etsy trashion blog: street team

Showing posts with label street team. Show all posts

8/02/2008

EyePopArt Upcycles Vinyl with Passionate Art

Etsy Trashion Materials Focus: Vinyl

Trashion team member Christine Claringbold of Eye Pop Art gives new life to Vinyl records with amazing talent! We asked her a few questions about reuseing vinyl and here is what she had to say:

What do you make from vinyl?

I create mandala art, home decor, and wearable accessories from upcycled vinyl records.

These include my Popsicle Clocks, Mandala Record Bowls, Feng Shui Mirrors, Roman Record Cuffs, and Eye Candy Cuffs.

What do you love about vinyl?

I love vinyl records because they are perfect circles with a perfectly defined center - perfect for creating mandalas!

I also love them for being flexible and easy to manipulate into other unexpected forms.

I love that they are so abundant - people give them to me all the time.

I love that they are retro-cool and easily recognizable, and they make people feel a bit nostalgic. People are always amazed to flip over one of my bowls and read the original record label.

I also love the fact that they represent a hugely important part of my life, which is MUSIC! I love to listen to records, I grew up on records as did my husband, and we still love to spin discs, as do our kids. But there are so many old, crappy, scratchy, unplayable records out there that people can't seem to get rid of, and these are the ones to which I love giving new life.

What’s the largest challenge in re-utilizing vinyl?
Well, it was a big challenge to me to figure out how to cut them so I could start making cuffs. Now that I have that figured out, it's a breeze! I do prime all of my records before painting them and I guess that is the biggest pain of the process - it's not challenging, but I don't enjoy it that much so I tend to procrastinate on doing it.

How long have you been working in this medium?
I started painting records in 1997. 11 years!

Where do you find inspiration?
I have always been inspired by the psychedelic '60s. I love the mad patterns, bold colors, stylized florals and paisleys and weird motifs that characterized that era (including the music!). I have a really huge collection of vintage psychedelic coffee cups and the designs on them have inspired me a lot. I also get inspired by working with children. I teach art to kids and just love the beautiful works of art they create.

Wow! Christine you have certainly taken vinyl to a place of extraordinary beauty. Thank you for sharing your talent and creativity with us!

Interested in discovering more about Christine Claringbold and her work check out her blog, and website. Want to have some of her passionate creations for your very own? Go to her Etsy shop!

6/05/2008

Trashion Team Member Shops

Wow Check out all our awesome and creative team members!

