Sepia Saturday challenges bloggers to share family history through old photographs. The obvious focus of this week’s Sepia Saturday photo prompt is the bicycle. Next to that first automobile, a first bike generates the most vivid memories. I was rather old for a first bike, probably 8 or 9. No training wheels for me – too big for that. Helmet? Oh pish posh – the concern for children’s safety was many years away. There weren’t enough head injuries and lawsuits yet to warrant such a thing. My bike might have been a gift from my Grandma and Granddaddy Davis, but I don’t really remember. I can remember bike shopping with them though. We went to a hardware store where there were rows and rows of colorful bikes. Schwinn was the only name I had heard of. Yes, I should have a Schwinn. But that’s not what I got. Me with my patient Granddaddy Davis My first bike was a 20” Rollfast, green fenders with white pinstripes. My granddaddy must have drawn the short straw because he is the one who put in the effort to help me learn to ride. My grandparents’ large grassy yard made a good practice field. Day after day, Granddaddy held onto that seat and ran alongside as I pedaled and pedaled and struggled to stay balanced. If he let go, I panicked and promptly toppled over. Remnants of the ball field -- the backstop is there but the snack bar and dugouts are gone. from Google Maps Sometimes we went across the street to the Little League ball field where I “rode the bases.” My parents and grandparents, who all were worn out trying to teach me to ride a bike, thought maybe flat dry dirt would be easier to ride on than on grass. But no. It was just harder when I fell, which I did a lot. But I remember the moment when I finally “got it.” Granddaddy was holding the back of the seat, like always, running alongside. As I made the turn at the corner of the yard and headed back, there was Granddaddy IN FRONT of me back at the starting point. Look at me go! I was riding a bike! Ahhh -- I can still see that little green bike. Because it’s in my garage!! I can’t part with it. It’s my first bike. It’s my only bike. (By the time I was big enough for a bigger bike, I had lost interest.) The handle bars are rusted. The tires are dry-rotted. The leather seat is chipped. I know -- it's silly. from Google Images I had thought about hanging it on a wall as art. But even I can see that my precious little Rollfast has no artistic merit. It’s not like it carried me into the medals ceremony at the Olympics. from Google Images I’ve also considered using it as garden art. My Rollfast might make a pretty good trellis for Morning Glory or Clematis. In the meantime it's a home to spiders and memories of my granddaddy running. For more stories about bikes, pedal over to Sepia Saturday. ©2014, Wendy Mathias. All rights reserved.
It’s time to turn rusty bicycle wheels into spectacular new items for your home with these creative ideas. They are cool and very practical things for indoor spaces. Also, these easy DIY projects give your bicycle wheel a makeover and a new purpose instead of letting them become a waste to send to the junkyard. […]
Ladders, bicycles. sinks and ladles - these are all great vintage decorations for your garden. Add some vintage flair with these creative ideas.
Check out these creative old bicycle ideas you can make into garden art for your yard.Reuse vintage bikes in your home decor. These awesome uses for an old bike is a great way to decorate on a budget.
One of the ways to incorporate vintage elements in home decor is through wall decor. Decorating the wall with vintage elements can embrace the past while creating an inviting and eclectic look.
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Explore Zoë Power's 7165 photos on Flickr!
Check out these creative old bicycle ideas you can make into garden art for your yard.Reuse vintage bikes in your home decor. These awesome uses for an old bike is a great way to decorate on a budget.
I love the look of this vintage bicycle in my flower garden. See how I transformed an ordinary basket into a bicycle basket planter.
