I'm not very reliable when it comes to New Year's resolutions. Since they always involve exercising more or consuming less, it seems pointless to just motivate myself once a year when really, I need a kick in the pants every month.

However, 2011 will be different. I have a plan of attack for taking better care of myself (early morning yoga!) and developing habits that are good for me and the planet. I recently started obsessing over upcycling. That's just a fancy term for taking something old and remaking it into something new. I've already stacked a pile of sweaters to repurpose and I have old knitting projects that didn't quite work out as I'd planned. So I'm going to unravel them and reuse the yarn.

There are some amazingly inspirational blogs for those who are new to the DIY world or just need more ideas to ignite your own creative spark. New Dress a Day is a fun place to spend some time. This woman gave herself a budget of $1 a day and reworked old, often ugly clothes into wearable outfits. She started the project after she was laid off from her job (and she obviously does not have kids), but her effort is inspirational regardless of how much free time you have.

Another great site to check out is ThreadBanger. I found out about this site while I was looking for free video podcasts on iTunes before a trip. The instructional videos are addicting, even if it's a project you never thought of making. From converting men's shirts to skirts or creating a necklace out of old zippers, you can find new ways to reuse pretty much anything. Apparently, the site is going through some changes and there won't be any new video,s but there is an extensive archive to watch.

You may be short on time or completely skeptical. Hey, I get it. I hardly have time to do the things I need to do, much less things I'd like to do. Still, learning new skills and doing my part to keep old clothes out of landfills make me want to give upcycling clothes a try. I'll start off by picking a project that isn't too difficult. Having success with something small will go a long way to convincing me to try more difficult ones.

Share some of your favorite craft sites or ideas in the comments.