http://19Moons.etsy.com
http://alkemystic88.etsy.com
http://AlohaBlues.etsy.com
http://AnatomicalHeart.etsy.com
http://annabronwyn.etsy.com/
http://anniessweatshop.etsy.com/
http://aPassionForFashion.etsy.com
http://arnym.etsy.com/
http://artaltered.etsy.com
http://artandartifacts.etsy.com/
http://Art4KidsBooks.etsy.com
http://Artimentary.etsy.com
http://Artsy.etsy.com
http://ASecondChance.etsy.com
http://aughraslair.etsy.com/
http://avenuehandmade.etsy.com
http://ayechihuahua.etsy.com/
http://bakasartysta.etsy.com/
http://BarkerBell.etsy.com
http://bayousalvage.etsy.com
http://beadsinatwist.etsy.com
http://Beckymae.etsy.com
http://blackberrymaverick.etsy.com
http://blackrose1151.etsy.com/
http://blingaling.etsy.com/
http://bonnabag.etsy.com
http://boringsidney.etsy.com/
http://bornlippy.etsy.com/
http://bottledupdesigns.etsy.com/
http://buenostyle.etsy.com/
http://burningrubber.etsy.com/
http://buttercupbloom.etsy.com/
http://cakehouse.etsy.com
http://CandyCalamity.etsy.com
http://canarycollective.etsy.com/
http://cassowaryjewelry.etsy.com
http://CharmdImSur.etsy.com
http://CherylsArtBox.etsy.com
http://cimorenegal.etsy.com/
http://ClaudiasCreations.etsy.com
http://CoffeePotPeople.etsy.com
http://cookoorikoo.etsy.com
http://craftwerker.etsy.com
http://cremetangerine.etsy.com
http://davaeva.etsy.com
http://dhanks.etsy.com
http://discards.etsy.com/
http://dismantled.etsy.com/
http://dkoss2.etsy.com/
http://donnapool.etsy.com/
http://easystreetvintage.etsy.com/
http://EcoBangle.etsy.com
http://ekra.etsy.com/
http://eladesign.etsy.com
http://elenamary.etsy.com
http://ellerue.etsy.com/
http://enthral.etsy.com/
http://ErinRuth.etsy.com
http://evermore.etsy.com
http://eyepopart.etsy.com/
http://ezee.etsy.com/
http://fairytalefibers.etsy.com/
http://fantazya.etsy.com/
http://fashiongreentbags.etsy.com
http://FeltedwithFlourish.etsy.com
http://fisheye.etsy.com
http://fiveforty.etsy.com/
http://flyballbags.etsy.com
http://foundling.etsy.com/
http://foundthings.etsy.com/
http://free2fly.etsy.com/
http://frillz.etsy.com/
http://frommuddywater.etsy.com/
http://fromthevine.etsy.com
http://funkydevaz.etsy.com
http://funkyluke.etsy.com/
http://garbageofedenDesign.etsy.com/
http://gayeabandon.etsy.com
http://glueandglitter.etsy.com
http://goto.etsy.com
http://groovyvinyl.etsy.com/
http://HomeMadeOriginals.etsy.com
http://haptotrope.etsy.com/
http://heartfeltbaby.etsy.com
http://helloknitty.etsy.com/
http://hillbillyartist.etsy.com/
http://HiloVerde.etsy.com
http://hobocampcrafts.etsy.com
http://homeECOnomics.etsy.com
http://iheartfink.etsy.com
http://iWunder.etsy.com
http://jen1kanobi.etsy.com/
http://jkziel.etsy.com/
http://johntunger.etsy.com/
http://joules.etsy.com/
http://junck.etsy.com
http://junkmailgems.etsy.com/
http://JunktoJewels.etsy.com
http://JunkyardGypsy.etsy.com
http://kae1crafts.etsy.com/
http://kae1supplies.etsy.com
http://KarenFabiano.etsy.com
http://karmaskreations.etsy.com/
http://KeysAndMemories.etsy.com
http://kraftymomma.etsy.com/
http://lesleyanne.etsy.com
http://LilliputianDesigns.etsy.com
http://LiLMonsters.etsy.com
http://LindaErzinger.etsy.com
http://littleorangekitchen.etsy.com
http://littleputbooks.etsy.com/
http://lobsterlu.etsy.com/
http://losthollow.etsy.com
http://loganshop.etsy.com/
http://loranscruggs.etsy.com
http://lorimarsha.etsy.com/
http://LostAndFoundObjects2.etsy.com
http://lousupcycles.etsy.com
http://lovepeaceanddye.etsy.com/
hrrp://luvlugs.etsy.com
http://madebymama.etsy.com
http://magickalrealism.etsy.com
http://makisquarepatch.etsy.com/
http://malinb.etsy.com
http://markaplan.etsy.com
http://maram.etsy.com
http://MarthaHaskins.etsy.com
http://metamorph.etsy.com
http://miggipyn.etsy.com/
http://misscourageous.etsy.com
http://monicayocom.etsy.com
http://monkeydogstudio.etsy.com/
http://mountainvintage.etsy.com
http://moxrogers.etsy.com
http://mucke.etsy.com
http://naturemadescents.etsy.com/
http://nectorgirl.etsy.com
http://nolasalvage.etsy.com
http://NormalIsBoring.etsy.com
http://obsessivedesigns.etsy.com/
http://pauliina.etsy.com/
http://peggradyart.etsy.com/
http://perpetualplum.etsy.com
http://picklekreations.etsy.com/
http://PineBlossoms.etsy.com
http://plasticbagbelts.etsy.com
http://PopsieDaisy.etsy.com
http://prixprix.etsy.com
http://purekatherine.etsy.com/
http://recycledyoyos.etsy.com/
http://recyclemoore.etsy.com
http://RedeemedByDSign.etsy.com
http://reduxdesigns.etsy.com/
http://remarket.etsy.com
http://reneedesigns.etsy.com/
http://RePlayGround.etsy.com
http://repurposing.etsy.com
http://retrothreads.etsy.com/
http://rikrak.etsy.com/
http://rockerchic.etsy.com/
http://rosamond.etsy.com
http://rosewebs.etsy.com/
http://rox.etsy.com/
http://rubyreusable.etsy.com
http://runzwithscissors.etsy.com/
http://samann1121.etsy.com/
http://samsshop.etsy.com
http://sarahwinklerart.etsy.com
http://sassafrascreations.etsy.com
http://sclibertine.etsy.com
http://seconduse.etsy.com
http://SecretLentil.etsy.com
http://shandke.etsy.com/
http://siragwatkins.etsy.com
http://sjroemer.etsy.com
http://skinwalker.etsy.com
http://sojourncuriosities.etsy.com/
http://sosuzi.etsy.com/
http://spaceoddities.etsy.com/
http://spiceyart.etsy.com
http://STARASHAN.etsy.com
http://starsdreamsandjewels.etsy.com/
http://stevenshaverdesigns.etsy.com/
http://strawberryanarchy.etsy.com/
http://studiofresca.etsy.com
http://suchprettythings.etsy.com/
http://sweetpepita.etsy.com
http://SweetWolf.etsy.com/
http://sweetyprize.etsy.com/
http://TaDahpdx.etsy.com
http://tamron.etsy.com/
http://ThatCraftStore.etsy.com
http://theAlteredBlackSheep.etsy.com
http://thebunnycage.etsy.com
http://TheCrayonBin.etsy.com
http://theeclecticpickle.etsy.com/
http://thefiligreegarden.etsy.com
http://thefunctionalartist.etsy.com/
http://themoonismymother.etsy.com/
http://TimelessTrinkets.etsy.com
http://touchofglass.etsy.com/
http://traceybelt.etsy.com/
http://trashandvomit.etsy.com/
http://trashionmode.etsy.com/
http://TrashyChic.etsy.com
http://Tresijas.etsy.com
http://TrilliumArtisans.etsy.com
http://twistedwear.etsy.com
http://TwistThis22501.etsy.com
http://urbanwoodswalker.etsy.com
http://useitagain.etsy.com
http://wearwolf.etsy.com
http://weaveddreams.etsy.com
http://westernartglass.etsy.com
http://wildwood.etsy.com/
http://woolywooly.etsy.com
http://yayascaps.etsy.com
http://yearofthegoat.etsy.com
http://yieldtowhim.etsy.com/
http://yipestoo.etsy.com/
http://zJayne.etsy.com

2/16/2008

Welcome New Trashion Team Members!

A Big Trashion Welcome To New Team Members!

beadsinatwist
eladesign
evermore
Fashiongreentbags
HiloVerde
HomeMadeOriginals
iWunder
LostAndFoundObjects2
losthollow
PineBlossoms
PopsieDaisy
RedeemedByDSign
thefiligreegarden
wearwolf
yayascaps
zJayne
We are happy to have you all on the team!

2/15/2008

Trashion Team Spotlight- Interview with ReplayGround!

Shop Address: www.replayground.etsy.com

Shop name:
RePlayGround

Shop address:
replayground.etsy.com

In a nutshell:
RePlayGround is a place where discarded materials take on new life. We create new products from recycled items. You can also visit our website (www.replayground.com) and make your own DIY recycled projects.

Tell us a bit about yourself :
I'm a Design Junkie and I reuse anything I can get my hands on. I've worked on a series of DIY recycling project books with publisher Giddy Up, titled This into That. These books encourage kids to turn their discards into cool new items like purses, picture frames, and more. My recycled projects have appeared in many publications including ReadyMade Magazine, Craft Magazine, ID Magazine and The Washington Post. I think that garbage has feelings, too and sometimes can be found
talking to my pile of junk at my design studio in Brooklyn, NY.

