little bunnies

I saw this little tutorial in my Google Reader and
thought it was such a cute way to recycle little socks.



What sort of recycled crafts are you making this spring?

DIY and recycled business cards

This DIY was on design*sponge not too long ago -
maybe you've seen it?



Also, this was on a fashion blog recently, Bobbin Talk



"That's the back of one of my business cards. I recycle cartons from cereal, beer, tea... whatever cardboard I can find to print my cards on! Save the planet one tree at a time!"
Aneta Genova

Carrying the recycled concept through all of your packaging
and marketing helps to reinforce the green in your work.
How do you make your business cards?

TrashTalk vol.3

We're wrapping up the Trash Talk series for 2009 with an interview I did with Karen Lee of EcoKaren. She has a great shop which features eco-friendly gifts and accessories made from -you guessed it- recycled and repurposed materials!
Here's her take on the Trashion way of life...

TrashTalk vol.2

This month, TrashTalk catches up with recycled jewelry artist, Alex Keller. The pieces she creates are big on *bling* and long on *style*- Check out these recycled watchband bangles- BRILLIANT!

And read on for more about this gifted trashion artist...

How long have you been making trashion art and when and why did you start?
Officially, I started making trashion in the spring of '09, but I've always made things by recycling.

Did you grow up with a green family, or is recycling and reusing something you taught yourself to do?
My family was always green. I'm first generation Ukrainian, and both my parents are from Ukraine. They grew up with out much at all, so they were always very thrifty and creative. Mama made a lot of my clothes growing up, and I used the scraps to make clothes for my Barbie’s. Mama cooked and baked everything from scratch, we had a huge garden, she saved everything and reused anything that could be reused, from aluminum foil to zip close bags, to scraps of paper... she wouldn't even throw out slivers of soap.

Where do you find the materials that you plan on turning into trashion art?
Thrift stores, resale shops, vintage and antique shops, my dresser, my mom's dresser, garage sales, estate sales, and all donations are accepted :)

How did you or do you come up with your ideas?
I read a lot of fashion magazines, catalogs, and now I read a lot of blogs, look at on line shops, and get lost on Etsy. I think designers and artists are inspiring to one another. It pushes me to be more creative, but at the same time I try to stay with my aesthetic.

Why is it important for you to continue on this artistic path with trashion art?
I just don't think that by buying new beads and gemstones I'd be as inventive! Besides, there is SO much material to work with - I'm amazed at what I find.

How do you feel the community has taken to your art?
I have had great feedback from some of my customers, fashionistas, as well as some fellow Etsy artists.

What draws you to a particular found object?
I tend to go in cycles - first it was beads, then pearls, rhinestones, and chains. I collected a number of brooches, but I've been back to working more with chains and pearls.

Do you know right off how you will use your found materials, or does the inspiration come later?
Many times the inspiration comes later. Sometimes, I just get something because I like it. Trouble is, sometimes I keep it!

What new projects are you working on? Is there an idea you have that you'd like to share?
My latest project is an architectural series with vintage drawer pulls and chandelier crystals. I'm really loving it, and hope it goes well.
And I've also been meaning to put together a jewelry organizer with some spools I got from Miss Courageous. As soon as that's done, I'll post some pictures on Facebook!

Thanks Alex, it's been nice talkin' trash with you!

Interview with Adrienne of auclairdelalune

Shop name: au clair de la lune

Shop address: http://www.auclairdelalune.etsy.com

Other sites: http://auclairdelalune2009.blogspot.com/

What draws you to using trashion materials?
I find so many things compelling about using trashion materials. There is of course the eco impact of not creating more. As a society we are so inundated by stuff and more stuff. I really like the idea of breaking that chain and trying to be as neutral as possible in my use of new materials. This cuts down not only on the creation of new stuff, but also the pesticides and fertilizers that would be used in creating new fabric, and it keeps old stuff out of landfills.

I also like the challenge of taking something that would otherwise be discarded and finding a way to make it beautiful and useful again. At times there seems to be such a folk art quality in trashion, particularly with the use of found objects that find new purpose.