Decorating your bike is an opportunity to have fun and show off your personality to the world. So, we thought we'd give you some prompts before you get accessorising! You can buy some of these decorations, make some with ease, and some will be longer-term projects. We've included a range. So, no matter your DIY levels, you'll be able to find something to inspire your bike alterations. After rummaging through the depths of the internet, we have whittled it down to our 30 favourite decorations to make your bike - or your kids' bike - stand out in a crowd! 1. Colour Chip Wheels If you're short on time or lack artistic ability, this is a great way to add some colour to your bicycle. Just slide some colour chips (the small colour charts for paints) between the spokes and layer until they cover the inner wheel. If you arrange them in colour order, they will create a swirling blur of the rainbow as you cycle. It's sure to catch the eyes of every passer-by. (Image Credit) 2. The Furry Disguise Looking for a way to hide the battery of your electric bike? Or have you just watched too much Tiger King in lockdown? Dress up your bicycle with a stuffed animal for a highly original look. To make it simple to wash, strap it up with Velcro so you can take it on and off with ease. You'll have a roaring time! (Image Credit) 3. Crochet Skirt Guard A skirt guards original purpose is to prevent your skirt, floaty trousers or long coat from getting trapped in the wheel of your bicycle. But, it doesn't have to simply be practical! Crochet patterns into your skirt guard to add some life to your bike. You can either buy one pre-made or channel your inner Tom Daley at the Olympics. (Image Credit) 4. Handlebar Tassels An oldie but a goodie. Fun for passers-by, fun for parents to watch, and certainly fun for the cyclist. Watching them blow in the wind is one of life's simplest pleasures. You can match your handlebar tassels to your bike to create a cohesive and stylish look. Or, contrast them to add another pop of colour. (Handlebar Tassels) 5. Cute Shapes In Spokes Have fun cutting out hearts, flowers, stars, and any other shapes that you fancy. Use coloured card or felt. Or, if you're feeling especially creative, doodle on and colour in your shapes. Customisable and low cost - this is a great way to jazz up your wheels! (Image Credit) 6. Grow Flowers in a Basket Have you ever wanted a portable garden? Well, you can look no further than your bike basket. So long as it has a plant pot of equivalent within, you can take your flowers on the road. What's more joyful than having a bunch of flowers in your basket? Surely only having flowers that are still growing! (Image Credit) 7. Horsing Around This arts and crafts project may take some time, but we promise it's worth it. Use cardboard, paints, and pens to create your horse head. Then, attach it to the bike frame, and voila! You've transformed your whole riding experience. It's a bicycle accessory you'll never forget seeing and certainly never forget riding! (Image Credit) 8. Spare Piece of Fabric Frame If you've got old sheets, clothes, or fabric scraps that you don't know what to use for - try wrapping them around your bike. You can give your bicycle a colour scheme or use all the colours of the rainbow to give the bike frame a new lease of life. (Image Credit) 9. Balloon Arch A simple but effective DIY. Blow up multicoloured balloons and attach them to a pool noodle, shaping them into an arch. This is intended for a parade or stationary bike rather than practical cycling, as it partially blocks the cyclist's vision. But, a fun art piece nonetheless. (Image Credit) 10. Spray Paint Transform your old bike into any colour (or colours) you want! This is a great way to make your old bike feel brand new by completely altering it until it's unrecognisable. You could even spray paint your bike helmet to match! And, how often do you get to feel like Banksy? (Image Credit) 11. Pipe Cleaner Spokes A cool bike alteration where the components are probably already in your arts and crafts box. Wrap coloured pipe cleaners around the spokes of your road bike to transform your wheels! (Image Credit) 12. Polka Dots Simple, yet classic. The polka dot is hard to get wrong, and when you get it right, it oozes glamour. Cover your frame head to toe in spots to make your bike riding effortlessly classy. (Image Credit) 13. Pinwheel Pinwheels are another bicycle craft that you can either make or buy. Fix to the front or rear of your bike, then watch it spin as you cycle away. You'll never want to stop! 14. Stars and Cans Crush down leftover fizzy pop cans and cut pieces of card into star shapes. Then create tiny holes in your stars and thread string through. You've got super cute decorations to trail behind you! They'll make noises as the metal cans bounce while you cycle, adding to the fun. (Image Credit) 15. Little Tassels Tiny tassels are a fun way to add colour and personalisation to your bike in a more understated way. Wrap the tassels around your basket to liven it up, or alternatively, you could use a pom pom garland for a similarly playful effect. (Gingersnap Bike) 16. Home-made Licence Plate Making a licence plate is an easily accessible arts and crafts project. It involves nothing more than some card, coloured pens, and zip ties. Write your kid's name and lucky numbers to make it