As I mentioned in my last post, Ring My Chimes, I want to spend lots of time this year building things using re-purposed materials – making new from old. I have long wanted to make some bonsai pots, table lamps and a few other creations locked up in my imagination using concrete, grout or some other cementitious product.
As I started to research what types of products would work well for these projects, I found a YouTube video by a certain Ben Uyeda. Ben runs a very interesting website called HomeMade Modern.
Ben Uyeda is a designer, lecturer, and entrepreneur focusing on the field of affordable and sustainable design. Ben is also the co-founder and design director of FreeGreen.com, as well as a visiting Lecturer at Northeastern University.
I have looked over his FreeGreen site and am hoping that Ben might submit an article or more to us about what he is doing and how his efforts are making a difference for folks.
Oh yes … back to concrete. Ben produces some great videos that I know you will find interesting. What I like most about his videos are that they are short, to the point, informative, FUN and most of all, creatively inspiring. Having watched a few videos, I was armed with all sorts of ideas on how to achieve some of my creative goals and what products to try first. I contacted Quikrete (a product he uses) and got back some excellent information and have just finished some ‘tests’ using a non shrink grout. I will post some images on Facebook soon of these experiments.
But enough about me! This is about Ben and his fun videos. So, without further adieu, here are a few videos for you to watch. Enjoy … and if you create something, please be sure to beam back over to this post and let us know what you did!
DIY Concrete Vases
Note: I sent Ben an e-mail asking what mix he used and he replied that it is Quikrete commercial grade countertop mix.
DIY Concrete Pendant Lamps
Read more about some of the very cool things Ben is doing here: Who Creates
Find Ben on Twitter
Photo Credits
Photos are screen caps from Ben’s videos
[…] January when I posted Making Things Out Of Concrete showing some of Ben Uyeda’s concrete creations, I […]