What trashion materials do you use?
My etsy shop includes exclusively clothing, accessories, and household items made of recycled fabrics. I also use recycled buttons, guitar picks, and flatware. At home just about everything gets saved and reused eventually. Every broken dish turns up later as a mosaic somewhere, my kids and I have made stepping stones with tiny toys, broken costume jewelry, and bottle caps in them, all the corks I saved from my table waiting days are now a fabulous bulletin board. I think it’s kind of a compulsion. It seems like every little object is hanging out, waiting in the wings until its new identity presents itself.



Do you remember the first thing you made using the trashion concept?
When I was little I was lucky enough to spend lots of time at my grandparents' house. As people who had survived the Great Depression, they saved everything because you never know when you might need it. Jars of rubber bands, boxes of soap, a basement full of old books and clothes and furniture, but what I remember most was my grandmother’s sewing porch. Baskets of scraps from every outfit she had ever made for my mother and aunt, and tins full of buttons from clothing that had been worn out. I used to make doll clothes and she taught me to crochet rag rugs from strips of fabric. My son uses a crazy (and I mean crazy) quilt I made twenty five years ago with some of those scraps and I love the fact that now my daughters hang out in my workspace sorting buttons and turning fabric scraps in doll clothes.



What are your current projects and what is on the horizon?
Currently I’m working on finishing all of the half completed projects stacked around me, that is of course if I don’t get distracted by all of the other projects I can’t wait to get started on. I hope to make more clothing for adults and I’m going to continue experimenting with natural fabric dyes.



Anything else you'd like to add?
I’m so happy to be a part of such a terrifically talented group. I never cease to be amazed by the variety of beautiful and creative items that are posted on the different Trashion Team members' sites.

TRASHY KIDS~Recycled T-shirt Necklace

My husband happens to be a contractor in the field of paint and trim finishing. We will often recycle our old faded, holey, are shrunken T-shirts into rags for him to use with his stain. My daughter Hanna gets the fun job of cutting these shirts into rags on occasion. As I was coming around the corner to see how she was getting a long, I noticed that she had begun to make herself a bit of jewelry using some of the scraps.

Hanna often gets distracted from her jobs and usually gets in trouble with these distractions but instead of hollering at her for the distraction I commended her for her artistic spontaneity! Shhhh! Don't tell my husband.

Here is what Hanna did.

She simply cut the collars out of three different colored T-shirts and tied them in a knot at one end. She then proceeded to braid the three strands until her necklace was long enough to wear. She added about two more inches of braid (to allow room to tie off) and knotted the end. Hanna then simply wrapped the soft Cotton necklace around her neck and made a loose tie. Voila!

Hanna has informed me that these necklaces can be made into bracelets as well and can be shared with friends. Thank you Hanna for this weeks entry of TRASHY KIDS!

Upcycle Exchange - Swapping Green

Emily of Candy Calamity recently interviewed Autumn Wiggins of the Upcycle Exchange about her innovative new trashion project:

Website: www.upxchange.com

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I've been a die-hard indie crafter since 2001! I started out developing a microbrand for my sewn goods called String Theory, and quickly got caught up in the momentum of the handmade movement. In 2005, I began organizing Strange Folk, a grass roots craft show in the burbs of St. Louis that has grown exponentially, drawing a crowd of over 10,000 attendees last year. I was interested in exploring the environmental impact of our growing genre, and began writing for Crafting a Green World in 2008. After compiling research on the subject, I presented my findings and ideas as a speaker at both Craft Con and Maker Faire 2008. Articles for Etsy's Storque Blog and Craft: Magazine followed. I propose that cottage industries can be an effective vehicle for upcycling; that by working together we can eliminate waste, reduce pollution, and curb overseas mass production. I'm confident this can be made a reality by the creative utilization of the internet, and after designing websites for 15 years, it's very exciting for me to be in the thick of developing user interfaces for this purpose.

What is an upcycle exchange?