Trashion materials:
Any garbage I can get my hands on, including, but not limited to, wine corks, bottle caps, used clothing, empty cereal boxes, old credit cards, and more.

I transform them into:
Anything I can think of like credit card earrings, wine cork trivets, bottle cap magnets, cereal box journals, t-shirt tote bags, and more.

How do you do it?
I do it with the use of some tools like wire cutters, my trusty drill press, a paper punch, and my own two hands. Sometimes I use other sets of hands in the Brooklyn area.

What inspired you to do this?
I've been reusing scrap materials since I was a kid and involved in 4-H. Scrap stuff makes great art supplies.

Do you remember the first thing you made using the trashion concept?
yep
What was it?
The first thing I made was a CD holder out of an old microwave when I was an undergrad. The microwave broke and it was a shame to throw it out, so I turned it on its side, added a shelf and put CDs inside. I still have it and it holds 32 CDs.

What are your current projects and what is on the horizon?
I'm always working on new DIY projects and am currently trying to figure out what to do with an old cap and gown that a friend gave me.

Why should people buy handmade, and buy from trashion?
Trashion is a great way to show the potential that garbage has to come back to life. It's not all trash, it just needs to be looked at in a new way and given some tender loving care.

More you'd like to share:
I received my masters degree in Industrial Design from Pratt Institute. While there I worked on my thesis, titled "Trash Nouveau – Reincarnating Garbage into Usable Products." Hurray for recycling!

Thanks for letting us in on your design process Tiffany! : ) Awesome pieces!

11/21/2007

Save the World Sunday Sale - shops now making announcements!

Here is the scoop as it unfolds on Save the World Sunday, the Etsy Trashion street team sale of participating shops, Sunday Nov. 25 and Dec. 2.

Members are busy announcing what the sale in their shops will look like!

For a sneak peek, check out this thread:

http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5325331

10/02/2007

Etsy Trashion team asks, what came first, the trash or the art?

"Which came first, the trash or the art? Were
you inspired by the material or the end product?"

Post your answers here!

Here are the answers gathered so far!!

Bayou Salvage, http://bayousalvage.etsy.com says: “the ideas come first. i am first and foremost an idea person and spend a lot of time on the idea. then i let it ride for awhile and see what materials i can collect to suit the idea. my partner is the reverse (heather from nolasalvage). she collects the materials and is constantly in assembly mode, not liking to think. we work well together, especially on the road junk picking.”

SweetyPrize, http://Sweetyprize.etsy.com says "First came the trash. It stares me in the face and I stare back. Thinking of something to do with it that doesn't involve throwing it out."

Magickalrealism, http://Magickalrealism.etsy.com says ” I first came to trashion by reading etsy forums and going, "that's really cool." I hate composting my leftover materials, and this left me a challenge to use up all my plant material in a creative way.”

Annie’s Sweat Shop, http: www.anniessweatshop.etsy.com says "Improving end products turns me on. As a former product designer, it's all about improving the "junk"....oh I mean products that are currently out there. I fill a need in my personal life through DIY and improve upon what the market currently provides. That means using sustainable materials whenever possible, offering grassroots recycling of collars and leashes, or using recycled fibers in modular pet beds. I've got my hate on for disposable technologies masked as convenience. Make it last just a little longer."

Kae1Crafts, http://Kae1Crafts.etsy.com says: “The trash almost always comes first.
Inspiration takes a lot longer to acquire!!! LOL”

Jen1Kanobi, http:jen1kanobi.etsy.com says... "actually its very hard to say... "the chicken or the egg?" I was raised in a "pack rat" home where we use the holy heck out of every little thing untill we absolutely cannot, so the roots of the trashion mentality were their, but it wasn’t untill I was a starving art student, trying to gets "wows" from my classmates without breakin my bank that the true sinergy happend... oh yeah and the whole "grunge" thing totaly helped... that's how I really got into the thrift store thing... in a nut shell: you tell me."

FairyTaleFibers, http://fairytalefibers.etsy.com replies “Well the trash or Selvage came along in a life long love of fiber and fairies....then the idea for the fairy tale hoods was born. So i guess you could say it was a perfectly timed convergence.”

Miggipyn, http://miggipyn.etsy.com says, “which came first? it's a little of both - i've got a magpie mind, so I collect and horde pretties, even if i'm not sure what to do with them. and then, while walking around the city and daydreaming, i'll start thinking of ways to use them. fabulous finds are EVERYWHERE - and i often don't even notice the items around me until i've already had an idea, and then i realize the materials are just lying around everywhere. example -- i've started playing with broken glass and foil from the streets, and i never realized how many COOL shades of blue, green, red, and yellow glass are used in every day disposables! so now i've got a huge bag of glass from the street .. and i don't know what to do with all of it - but i'm sure it'll come to me :) “

Donnapool, http:Donnapool.etsy.com says “the art came first...sort of. What I use most is recycled images from vintage magazines to make buttons, magnets, keychains and pocket mirrors. I look through old magazines such as Life, Look, etc., and especially vintage photography magazines and I spot images that I can imagine isolating and preserving in that small, round format. The images are just too good to throw away, too indicative of the day and time in which they were created. Maybe it's the history major in me that just doesn't want to throw away those slices of our history. Expressions, hairstyles, fashions or the cameras our grandparents used...they can become a window into another world.”

Pagano Design Works, http://PaganoDesignWorks says “Oh absolutely the trash came first! Currently, I am passionate about making jewelry out of recycled sweaters. The bead part was easy, as I live in Tucson, AZ where the world’s biggest gem and mineral show arrives every year. (Not collecting beads is the difficult thing around here!) The sweater part was convoluted. I learned to knit to occupy myself while chaperoning my son’s jazz band to New Orleans…in a bus. Yarn is expensive. I learned to unravel thrifted sweaters in order to salvage their luxury yarns. Unraveling is strangely satisfying. Some sweaters don’t unravel but felt beautifully. I made lots of things with sweater felt for a year or so. Then…the felt got too close to the beads and POOF! Jewelry! Often I will save things for years just because I know they are Cool and Useful. Exactly WHAT they destined to become is the mystery. Sometimes it is hard to commit a treasured component to a new project. This is called “hoarding” and is not a good thing. We must allow the trash to become art and fulfill its destiny!! “

Redux Designs, http://reduxdesigns.etsy.com says “it can be both! Usually I go through what I have on hand and play around with them, put together combinations and see what comes out. Sometimes, however, an idea comes to mind and I go searching for what I need to make it happen. Sometimes I can adapt an idea to use what is on hand; other times, a trip to the thrift store is in order!”

