Be careful diving in Dumpsters

The Salvage Sisters – aka Kathleen Hackett and Mary Ann Young – are part of the burgeoning genre of women who write about Dumpster-diving and using cast-offs creatively.

Hackett and Young, who are actually sisters, have impressive credentials. Hackett is the former executive book editor for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, and has written for Pottery Barn Books and Budget Living Magazine.

Young has contributed to Martha Stewart Living, Better Homes and Gardens, and Country Living.

“The Salvage Sisters’ Guide to Finding Style in the Street and Inspiration in the Attic” has more than 50 projects, and the photographs – taken at the homes of the sisters – are pretty to look at.

The projects range from practical (fashioning a hanging bookcase from discarded dresser drawers) to silly (a wreath made of strips of newspaper), with a few inspired examples (salvaging the bowl of a crumbling birdbath) thrown-in for good measure.

I liked the curtain made of colorful strips of silk tied to a bamboo rod, and the quilt made from blue jeans.

The little book is a fun read, but two things are a little jarring: The recycling curtains-into-clothing idea was great, but the photo showed that none of the garments had been finished. None were hemmed and several were obviously pinned on. Just a small thing but I found it distracting. The table skirt make from a frothy pink vintage prom dress was clever, but the fact that it had been fished out of a Goodwill donation box troubled me. (It’s illegal to remove items from a donation site.)

The philosophy behind the book is appealing: Look for the possibilities in cast-offs, flea market and garage sale finds and have a good time.

Read it for inspiration and creative ideas – just don’t get carried away.