It works just like a recycling program, except that it specifically addresses the relationship between buying and selling merchandise. The basic concept is that a seller requests items they use to make things, and the customer collects said items for the seller. The seller then offers incentives such as discounts on merchandise or free give-aways to customers that submit said items. The terms of the exchange are facilitated through the internet or the merchandise itself.
Now, that's a broad explanation with a lot of possibilities. It makes sense as a model for sustainability, but not in the current climate of industrialization. Companies that depend on countless middle-men and factories overseas are incapable of adopting the concept effectively. Due to society's varied tastes of consumption, what is really needed to make repurposing viable is equally varied creative interpretation. The handmade movement is not a passing art fad, but a renaissance of trash. It's up to us to maximize the usefulness of an overwhelming abundance of durable goods that the world has inherited from ignorant predecessors. In the long run, industry will need to adopt greener methods for producing raw materials, and maybe technologies that enable micro-manufacturing can trump the ugly trend of faceless labor.

How did you come up with the idea to organize this?

I got the idea while reading a book called Cradle-to-Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things by William McDonough and Michael Braungart. Most crafters may not realize the term "Upcycling" was actually coined in this book. They talk a lot about futuristic concepts dealing with "material flows"; that everything man-made would be either 1. compostable 2. infinitely recyclable (which many things, like paper and most plastics, are not) OR 3. Upcycled in an orderly fashion. The first two are technologies on the horizon. The third seems very far-fetched to most people. in fact, many things certified as Cradle-to-Cradle are a combination of all three, most being products that are used long-term(like carpets, office chairs, even a concept car by Ford) and can be disassembled once their use has ceased. I thought, what about domestic goods? There are so many things that our modern lifestyle requires. The complexity is maddening, and the only way that everything can be sustainable is for everyone with enough imagination to make it so.
I'm reading this book, thinking the whole time they obviously aren't aware of the indie craft underground, which has since become a mainstream phenomena. I saw it as solving an equation for X, and had a strong feeling that I shouldn't keep it to myself. Though the solution was easy, writing the proof was difficult . Even though my ideas for facilitating upcycle exchanges in many forms have been met with enthusiasm, it seemed that I would have to take it further and formulate a workable platform. That's why I created "The Upcycle Exchange" specifically as a program for St. Louis. It's meant to be a model and a way to work out bugs in the system before we launch Lucoop.com (short for Local Upcycling Coops) which will be an open-source type project to promote community driven upcycling efforts.

Having hosted your first upcycle exchange is there anything you would do differently?

I was actually floored at how well it went. The compiled list seemed to make sense to everyone. People were happy with the coupons, and were bringing in some really nice stuff. Many mentioned they would have not discarded these things otherwise, but were thrilled about the idea of their clutter being made into something new. There was some concern beforehand from vendors about requiring minimum quantities in order to get the discount. I was pretty adamant that NOT having minimums was a cornerstone of the concept. You just have to trust that most people would willingly donate a reasonable amount, and overwhelmingly, they did.
That said, I think it's important for volunteers to be familiar with the list and the vendors, as well as sorting from the get-go. Also, all participating vendors should lend you at least 2 decent sized tubs, boxes, or laundry baskets that are clearly labeled with their name. I found it helpful to tape individual vendor lists to their containers as well. The cool thing was that people would bring their stuff in all kinds of bags and boxes which allowed us to sort out things like fabric,buttons, ribbons, paper, and other practically universally requested items. In the end, there was such and abundance that even non-participating vendors were invited to take home some treasure. Only a few scraps remained.

Where can people go to learn more about organizing an exchange in their own area?

I think I have a pretty good system for collecting and compiling lists in place. Also, once you start collecting things, I found a really great way to both sort for individuals and create collections of commonly requested items for the vendors to choose from at the end of a show. I'm going to start working on publishing guides on how to do this on Lucoop.com starting this summer. Until then, I'd be happy to go through the basics with anyone who would like to start their own program before then. Just e-mail me at upxchange@gmail.com. Also, I'm releasing the "U" symbol on The Upcycle Exchange site under a Creative Commons license for anyone to use or remix, and will have high-res graphics available for download, but will be happy to serve them up via e-mail for now as well. I think the upcycling symbol should be as recognizable as the recycling symbol!

