2/28/2009

Interview with Kathy of The Garbologist's Wife!

Shop name: The Garbologist’s Wife

Shop address: TheGarbologistsWife.etsy.com

Other sites: TheGarbologistsWife.blogspot.com

What draws you to using trashion materials?
I can’t stand wasting anything and then going out to buy fancy, new & expensive materials. There’s a never ending excess of fabrics floating around in the world. I love to go to my favorite thrift and consignment shops to rummage through the linens… I never know what I’ll come up with. No two things I make can ever be identical.

What trashion materials do you use?
My entire line of clothing is based on integrating upcycled or vintage materials. I will take a perfectly beautiful and gently used blanket or curtain and turn it into a sassy new skirt. I also have a line of accessories where I use a high quality felt that is made from recycled from post-consumer plastic bottles… and it’s animal-free!

Do you remember the first thing you made using the trashion concept?
Geez, I’ve been using recycled and upcycled materials for my craft since… forever! One of my earliest memories is of a tiny stuffed bunny I hand-sewed when I was about 9 years old. There was a pattern that I wanted to make in one of my mother’s home & garden magazines. I rounded up old bits of fabric scraps from around the house and used some new stuffing my mom gave me. It was a mismatched little thing with pen markings all over it! I still have the bunny today after more then 20 years.

What are your current projects and what is on the horizon?
I’m working on expanding my upcycled clothing line for women featuring plus sizes. I plan to start selling my work at art fairs and shows in the next months.

Anything else you'd like to add?
Everything I make and sell is 100% animal-free & vegan-friendly!

2/26/2009

Trashion Tutorial - Matchbook Notebooks

Todays' tutorial is by Pam of remaker. Check out
Pam's shop for some unique upcycled creations.

This is a great project to use odd scraps of cardboard and paper.

These instructions will make an actual matchbook sized notebook, but you can make them any size.

I package quite of few of my products in oversized matchbooks!

Cut 1 ½ x 5” strips of cardboard. I use the small pieces left from making Think Again Notebooks ™.

The more colorful the more fun!

Lay the 5” strip on the cutter, push to the correct length and score at 4 ½, 4, 2 and 1 5/8”.

I use my paper cutter to measure and score, but a flat steel ruler should do the trick.

Once you make the creases you can line up the sides and make a fold at each crease.

Voila! You’ve made the cover!

The inside paper can be done two different ways.

You can cut individual squares or make an accordion.

Individual sheets are pretty straight forward. They should measure 1 ½ x 1 3/4 “.

Stack them together, slip them under the fold in the cover and staple in the middle

The accordion is a little more work, but looks pretty cool.

Measure and mark on the long edge of paper once at 1 ¾” and then at 1 ½” until you reach the end of the sheet. Make a fold and crease at each mark and then fold it back accordion style. Cut strips 1 ½” wide for a total of 5. You’ll have 1 that measures 1 ¼”, just cut down a cover to fit. Slip it into the cover and staple.

You can print images of your work on a full sheet and make a little accordion promo piece.

Slip it into orders or give out at shows!

2/25/2009

Team Meeting! Save the Date!

Mark your calendars we have a team meeting coming up!
Etsy Trashion Team Meeting:
When: Wednesday March 4th at 8pm EST (when you are logged into Etsy the scedual shows it in your local time!)
Where: http://www.etsy.com/virtual_labs.php in the Sky room!
All Etsy Trashion members are encouraged to join this team meeting! The team will be discussing organizational changes, streamlining team communication, and brainstorming projects and events.

Bring your eco-forward thinking, questions, and ideas!

Trashion Team Treasuries

Here are some member chosen Trashion Treasuries.

"Uniquely Upcycled" by TheRedCan

"Green" by fishlegs

"Do a Double Take" by fisheye

If you make a Team treasury, don't forget to send us the link via the Yahoo group!

