Spotlight: this chickadee
I have an etsy shop, so I spend a great deal of time on the site. Last week, I randomly found this chickadee and fell in love with her products and ideas for creative reuse. I sent her a quick email to see if she wanted to tell us a little about herself and she agreed.
Here’s the email interview:
1. Tell us your story. How did “this chickadee” get started?
it is tough to assign a starting date to this chickadee. it has been more of a creative evolution, spread out over time and going in many different directions! the chickadee that you see today was really born from a desire to give myself and others an alternative to the overwhelming amount of mass produced goods out there. and at the same time, i wanted to honor the rich tradition of d.i.y. that has been passed down to me by my mom and gramma.
2. Why do you reuse materials?
for many reasons…reusing and repurposing materials is something that my grandparents did all of the time. they did it first because they had to, their resources were very limited, and then because it just made sense. why would you waste something when you could find a new use for it? also, i’m particularly fond of vintage textiles. the patterns and the colors are more attractive and exciting to me than so much of what is being made today.
3. How do you come up with your ideas for a piece?
most of my ideas for things come out of necessity. i started sewing when i wanted pillows for my home and didn’t see anything in a store that interested me. so i looked around for materials that were on hand and dreamed up a plan of what to do with them. other times it is the fabric itself that inspires. daydreaming and drawing are essential activities. so are missteps and mistakes.
4. Where do you find your supplies?
all over the place. mostly thrift stores…but i also do shop at contemporary stores as well. i hope to achieve a balance between the old and the new.
5. Who/What inspires your work?
well, my gramma and my mom are huge inspirations for me. just spending time in my gramma’s house, which is wall to wall handmade, gives me motivation for making new things. my family is exceptionally supportive and always encouraging me. also, there are so many fantastically creative people out there in the craft world that i admire.
6. What advise do you have for anyone looking to reuse materials to make arts and crafts?
just do it! experiment, try different things. the interwebs are full of helpful sites (like this one) with tutorials and tips to get you started. don’t be shy about asking people for help or advice either. the craft community is a pretty awesome group of people who want to spread the desire to d.i.y.
7. Ultimate goals as an artist?
hmm…ultimate is hard because it implies a stopping point. i’d just like to keep on making and learning new things and moving in whatever direction is calling. along the way it would be great to inspire others to pick up their needles or hammers or paint brushes too.
8. Anything else you would like to say.
thanks for getting in touch!
You can see more of this chickadee’s products and stay up-to-date with her creative reuse by visiting the following sites:
Blog: http://thischickadee.blogspot.com/
Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/thischickadee
Cosaverde: http://cosaverde.com/store/thischickadee/
How to make your own Glass Cleaner
Vinegar is heavily underrated. Ok, maybe it’s not. Anyway, I think the vast amounts of goodness that can come from vinegar are amazing. Not only can it dress your salad, add a little somethin’ somthin’ to your sauce, but it can clean your glass and mirrors!
Today, I am celebrating that which is VINEGAR!
So, here’s a super easy and cheap (double bonus!) recipe for a homemade glass cleaner.
Ingredients:
1 plastic spray bottle (re-use your glass cleaner spray bottle that you have now!)
1 quart warm water
1/4 cup vinager
*Mix the water and vinegar together in your spray bottle and there you go!
Now, go clean some windows (:
Quick Tip: Reuse Old Socks
I don’t know about you, but I hate when my socks get holes in them! After sewing the holes a number of times, socks just need to be retired.
How about this:
Use old socks to polish items and stain wood!
Socks are great to use as rags for polishing shoes, silver, whatever and they also make a really handy rag (because you can put it over your hand like a glove) for staining a new book shelf, dresser, etc.
How to Reuse Old Photographs to Make a Personalized Wallet
I have boxes and boxes full of old prints. Now most of my negatives are becoming digitized, so I wanted to do something with my old photos.
Here’s one idea!
How to Make a Wallet from Old Photographs:
1. Pick 6 favorite photographs. (I’ve used landscapes, but you can use anything.)
2. Cut each photograph to measure 2 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches.
3. Place 3 photos side by side with 1/4 inch between them. Tape them together using packaging tape. Tape both sides to increase structure and avoid stickiness.
4. Do the same for the remaining 3 photos.
5. Lay the 2 sets of photographs side by side so that one of the long sides of each is 1/4 inch away from the other. Tape them together. Tape all around the wallet.
