DIY photo jars

You can make photoframes from nearly anything. Just decorating an existing frame with gluing on small knick-knacks I find a bit boring, but using glass jars sounds way more intresting, and Trashion. I also love the fact that these "photoframes" are easy to keep clean. Just put them in the dishwasher. See the how-to at PhotoJoJo. The only thing I would add to the tutorial is the lid. Spaypaint it white or black depending on your shelfcolor and put a rock in the jar with the photo as weight. Found via Design Sponge.

DIY shawl dress inspired by Pleasure Principle

The reason why I browse through collections is that sometimes fashion houses create these simple and superstylish designs that can be either sewn yourself or bought from the store (if DIY´ing isn´t you thing). This shawl dress by Pleasure Principle is one of them. It has quicly become many fashion bloggers favorite dress as it can be worn and styled in numerous ways. Childhood Flames loves the original and Sue made it herself. This design will also work as a top if it is made shorter.

Sold out from Seven New York.



Made and styled by Sue.


Seen at Childhood Flames.

DIY video how-tos at The Green Girls

The Green Girls is a site with loads of videos on DIY fashions.
Like this jersey dress/top for summer that can be made from for example a large t-shirt.

Strapless plunge dress.



Pillow Case summer dress for children.

DIY Fixing broken belt loops

Learn how to fix a broken belt loop on jeans in this nifty mending tutorial by Jennifer Stern at CraftStylish. Found via Craft.

Reader appreciation week

Here are three projects made by my readers. Great job guys!!

Zipper necklace by Mathilde at Notes on Becoming Fearless. See tutorial on Cut Out And Keep and at Flickr.



Lightning knit dress by Midinetti from Kissankehto. See the tutorial here in English and here in Finnish. The different knitpatterns work really well from the same color.



Diamante leggins made by Einari, a friend of mine. See the original how-to by Park & Cube.


Melted plastic bags by Salonkijuoruja. You can find the tutorial for this in English here and in Finnish here.

OutsaPop Trashion at BBC News Radio!!

Trashion is in the air! I had the pleasure this Sunday to give BBC News an interview and talk a bit about trashion, recycling fashion and DIY crafts with Jamillah Knowles from Radio 5 Live. You can read the interview at BBC News website or listen to the broadcast on Tuesday morning. A Podcast of the interview can also be found online. I have no idea on how to link an mp3-file to Blogger so here´s the link to the podcast :) PODCAST (My bit starts from 15:45).

I want to take the opportunity also to thank all you wonderful members of Trashionista group and my dear readers as it is you who keep spreading the word on trashion crafts and recycling. I´m so happy that I have found all of you and hope to find many more.

Take care and let´s not get the CPSIA, the current state of economy or anything else keep us from making (and selling) what we love, handmade things from recycled materials!

Outi aka OutsaPop

Jewelry from clock hands by EJP Creations

EJP Creations makes stunning Gothic/Steampunk/Victorian-styled jewelry and hair ornaments made using ornate clock hands.





Found via Craft blog.

Recycled denim quilts from Julie Floersch

Julie Floersch makes geometric quilt jewelry and 3D interior pieces (pillows, curtains) from recycled denim. Here´s how she describes her work: "By using a rigorous critical approach, I attempt to explore, push and redefine the language of quilting. Various techniques of pleating are incorporated into complex geometric repetitions, giving them a slightly raised, subtle third dimension. These intricate patterns are then assiduously interwoven, thus reshaping the concept of quilt making as a purely 2-dimensional art form of tessellated flat planes. Though my critical approach is forward thinking, a traditional and historic aspect still remains through the use of natural materials and an insistence on age old hand craft. Once the meticulous process of reflecting, rotating, and folding the pattern has been achieved, it starts anew with the process of hand sewing each piece to completion." You can find more pictures of her work from Flickr. Also check out this tutorial on shredding denim from Daily Candy and her interview at The Cut.






Found via Bits and Bobbins.

Excess leather piece jacket by Petteri Hemmilä

I adore this jacket made by Finnish fashion designer Petteri Hemmilä. It is constructed from strips and pieces of excess leather he rescued from a fashion studio. The leather pieces were pinned on to a dummy and attached and sewn individually. Petteri told me there are no straight seams in the jacket as the design is very random. This jacket is yet another example how the smallest bits and pieces of material should be saved and used to create incredible individual pieces of fashion. I´ve often wondered why clothing factories and design houses do not sell these scraps of fabric as bulk to eco-designers or donate them to non-profit organizations or community projects rather than dumping them to landfill. The materials are usually of high/good quality and I´m sure there are loads of eco-design brand intrested in buying them!



Photos by SUNHYE KIM.

Inspiration from William Rast

Oh my.. Now I found William Rast´s Summer 2009 and Fall 2009 collections. The combination of back leather, plaited flannel and studded denim never leaves me cold. I have to get those studs. It´s going to cost a fortune to ship a few kilos from NYC to Finland...

Summer 2009





Fall 2009

February DIY interior projects

I have found loads of cool recycled interior items and DIY projects in February:

Candleholder sconce project. DIY interior simplicity — just a candleholder drilled into a found object. A sconce could really be anything. For the best light and shadow, the material should be something reflective with an interesting outline and for drilling reasons, it's got to be durable. Thrifted silver plates will do the trick. Made by Anne E. Collins at Point Click Home.




diy project: Anneli’s rag pillows (with tutorial). Found at Design Sponge.


How To: Decoupage Your Ceiling by Mr. Peacock DIY at Apartment Therapy.


Tea set lamp by Vintage Renaissance.


Beelden Bouvers is a Dutch design studio, reusing surplus wool to create light shades. Found via Haute Nature.


These drawers were salvaged from the kitchen of a 1940s house that was demolished. Check out this how-to at Craftynest to find out how they were transformed to this funky modular bookcase.

DIY project - Yoga Mat Bag from Old Pants

"Make, do and mend". The legs of old pants are long tubes, perfect for making a bag for your yoga mat! Becky Stern made an Instructable from this project (has more pictures) and Flickr photo how-to. Found via CRAFT blog.

Time: about 1 hour
Difficulty: easy
Skills required: basic machine sewing

Studded iron maiden

Ah. I need those studs. Bags and bags of them. Gotto make these gorgeous studded bleach jeans for summer.




Iron Maiden by Mario Testino, styled by Lucinda Chambers, Vogue UK March 2009
Found via Bien dans sa peau.

It is mine!!

Hahaaa! It is mine!! I snagged this gorgeous secondhand 80´s pink-red plaid jacket from Nasty Gal Vintage webshop. Can´t wait to recieve it. I love Nasty Gal because their online store is super fast and easy to use. Plus all their stock is stylish. I´ve never been able to figure out the bidding thing on eBay... (unpatient blond). Oh well. You know it will take at least another month and a half before all the snow is gone and three months before it will get "denim jacket warm". A lighter winter jacket is just what I need. This will be such a splash of bright color on to my spring wardrobe. And there´s always fall... I can just see myself strolling down the streets of Helsinki in this jacket and my vintage YSL shades looking like an art gallerist. Fabulous.

Alexander Wang Fall 2009

The only thing I liked about the new Alexander Wang Fall 2009 collection was this jacket. In general the collection was a bit of an disapoitment, but hey, can´t win em all! I think a secondhand blazer or a mans suit jacket can be restyled like this in an afternoon with some grommets and shoe laces. It will make a nice detail to the sharp cut office wear.