Upcycling and repair workshops

Upcycling and repair refers to taking an item destined for disposal and using one’s creativity and skill to give it a second lease of life – anything from a repair and fix job and to disassembling an item and using the pieces in a new project.

The Environmental Impact of Upcycling.

Upcycling has a largely positive effect on the environment. Our atmosphere has the most CO2 levels in history, and our oceans are full of rubbish and plastic.
Upcycling can help bring these numbers down by preventing the amount of waste that we discard.
By upcycling we remove the need to produce new or raw materials. By reducing this need, we can cut down on air pollution, water pollution, landfill use, and even greenhouse gas emissions.
By upcycling you are actually taking positive steps to impacting the environment for the better.

We run repair and upcycle workshops throughout the island when we can. We are looking at ways of securing premises for a permanent workshop than could be used for classes, a men’s shed and a tool library.

Coming up soon:
Keep an eye on our Facebook page for further workshops.

Transform old furniture with chalk paint

Chalk paint is a paint that is easily applied on just about everything. The great thing is that chalk paint requires no prepping or sanding of anything you wish to paint outside or inside. Covering easily and drying quickly, chalk paint provides a beautiful patina, and your distressed item comes out looking wonderful with very little effort. Making your own chalk paint with scraps of emulsion paint is a great way to use up leftover paint, and upcycle on a budget.

Plaster of Paris chalk paint recipe

  • 1 cup emulsion paint

  • 1-1/2 tablespoons water

  • 2-1/2 tablespoons Plaster of Paris