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

There are many other possibilities for this such as distributing "Upcycle Bins", having drop-off locations, and I'm sure many other avenues I'm not thinking of. Events seem like a good place to start though. Sure, the economy sucks, but we can pretty much do all this for free, and give consumers more incentive to buy handmade goods. We've got a lot of work ahead of us, but I think we can actually save the planet by making things :)

TRASHY KIDS~Maple Jug Bird Feeder!

Late Winter and early Spring is maple season so say the sugar shackers! I took my family to a Maple Sugar Farm that was giving tours and FREE tastings over the weekend. I have no idea why I haven't done it before but what a wonderful experience it was! The kids and I shared a wonderful walk in the woods, learned a little history regarding the Native Americans in our area, got to see first hand how Maple Sugar was transformed into Maple Syrup, and even got to taste a little bit while being given a hay ride pulled by horses back to the sugar shack! One little tid bit that I picked up on right away was how to recycled an empty Maple Jug!

The Sugar Shack at Hurry Hill Farms sells these cute little jug bird feeders as well as gives you step by step instructions on how to make one your self! This feeder can easily be adapted by using a milk jug or 2 Liter bottle instead!

Here are the instructions that were given to us courtesy of Janet M. Woods & Lisa G. Nathanson of Hurry Hill Farm.

PENNSYLVANIA MAPLE JUG BIRD FEEDER:
1)Enjoy PA maple syrup, empty, and rinse out jug. Make sure to save the lid. This plan makes use of the keystone shape on the front of the jug.

2) Drill a 3/8" hole centered just below the red keystone outline. Push a pencil straight through to mark drill hole on opposite side. Drill opposite hole and insert a 3/8" wooden dowel long enough to extend across jug plus 2" from either side to serve as a perch for the birds.

3)Drill 3/8" drainage holes into bottom of jug. Drill four holes around bottom edge and another four holes around center of jug bottom.

4)Use a utility blade or coping saw to cut along the keystone shape-cut notched top and both sides first. To connect two bottom corners cut an arched curve to maintain enough plastic for strength around the drilled perch hole.

5)Push out entire keystone shape to use as pattern for opening in the back of the jug. Center pattern just above perch hole,trace, and cut out.

6)Drill hole through jug lid to fit a 1/2"-1" screw-eye. Tighten nut on inside of lid to firmly secure screw eye to lid. Screw lid securely onto top of jug.

7)Thread wire through screw-eye for hanging on a tree branch.

8)Fill feeder with seed mix through keystone-shaped opening and enjoy watching the birds visit your maple jug feeder!!

Here is a milk jug feeder variation and link!

So, WHY don't I have a picture of the actual maple jug bird feeder? Well, I haven't gotten past step 1 yet! :0)

ReUsed News

The peace symbol will turn 51 years old at the end of this month. It actually started as a symbol for the British anti-nuclear movement. However, now it is one of the most recognized symbols in the world. It is recognized as a symbol of protest and of peace.



On a Friday, 51 years ago a demonstration was planned by the Direct Action Committee Against Nuclear War (DAC) and the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND). It was decided that their protest would carry more weight if they had a symbol for it. Other symbols were considered but a semaphore or flag symbol alphabet was agreed on. By super-imposing N (uclear) on D (isarmament) and placing them within a circle symbolising Earth the "ban the bomb" symbol was created.


There are conflicting stories about how the symbol crossed the ocean to land in the United States. But there is no denying how powerful an image it became to the civil rights movement and the antiwar movements of the 1960's and 70's. Later becoming an almost universally accepted sign for peace. Gracing movements from coast to coast and pole to pole, for everything from antiwar to gay rights.

CND has never registered the sign as a trademark, arguing that "a symbol of freedom, it is free for all". It has now appeared on millions of mugs, T-shirts, rings and nose-studs. Bizarrely, it has also made an appearance on packets of Lucky Strike cigarettes.



