For a chance to win a FREE copy of the Junk Gypsies’ new book, Junk Gypsy: Designing a Life at the Crossroads of Wonder & Wander, tell me how MaryJanesFarm has inspired you to upcycle a junk find in the comments below. I’ll toss your name into a hat and draw a lucky winner sometime mid-December.
You’ll see how the Junk Gypsies have transformed vintage Airstreams into glittery glampers in the Dec/Jan issue of MaryJanesFarm. Stay tuned for more magazine-related giveaways. If you’re not yet a subscriber to my magazine, MaryJanesFarm, subscribe here for $19.95/year.
Thank you
Painting with milk paint
Love to use old things, wooden boxes for a book shelf, rake into coat hooks, fun to do.wo be great to be drawn for this wonderful book.
I just love your magazine. Right now we are turning an old wood futon into a swing.
I own a business store front and my dad and I are making a display shelf in the front window so I can display all of our home made soaps and things. I hope to use some old recycled barnwood to make the shelving.
Okay Where in the world would I start! Every time MaryJanesFarms magazine arrives, my husband says “oh no hear we go again”. I can not look at this magazine and not get so super excited. On page 65 of the Aug./Sept. issue there is a button globe, well off I went. I loved the idea but I also wanted to note all the trips my husband and I have taken so I included those by placing a colored button in the area and writing in marker in the water spaces the place and date. Super Awesome!!!! Would love the book as well!!! My husband would really flip!
We were inspired by your chicken coop!
I took an old red cooler that was ready for the trash and turned it into a planter filled now with strawberry plants.
fun to look at and a snack fresh from the garden!
Actually, we have been upcycling for a number of years…when parts of old homes were cheap and more plentiful than they are now. My husband made an arbor from old porch rails, plant hangers from old support beams, we have used old porch pillars as plant holders in our sunporch, a coat rack from a long piece of molding and old door knobs…and many other things that are useful and fun. Your magazine has fueled this fire in us and helped us vision other things that we can do. Thanks so much for your incredible magazine!!
Love your. Book.
They have taught and inspired me to reuse, recycle, and rethink anything I’m about to toss on the garbage or give away. My barn is filling with so many projects that the animals are ready to reuse, recycle the junk 😉
My son has used an old wooden fence to make his chicken coop and my daughter uses old pallets to make wine racks. These are traits they learned from me to always look around and see what can be used before they run to the store to buy new!
My latest up-cycle is a old pallet into a table top reversible Scarecrow/Snowman! It came out awesome! I love to use old items and give them new life.
I am in the collecting phase of Junk-Teaque right now! I am hoping to sit down with my collectibles and make some little dolls soon – I am so excited about doing this craft, and soooo inspired by MaryJanes Magazine as well!
Our house is filled with discarded finds from fields and junk shops. My husband lovingly restores them to their original look.
I have collected all of your magazines and will keep them forever. I have the first one published….before a subscription was offered! It was such a special magazine, I could not wait to show my mother. I remember it cost $8.00 – several years ago – I thought it was worth it! There are so much valuable information. I cherish each issue – as if it was an encyclopedia!! One idea I have never seen anywhere else was the pattern to make a shoulder sling to carry your pet chicken! Keep up the good work – reading each issue makes me happy!!
I have taken old picket gate ,put above my bed and have a pair of angel wings on them. Love the magazine ,takes me back to my childhood
Both my grandmothers raised their families in the epicenter of the Dustbowl in western Kansas. I still use their canning jars for canning, their clothespins for hanging out my laundry (not a dryer owner), and still use one of their sewing machines. One day I will pass these treasured items on to my daughter for her to use, and to remember…
Good morning, I would love to join in the pot, Kathleen
I would love to join in the contest. I love watching the Junk Gypsies. They are Awesome!
Kathleen
Your magazine is truly an inspiration for so much more than junk finding and treasure hunting… it’s filled with wonderful recipies, helpful hints and good ‘old common sense!! I look forward to reading through all the features and even the ads!! Thank you for creating a treasure trove of fun ideas and farming fun!!
