Craft Workshop: Upcycled Zipper Pouch Workshop with Up & Away

Photo Credits: Up & Away

We had a fabulous time last month with the very energetic upcycling team - Up & Away. They are a group of four undergraduate students from NTU; passionate about doing their part to spread the message about caring for the environment through upcycling - where trash is turned into treasure.

We conducted an upcycling workshop - sharing how we can turn used food packaging into attractive hand made zipper pouches. The children had lots of fun snipping and stapling away, as they transformed packaging which they usually discard, into their work of creation, with some help from their parents.

Selecting her design

    Some help from Mummy in the scissors department.

Stapling requires full concentration!

Matching tape for her green Milo pouch.

Utterly loving his work of art! 

If you would like to try your hand at making your very own pouch, click on here for the instructions. 

Do check out more about what other great initiatives the team from Up & Away does, by following this link.

Till our next post, upcycle something with your hands! =)

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DIY Craft: Upcycling with Used Food Packaging

We all love attractive designs, don't we? Have you come across pretty food packaging which draws you to buy them off the shelves? Here is an idea to transform these lovely food packaging into something useful after we have munched all the yummy contents. You can try your hand at making an upcycled zipper pouch!

You will require the following items for this craft:

• A piece of used food packaging
• Some duct tape
• A zipper
• A pair of scissors
• A stapler

Here are the steps:

1. Determine the size of the pouch you would like to make from the packaging and cut 2 identically sized pieces from the packaging. This will form the front and the back of the pouch. You will need to ensure that the length of your desired pouch does not exceed the length of your zipper. 
2. With the outer side of the cut packaging facing you, tape both the pieces of together at the base area. (See Picture 1)
3. With the outer side of the packaging facing you, anchor your overturned zipper at the top left hand side of (2) and staple the zipper to the packaging. You will need to staple along the entire side, ensuring that you do not staple too close to the zipper.  (See picture 1)
4. Once done, cover the stapled stitches with duct tape, with the bottom half of the tape covering the stapled area and the top of the tape on your work surface. Lift your work off your work surface, and fold over the plastic as you stick the other end of the duct tape, which was previously stuck on the table onto the inner side of the packaging. (See picture 2)
5. Place completed (4) on the table, with the inner side of the packaging facing you. Lift the bottom of the packaging up to meet the top side with the stapled zipper (zipper should be facing upwards now). Staple this end of the packaging to the entire length of the zipper. Next, cover the stapled stitches with duct tape (repeating step 4). Trim off any excess tape at the side. (See Picture 3)
6. Ensuring that the zipper is on top and well aligned, staple along the end of the pouch (side with the end of the zipper). Cover the stapled stitches again with duct tape, leaving an additional 1 inch on the top (side with the zipper). 
7. Cut off the excess square of the tape (See Picture 4). Fold over the "L" shaped corner of the tape, before folding the tape over to cover the stapled stiches. 
8. Cut off the excess zipper.
9. Unzip your half completed pouch at this stage. This step is crucial to ensure that you are able to overturn the pouch later. 
10. Repeat step 6 and 7 on the other side of the pouch. (See Picture 5)
11. Overturn your pouch and you are done! (See Picture 6)

So look into the cupboards and shelves the next time you enter your kitchen and think about the pouches you can make with your finds! If you prefer a hands-on workshop to learn to make this zipper pouch or any other upcycling crafts, please email us at hello@wahsosimple.com.

Till our next post, upcycle something! =)

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Craft Workshop: Upcycling Plastic Food Packaging into Zipper Pouches

Used plastic packaging turned zipper pouch for my charging cables!

We have just learnt a startling fact recently. Plastic is all around us and we really cannot live without it. It is a basic need, just like food, air, water and probably wifi too. In Singapore, we generated a staggering amount of 822,000 tonnes (source: NEA) of plastic waste in 2016. This accounted for 10% of the waste we generated last year. Sadly, only 7% of this plastic waste were recycled. 

We believe that every effort to reduce, reuse and recycle counts. We went to a secondary school this week to share with the students how they can upcycle used plastic food packaging into attractive zipper pouches. There was absolutely no sewing required. The students learnt how to hand make their very own zipper pouches, from the used food packaging that they had salvaged from home. These hand made pouches will be given to their teachers for the upcoming Teachers' Day. This is truly a meaningful hand made work of love for the special someone who inspires, guides, enlightens, motivates them.

