Trash Talk Thursday: Tree of the Week

TREE OF THE WEEK

Last Sunday while walking to our local coffee place my friend told me that a tree we were approaching was her ‘tree of the week’. Did I have one she asked? I do not, I replied. (I am not a tree hugger type myself. My idea of being in nature is the walk from my vehicle to my front door.)

This, I have been told, is fairly common among upcyclers.
I think we come to this because
1- We are all thrift store, tag sale and vintage junkies.
2- We love the hunt.
3- We are very creative and like to challenge ourselves.
4- Oh yes, it’s good for the environment, blah blah, blah.

In order to upcycle you must be able to think outside the box and see the beauty in, well, garbage. Mucho creativity! A quick search on Etsy came up with many wonderful examples. Here are some of my favorites...

Enlightened Thinking

An Blath Paipeir

True Rebel Clothing

Amazing, right?

So next time you see that bulk trash pickup pile on the side of the road pull over and have a peek. You just never know what treasure awaits! You have your hand sanitizer already!

Happy Hunting!

Images © Enlightened Thinking, An Blath Paipeir & True Rebel Clothing

Text © Delight Worthyn

TrashTalk vol.1

Starting off my TrashTalk series is an interview with perfumer and budding trashion artist Diana Rajchel of Magickal Realism.

Primarily a designer of perfumed potions, Diana is currently working to expand her line of 'trashion' offerings to include decoupaged bottles and diffusers, as well as one-of-a-kind gift/shipping boxes- all recycled and repurposed, of course!

Here's what I was curious about...

*Did you grow up with a green family, or is recycling and reusing something you taught yourself to do?

Not exactly. I grew up with a pseudo-green family. We would go spend time in nature, and my mother would repurpose some things out of frugality. We did grow our own food some years, and other years we didn't. Since there was no recycling and no mass transit where I grew up (Crown Point, Indiana) it was all a bit haphazard. We were certainly concerned about air pollution but we just had no options except to keep driving and keep polluting.

*Where do you find the materials that you plan on turning into trashion art?

Just from the things I bring in my home every day. Product boxes (like cereal, mac and cheese) get repurposed and reinforced for shipping. Bottles, like worcestershire or wine, get decoupaged. My flagship trashion is incense paper I make by converting my junk mail into something pretty-smelling. Even among my perfumery goods I'm trying to make it so every single bottle and box sees at least one reuse before it leaves my studio.

*How did you or do you come up with your ideas?

I think that's one of the  great unanswerable questions in the arts. My process is "hmm, I have this object. What can I do with it?" I let that cook for awhile. Sometimes I literally dream the solution.

*Why is it important for you to continue on this artistic path with trashion art?

The world's resources are drying up rather rapidly, and as a perfume designer I have to contend with extinction and related disasters on a daily basis, too. While papering boxes with old stuff won't solve the world's problems, it will slow them down, and trashion causes us to look at and rethink the everyday objects around us and gets us to pause, reconsider, and recreate instead of going out and just buying something brand new that puts further strain on the world.

*How do you feel the community has taken to your art?

When it comes to the trashion fragrances themselves, I think some people don't quite get them - a lot of "perfume snobs" are so conditioned to the scent and behavior of synthetics that they don't see that I'm not just doing all my perfumes up with the chemicals I use in trashion. I think the other things I create - the vials and bottles and especially the incense paper - are easier to understand because you can physically see what the objects used to be before they were repurposed.

*What draws you to a particular found object?

Its presence in my studio, mostly. How much space it takes up, whether it's washable, and in the case of bottles glass color can really catch my attention. I love blue and red glass.

*Do you know right off how you will use your found materials, or does the inspiration come later?

Sometimes I know right away. In the case of perfume vials, they can hold liquid. So that's all they're going to do before and after I work with them. In other cases, an object may sit for awhile while I puzzle at it - especially stacks of old magazines. I've started exploring shredding them and making paper, but the reward of that type of work is very small and frustrating so I may leave that to other dedicated paper makers.

*How long have you been making trashion art and when and why did you start?

I got started a few weeks after I joined Etsy. I was around when someone brought up starting a trashion team, and I was looking for new arts to explore to make my perfumery different from the others already dotting the landscape. It's become somewhat more of a passion for me since, as I've found new and creative ways to repurpose the items that pass through my hands. I've certainly started doing more with trashion in my home decor, hopefully I'll get a few things up to show on my own blog soon!

*What new projects are you working on? Is there an idea you have that you'd like to develop on in the future?

I am preparing a line of decoupaged diffusers using items that are from my daily flotsam (sewing notions, magazine pages, etc.) I'm also arranging for "trashion packs" that have a variety of samplers to go out. I may also soon have my answer to requests for scratch'n'sniff (I'm being mysterious on purpose) but it's a fairly time consuming project so that day is a ways off yet!