Garbage of Eden, http://garbageofedendesign.etsy.com says: “the art. My dad's a graphic designer and my mom is a super crafty lady so everyone was always creating things around me. My family is a really big inspiration to me. : ) ”

Renee Designs, http://reneedesigns.etsy.com says: “I think the trash came first. I am a collector/pack rat and was collecting magazine images, articles and cool papers for a while. I
always thought I would use them for inspiration for a new jewelry design but the more I looked at them I knew there was art in all of that mess. The trash I had collected was really art just waiting to come out.”

Trashionmode, http://trashionmode.etsy.com says “I've been inspired by materials . I owe what I know to the tramp artists, basket weavers, rag pickers, gypsies, Marcel Duchamp, prison artists, assemblage artists, reconstructionists, etc.. I have a serious junk picking/ thrift shop habit.
I may venture out on a mission to find supplies for a particular project but I often come home with something else. It's the knowledge that everything has the potential to be used in a way other than its intended use that comes first for me. Even when I make something that no one else has done before it is based on my willingness to think of art as having endless possibilities. It is not "the art" ,as in a particular project, but "art" and all it's possibilities that come first. Even in the use of natural materials in Trashion there has to be a thought process that takes place that drives you to alter it. Only the cavemen had the right to say that the rocks came first. In our day and age I think that it is art that comes first. Designing and appreciating everything is a thought process...and an art. I have a box of junk that I don't yet know what I'll do with. It is in
my possession because of its possibilities. My choices of what to keep and what to discard are based on my aesthetic sensibility and the kind of art I like...not for what it is. Though I must concede that the properties of the junk will determine what I will do with it. If I were not an artist I would probably not keep or use it.”

9/20/2007

Welcome aboard!

Here are some of our other team newbies!

We don't stop growing :-)

http://blingaling. etsy.com

http://metamorph. etsy.com

http://cremetangeri ne.etsy.com

Thanks for joining us on our trashion adventures.

catherine

http://sweetyprize. etsy.com

9/16/2007

Etsy Trashion asks...

The Esty Trashion Street Team asks its members:
"What is the best place to find items to reuse in your crafts?"

http://bayousalvage.etsy.com/ says “the best place to find stuff is in other people's garbage piles & dumpsters. i have a kit with special tools,gloves and disinfectant spray. good junk is only a hop,skip & a junkpile away...”

http://trashionmode.etsy.com/ says...”My latest hot spot for freebies is the discardpile outside of the library. We also have a recycling facility that lets metake things. I just got a huge box of soda can pull tabs that I'm trying tofigure out how to use and a big stack of disposable aluminum trays that I'mthinking of using to create pendants similar to the soldered type. I mighttry the clear plastic from containers instead of the glass slides. I'llprobably have to add some heavy recycled beads just to add some weight.”

http://reneedesigns.etsy.com/ says the majority of the materials I use are delivered right to my front door as junk mail, magazines and newspapers. Everyone hates getting junk mail but I don't anymore now I know that it can be turned into something really cool. The rest I may find on the street orin thrift stores.”

http://sweetyprize.etsy.com/ says "Where do I not find supplies? I find them roadside in boxes, as I take a walk, at the flea market, and when my mom says 'You want this? I am going to throw it out.'" “

http://bemyshark.etsy.com/ says, “railroad tracks and abandoned buildings are ripe with trashionfodder...it's enough to make me miss Detroit..”

http://donnapool.etsy.com says
I check all the junk mail that comes to my house and all the newspaper ads in the Sunday papers. I check old catalogs and magazines. Now and then I'll check flea markets, used book stores and antique malls for vintage magazines that are likely to have ads I can recycle into my buttons, etc. I also get scraps for my soft toys from old clothes my family is ready to throw out.

http://kae1crafts.etsy.com says “In answer to this question, I have a variety of sources that I use starting with my own discards, closets, junk mail and found treasures in the street and on the beach. Then I accept "donations" from friends and family, prowl and buy at yard sales (especially from their 'Free' box) and from thrift stores. I usually have far more items and ideas that I have time or energy to complete. The Trashion concept has heightened my awareness of what I am throwing in the trash and making me question: Can I make something from this or is it REALLY trash? Even my supply store is filled with used patterns, books and supplies.”

http://Stitchblade.etsy.com says "I find a lot of my materials at thrift stores. There is one locally that sells random garbage bags full for 50 cents a piece. I have also gotten items from Freecycle.org and friends as well as within my own home."

http://sclibertine.etsy.com/ says, “This will sound silly, but everywhere! Generally thrift stores and their dumpsters, and freecycle. The dumpster by my Publix often has random bits, too. I've gotten quite a few things, from three boxes of yarn to horrible Christmas decorations to antique sewing supplies. It's fun, there is honestly no telling what people are looking to get rid of! Piles on the side of the road are a MAGNET to me! I have to stop and look for treasures."

http://jen1kanobi.etsy.com says "my day job; we get items shipped in all kinds of materials that would otherwise end up as waste, it just so happens to be a photolab, so i also score all kinds of scrap matt board, perfect for hard cover journals... my second favorite place to find things is my own family trash, we have excellent recycling in Ann Arbor, but they do not take freezer boxes, which turn out to make wonderful paper beads!"

http://reduxdesigns.etsy.com/ says "most of my jewelry is made from things Ifind in my jewelry box or button stash - reusing what I already have.I've also had good luck at a garage sales and thrift stores. Forclothes, thrift stores are the best, especially where you can buy bythe pound. I dig in and look for fabric and trim rather than at theitems."