If you are interested in organising an upcycling workshop with your friends, family or colleagues, do drop us an email at hello@wahsosimple.com and we will arrange something for you.

Till our next post, make something practical with your hands! =)

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Event: NatGeo Earth Day Run 2017: Upcycling Running Bibs

We had a fantastic time at the Nat Geo Earth Day Run 2017, crafting with the race runners amidst the luscious greenery and stunning skyline view of Singapore at Gardens by the Bay. This event held this year served to protect our planet through renewable energy consumption, reducing waste and lowering participants’ carbon footprint.

Details were not spared to ensure that the run was eco friendly. The runners were given refillable bottles, which they could top up at designated water points, instead of consuming from bottled mineral bottles. WahSoSimple was there to help the runners further reduce their carbon footprint, helping them to upcycle their running bibs. We showed them how to turn their  running bibs, often disposed post runs into practical items of use. 

We had great fun at our crafting booths and we guided the runners to convert their running bibs either into a magnetic jigsaw puzzle or a mousepad. We were happy that the runners went home not only having accomplished their 5km/10km run under the sweltering glorious sun, but also how to upcycle their running bib, often their badge of pride, into something useful.

It gives us great pride to know that we also took part in the meaningful run, not as runners, but as eco friendly crafters sharing the message of upcycling with these amazing runners. 

Till out next blog post, craft something practical! =)

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Craft Workshop: Upcycling Used Paper into Personalised Notebooks

In March 2017, WahSoSimple facilitated a series of upcycling craft workshops with Primary 4 students at a primary school in Singapore. The objective of the sessions was to teach our young friends through crafting to appreciate our forests. The grand forests accounts for a third of land area on our planet, but is unfortunately disappearing at an astonishing rate, due to deforestation.

The students were asked to come to school with sheets of one-sided used paper. There were lots of chatter and excitement as they marvelled with disbelief at how they could transform the used paper they had painstakingly collected from rummaging through their recycled bins at home, into personalised notebooks.

We showed and taught them how to make and bind their own book, and personalise it with attractive washi tape.

Our young friends were delighted with their handmade notebook. They also went home with a deeper appreciation of the forest, the source of where paper is made. They all learnt the startling fact that along with losing endangered animals, to deforestation, we are losing forest area  the size of Singapore every 2 days (source: worldwildlife.org).

Till out next blog post, craft something! =)

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Event: Upcycled Fun at Car Free Sunday

WahSoSimple joined in the fun at CarFreeSunday on 22 January 2017! It was a great way to spend our Sunday morning along Connaught Drive. We ran a crafting booth, sharing how easy it is to upcycle everyday items at home with the help of some washi tape. It was great fun making bookmarks at our booth with used envelopes and gorgeous washi tape. 

Next time, before you throw something away, why not pause and think if you can make something useful with the help of washi tape. 

Till our next blog post, craft something! =)

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Craft Workshop: Upcycling Old T Shirts

Do you know that a simple cotton T shirt requires up to 2,700L of water before it makes its eventful journey from a cotton plant into your wardrobe space? The water it requires provides drinking water to an individual for 900 days!

Learning this astonishing fact gave us a fresh perspective of the humble T shirts we own,  and how we should give it a second lease in life post its prime days in our wardrobe.  It inspired us to craft a pot coaster from old T shirts and we were very happy to run a workshop teaching this craft to a group of school teachers.

WahSoSimple was humbled to have teachers as our students on 14 Jan 2017, as we showed them how they could make their own pot coasters from old T shirts. The session was to inspire them on how they could impart the knowledge of upcycling to their students.

If you are planning to organise an upcycling initiative, why not reach out to us and we will share some workshop ideas which you can consider. Drop us a note at hello@wahsosimple.com to enquire.

Till our next blog post, craft something with your hands! =)

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Event: The UP Market @ Toa Payoh Hub Atrium

Happy New Year!! May all the good things happen to you in 2017! =)

WahSoSimple conducted a hands-on workshop and ran a selling booth at the The UP Market @ Toa Payoh hub atrium area on 18 December 2016. We showed residents how to make an upcycled pot coaster from pre-loved T shirts and how to use washi tape on old envelopes to make bookmarks.