A decade ago, the sign was chosen during a public vote to appear on a US commemorative postage stamp saluting the 1960s. And searching the etsy shops, it quickly becomes apparent that the symbol is alive and well and in the conscious of many into the 21st century. So, let's explore some peace symbols with some great items from the Trashion Team.

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)

Interview with Lisa of WinterDreams!

Shop name: WinterDreams

Shop address: www.winterdreams.etsy.com

Other sites: www.diywinterdreams.blogspot.com
www.yourgreenshopper.blogspot.com

What draws you to using trashion materials?
Being concerned about the environment, people, animals and the planet seems to frame everything I do anymore. It only seemed natural that it would influence my art. To me making art can be political, making art using recycled materials is making a political statement. I've wanted to find ways to reuse recycled materials and to make them fun and usable again for a long time. I finally worked up the nerve to take the dive in and have been thrilled that I have. Besides being drawn to these kinds of projects on an ethical level I've always been drawn to the kind of aesthetic that recycled materials makes. I love collage, mixed media and fiber arts that are chunky, gritty and with lots of life.

What trashion materials do you use?
Anything I can get my hands on. Currently, I'm using lots of recycled clothing for as many different projects that I can think of.

What do you transform them into?
One of my favorite projects, I'm working on is using plastic ice cubes with some wire and beads and making sun catchers. I also make lots of clothing, hats and accessories right now.

How do you do it?
To make the clothing, I combine two or more pieces of clothing
and turn it into a new piece. I add new arms, do reverse applique, or
totally disassemble the clothes and turn it into something new. I'm
also using lots of corduroy pants and shirts and turning them into sun
hats. This is has been a lot of fun.

Where do you get your inspiration?
I've always been interested in the place where art and functionality meet. To me that's what a lot of us on the trashion team do, find ways to make art functional.

Do you remember the first thing you made using the trashion concept?
I painted sleeves, hood and middle section of a shirt, combined it with another shirt to make a completely new shirt.

What are your current projects and what is on the horizon?
I'd like to make more fine art; painting, mixed media and collage. I'd also like to start making pottery again, this is one of my favorite ways to make functional art. I haven't figured out a way to use recycled materials for this yet. And my super secret project that I'm working on for this spring is to take and recycle ripstop nylon - like windbreakers, and turn them into kites. Still figuring parts of this project out.

Anything else you'd like to add?
Just that I'm excited to be part of this team, there is so much great inspiration here and a lot of wonderful artists. I'm always excited to see what they are going to do next.

Trashion Celebrates the Red, White, and Blue!

Congratulations to the USA!



Recycled Record Star by misscourageous.

Tin Hearts by ReSupply

Denim Cuff by buttercupbloom

Pop Top Earrings by LostAndFoundObjects2

Denim and Lace Clutch by samann1121

samann1121 Recreates Paper

Etsy Trashion Materials Focus: Paper

Trashion team member Jessie of samann1121 gives new life to paper with amazing talent! We asked her a few questions about reuseing paper and here is what she had to say:

What do you make by re-using paper?

Note cards, stickers, gift tags, envelopes

What do you find the most satisfying about your creations?

I love being able to rescue things that were bound for a landfill.
There's so much life left in so many of the things people don't want anymore.
I feel like I'm making the world better a little at a time.

Where do you typically find the paper you repurpose?

garage and estate sales, thrift stores, my mailbox, other people's trash

What type of paper products do you use?

I mostly use vintage papers, like the pages of old books.  Also maps, magazines,
wrapping paper, and wallpaper.

Where did you learn your current techniques?

Craftster was a major source of inspiration several years ago.
Since then, it's pretty much just been trial and error,
and a couple of internet tutorials.

Where do you get your inspiration for your projects?

My materials inspire me.
I hardly ever go out looking for materials to make aspecific project.
I find the materials, and they tell me what to do with them.