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

To find out more about Diana and Magickal Realism visit:
magickalrealism.com
dianarajchel.com

dress you up

So you have a wonderful creation that you are going to sell on Etsy.

remaker.etsy.com

How do you spread the word?

tresijas.etsy.com

You need to convince all of those Etsy shoppers that your creation is the one they want.
This will involve promoting your work with packaging, advertising, and publicity.
First, let's talk about packaging.

ClaudiasCreations.etsy.com

"Good packaging arrests the eye, attracts the heart,
and perfectly suits the product being promoted." Martha Stewart
The packaging should reflect the quality of the product inside.
You've spent some time making your creation,
spend a little time packaging it up nicely, too.
Who doesn't love getting pretty package?

FeltWerker.etsy.com

Recycled packaging can be attractive -
use the same creativity to fashion your packaging that you use to make your creations.
Wrap it up in tissue, or with a ribbon (all recycled, of course!).
Use pages from an old book or magazine and pieces of fabric.

ecokaren.etsy.com

Make envelopes from paper in your recycling bin.

ecogeneration.etsy.com

Include a thank you note or card.

DropsofJupita.etsy.com

And don't forget your card.

rikrak.etsy.com

Try to be consistent with your packaging - make it part of your branding and image.
Many sellers do this by including a photo of their packing in their listing of their item.
Do you?

wearwolf.etsy.com

Next week: a bit about advertising.

Upcycled Fashion In Italy by BehaveUrbanAtelier

A little update about the use of recycled materials in fashion in Italy.
by Guest Blogger, Susanna of behaveurbanatelier.

Maybe not everyone knows that Salvatore Ferragamo, aka “the shoemaker of dreams”, was one of the first designers to use recycled materials for his creations...he noted that candy wrappers were a strong material and braided them to create the upper part of his shoes in the 1940s. Due to the big economic crisis during the second world war, expensive materials were not available or affordable. I’ve searched the web for a picture of those shoes but did not find anything! One pair is visible in Ferragamo Museum inside his palace in Firenze (I bring my students there for a visit often and always stress the recycling concept inside that creation!)

And what about today? Italians always prefer quite classic styles and it is hard to market unusual looking products here, in my opinion, if not connected with luxury and properly marketed with expensive campaigns. Here are some examples of high market brands that are surprisingly producing recycled materials collections:

Moma Boma creates bags using vintage newspaper, magazines , measure tapes, and (my favourite) pages from kids school scrapbooks, with maths or other subjects assignments and exercises on.


Architect and fashion designer (like me!) Vincenzo De cotiis creates luxury collections using findings from vintage markets as pieces of lace, embroidery, furs.


Carmina Campus is a brand (designed by a previous Fendi designer) that creates really expensive bags all made out of pieces of different things as shower tubes, tapestry, bottle caps, crochets, all put together.


In the international school where I work as a fashion professor (Lorenzo de’ Medici International) the Fashion Department has organized this year's final fashion show using only second hand garments, to make both the public and students aware of the value of recycled fabrics…the final outfits were so cutting edge!


Recently a primary school did the same thing using plastic bags and , during a fair focused on clean energies in agriculture.


The students of Firenze College of Arts organized a fashion show featuring evening dresses made out of plastic bottles, playing cards, rubber gloves, etc.


In our local Fair Trade Shops (Altromercato) a new collection of dresses made out of recycled Indian saris (the traditional Indian dress) is available.

And then there is me with my little studio-shop in Florence center, supporting and promoting recycling everyday, explaining to people here how is it possible to have new garments from old garments and really feeling it as a mission!


Visit Susanna's shop for more unique upcycled Italian fashion: www.behaveurbanatelier.etsy.com

Got Supplies?

Isn't it a good time to grab some upcycled supplies and make something? Here are some cool finds from Trashion Team Members. Click photos for info.

Trashion Team Spotlight- Linda of FashionGreenTBags!

Shop Name: FashionGreenTBags

Shop Address: http://www.fashiongreentbags.etsy.com


Tell us a bit about yourself:
I'm ridiculously happily married and have 2 children, Michelle is a 20 year-old college honor student and David is a 17 (almost 18) year-old high school honor student. I'm a 26 year teaching veteran but I'm currently on a medical leave. I began my Etsy business to keep me busy and to hopefully positively impact the environment. I'm passionate about children's rights, children, the environment and reaching out to people of all ages who are in need. I currently volunteer for several senior citizens at a local apartment complex.

Trashion materials: recycled fabrics obtained from clearance or sale items at thrift stores or garage sales.

I transform them into: reusable bags (to replace plastic bags at the grocery/market store.) watches, other miscellaneous items as I think of them. I've also used fused plastic newspaper bags and shredded paper to create my padded laptop case.

How do you do it? (a bit personal, don't you think? LOL) I am not really a seamstress. I make up what I'm doing as I do it. As a result the final products are sometimes the 5th or 1000th attempt.