http://haptotrope.etsy.com/ says, “There is a place here called "Buck-A-Pound" whereyou literally sit in a pile of all manners of textiles and dig through it.At times I'll close my eyes and feel around me and pull out only the bestfeeling fibers. I'll choose softness, luxury, or texture as my first lineof choice even before color and cut... Sometimes some things even comefrom the trash -- because Boston is a wealthy city with a lot ofturn-over, many people simply but their second hand items on the curb forpeople to take...its so common that we euphemistically donate perfectlygood and beautiful things to "Our Lady of the Curb" and go "Curb shopping" “

http://www.tomatedepingles.etsy.com says "thrift shops! i spend a lotof time in thrift shops, so much so i know all the clercks names, andthey put aside stuff for me to buy! they receive a lot of brokenjewelry, for example, and would normaly throw them out, but they keepthem for me and i use them to create new jewelry out of the salvagedpieces!"

Check out the blog updates and member's profiles for more great insight into these creative minds!

8/29/2007

trashion team members list

8/21/2007

Shout out to the newbies!

Please join me in a super celebration of our new members!

Here is a treasury in honor of them: http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=6613

Give the treasury a boost, but also visit the shops:
http://obsessivedesigns.etsy.com/
http://rockerchic.etsy.com/
http://donnapool.etsy.com/
http://rikrak.etsy.com/
http://loganshop.etsy.com/
http://peggradyart.etsy.com/
http://theeclecticpickle.etsy.com/
http://bottledupdesigns.etsy.com/
http://annabronwyn.etsy.com/
http://jen1kanobi.etsy.com/
http://themoonismymother.etsy.com/
http://johntunger.etsy.com/
http://ellerue.etsy.com/
http://helloknitty.etsy.com/
http://sosuzi.etsy.com/

that is totally amazing

way to go team!
http://sweetyprize.etsy.com/

8/20/2007

Trashion team chat, 8/20/2007, 11:00 pm

Reminder from: etsytrashion Yahoo! Group

Trashion team chat!
Monday August 20, 2007 at 11:00 pm - 12:00 am
Location: etsy chat rooms
This is a sweet chance to chat with your team members, leaders, whoever wanders in ;) about current projects for the team, your shop, or anything really... get your chat on in the weekly scheduled chat!

7/27/2007

etsy trashion street team trunk show - July 27, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Etsylabs

The last Friday of every month, EtsyLabs in Brooklyn hosts another group of crafters in a special trunk show. Come July, the fabulous men and women of the Trashion street team will be on display!

The Trashion Trunk Show is Friday, July 27, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Etsylabs (see here for directions). The team will be showcasing a variety of goodies, all trashion, all etsyians.
There's Mallory, of dismantled.etsy.com, from New Orleans. Her shop includes dresses made from emergency tarps, and fleur-de-lis brooches out of reclaimed materials.

Also on site with be Catherine, of sweetyprize.etsy.com, from New Jersey, showcasing crochet and jewelry from untraditional materials, such as cassette tapes.

There is Renee of reneedesigns.etsy.com, is also scheduled to attend. Among her lovely jewelry are necklaces made with unique, used papers and earrings of doll shoes!

Joining these creative minds will be items from:
YieldToWhim.etsy.com, hillbillyartist.etsy.com, groovyvinyl.etsy.com, Lovepeaceanddye.etsy.com, disCARDS.etsy.com, Kae1Crafts.etsy.com, funkyluke.etsy.com, tomatedepingles.etsy.com, naturemadescents.etsy.com, eyepopart.etsy.com, and etsytrashion.etsy.com

The show will go beyond the sale of trashion goodies, but include giveaways, workshops, and short films.

If you can't make it, check out the virtual trunk show at

http://etsytrashion.etsy.com/, and chat with the sellers in the etsy chat rooms. it's all good.

Hope you can make it!

7/25/2007

Trashion team spotlight - Interview : TrashionMode

TrashionMode

I became enamored with term trashion and wanted to be a part of the whole scene. Following the theme of my YieldToWhim shop I opened TrashionMode on an impulse with trashion being the only focus.

My name is Pat Berry. I've been using recycled materials since the late 60's. Fancy patches on hippie jeans were my first trashion projects.

My use of recycled supplies has always been driven by my compulsive shopping habit and thrift. I supplied vintage and consignment shops for years. It allowed me to work around my childrens' schedules and I was always running across affordable 2nd hand clothing and art supplies for us.

I'm scissor happy. I love to play with paper and fabric. I'm working on patches with screened images using vintage fabric. And I'm also making recycled paper jewelry. I basically take a smidgen of visual information in magazine pictures out of context and make my beads from that.

One time I went on a clipping binge for collage images. When it came time to sort thru them I realized that I hadn't taken the images of people, trees, animals, etc.. Instead I had focused on the blurry backgrounds, shadows on walls, reflections on water, grids and such. It was colors, textures and patterns that I was drawn to.

I struggle with A.D.D.. It's hard for me to complete anything because my mind moves on quickly or I hyper- focus and can't stop to make dinner. Yet A.D.D. has a perk when it comes to trashion. I don't censure my ideas for appropriateness. I'm used to being bombarded with overlapping information. It's like taking a pile of unrelated materials and seeing what looks good together. You, normally, would never think to put those two items together.

I think that people should buy trashion because it's often very unique. It shows that you have an appreciation for individuality. And it may remind you that there are simple approaches to reducing waste that you can incorporate into your daily life. Granted ...a smidgen of paper doesn't decrease the waste by much. It's the discussions about what trashion is that will spread the philosophy and spur bigger and better ideas for helping the ecological issues.

Trashion on Treehugger!

A big thanks to Jasmin of Treehugger and The Worsted Witch for posting about the Trashion Trunk Show!

Treehugger is one of the most awesome eco-living sites around, so this is pretty exciting! Read the post here.