6. Fill with money and credits and fold in tri-fold and stick it in your pocket or purse!
Spotlight: CosaVerde.com
Today’s spotlight is on CosaVerde.com
Literally translated from Spanish it means “Green Thing.” Cosa Verde is a website that hosts small shops for people who make items that are environmentally friendly, that have reused materials in them, that are reusable themselves, organic, vegan, conflict-free, all that good stuff. There are so many artists out there making awesome stuff from upcycled, recycled, refurbished, repurposed goods.
If you are one of these artists, want to be one, want to buy from one, then visit costaverde.com today.
There are a great many items for sale including: visual art, purses, wallets, jewelry, clothing, soap, lotion, beby stuff, kid stuff, lots of stuff! Everything has that homemade feel because it’s homemade!
Have fun!
How to Reuse Old CDs to make Coasters
I have so many CDs and have been coming up with new and fun was to reuse them.
Here’s how to make CDs in Drink Coasters:
1. Pick the most eye pleasing CDs. Make sure that you have an even number.
2. Make pairs out of your CDs.
3. With a hot glue gun, make a zig zag glue line on the bottom of one CD and quickly turn that CD over and glue it to the bottom of the CD you paired with it.
4. There you are! Make a martini and use the coaster!
Quick Tip: Old CDs
My husband cleaned out some old boxes and found a box full of old CDs. He has an Ipod now, so CDs are pretty much obsolete. So, what to do with all those CDS.
Here’s One Tip:
Hang CDs in your garden to keep birds away.
Just use some string and tie your CDs to plants and stakes and watch those seedlings turn into beautiful flowers and yummy food.
How to make a purse from an old t-shirt
My mom is awesome and is always buying super cute and funny t-shirts. I love the imagery on them and figured I might as well keep them even when they don’t fit or are falling apart. One option for an old t-shirt is to make a purse out of it.
Here’s how I took one t-shirt and made a small handbag.
Note: Everything on the purse comes from one t-shirt (except the thread)
Instructions on How to Make a Purse from an Old T-shirt:
1. Cut the t-shirt into a rectangle. (Remove collar and sleeves).
2. Iron fabric.
3. Turn the front side of the t-shirt over and line it up with the fabric on the bottom. Sew the long sides of the rectangle together as well as the top (where the collar used to be).
4. Turn your fabric correct side out.
5. Fold the two bottoms in on themselves and sew bottom together.
6. Fold your rectangle in half. The fold will be the bottom of your purse.
7. Remove the collar from the t-shirt. That will be your handle.
Note: ***My t-shirt has cuffs around the arm sleeves. For those of you who have t-shirts that do not have these, no worries. Use the fabric left over from the sleeves to create a handle or any decoration you would like.***
8. Sew sleeve caps to sides of purse. If you don’t have sleeve caps, just sew the sides together.
9. Add your “collar handle” to the inside of the purse on opposite ends.
Enjoy your new purse!
Find purses like this and other bags made from reused materials at The Print Studio on Etsy. CLICK HERE.
Spotlight: WebEcoist
If you are reading this blog, I am going to assume that you are interested in some of the things I am interested in. So, assuming that, I would like to share a website I have recently discovered called WebEcoist.
Recent photos posted on WebEcoist of Biological Photography
The site is filled with anything and everything recycled, reused, green, eco-driven, eco-friendly, and on and on and on. One of my favorite parts of WebEcoist is the wide variety of topics they cover. There’s a science section, architecture, design, vintage stuff, art, and best of all crazy weird stuff! I find things on this site that I have never heard of and feel that I learn something at least partly useful each time I visit.
Check it out and let me know what you think.
How to Reuse Wedding Greeting Cards
I recently married the love of my life and received dozens of thoughtful cards of congratulations in the mail. I love mail! BUT, I live in a one bedroom apartment and am on a purging kick, so it’s time to either recycle them or do something with them.
So, I’m in the process of scanning in the wonderful well wishes we received into my computer and making other items with the images from the cards.
First up, I’ve Reused Wedding Greeting Cards to make a decorative mat for a photo frame.
Here’s How:
1. Pick a few of your favorite card images and cut them away from the rest of the card.
2. Arrange each card on your mat to your liking.
3. Use Modge Podge or one of your favorite craft glues to glue the cards to the mat.
4. After the glue dries, trim away any excess card with an X-acto knife.
5. Now it’s time to pick your favorite photo to put inside!
