HABITAT FOR HUMANITY UPCYCLING CHALLENGE at THE TORONTO HOME SHOW

If you are reading this you most likely will have seen me mention this event on my face book and linked in pages.  This year I am participating in the challenge where everyone involved was given the challenge to recreate/up cycle an old door into something new and useful.  Don't forget to vote for me...     http://a.pgtb.me/7vXrK

I had tons of ideas at first but then realized I had to select a door that I could carry and that would fit in my vehicle so that changed my thinking a lot.  I decided on a light weight door which I in turn created a fun Child's Creative Art and Organization Centre.  I had so much fun checking out what could be found at the Habitat Restores and a Reuse Centre I am familiar with.  Basically everything on my project is recycled except the tiny white board and chalk.  One doesn't find used chalk usually.  Some of the pieces I picked up were really ugly but I picked off the 'uglies' and sanded, painted and made them look good.  There was a box with tons of wooden cylinders with holes in them that nobody at the Restore  knew what they had been used for originally but I had a 'lightbulb' moment and took them off their hands. They were painted and the alphabet attached to them and they now adorn the top of my creation.   I also added a couple to the bottom to be used to hang a bag or hat on.   Below are the before and after photos .....

                

                    

       

 Opps!     I forgot to take a before of this little basket
   

My Final Creation

Walls of Hope doing more great work in the community....

Once again Walls of Hope,  www.wallsofhopecanada.org have done a remarkable job in helping in the community.  At the end of April the Halton Trauma Centre was taken over by volunteers led by Sera Mansueto, the founder of W of H.  It is Sera's belief that your environment makes such an impact on our lives.  The Halton Trauma Centre is a unique and specialized community-based agency providing clinical assessment and treatment services to children, adolescents and families affected by child abuse.

Established in 1983, and treating over 300 families per year, Halton Trauma Centre has come to be widely recognized as a leader in the field of childhood interpersonal abuse (physical, sexual, or emotional).

HTC was selected because of the positive impact they have with children, the contribution they provide to the community and because HTC’s needs met and exceeded our selection criteria requirements.  Here are some of the wonderful photos from the makeover.....

Debbie Travis supports Walls of Hope in her new series "All for One"

This past spring, Debbie Travis challenged different communities across Canada to step up to the plate and honor their hometown heroes. These are the people who are the glue of a community. The go-to people. The folks that make the place we live, well, just better. All For One is a heady mix of construction, decorating, family, friends and most of all community. It is about an entire neighbourhood coming together. It is modern day ‘barn raising’.  The "hero" selected from Oakville was a lovely woman, Sera Mansueto who is the person who started helping others and started Walls of Hope.http://www.wallsofhopecanada.com/

Founded in 2005, Walls of Hope has already helped the lives of 10 families. We believe that through home transformations we can create an environment that will inspire and create a home atmosphere that does not reflect the hard circumstances a family has fallen into. We have witnessed this philosophy work!!!!

Walls of Hope looks for families who have fallen on hard times, through no fault of their own, and are truly trying to change their lives for the better. We prefer to work with famlies with children as they are the innocent ones.

A colleague of mine, Linda Graydon is very involved in this charitable foundation called "Walls of Hope". I felt this was something I would like to be involved in so I mentioned to her "count me in".  The project we were involved in was right here in Oakville where Debbie re-designed several rooms in the home of the woman who started Walls of Hope way back.  She is always helping others and not taking any time for herself or her own home so...... Debbie along with many people from Walls of Hope and neighbours, friends, etc jumped in and took over this house for 5 days to create something really special and it was done while Sera, the owner was away so when she returned home she in for a huge surprise.  So glad she loved what was done!!  It really looked splendid.  Photos of the home are below.

All For One with Debbie Travis launches 26th of September at 9:00 pm on CBC Television.  The home in Oakville will be aired October 31.  If you miss it go to and have a look   www.debbietravis.com/blog.

Below are some photos to show just a "few" of the many people who helped make this such a success and are courtesy of Karen Hubert.!!

Debbie and a couple of Walls of Hope members create gorgeous lampshades.

Another great idea to raise money for Walls of Hope was the creation of a calendar of some of the great men who worked on this project along with a "ladies only" evening at Oliver & Bonacini http://www.oliverbonacini.com/ where these great guys  strutted their stuff on the "catwalk" and were auctioned off.  They volunteered 4 hours of their personal expertise to the lucky ladies who bid the highest and all of the money raised goes directly to help Walls of Hope help others.  What a great idea!!

Debbie announcing the Walls of Hope "Studs" to be auctioned off.

A quick peek at what you missed! (photo courtesy of Audrey Madconald)

p.s.  The first printing of the calendars sold out, but there will be more coming...

Here are some of the photos of rooms we worked on

Daughter's Room

Another Daughter's Room

Master Bedroom

New Office for Walls of Hope