdo. You may have seen Max on programmes such as Kistie’s Fill Your Home for Free, which I loved.

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Christmas is a great time to think about up-cycling and repurposing. We are so bombarded with useless gifts and throw-away items at this time of year and our over-consumption is something we should all be thinking about. At the workshop we talked about making beautiful unique gifts that are both cheap and greener to make.

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Gumtree had noticed more and more people buying items through the site to customise and re-purpose. Inspired by this they have been encouraging people to use old materials to make new things. At the event we dismantled an old pine wardrobe which had been bought on the site for just £20.

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I was amazed how much good quality wood was on one piece of furniture, all of which could be used to make something new. I used a shelf from inside the wardrobe to make my project.

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Not all second hand furniture is created equal and although I’m against ruining beautiful old furniture I’m all for repurposing ugly items that have no value. Using the repurposed wood was dramatically cheaper than buying it new and it’s definitely something I will be doing again.

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With a few simple tools, I managed to transform my old bit of wood into an amazing star light, all in under 2 hours. I enjoyed it so much that I’ll definitely be doing it again.

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I actually needed very few tools, just a hand saw, a drill, a router and a sander all of which can be bought reasonably cheaply or borrowed. The star was finished with some coloured wax and a set of light which cost around £7.

Gumtree Upcycle Workshop
After admiring our handy work we enjoyed some mince pies and mulled wine by the Christmas tree. If you’re stuck for ideas for unique and thoughtful Christmas presents, why not try making something yourself. There is so much you can make with a little wood and you can get as creative as you like.

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Thank you so much to Max and his team and all the lovely people at Gumtree for a really fun afternoon, I felt so inspired by the workshop and can’t wait to make more.

You can find lots of ideas on the Gumtree Upcycling Hub. So why not join the #UpcycleRevolution and held reduce our countries waste while having fun and saving money.

  • Reply
    Jessica Cangiano
    December 5, 2015 at 11:11 pm

    Your star is absolutely gorgeous! What a fantastic holiday season heirloom you’ve created here.

    ♥ Jessica

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