Which of the tools you use is your favorite?
When working with paper, my favorite tool is probably my paper cutter -
- it's 12" x 15", and cost $12 at the local Salvation Army.  :-)

Tell us about a couple favorite items they've made from paper and why they
stand out in your mind.

I think my yearbook stickers are the most fun to make.
I also love picking out old books to make my book journals.


Any final thoughts you want to share?
I love that the Trashion team is growing so fast!  The more Trashion love, the better!



On that note, if your feeling inspired go puruse Jessie's supply shop!
It's got plenty of rescued paper and ephemera! 


Interested in discovering more about Jessie and her work check out her blog, and Flickr.
Want to have some of her creative paper creations for your very own? Go to her Etsy shop!

Sjroemer is Tote-ally a Winner!

Tote-ally Tab Maille

Huge congratulations to team member Sarah Roemer of sjroemer won the Craft Stylish Tote contest!

Eco-chic Soda Can Tab tote bag is made of post-consumer recycled aluminum can tabs, bound together with cord from a thrift store purse I unraveled, lined in recycled denim.

This tote bag is made from 100% post-consumer recycled aluminum soda can tabs. They are bound together with recycled nylon crochet cord from a thrift store purse Sarah unravelled. The tote is lined in recycled denim from an old pair of shorts.

This bag shows that you really can make something out of nothing. It is beautiful, functional, and earth-friendly. And a real conversation starter, too.

Major congratulations from the Trashion team!!

Trashion Team Spotlight- Interview with Jamie from TwistedWear!

Shop name:
TwistedWear

Shop address:
http://www.twistedwear.etsy.com

Other sites:
I have a personal blog and gallery at http://www.twistedtextiles.com




Trashion materials:
I love plastics of any kind! I collect anything that seems to gather
itself in bulk in my garage, including clothing that the kids have outgrown and choice items from the overflowing recycling bins. Really, anything is game--the stranger, the better! I'm still trying to find a use for those plastic shotgun shells...

What do you transform them into?
I really enjoy making jewelry out of plastic beverage bottles, but right
now I'm in a handbag groove (which I swore I would never get into!)
which requires lots of empty plastic petfood bags. I actually don't have
any pets at home right now, so I could use any bags that you lovely
readers would be able to send my way!



How do you do it?
I got started with the “plastic grocery bag fusing” craze and sort of evolved the process from there. Plastics are a fun challenge because
they are all different and sometimes react to heat in strange ways. I use fun coordinating fabric remnants to line the handbags, and have been trying various plastic embellishments.

Do you remember the first thing you made using the trashion concept?
If so, what was it?
My mother got me started when I was very young...we used to make table
place-mats out of stuff we found and then laminate it! In high school I
would express my “rebellion” by using a plastic sidewalk-chalk bucket as
a purse, or by wearing home-made shoes. That really gave the popular
kids something to talk about, eh?




What are your current projects and what is on the horizon?
The purses, of course...but soon I've GOT to finish that dress that I'm
making out of milkweed seeds quilted into plastic. I'd also love to
continue making “quilted paintings” but haven't been finding enough time
to sew. Perhaps I should just make them smaller so they don't take as
long! :D

I'm also trying to juggle my other business (painted murals and
faux-finishes) and will be designing and manufacturing stencil designs
for painting. Not as glamorous, but it still exercises my artistic talents.



Why should people buy handmade and from trashion?
Every day I become more insistent on using homemade and handmade items, including the food I eat! Our lives are so consumer centered. All the excess packaging out there, and all the wasted resources, the entire Earth becoming choked by our waste.
If I could be rid of my car, I would (Maybe one day!)---if we all just take one small step each day toward better habits, there will be progress. And the trashion concept is a great place to start!

Okay, I'll step down from my soap-box now...

Anything else you'd like to add?
I really think Handmade/Trashion will be more than just a trend or a
passing “fad”!! I'm glad that it has caught on so quickly, and I know
that it will continue to gain momentum!

Amazing work Jamie! Thank you for sharing with us!

Trashion Team Spotlight- Interview with Jen of Jen1Kanobi!