extra personal. They'll love the feeling of being real motorists with their new cool bike accessory. Plus, it's a great way to introduce them to the rules of the road. (Image Credit) 17. Flower Power Flowers are one of the most popular bicycle accessories. Why not celebrate that by threading them through your spokes? Use fresh flowers and change them out every week or so. Or, you can use plastic or paper flowers for a permanent and gorgeous addition to your bike frame. (Image Credit) 18. Stripes It may look challenging to get those perfect lines, but there's a really simple way to get this effect. And, we'll share it with you! First, paint your whole bike the lighter colours, avoiding the saddle, tires, handles, and spokes. Then, use masking tape to cover sections and paint the whole bike again. Peel the masking tape off, and you've got a stripey masterpiece - easy peasy! (Image Credit) 19. Multi-Purpose Basket Using your picnic basket as a table? Genius. But, we're not sure how precarious all their treats are. We don't know about you, but we're on the edge of our seat hoping the goods don't topple out! You don't have to be afraid for the safety of your food though. Decorating a bike with basket in itself elevates it (plus, you get to snack en route.) Anyway, part of the fun of a picnic is sitting on the blanket and eating off the floor, right? (Image Credit) 20. Save Your Straws If you've given up drinking from plastic straws to save the turtles but still have a pack in the back of your cupboard - this is a great option. Cover your spokes with plastic straws to give a similar effect to LED lights - at a fraction of the cost. (Image Credit) 21. Adorable Bike Locks While not technically part of the bike, a bike lock is an essential purchase for bike owners. Decorating your bike as well as the ones on this list comes with the risk of everyone wanting it, so you should invest in a great lock. 22. Flag Fun Watch your flag flap in the wind as you pedal. Reminiscent of go-karts, it's a fun way to decorate your bike without having to alter the frame itself. And, the flag can be made, bought, or repurposed into a cool bike accessory - the choice is yours! (Image Credit) 23. Cardboard Creations While we are sure this wasn't easy to make by a long shot, the payoff is great! Your kids can cycle around pretending they're living in Jurrasic time. Expect them to want to spend even more time on their bicycle! Top Tip: Shape small circles of card into cones and tape them to the top of your child's bicycle helmet to make them into dinosaurs too! (Image Credit) 24. Crocheted Saddle Cover This is a great way to try out a new skill, and as a bonus, you can simultaneously refresh your bike seat. Plus, you can get creative with funky designs! Or if you get hooked on crocheting - make a couple to alternate between, keeping your seat fresh and exciting. (Image Credit) 25. Beads for Bike Spokes They're fun, they're easy, and they're cheap - what's not to love? Covering your spokes in beads is a simple way to decorate your bike but incredibly effective. And it only takes seconds to place them on. Stick to a colour scheme or use the colours of the rainbow to contrast against your tires. (Image Credit) 26. Go Metallic Even though it's only a lick of paint, using such a stand out colour can make your bike appear so much more exciting. Or, if you're not sure about committing to a fully metallic bike - try our metallic Noodle Mudguards for a toned-down glow. With an extra shine, your bike will be the coolest bike on the block. (Image Credit) 27. Duct Tape Bike Seats Use duct tape to jazz up a plain seat. Or, if you're feeling sneaky, to disguise a damaged saddle. Take a piece of duct tape and cover the scuff, then continue over the rest of the seat until you have covered it. We guarantee you won't be able to tell where the damage was! (Image Credit) 28. Ribbon Spokes A fuss-free decoration. Just tie ribbon scraps around the spokes on your wheels and listen to the rustle when they catch the wind. It's so satisfying! (Image Credit) 29. Home-made Garland Here at Bobbin, we offer the chance to get crafty but with some help. Our basket garland craft kit comes with everything you need to make a top-notch decoration. So, you don't have to worry about sourcing the items individually. It's a fun, simple, and delightful addition to any bike! (Gingersnap Bike With Stabilisers) 30. Umbrella Holder This is just the ticket for the British weather. There's sadly no point in the year when you can be sure there won't be a drizzle. So, having this handy tool may regularly prevent you from getting soaked. The attachment clips between your handlebars on one side, and to an umbrella on the other side. This is to cover the area you sit in while you're cycling. It might not protect you from all the elements, but we'd sure rather have it than not! (Image Credit) Round-Up So, that's it! After scouring high and low, these were our absolute favourite crafty decorations and alterations to bicycles. From Dinosaurs to tassels - we've covered all bases in our hunt for the best bicycle accessories. Hopefully, we've inspired you to get creative when accessorising your bicycle. There are so many ways to add some personality to your bike. Are you still searching for your dream bike to modify? Have a look at our kid's bikes or our adult bikes range today!