2/24/2009

TRASHY KIDS~CD Felt Coasters

Materials:

Old CD that is no longer usable,scratched, or just plain unwanted
Felt 2 pieces 6" square
Craft glue
4 Safety pins
Darning needle or embroidery needle
Embroidery floss
Scissors

Instructions:
Place glue on one side of the CD and center it on the wrong side one square of felt. Place the second piece of felt right side out on top of the CD. Pin each of the four corners to hold it in place. Cut all around the CD leaving the fabric stick out about 1/4".

Place the loose piece of fabric wrong side down on the CD and place a few dots of glue between the fabric piece and the CD to hold it in place. Thread three strands of the embroidery floss in the needle and tie a knot in one end.

Make a blanket stitch all the way around the outside edge of the fabric, CD, fabric sandwich. Tie off and clip the threads.

With your threaded needle find the hole in the center of the CD and make one stitch down, up, back down and back up again. Tie the two ends of the thread in a knot and clip the threads leaving short tails.

This coaster can be personalized with a permanent marker by writing the name of the person on it. You can also draw designs or add buttons.

Option: You can cut plastic butter tub lids in a 5" circle instead of using the CD or plastic canvas.

Posted by: Lake Erie Beach Glass
Please email any TRASHY KIDS Craft ideas to Jodie at lakeeriebeachglass@hotmail.com .
Pictures for your projects are welcome! :0)

2/23/2009

ReUsed News

On a weekly basis, I'm going to post a blog about reusing, recycling and environmentalism that I get from the news or cool blogs that I check out. Then I'm going to pass the best of the best along to you. So, if you run across something that you think would be great, please, send me a link or pass the information on and we'll get it posted on our blog. For now, check out this hilarious article originally posted on Planet Green, a great website for finding all kinds of information on living green and sustainably. Giving you all kinds of new ideas for your Etsy site. Enjoy- Lisa

5 Reuses for Orphan Boots and Shoes

By Josh Peterson

Spare shoes aren't worthless. There are plenty of things that you can do with them.

I often find boots and shoes in gutters and ditches but only orphans, never pairs. People have tried to explain why you only find single boots and shoes. No one has really solved this. I once saw a car accident from my apartment window. A car hit a truck and the truck's driver sailed out of the side window. One of his shoes landed near the curb. The truck driver was OK. He stood up and sort of ran around in a circle all confused. He never did pick up his shoe. He went away in the ambulance one shoe on, one shoe off. Orphan shoes come from car accidents. That's my theory.

Here are some ways to reuse those shoes and boots. I've added illustrations. Don't laugh.

1. Pot for Plants

You can grow plants in boots and shoes. Remove laces. Poke holes in the bottom of the shoe for drainage. Fill shoe with potting soil. Add plant. You have a plant growing out of a shoe.

Image courtesy of Joshua Peterson.

2. Boot Organizer

You can make an organizer out of old boots. Figure out how many old boots you have. That will determine the size of the wood you are going to need. Start like you are building a bookcase the width of a boot. Instead of shelves, build pegs to hold boots. Use the boots as storage pouches. I've attached a rough schematic of this project.

3. Pool Table Pockets

This is a little far-fetched. I admit it, but I think it would be cool. You could build your own pool table and use boots for the pockets.

4. Donate Single Shoes to Charity

They have single shoe charities online. These people help get shoes to amputees and people who have different-sized feet.

5. Wall Pockets

This is much like the boot organizer but for shoes. You can nail shoes to the wall of your shed and store tools or other items in them.

All images courtesy of Joshua Peterson.

2/22/2009

Thanks for Using the Trashion Team Tag!

As a Street Team, we have a special tag to use on our Etsy items. The Trashion Team tag is, obviously enough, "trashion team." I did a spot check of our teams' shops and found that some are not using the team tag. But I was happy to find that many sellers are proudly tagging! Here are a few awesome items I wouldn't have found if they weren't trashion team taggers.