A Fond Farewell to May—and One Last Temporary Creation
Somehow, it’s already the end of May—my favorite month. I love this time of year when everything feels like it's shifting: the weather, the light, the pace of things. It also means we’re wrapping up our “Make Something Temporary” project theme, and I’ve made one final attempt before we close it out.
This last piece was playful and a little chaotic, it reminded me that not everything we make has to last—sometimes the act of arranging, experimenting, and letting go is more than enough.
Now onward! In this issue, we’re also revealing June’s project theme, chosen by you, our voters—and I can’t wait to dive into it with you as we welcome the start of summer.
Let’s get into it →
💬 What’s Happening in the Community
We had a great time at Sunday’s Virtual Craft Meetup! We shared our in-progress projects, chatted about our weeks, and kept each other company while making. We’ll do it again in June—stay tuned for the date announcement next week!
Thanks to Lauren and Gabi for bringing the craft companionship.
Our Question of the Day fell a little behind, but we’re back at it today. Head over to the community and add your voice to today’s thread.
While you’re there, pop into our Thrift Addicts space and tell us: What’s your best thrifted find? We want to see those gems, whether it’s a weird vintage treasure or the perfect material score.
And a quick reminder—tie giveaway entries close May 31st! If you’ve got an idea for 150+ upcycled ties, now’s the time to post it in the Share Resources space.
🦋 And the Votes Are In…
🥁🥁🥁 Drumroll, please… June’s project theme is: BUTTERFLIES!
With a fluttering 72% of the vote, Butterflies soared to the top—and honestly, we couldn’t imagine a more perfect theme to kick off summer. Delicate, symbolic, and endlessly inspiring, this prompt invites you to create upcycled pieces that feature butterflies in shape, pattern, or spirit.
Whether you’re sewing, sculpting, collaging, or carving, we can’t wait to see what emerges.
📸 Share your butterfly-inspired creations in our Project Show & Tell space →
🦋 Project Inspiration: Butterfly Upcycles
To kick off our June theme, we’re highlighting creative takes on butterfly-inspired reuse. First up:
Rainbow Butterflies – Upcycled Can Art
SarahTurnerEcoDesign transformed multi-colored recycled cans into a work of art ready to flutter across the wall. Bold, bright, and beautifully resourceful—it’s a perfect mix of color and impact.
Image by SarahTurnerEcoDesign on Etsy
The original source is unknown, but this idea was too clever not to share: an upcycler used a butterfly punch and aligned each butterfly’s body along the divider line of paint swatches, creating a beautiful, multi-toned effect that feels both simple and striking.
And finally, a favorite for both simplicity and sustainability: butterflies made from milk jugs. With a bit of cutting, shaping, and painting, translucent plastic becomes delicate wings—proof that even everyday packaging can take flight.
Peo Vee Events
🧶 Next Craft Café & Supply Swap – June 8th
Join us Sunday, June 8th at Circular Library for our next Craft Café & Supply Swap! Bring a project to work on, extra supplies to swap, or just come for the creative company. It’s a low-key, feel-good afternoon of making, chatting, and connecting with fellow upcyclers.
🦋 On Remnants: Butterfly Finds
To celebrate this month’s theme, we’ve gathered a few of our favorite butterfly-inspired listings from across the Remnants seller network—from embroidered patches to vintage prints and fluttery fabrics.
Caught our 👀Butterfly Edition
🎨 Rorschach inkblots but for butterfly wings.
🪒 A butterfly juxtaposition: sharp and soft.
♼ A paper quilled wingspan.
🔬 An ethical specimen art concept.
That’s a wrap for this week! We’re closing out May with one last temporary creation and kicking off June with butterflies, meetups, creative questions, and colorful inspiration. Whether you’re dreaming up your next project or just popping into the community to say hi—we’re glad you’re here.
See you in the community,
Molly 💌
We're mission-driven to gather a community of upcyclers dedicated to reducing waste, sharing resources, sparking ideas, and bringing reuse to the forefront of our daily lives. But we can’t do it alone.
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This month’s creative prompt is Kaleidoscope—explore three inspired project ideas, a new giveaway element, and details on our next Craft Café, virtual meetup, and Christmas in July supply drop.