DIY project: Make a sunburst mirror out of old...

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Consumption is a word used to describe acts of acquisition – generally, the acquisition of things, in exchange for money.

Unconsumption is a word used to describe everything that happens after an act of acquisition.

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Unconsumption means the accomplishment of properly recycling your old cellphone, rather than the guilt of letting it sit in a drawer.

Unconsumption means the thrill of finding a new use for something that you were about to throw away.

Unconsumption means the pleasure of using a service like Freecycle (or Craigslist, Goodwill, or Salvation Army) to find a new home for the functioning DVD player you just replaced, rather than throwing it in the garbage.

Unconsumption means enjoying the things you own to the fullest – not just at the moment of acquisition.

Unconsumption means the pleasure of using a pair of sneakers until they are truly worn out – as opposed to the nagging feeling of defeat when they simply go out of style.

Unconsumption means feeling good about the simple act of turning off the lights when you leave the room.

Unconsumption is not about the rejection of things, or the demonization of things. It’s not a bunch of rules.

Unconsumption is an idea, a set of behaviors, a way of thinking about consumption itself from a new perspective.

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Brian W. Jones, designer & writer, Göteborg, Sweden

Kashvi Kumar, Environmental Studies and Economics major at New York University

Deirdre Nelson, ever threading artist, Glasgow, Scotland

Lee Sachs, writer, user experience consultant, filmmaker, New York, NY

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8:38 am - Sun, Jan 15, 2012: 78 notes

DIY project: Make a sunburst mirror out of old rulers and yardsticks.

To make: All you need are old rulers or yardsticks (look for them at thrift stores, or on sites such as Etsy and eBay), a mirror, saw, and wood glue.

Use a saw or miter box to cut each one to various lengths, and place around the mirror until you come up with a design that you like. Attach to your mirror using wood glue, layering the rulers on top of each other as you go. (via DIY Mirror Projects — Budget Wise Home; spotted on a Funky Junk Interiors Pinterest board.)

Bonus: Here’s a shot of a second mirror, also spotted on Pinterest, via this board. Would you be inclined to use that many rulers (or yardstick pieces) for just one project? I don’t think I would, but, then again, my own personal ruler/yardstick collection is pretty meager.