Trashion team spotlight - Interview : ReneeDesigns

Shop name: ReneeDesigns

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

In a nutshell:
I love to make jewelry that you won’t see everywhere. I started out making “traditional” beaded jewelry but then I added broken vintage components, hardware and paper to the mix. I love the freedom that designing jewelry gives me.

Tell us a bit about yourself:
Renee Fensin, Milwaukee, WI

I am married and have a beautiful 18 month old daughter we adopted from China. I really dig hanging out with my daughter watching Sesame Street, playing with her toys and listening to all of the new words she has learned.

Trashion materials:
Paper, hardware, other found items

I transform them into:
Jewelry

How do you do it?
I’ve recently been working mainly in collage, taking magazines, newspapers and junk mail and transforming them into beautiful pendants and earrings.

What inspired you to do this and why are you involved in trashion?
I’ve always collected magazines for inspiration for my jewelry. I would rip out interesting articles, photos etc. for later use. However later never really came. When we were getting ready for our daughter’s arrival, I started going through the files I had realizing that there were beautiful pieces of jewelry waiting to come out of something that so many would just throw away. I believe that it is my responsibility as a mother to make the world my daughter lives in a more beautiful place, one small way I can do this is to recycle and reuse the paper and junk mail that comes may way.

Do you remember the first thing you made using the trashion concept?
What was it?
Well I’m sure the first thing I made with recycled or upcycled things were the popsicle stick frames and macaroni art in grade school. But the first official trashion piece of jewelry was a ring made out of my grandmother’s broken earring.

What are your current projects and what is on the horizon?
I am currently working on collage pieces using fashion magazine images, including paperdolls and doll clothes. I would like to create more original artwork by introducing painting to the collage. I think it would be wonderful to have a miniature art work around your neck.

Why should people buy handmade, and buy from trashion?
I think people should buy handmade items because there is more care going into the creation of the item. The artist or crafter puts a piece of their heart and soul into everything they make. Trashion is just one more step in this process, the artist takes something that had one use and gives it another life reducing the amount of junk in the world.

Can you tell us anything about the trunk show?

I am very excited to be attending the show in Brooklyn. I can’t wait to meet all the other trashionistas from the street team.

More you'd like to share:
Since I have started working in the trashion mode, I feel much more free in my art. I am much more open to experimentation. Doing this is giving me the same feeling about creating art that I had as a child.

7/24/2007

Trashion team spotlight - Interview : Groovy Vinyl

Shop name: Groovy Vinyl

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

In a nutshell:
Groovy Vinyl is groovy new jewelry and accessories made from
vintage vinyl records! I had a ton of old records that I had been trying to
figure out what to do with. It occurred to me that I might be able to
incorporate them into my beaded jewlery since I had done so with old CDs first
after I found a tutorial on www.Craftster.org. A whole bunch of earrings and
pendants later, I christened my creations Groovy Vinyl and opened up as a second shop on
Etsy.

Tell us a bit about yourself:
Ive always been the artistic nerd. My friends and I used to
make construction paper ears and tails and pretend we were animals,
complete with names and character backgrounds and have adventures in the
backyard. We put on puppet and magic shows for the neighborhood kids,
had dance contests and lemonade stands. Yes, sometimes we would be
dressed weirdly for this and draw wacky signs to go along with it.
As a kid I started art lessons with my auntie Pat at her house,
and during high school I had a constant pass to the art room during study
hall. We had a really cool teacher, Joel Groessel, who let us use
whatever art materials we had at our disposal. Cartooning was by far my favorite pastime and had been since I drew my first Crayola scribbles on my bedroom walls, but as
time went on I gradually picked up painting and delved into abstract art
(on canvas, not so much my walls anymore).
I took loads of art studio classes in college and really rounded
out my personal style. In between real jobs, I was forever
jumping from one creative endeavor to another, be it decorative interior
painting, greeting cards, constructing my own Halloween and renaissance faire costumes and props, custom pet cartooning on ceramic mugs and pet dishes, and private art
lessons for kids. It wast until fall of 2006 that I began
jewelry-making and really went nuts with it. I had done a little bit of beading
when I worked as a teacher at an after school center, but I found it
boring at the time, but this time around, I really discovered joy in it.
Now it consumes me--well, that and blogging!
Im married to a really awesome guy named Bob and we have two
cool kitties named Tricky and Little Byte. I work as a pharmacy
technician and Im certified at both the state and national level.

Trashion materials:
For Groovy Vinyl, old vinyl records. Apart from GV, old CDs, junk
jewelry from thrift shops and yard sales, and more recently, lots of
found materials such as broken street signs and cracked turn signal
covers.
Lately I have been refashioning old tee shirts into new garments. My
newest project will be trash such as dessicant canisters and discarded
caps from pill bottles turned into jewelry of some kind.

I transform them into:
Vinyl records get remade into earrings, necklaces, pendants,
bracelets, cuffs, pins, magnets, and rings.

How do you do it?
With a heat gun, paint, glue, beads, buttons, charms, glitter, and
assorted findings!

What inspired you to do this and why are you involved in trashion?
The CD jewelry project was the spark that drove me to find other
things to fashion into jewlery. I love the idea of taking something
that appears worthless and transforming it into something new, useful, and
unique. Discovering the hidden potential in discarded items is a
thrill and a challenge for me. And its a little less litter on the
street. Cardboard that comes from the pharmacy finds new life as my paint
palettes, and the boxes and bubblewrap I reuse as packing materials.

Do you remember the first thing you made using the trashion concept?
What was it?
In the second grade, I was invited to a last minute Halloween
party. I had NO costume, so I began rummaging around this huge bag of
winter hats and mittens we had in the closet. I found this long black
woven belt which would become a tail, and I fashioned a pair of big round
ears out of black construction paper that I attached to a
plastic headband. I wore a borrowed black leotard from my friends
little sister and went as a mouse. My mom did my nose and whiskers with
a charred cork. I won second prize for the costume contest.

What are your current projects and what is on the horizon?
Lately I started making hair pins and rings with the vinyl
records. I also began sewing again after I picked up the book Generation T:
108 ways to transform a tee shirt, by Megan Nicolay, and I also have
begun using casting resin in my jewery pieces.