I have volunteered in a food pantry and thrift store. My passion is turning used clothing into items for the home and in quilt making, using 100 percent cotton and wool items. Beautiful buttons and zippers also come in very handy. I am a true second hand rose and love antique shops, yard sales etc. it is such fun and very worthwhile. Love your magazine and have subscribed for several years now.
We used old school play-ground equipment in our high tunnel to support more growing surfaces
It all stared when i broke a framed mirror. It sat in a corner in my dining room until I got tired of looking at it. I had recently bought a copy of Maryjanes Farm Girl DIY. I loved the flowers made from old sewing patterns. I had a collection of patterns left to me by my Grandma so i I decided to put them to good use! I used your idea but went big. I made one huge flower and mounted it to a piece of leftover hardware wire. I then stapled the wire into the old mirror frame. It looked a little sparse so I tucked in leftover green material to represent green leaves. It turned out really cute! Thank you for all of the wonderful ideas.
Your avid reader,
Maria Wright
I made rolling pin hangers to hold my grandmothers aprons that I have. I am next making the rolling pin holder as I have a large collection of pins. Absolutely love the magazine.
After seeing many great examples of up-styling in your wonderful magazine, I realized that I had an old, 1930s-style typing table sitting out on the back porch, beginning to rust underneath. It was painted a nice cream color. So, I brought it inside to use as a drinks table, next to my dining table! First, I cleaned it off, didn’t even re-paint it, put black contact paper on the top of the two side leaves, and used a white/natural wood tray (that I already had bought at a thrift store) on the top. The two side leaves are adjustable; right now they’re down, to make it fit between the table and door. But the table is on wheels, so it doesn’t have to stay in that space. When I use it for entertaining, I can roll it to wherever it is most useful (even out on the back porch) and lift-up the two side leaves for more serving space! And, I didn’t have to buy anything new to create this, just used what I already had! Also, to make room for the drinks table, next to the dining table, I had to move a rocking chair that was there (gathering piles of stuff) — which I moved into my “office/crafts room” (a former small bedroom, also re-purposed), and put it next to sunny french doors. So, now I can sit and read in comfort and privacy, with a bonus view of the garden! Wow, it was a win-win all around! Once I started thinking, “What can I use that I already have?” the ideas just kept flowing. Thanks so much for your inspiring magazine!
Hay rake tines arranged into a huge flower for my shed, an old window as the door to a cabinet housing necessities for my bathroom and another for a guest room drink center’s items, an old wooden carpentry tool box for a planter…..their character and stories they have to tell of life and love and home.
I just picked up two lovely wooden boxes from the recycling at our warehouse. They are about 30″x 20″ x 3″. They have sliding lids and the box inside is divided into compartments. They must have been put out by one of the cabinet shops in the warehouse complex as they are really beautifully made. They are damp from the rain, but I’ve got them inside drying out. I think I will give decoupage a try and use them for craft supplies.
I found an old quilt top at an antique store that was hand sewn and never finished, I plan on finishing this masterpiece for its intended use that I am sure someone wanted to finish but may have never got the chance.
I moved into a townhouse apartment from deep hill country. I hated it but had no choice as the house I was in was filled with mold, making me sick, with a landlord who would not do the right thing. I found two sets of old crusty shutters at an antique mall. Didn’t have clue why, but they called me, and I bought them
When I got home they were one panel short on each side.
I had scrap 1×8 lumber, cut it to the same height. The width was perfect. I bought hardware, figured out how to attach the side panels so they folded correctly, hung them on my drafty giant kitchen window. And painted them a lovely lilac. I felt like a little country came to life in my city apartment. What piece it gave. This country girl reluctantly moved into the city, giving up my chickens and the deep quiet.
Silly as it sounds those shutters gave me much satisfaction!! And kept noise and cold out.
A friend turned me on to MaryJane’s Farm magazine the 3rd year into publication. I immediately ordered every back issue I could get with the exception of the first issue. I have been hooked ever since. I love the idea of a simpler life including recipes, patterns, ideas and books! I have all the maryjane books. My passion is vintage clothing and linens but i expanded into the realm of rust and i’m never going back. I love used stuff and repurposing to create beautiful and useful items. My problem is trying to reel in my interests so i am not so scattered. There are never-ending ideas for repurposing just about anything. My home is a cross between museum and shop but it sure is fun. I never have bored guests.
