DIY - Upcycle!

Two little projets that I did during the last weeks. The first one is a made from an old plastic jerrycan that once contained washing liquid. I saw this on another blog some time ago but had to wait patiently for the can to be empty so I could turn it into this:

We live in a rather old house and our sockets are at the most curious places resulting in some troubles to find a suitable place to recharge the cell phones without risking it falling down or one of us stepping on it. With this handy little container the phone can now hang right under the socket and recharge.  What I did is I cut off the top of the can and cut the rest into the shape you can see on the picture below. The hole was quite hard to make because it has to be big enough for the plug to fit through but also the left over plastic should not be too thin that it would rip easily. To make it a little pretty, I put a ribbon with polka dots around it. 

The second project is this fabric tube to collect old plastic bags. It was a Sunday and I woke up quite early with itchy fingers telling be that it's time for something creative. Getting annoyed by all the little plastic bags flying around in our flat and keeping the drawer where we decided to put them from closing, I remembered that we had such a thing in my student flat.

So I searched a bit on the internet, figured out how it could be done and half an hour later it was done. It was easy, really. And super handy! Every plastic bag is just crumbled up and stuffed in at the top. And if you need one, you just pull one out at the bottom.

It's an easy way to collect some plastic bags which then in a second step can be transformed into fabric. You might have seen this on other blogs: people that lay plastic bags on top of each other, put baking paper under and over it and iron that until they are sticking together. With the plastic you can do some cool things like little toilet bags or even big ones for shopping or the beach. I made some stuff out of ironed plastic bags, but I gave them away for christmas without taking pictures before :( 

Have fun upcycling your life! <3

Words are all we have...

And then you find this one song, that fills your hearts, stirrs up your emotions, makes you feel alive.

Bastille - Overjoyed - Acapella Version - L.O.V.E

Counterpart Travel - Uganda

In 2009 I went to Uganda to work there as a volunteer. It was by accident that I stumbled over an article in a dutch magazine for students where the work of Counterpart Travels was presented. Some days after reading the article I wrote a mail and some more days later I bought my ticket. I spent six wonderful weeks there, always felt save and connected. It couldn't have been a greater, more fullfilling time.

Africa.

Uganda has such a rich culture as well as a wonderful landscape. There are several national parks and nature and wild life whereever you look. Jinja with the source of the Nile, lake Bunyoni in the South, Gorillas in the mountains and the Big 5 in the national parks. 

The Source of the Nile.

Monkey in the tree.

For the first weeks I worked at Jessy-Johnny-Boarding School which is an elementary school just outside the center of Mukono. I was teaching English there and just blown away by the motivation, curiosity and thrist for knowledge. The kids were awesome, soaking up every information. 

Jessy-Johnny-Boarding School.

My class.

I went there in December and holidays started so the school closed down and I started working at an orphanage. It also has a school connected to it and takes special care for children with sight impairments. Together with the rest of the staff we tried to put up some activities for the holidays with almost zero money but those kids are experts and just know how to create something awesome out of nothing. 

The orphanage "Chain Foundation".

I know a lot of people who would love to go abroad and work as a volunteer but most organizations ask for a lot of money just for getting you a place to work without being paid. Counterpart Travel are located for several years now in Mukono, a town not far from the capital, Kampala. They are part of the town, employ local people and are by doing that in contact with local schools, hospitals, pharmacies, etc. That's why thay can find you a place to work as a volunteer that suits your profile in exchange for a donation to their foundation to fincance their projects there like mircro financing, building up a yoghurt company etc..

The local transport system in Uganda, bus stop in Kampala.

Upon my arrival I stayed some days in Kampala and got an introduction to the culture and the city and learned everything I needed to know to go on my first boda-boda drive. When I came to Mukono Charles, the coordinator, took me to schools so I could see where I want to spend my time. I stayed at the guest house of Counterpart Travels with other volunteers, which worked or to studied to become nurses, pharmacists, economists or lawyers.

The market in Mukono.

A friend of mine, Sylvie, went to Uganda just some months after my return. She worked as a teacher in the same orphanage I did and really enjoyed it. And now she is back since December 2012, taking over the management of Counterpart Travels with her boyfriend Maurits.

So if you got excited and you think that the Ugandan experience could be something for you, then don't hesitate to contact her and ask about your possibilities!

http://www.counterparttravels.com/en/

http://www.facebook.com/CounterpartTravels?fref=ts

Saying Goodbye

Étagère

I got a hot glue gun for Christmas so yesterday I finally did what I wanted to do for years. Some months ago I bought everything I need for it in my favourite little second hand store around the corner and with the glue gun I was at last able to put them togther: a pretty, simple etagere. At first I wanted to make it one story higher but I liked the way it looked with just the two and I also didn't want it to be too high to put it on the middle of the table.

The only problem was to be quick enough to put the pieces together. Once the hot glue was on the bottom of the cup I only had some seconds before the hot glue had been cooled down by the cold of the porcelain. That's why it is not super duper straight but still for the first try I am pretty satisfied with the outcome.

The napkin holder next to it by the way was a present from my sister that I got for Christmas 

and I really love it! 

Home again

Christmas and New Years Eve are behind us. It was a lot of fun to be home, spending time with friends, my family, my awesome little nephew, my cousins and all the other people. Christmas Eve was very nice and relaxed with my family at my mums place. Sitting under the Christmas tree with my little 2-year old nephew trying to convince us that it was him that put it there and helping us opening all our presents. I got a lot of wunderful things even though I enjoy giving presents almost more than receiving them. Guess I am getting old. 

We spent New Years Eve with some of my close friends at my place, eating Raclette and playing games, having some champagne and watching the fire works of the neighbors. Just a cozy evening full of love and laughter... that's seems to be the perfect ending to 2012 as well as the best start into 2013. 

Now its time for a new start, new goals, new perspectives, new challenges. According to the fortune telling with lead pouring on New Years Eve, a new project as well as a lot of work lie ahead of me... Hearing that just evokes the wish to stay in bed and hide under the blanket. 

Be brave, everone, face your fears and accept the new challenges and 

2013 will be as good as 2012! <3