Why should people buy handmade, and buy from trashion?
Not to sound too preachy, but because I think that there should be
more support of indie artists and crafters and their small business,
rather than buying mass-produced items from huge, big-box retailers that
are churning out thousands of the same item in some third-world
sweatshop. There does seem to be more of a gravitating towards handmade, and
an appreciation for the trashion concept, and awareness of being
environmentally conscious. Personally, I would rather have a one-of-a-kind
item that was made by someone who shares that passion of making
something from nothing, something that you wont find at Target or Wal-Mart.

7/23/2007

Trashion news flash!

Check out this treasury!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=3596

They last two days, so click before 4 a.m. tonight :-)

Etsy is having a scavenger hunt for trashion, play to win:
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5161203

Have fun!

Trashion team spotlight - Interview : disCARDS

Shop name: disCARDS: Cut(e) n' Paste

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

In a nutshell:

Cut(e) + Paste = disCARDS

disCARDS puts the "fun" in "functional" with cute, clever, handmade items, created with love and other ingredients in Pittsburgh, PA.

Tell us a bit about yourself:

My name is Emily. I live in Pittsburgh, PA, where I work full time at a non-profit agency, go to school for my master's degree in organizational psychology, and live with my boyfriend and our two cats. Outside of the Trashion team, I'm involved in the Etsy Greetings and etsyPittsburgh teams, and I write a blog about my crafty exploits: http://disCARDSblog.blogspot.com. I also participate in a handful of indie craft fairs around the Pittsburgh area.

Trashion materials:

I use a lot of vintage, recycled and thriftstore finds: discarded library books (particularly old textbooks and vintage elementary school primers); vintage cabochons, charms and buttons; recycled bottlecaps; fabric scraps from deconstructed clothing and leftovers from other projects...

I transform them into:

one-of-a-kind note cards and gift tags, jewelry, and accessories for you and your home

How do you do it?

My process isn't as exciting to describe as some; my favorite part is what I like to call "research and development": collecting books, scouring thriftshops and garage sales for fun scores; buying vintage beads and charms from fellow Etsy sellers; and then sitting down and figuring out where it all fits.

What inspired you to do this and why are you involved in trashion?

I started out with scrapbooking and paper crafts--cards for family and friends at the holidays--and began to realize that the supplies I found at big box craft stores just weren't doing it for me anymore. Everything was so cutesy and contrived; there seemed to be a limited number of combinations of those pre-fab elements. I'd always been eco-conscious: environmental responsibility was ingrained in me from a young age. So I thought I'd take it to the next level. When I discovered the treasure trove of untapped resources that were just sitting on thriftstore shelves collecting dust, I realized those were the materials that really spoke to me, and I began collecting books to (lovingly) rip up and repurpose!

Do you remember the first thing you made using the trashion concept? What was it?

Cards! When I was still making cards using more mainstream supplies, I entertained the notion of selling them. When I was trying to come up with a name, "disCARDS" kept springing to mind. I thought, "Why not use recycled materials in my cards?" and started digging through some old clip art collections and other materials I'd been stockpiling since my high school zine-making days, and it just evolved from there.

What are your current projects and what is on the horizon?

Lately I've been much more focused on jewelry-making. I've been finding amazing vintage bead and cab lots on Etsy, and am looking forward to creating with them. I just scored some great vintage plastic chain that I plan to make into charm bracelets and necklaces. That'll be fun! And I'm building up my stock of pie magnets, made from recycled bottlecaps, beads, buttons, styrofoam peanuts, felt and rickrack.

Why should people buy handmade, and buy from trashion?

For me, buying handmade used to be just about capturing the handmade aesthetic that I really appreciated. These days, the handmade look can be found just about anywhere, but the true essence of it is so special, and I really want to support real artisans of handmade goods. Part of it is about reaching out to a likeminded community and building connections. Part of it is political: removing myself from the consumption loop of mass-produced goods and voting with my dollars. Buying handmade is akin to buying locally: it just feels good to have that personal connection to someone who's selling you a product, or buying one from you. As for trashion: it's becoming more and more important to abide by the three R's: reduce, reuse, recycle. Trashion artists are using their creativity to make recycling more than a utilitarian necessity; they're creating beautiful, functional objects out of materials that would have taken up space in a landfill. I just love that!

Can you tell us anything about the trunk show?

I can't get out of Pittsburgh the weekend of the trunk show, so my participation will be virtual. I hope to join in the workshops during the show, and I've sent some miniature "Bricolage Kits" for the swag bags that will be handed out at the show. Participating in the team--and the trunk show in particular--is really exciting for me. I feel connected to something bigger than myself, as corny as that sounds, and I'm excited for the opportunity for my work to reach a larger audience. I'm really honored to be a part of such a proactive, supportive team, and look forward to future Trashion projects!

Thanks to the Etsy Labs for acknowledging the burgeoning Trashion movement and giving us the space to promote our cause, and thanks to my fellow team members for doing such a great job of getting the word out!

7/20/2007

Trashion team spotlight - Interview : Nature Made Scents & Mad & Mini Metals

Shop name: Nature Made Scents & Mad & Mini Metals

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

In a nutshell:
Funky Yet Useful Stuff! (C)

Tell us a bit about yourself:
Pam Farren, Newburyport , MA
I've owned and operated Nature Made Scents since 1990. After finishing college, and getting married, my (awesome) husband and I opened The Craft Café. We sold funky folk art made by us and by our friends from school. I met a woman, who was totally into aromatherapy, and I was so intrigued by the concept, I've been practicing aromatherapy ever since. Hence, the name, Nature Made Scents. My son was born in 1994 (yeah!). This is when I started working with metals. Book'markers were my first commercial venture. A friend of mine took them into her store, I was picked up by a rep, and it's been a whirlwind since then! I wholesale, retail, drop-ship, stand-on-my-head (not really!), and love it all. The best part is that I have my studios at home, so I'm also a stay at home mom. My son is now 13, and has operated Mini Metals for the past two years.