I love turning found and vintage linens into new items. 🙂 aprons and tablecloths are favorites.
So enjoy the magazine!!! Unlike a lot of the mags these days… Yours is not full of advertisements but rather project and story and recipe…one after another! Enjoy making and learning all kinds of things!
We are using old barn doors and ladders to display antique tools on.
Also using mini champagne bottles and beer bottles for single cut posies.
My daughter (who I recently gave a subscription of your magazine helped me make a cup holder from an old shutter. Put little hooks the breadth of it and hangs antique cups on it, quite beautiful in my minds eye. Barbara
I thought I did leave a comment!
My daughter helped me make a cup display out of an old shutter, we put hooks on it to hang antique cups on, turned out very pretty.
I have given her a subscription if your magazine for this Christmas, I love it so much
I have been into upcycling before it had a name. Huge fan of garage sales, estate sales. Get so much inspiration from projects shown in MJF magazine. Great way to save money on my limited SS income.
Looks like a great book. It would be a great gift for my mother-in law. She loves to find old antique furniture and turn it into something amazing.
I recycled an old wooden tool box that my father had made years ago. I stained it, painted over the stain in blue and then distressed it to show some of the wood stain underneath. As a last touch I stenciled a Bee and some scrolled designs on one side. Now it holds potted plants on my back porch and reminds me of my father who passed away 13 years ago.
I have read several of the comments and have come up with….”Oh, I did that” or “I want to do that”
I have made a quilt out of old blue jeans, using the pockets as well as the zippers and waist band. I have made old jeans into purses for little girls, cute aprons with embellishments on the pockets and hem and bibs for babies. So cute, all of them.
I too, keep broken pieces of pottery, interesting glass and mirrors to use later in a mosaic project. (I found an old table on the side of the road, it had a mirror top. I took the mirror off and will be making a mosaic for the top. And plan to use it on my front porch. The sides and legs are made of metal and it is gonna look soooo cute.
I use old bedsteds in my garden for climbing peas and any other vine.
So many things … I LOVE to recycle and upcycle.
Having spent my life thrift-storing before it was fashionable, I now enjoy recycling and reinventing my found treasures because it makes me happy! My issues of Mary Jane helps to inspire and refresh my passion for creating things I love from someone’s castoffs. Is there any other way to live? ❤️
My daughters and I practice what we call “treasure rescue”. We find solid wood furniture that is ugly and battered and we restore and paint them, changing pulls and fixtures if necessary. We are always so proud when we rescue something that was destined for a landfill and give it a second life.
My favorite upcycling is done with jeans…tote bags, pot holders, book covers, quilts, etc.
The inspiration from your magazine and books validates my dumpster diving soul. The phrase my sister hears most often from me as we go junking is… “I can craft with that!”
I made those too!
Everytime I open your magazine I find a perfect idea for one of the many items of junk/treasures saved.
I am stripping my old 1970’s Lane Cedar Chest. I’m going to paint it, distress it and make a padded top for it to be a bench in our bedroom. So many ideas, it’s hard to choose!
Your magazine has inspired me for many years. I upcycle everything imaginable…from pallets to clothing, you name it. Everything has use in a new life if we put on our creativity glasses. Thank you for your inspiration.
I love Mary Jane’s Farm Magazine. I read every word and I have kept every magazine. That being said I have a hard time throwing anything away because I can see it as something else. I repurpose every chance I get to make new things out of something or just to make something look fresh. I will buy something new and turn it into something that looks old. I love it. Love the recipes too!
I re-use containers, such as coffee containers, to become my compost scraps savers. Keeps it staying neater and can cover it with the lid, plus I don’t have to empty it so often.
When we moved to our farm, my husband and I referred to our discoveries as “FIB” – Found In Barn. Two of my favorites are an ornate wrought iron gate that we cleaned up and turned into a headboard, and a marble furniture top that now sits on our old Singer treadle sewing machine base to make a very functional sewing table. My husband has since taken up blacksmithing, and the pile of metal scraps FIB are slowly but surely turning into coat hooks, birdhouse decor, and even hand-held garden tools!