What inspired you to do this and why are you involved in trashion? I've been concerned about the environment for a very long time. I'm doing everything I can think of to reduce plastic in my life. I think our society is too consumptive and way too highly dependent on material acquisitions for making us feel worthwhile. I think our priorities have become a little mixed-up.

Do you remember the first thing you made using the trashion concept? Yes
What was it? It was a resuable bag made from a t-shirt.

What are your current projects and what is on the horizon? I'm making some bags and I've found some great leather skirts that I want to make into some purses.


Why should people buy handmade, and buy from trashion? Handmade is very special. Since we're all small enterprises, we depend greatly upon the satisfaction of our customers so our products are quality creations and we strive for total customer satisfaction. You don't find that in "big box" stores.

Buying Trashion is a way to feed our desire for new products and have a minimal impact on the environment at the same time. We use very few new materials and recycled packaging so our goods leave micro-mini footprints. Repurposing old materials is an exercise in total creativity. To look at an existing item and envision it as something different is fun and exciting and results in surprising new products.

Thank you for sharing your awesome work with us Linda! Great reuse!

Trashion Team Spotlight- Vicki of Wearwolf!

Shop name: wearwolf

Shop address: www.wearwolf.etsy.com

Other sites: www.wearwolfs.com

Trashion materials: soda cans, used tin, found objects, old jewelry, bottle caps

I transform them into: jewelry and shrines, picture frames

How do you do it? Using the colors and words to make interesting and beautiful things to wear or look at. I like that people usually look at my things and see the piece, first, THEN the fact that it's recycled!


Do you remember the first thing you made using the trashion concept? Hmmmmm.... probably a flower brooch.

What are your current projects and what is on the horizon? Looking at heavier metals for cutting and shaping.... adding more painted pieces, decorating small furniture items with tin flowers, more detail oriented earrings..... who knows?

Why should people buy handmade, and buy from trashion? I think that using recycled items adds one more dimension of challenge to the creative process. The page is never completely blank so you have to mentally twist ideas a little more. Plus, it is awesome to use things that have already been processed. Recycling instead of using "new" just has to help use less resources somewhere......

Anything else you'd like to add?
My son is an elementary school teacher and his whole school collects cans for me now! I am their adopted artist. They have such fun showing me new cans that they have found! I think this helps the small ones start thinking about what you can do with things before you just toss them in the trash! This has gotta be good for the earth!

Thank you for sharing your beautiful work with us! That's so great that you've gotten school kids more involved with recycling through your work!

Trashion Team Spotlight- Debra of Junk to Jewels!

Shop name: Junk to Jewels

Shop address: www.junktojewels.etsy.com

Trashion materials: I use bike parts, bits of plumbing, and recycled glass beads and transform them into fun jewelry.

How do you do it? I degrease the bike chain and break it apart using a chain tool. That's the hard part. Then I use the chain links like beads. Plumbing pieces similarly are cleaned and used to make funky pendants. The recycled glass beads are from Indonesia so I do not make them.


What inspired you to do this and why are you involved in trashion?
I started all of this after going to an art exhibit at the Fowler Museum at UCLA in Los Angeles. The exhibit featured recycled/upcycled art from around the world. It was truly inspiring! They were doing a workshop for kids that day and my kids and I started to play around with the bits of materials they had gathered and I ended up with a necklace made of bike parts, electrical wire, and beads. It was so much fun and the feedback on my piece was positive so an idea was born. I have no illusions about my jewelry from an ecological standpoint. I know that the bits and pieces being kept out of the landfill are literally a drop in the bucket. Energy goes into making recycled glass but I like the idea of contributing in some small way to raise consciousness about reusing and recycling.



Do you remember the first thing you made using the trashion concept? yes
What was it? The piece I described above.


What are your current projects and what is on the horizon? I'm always working to create new designs and currently am working a lot with recycled glass. The colors are so amazing and the look of beach glass is soothing to me. Some of my designs are one of a kind but I am also developing a line of pieces that I can market for the wholesale business. My work is in a handful of stores around the country and in some online shops. I recently agreed to be part of a new venture with another Etsy seller called Maison Green. The newest material that I've been playing with is wrapping beads with guitar wire. My daughter recently had her electric guitar restrung so I am using the old ones to make pendants and earrings. It's definitely harder to work with than silver wire but the results are worth it. I'll have a photo on my shop soon.

Why should people buy handmade, and buy from trashion? I'm trying to get rid of as many "shoulds" in my life as I can :-) But it's fun to see what other people come up with. It's dizzying how creative the human mind is..... Just looking at the front page of Etsy can be overwhelming but so exciting at the same time. Handcrafted stuff can be beautiful, whimsical, funky. I like to share that with people who value it.

More you'd like to share: My other passion in life is to share what I know about respectful, consent-based parenting. My blog is at http://www.outsidetheboxparenting.com

Thank you for sharing your beautiful and innovative jewelry with us Debra!