The Enchanted Wine Bottles

Three wine bottles have been upcycled, and fairy lights are hanging from them from a reclaimed wooden surface. The project incorporates distinctive components like lace to improve the design and was motivated by the romantic aesthetic. The fabrication procedure is explained, and the finished item is assessed in light of its functionality and visual appeal. InspirationThe romantic style and the use of wine bottles and fairy lights in interior design served as inspiration for the project. While I used reclaimed wood and delicate lace to…

Upcycle Project Progress: Enchanted Wine Bottles

Even the best-laid schemes can go wrong from time to time. That’s what occurred with my most recent upcycling endeavour, where I intended to use three wine bottles and fairy lights to create a romantic atmosphere. Despite making some headway on the project, I sadly ran into a problem when I tried to laser cut the wood surface. At first, I had imagined a gorgeous timber surface that was expertly carved and shaped. I made the decision to use a laser cutter to precisely cut…

Upcycle Project: Romantic Aesthetic

I can’t help but be excited about the possibility to develop a genuinely romantic aesthetic as I work on this upcycled project. I adore the concept of repurposing something obsolete into something fresh and lovely while also contributing to the environment. I first collected three different-sized and-shaped wine bottles, making sure they were all clean. I’ve considered painting them in a muted colour scheme of ivory, pink, and lilac. I kept my eyes on the wood’s surface. After smoothing it out with sandpaper, I designed…

Standing desk: Main Project Report, part 1

Hello Everyone! The purpose of this post is to explain everything about how I made this standing desk: this is my completed standing desk   full solidworks I am going to skip the part where I introduce my inspiration and initial design sketches, because those are already discussed in previous posts (see the prototype presentation). So let’s just get right into it. First, during the design phase, I really wanted my desk not to have any legs. But I did some engineering with Alex Thompson’s…

Final Stretch Progress: Japanese Jewelry Box

Final cuts on wood pieces At this time I have made it nearly all the way through the construction of the box. I have completed cutting each side of the box to the correct size using a handsaw and sanded each of them down using a power sander. It is a bit difficult to see from this image, but I also cut a false bottom of the box (barely smaller than the actual bottom piece) to incorporate a secret compartment. I also completed painting all…

Upcycle Update: Ukulele in Progress

For my Upcycle Project, I have decided to design a ukulele.  Given my love for music, this object was a natural fit.  My original intent was to make a violin, but in evaluating the feasibility of designing a functional instrument, I found the ukulele to be slightly less complicated, which will allow me greater freedom to experiment with aesthetics. One of my deepest inspirations for this project stems from my fascination with the Landfill Harmonic.  Not only is their ensemble name in itself a work…

Aesthetics Exploration: Tiny Homes

As someone who borders on the line of hoarder, I am mesmerized by the concept of tiny homes. Over the past decade, people have started to embrace the minimalistic lifestyle due to its low cost and environmental impact, as well as aesthetic appeal. Many tiny homes feature wood panelling and large windows giving them a seemingly open feel. The wood exterior is inviting and chic compared to the plastic or metal exteriors of camper vans and trailers. Most tiny homes have pitched roofs with overhangs for practically…

Sand Frame: Final Project Report Part 2

I am really happy  with how my project turned out. Finally the long hours of prototyping payed off. I think people at the expo liked my project. I am glad I build a wooden frame to go around the glass it really made a difference. What it means? I thought of what this means  for a while but wasn’t able to come up with a nice statement about it. However, just by asking people what they think they said that by looking at the sand falling down gave…

Ashley’s Skills

The featured image is a picture I took while machining some copper parts I made for a scientific rocket payload. I programmed the Prototrak CNC in the Idea Forge Shop to produce the parts.   A corner desk I’m in the process of finishing. I’ve had a lot of experience building and manufacturing things over the years. I’m pretty confident in my manufacturing and crafting skills. This list consists of things I’ve had a lot of experience with and am comfortable doing. I’ll admit there’s always more I can learn on these…

Industrially Influenced Drink Coaster

As a personal fan of the contemporary industrial aesthetic I wanted to capture it within my upcycling process. I appreciate the simplicity of this aesthetic, but also how it doesn’t sacrifice strength or quality. I wanted something that would be useful in my life, but also add a subtle intricacy that was not immediately evident. I chose to make a common household item, the drink coaster. Not immediately certain of my final design intent, I scavenged through the Manufacturing Center and machine shop in the ITLL.…

Modern Rustic Design

  The Modern Rustic aesthetic is my all-time favorite design style. Its warm, natural and inviting, yet also clean and simple. Also know as ‘rustic modern’, this design style became recognized at some point in the 20th century. The earliest book I could find describing this aesthetic was written in 2000 by Ali Hanan: “Modern Rustic: Natural Ideas for a Contemporary Lifestyle”. Hanan describes the style as “a natural, rural lifestyle” ideal for those looking to “improve their quality of life by adopting a country lifestyle.” As the…