There are some beautiful bicycles out there, but they need a bit of TLC to return their luster - here are a few usefull vintage bike restoration tips!
This is a hand made item of recycled bicycle parts. Flowers & stand approx. 18" tall. Shipping goes by weight and zip code. International inquire for rates to your country
If you'd like to create an old, classical or traditional look to your garden, these Gardening With Antiques ideas will definitely intrigue you.
Check out these creative old bicycle ideas you can make into garden art for your yard.Reuse vintage bikes in your home decor. These awesome uses for an old bike is a great way to decorate on a budget.
Beautiful Antique Bike Poster. Art Nouveau Bicycle Print. Home Decor Wall Art in an Antique Style. This item is a high-quality fine art reproduction of an original antique poster. Printed on superior quality matte paper for beautiful texture and vibrant colours. Giclee prints are regarded as true fine-art reproductions, and we use the highest quality materials available today. Prints are carefully rolled and shipped in sturdy cardboard tube-mailers, or cardboard backed envelope-mailers. 15+ years in online selling experience. Satisfaction guaranteed. All orders are shipped out within 5 business days. If you’d like any adjustments made to the prints (colours, cropping, etc...) let us know! Up to 7 print sizes are available to purchase, designed to fit standard frames: 5x7″ - Standard print size (postcard) 8x10″ - Standard print size 11x14″ - Standard print size 12x16″ - Standard print size (Fits in IKEA RIBBA frames) 13x19″ - Standard print size 16x20″ - Standard print size 18x24″ - Standard print size If you're interested in ordering a size that isn't listed, please contact us. Please note, we sell unframed prints. IKEA RIBBA Prints are specifically sized for these two frames: https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/p/ribba-frame-white-90378427/ https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/p/ribba-frame-black-30378425/ Check out our store here: https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/EncorePrintSociety?ref=l2-shopheader-name More art nouveau posters here: https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/EncorePrintSociety?section_id=16693505&ref=shopsection_leftnav_2 BIC009
I’m married to a cycling fanatic who also happens to be a bloody good artist too. So my life is either filled with our gorgeous family’s life, wedding & event planning or bikes. So …
I’m so excited to join my friends Ann of Dabbling & Decorating and Rachel of The Ponds Farmhouse each month for a blog hop in honor of our weekly #thriftingwiththegals read the post → about Decorating With Vintage Bikes
This large bicycle wheel table lamp features a gold rim perched on a cedar base with a black metal shade and rope covered cord with inline switch. It’s perfect for a kids room, dorm, game room, office or man cave. A nice gift idea for the bicycle enthusiast! Made in our own shop, it measures 24” high, 24” wide and approximately 8” deep. Base measures 15 1/2” long 7 1/2” wide. It has a generous cord over 7’ long. Ships FREE in one business day USPS or Fed Ex. Visit my Etsy shop for more vintage items and collectibles. We are always adding new items and there is something for everyone. https://silkpursesnsowsears.etsy.com/