Trashion materials:
I work primarily with metals; silver, gold, copper, brass, aluminum, tin...
I find stuff on the street, at flea markets, auctions, wherever! I've never met a funky piece of metal I didn't like!

I transform them into:
I'm a very practical person. I like to make things that serve a purpose. I love to collect old tins, and upcycle them into jewelry, and clocks. I also like to make notebooks from recycled papers and cardboard packaging, like cereal boxes.

How do you do it?
Because of the variety of materials I work with, most of my pieces are one-of-a-kind. Each piece is fabricated or assembled by hand, and with a collection of terrific tools. Sometimes I'm instantly inspired to make something, other times I have to live with the materials before the idea comes to me. I lived with the 1lb. coffee tins for quite a while before the rusty couch springs came into my life. Then it hit me, clocks!

What inspired you to do this and why are you involved in trashion?
We're certainly not an earthy-crunchy bunch at my house, but we do want to do our part to take care of the Earth. I love to recycle, and upcycle! It's great when people see my work, and are excited about the materials. Think green!

Do you remember the first thing you made using the trashion concept?
I have always had the entrepreneurial spirit! I get that from my Dad (he's a master carpenter and all 'round amazing guy). When I was about 15 I started a business, called the Tom Thumb Collection, and made doll house furniture from scraps of wood from his workshop. I sold them to a local store. I also remember my mother making the coolest clown marionettes one summer from stuff she found around the house. She really allowed, and encouraged my creativity.

What are your current projects and what is on the horizon?
I'm working on the clocks, and jewelry. I'm enjoying the journey! One project leads to the other. New materials come into your life. I just received about 400lbs. of scrap rubber roofing from a local company that was closing up shop. I plan to make belts, and book covers, bracelets, and bags. It's a lot of rubber! I see "making stuff out of rubber classes for kids" in my future...

Why should people buy handmade, and buy from trashion?
My handmade items are thought about, and cared about, and fussed over until they're just right. They come with a story, not just my story, but the story of where all of the materials came from, the life they lived before they came to me. How cool is that?

TRUNK SHOW:
I'll be sending in stuff to the Trashion Trunk Show at etsy labs, thanks to my fabulous fellow trashionistas! Earrings, bracelets, and pins made from tin trays and cans. My Trashion book'marker is part of the Swag Bag too!

More you'd like to share:
I love to work with kids. Their work is honest, and true. Upcycling is a great concept for them because they're usually operating with no budget. Teaching them how to make a great notebook or bracelet from stuff they have around the house makes me very happy.

7/19/2007

Trashion team spotlight - Interview : EyePopArt

Shop name: Eye Pop Art

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

In a nutshell:

Mandalas art and accessories made from recycled vinyl records

Tell us a bit about yourself:
Christine Claringbold - mom, artist, art teacher, music lover

I have a husband and two kids, ages 13 and 11.

I have filled my house with psychedelic murals and I paint on just
about everything including furniture and my car.

I have been teaching art to elementary kids for the last eight years,
and I am also offering mandala classes for all ages this summer through
http://www.diylounge.com/ and http://www.workingartistsonline.com/ . I am
also the store manager and website manager (and one of the artisan
members) for Trillium Artisans, a nonprofit organization that supports
Portland artists who use recycled and reclaimed materials - please visit
us at http://www.trilliumartisans.org/ .

Right now I am a member of the Vignettes - we are the backup singers
for my husband's punk rock band, Dartgun. I also play a little flute and
I have played bass guitar in a few bands as well.

Trashion materials: Vinyl records

I transform them into:

Mandala Clocks, Mandala Bowls, Feng Shui Mirrors, and Roman Record Cuffs

How do you do it?

With acrylic paints and lots of imagination.

What inspired you to do this and why are you involved in trashion?

I have never had a lot of money to spend on canvases, so I just started
painting on whatever was lying around. Being involved in trashion was
just a natural step, as the recycled-materials concept is really my
"niche."

Do you remember the first thing you made using the trashion concept?
My very first painting was done on the front panel of my old hardshell
suitcase. The Greyhound tags were still attached. I was briefly
living in Montana at the time, and I was pregnant with my first child. I
just wanted to paint, and it was all I could find. After that I painted
my husband's guitar (since then I've done quite a few guitars), and did
the entire interior of our car, a 1970 Galaxie 500.

After we moved back home to Portland I started painting on records, an
idea I got from our good friend Billy Brahm, who is an awesome artist
himself, and he still paints records - he just gave me one the other day
and I love it!

What are your current projects and what is on the horizon?
I have recently started my blog, http://eyepopart.blogspot.com/ , so I am
getting into the whole blogging thing. I am also on Etsy's Portland
street team and we are planning another outdoor art show for August 11 -
visit http://www.pdxetsy.com/ for more info. I also hope to go to New
York in October for the PDX Etsy trunk show - hopefully I'll make
enough money at my summer job (teaching ceramics at Oregon College of Art
and Craft's kids summer camp) to swing it.

I have been painting my car this summer, practicing with the band, and
hanging out in the pool! I am also continuing to make new designs in
my record cuffs to sell on Etsy.

Why should people buy handmade, and buy from trashion?

People should buy handmade because mass produced stuff is boring. When you buy
trashion, you are also helping to keep reusable materials from going into the
landfills, which is a positive step that everyone should take toward
helping to save the planet Earth!

Can you tell us anything about the etsy trashion trunk show?
I am really excited about the trunk show! I will not be there in
person by I am sending a box of my products and my friend Joan, who lives in
Brooklyn, will be attending in my place and selling my items. I think
this is such a wonderful and unique opportunity to expose my work to a
completely new group of people (in New York!!!) - another reason why I
am so glad to have discovered Etsy!

More:
Watch HGTV's "Look What I Did" on September 19, 2007 at 6:00 pm ET/PT.
I will be featured in a segment called "Psychedelic in Portland"
which is all about how I transformed my master bedroom/studio into a
psychedelic wonderland of bright colors and fabulous mandalas. Tune in!

Pages