This day marked our second year as a participant in this meaningful event.

Our hands-on Workshop: We brought in many pieces of old t-shirts and showed residents how they can cut the t-shirts into smaller pieces to tie them to a piece of anti-skid rug to make pot holders.

Photo courtesy: Singapore CDC

Our Selling Booth: We show residents how they can use washi tape to upcycle common everyday things to something useful.

Upcycling examples:

• from toilet rolls and used envelopes to gift wrapping
• from a old DVD box to a travelling colouring kit
• from an old cassette box to a holder for your 2017 calendar
• from cereal boxes to Christmas decorations and mini-magazine holder
• from one-sided printed paper to a notebook
• from a used envelope to a bookmark

We sold washi tapes and had a hands-on 'make-a-bookmark' activity. It was fun! =)

Photo courtesy: Singapore CDC

Till our next blog post, craft something! =)

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DIY Craft: Upcycling Pre-Loved Clothes to A Useful Rug

I have lots of old clothes in my house. This is what I get with a growing child. He outgrows his clothes and I would have to either trash or donate them. I decided to upcycle some of clothes to make a rag rug.

This a relatively easy DIY craft project but it takes time. It took me about 6 hours over 4 days to complete this rag rug. Old t-shirts work best for this project. I used about 3 t-shirts for this rag rug that measures about 30cm by 40cm.

All you need for this DIY craft is a few pieces of old clothes, a piece of anti-skid mat, a pair of scissors and time.

I first cut the t-shirts into small pieces that measure about 10cm by 2.5cm and then tie them into knots to a piece of anti-skid mat. Simple? Yes, very simple. But it takes time to tie the knots. =)

When I am tying of the knots, I have to remember to randomly tie the knots in a mix of right-over-left and left-over-right. If I do not do this and tie all my knots in one way, then the rug will look too neat. I prefer my rug to look more shaggy. =)

I completed the heart with my pink and purple shirts first before working on the white.

As I was tying the knots, I realised that I can actually take a shortcut and skip some of the 'holes'. The rug was turning out to be quite 'puffed' up, so not tying the knot in some of the holes is perfectly alright. This is the back view of the rug. Do you see some of the holes that I have skipped?

It was fun making this rag rug. The greatest payoff is seeing my old clothes on the floor, in a rag, having a new lease of life. =)

Till the next blog post, craft something! =)

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Event: Upcycling Glass Marble Paperclips

We had a great time holding an upcycling craft workshop at the Farmers' Market event at the Enabling Village on 28 May 2016. This is part of the initiative by Central Singapore CDC with Project UPcycle; sharing with the residents the beauty of upcycling.

The sweltering heat did not hamper our enthusiasm as we combed through past editions of magazines, looking for the perfect prints to hand make some glass marble paper clips and magnets. 

You look at everything around you with a fresh perspective, as you ponder if you can give them a second lease of life with upcycling. It is a very empowering feeling, turning yesterday's trash into today's treasures.

We made Large Paper Clips and Fridge Magnets with Old Magazine prints and Glass Marbles 

Flipping through the old magazines for the perfect prints

Putting the finishing touches to the paper clip

The upcycled beauty - Glass Marble Paper Clip with prints from a used red packet

Till our next blog post, make something with your hands! =)

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Event: Love Thy Earth! Upcycling Craft With Glass Marble Magnets!

We spent a lovely afternoon with Project Earth Day at United Square on 25 April 2015. It was a meaningful initiative organised by the National Environmental Agency. 

We gave old magazines a new lease of life by up-cycling them to make pretty handmade glass marble magnets. Together with the many children who came to our workshop, we flipped though the magazines looking for the prettiest prints. We also added heart shapes cut-outs which we had cut out from used red packets from Chinese New Year which went by just 2 months ago. It was really fun as we worked together with the children to make their handmade with love ,magnets for their mummies.

It was indeed a meaningful and fulfilling afternoon as we see the little ones, the guardians of our Earth in the future, scoot off with their handmade up-cycled glass marble magnet craft. We know that they had learnt through to the workshop, how they can do their part to help love and appreciate our resources and how they can make pretty gifts with them.

Till the next blog post, make something with your hands! =) 

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