Shop name: Jen1kanobi

Shop address: http://jen1kanobi.etsy.com

Other sites: http://jen1kanobi.blogspot.com







Trashion materials: office folders & paper, old books, fabric, certain types of recyclable plastic, Styrofoam, orange peels, spools, miscellaneous small objects... really i don't like letting something go unless i can't think of a way to use it.

What do you transform them into? art dolls, art books, journals, notebooks, jewelry, headbands & sleevies, clothing, bags, stamps, and collages

How do you do it? mostly with my hands and scissors, sewing machine, toaster oven, glue, time and patience :)



Do you remember the first thing you made using the trashion concept? I remember as a kid my dad made coffee of the campfire in an old empty coffee can, with a wire handle, but I think the first thing I made was probably the orange juice concentrate lid magnet for my mom

What was it? I think this might be a common kid craft, but i loved all those things we made as kids out of junk it got me going down the right path... we took orange juice concentrate lids and nails and pounded designs into them, and then we stuck magnets on the back, I think we gave them to our moms for mother's day.

What are your current projects and what is on the horizon? I am struggling to make up some more inventory for a local shop who carries my journals, bookmarks, and greeting cards, and I am desperate to create more Orange Babies, they are my favorite, and I need more of them.



Why should people buy handmade and from trashion? when you buy handmade you get the joy of contact with the human element, which we lack to a large degree in our big box chain store world... and you know the labor wasn't exploited... my preference is to reuse or scavenge materials where I can to keep my wasteful impact on this green globe to a minimum... buying trashion helps

Anything else you'd like to add? I try not to overcomplicate things, I often fail... but my advice to myself and all other crafters is to "shoot from the hip"

Thank you for sharing your great upcycling with us Jen! Excellent shop name!

Trashion Team Spotlight- Interview with Millie Hilgert of Miss Courageous!

Shop name: MissCourageous

Shop address: http://misscourageous.etsy.com

Other sites: http://misscourageous.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/misscourageous/
http://misscourageous.blogspot.com



Trashion materials:
old vinyl records, bottle caps, game pieces, cork, cassette tapes, mint tins, jar lids, reclaimed wallpaper & textile samples, etc...

What do you transform them into?
"pop" jewelry & accessories (necklaces, earrings, bracelets, rings, belt buckles, key chains)

How do you do it?
the vinyl is carefully handcut into fun shapes for pendants and earrings. The game tiles are adorned with found images, paper, or reclaimed wallpaper samples and turned into reversible bracelets and pendants or scrabble tile earrings that swivel while you wear them. Bottle caps have images set into them and are filled with resin, they become pendants, rings and rey chains. The jar lids and altoid tins become belt buckles protected with resin.


Do you remember the first thing you made using the trashion concept?
I've been turning "garbage" into something else as long as I can remember. I would look at something that my mom was throwing out and try to think of what I could transorm it into. I was also the recipient of hand-me-downs from the next door neighbor and I would transform the t-shirts to make them "mine".

What are your current projects and what is on the horizon?
I'm currently working on new belt buckle designs using record vinyl and cassette tapes. I've been coating puzzle pieces and cork slices in resin. I've got some old bicicyle parts coming and I'll be doing some new shapes for the record vinyl necklaces soon. I'm also planning some things with other discarded design samles, laminate chips and other fun stuff. I've always got about 6 products going at once.


Why should people buy handmade, and buy from trashion?
Because you can't find anything mass produced that has as much heart or character in it as something that was handmade. We need to support independent artists and reduce what's entering the landfills. Trashion lets you accomplish both those things at once and get something that is totally unique and utterly cool.

Anything else you'd like to add?
I'm so glad that trashion is catching on, we all need to find ways to be more environmentally friendly and this is also a way to be fashionable and creative. Younger people seem to be especially receptive to it, they love the fact that everything I make used to be something else. I do encounter a few people who are appalled by the recycled record vinyl, but then I assure them that I do not use rare or valuable records and they are okay with it. I even used scratched and warped records.



Thank you for sharing your creative and diverse work with us Millie!