ReLoved

Organizing my Craft Room

2012-01-30T00:27:00.004-05:00

In the midst of sorting out my taxes, bills and some other paperwork today I almost forgot to post some of the ideas I've had to organize my craft room. They're not revolutionary, but they help, and perhaps they can help you too.

I hang up my fabric on hangers so I can rifle through them and see what I have at a glance. This helps me use what I have :)
I also have an old screen that I picked up for cheap because the screen was missing, but that made it great as a rack for projects and supplies.

I also have an old window screen that I use to display finished earrings so that I can see them (and so can others... wink, wink). I've found that storing things in a place where I can see them helps me to work on present projects, and finish what I've started. But having a place to put the projects I've started also allows me not to feel too overwhelmed, because I can set it aside when I've hit a roadblock and focus on something else for a while until I can get back to what I was working on.
It is also such a blessing to have a place to work, a place that is separate from where I sleep, or entertain, or relax. I can then switch off the light and walk away when it's time to pack it in for the night. I can also leave out projects I'm working on, and they don't get in the way of my day-to-day.
I hope that these few tips may have provided you with some neat ideas, or perhaps inspired you to look at some old pieces of furniture you have and consider an alternative use. Keep your eyes peeled for more clever and frugal ideas!

Hello Sunday

2012-01-22T22:33:00.002-05:00

It's that time of the week again, and I cannot think about anything to write about.

so i won't write anything today.

The Powerful Potential of Pinterest

2012-01-15T22:55:00.000-05:00

The internet has changed our lives so much, the way we communicate, learn and do business. Everyday there is something new to see, something to discover. My latest discovery/way to lose hours at a time, is Pinterest.

It's a wonderful site that allows people to "pin" images that they like for whatever reason, and categorize them into groups like "organization ideas" and "photography". What results is a collection of images under a heading like "products I love" or "Crafts", and the best part is you can look through other people's collections. I LOVE to look through my sister's collections because I love their styles, and the stuff they find is so awesome! It's great, because you find people who like similar things to you and you follow them and see what they find and you can "repin" it to your collection, and so grows your collection.

I so enjoy wading through the images and finding great inspiration. There is no limit to what people collect images of. It's whatever you are interested in. From places you want to see to tattoo ideas you like, or perhaps hairstyles you want to try or flowers you want grow in your garden. It's amazing!

If you haven't checked it out yet you really should.

In the meantime, here are some of my favorite finds:

Source: flickr.com via Rebecca-Lynn on Pinterest

Source: designsponge.com via Rebecca-Lynn on Pinterest

Source: seekatesew.blogspot.com via Rebecca-Lynn on Pinterest

I hope you get a chance to check it out, it's a wonderful resource!I love it!

Party Time!

2012-01-08T19:57:00.000-05:00

It was just my Birthday and like any normal person I threw myself a party.

Okay so maybe that's not so normal, but I just moved into a new house and I was itching for an opportunity to throw a party! However like so many people, I am facing January with little to no money.

Here comes the bit my mother always said:

"Necessity is the mother of invention"

Let my creativity loose!!

For decorations I made a GIANT paper chain (yes like the ones you learned to make in preschool) from magazine pages, using all the super bright advertising pages :) I then put up balloons which i had , but I think are only a few dollars. So that doesn't break the bank, and still leaves you with some money for food.
I also work for a grocery store that has a floral department, and I'm not sure if you know this but florist toss TONS of flowers everyday, and I asked them to hang onto their blown roses and I walked away with over 50 blown roses that looked great in bunches!

For the food I shelled out some money for hot wings (because I love them SOOOO much!) and I got them at a good price because I bought them at cost from my grocery store. But after the money went out for the wings, very little was left for any else. Once again I had to be creative. First thing is the veggie tray, I bought 4 veggies, baby Carrots ($1), Celery ($1), Cucumbers ($1.20), Broccoli ($1), and then instead of dropping $4 on dip, I just bought the store brand ranch dressing and poured it in a little dish with a spoon (and a fancy little rose I made from a tomato peel). The ranch dressing not only saved me a few dollars it also doubled nicely for the hot wings.

Then I bought a bag of bag of tortilla chips and made a simple layered bean dip, which with the help of great sales at Kroger and armed with coupons ended up costing less than $5 to make. It had seasoned refried beans, sour cream, tomatoes, olives, red onion, avocado and cheese. Then my best friend whipped up some delicious homemade chocolate chip cookies, and snickerdoodles (never underestimate the power of cookies, and ease of asking a friend to bake some). And just to add some more filler to the table I scored some free Christmas candy which set out in fancy candy dishes makes you look like the hostess with the mostess. And just in case that wasn't enough food I bought popcorn kernels which is less than $2 for 2lbs and popped some of the good stuff with real butter and a sprinkle of sea salt, it was quite delicious. Last was the punch, a super simple inexpensive way to provide beverages to a large group. The recipe I threw together was a half gallon of Orange Juice, a 2 liter bottle of no-name lime soda, several scoops of orange sherbet and an orange sliced into rings to float on the top and make you look all fancy. The party was a big success and in the end didn't break the bank! Hooray! After all was said and done the house looked great, my friends were fed well and everyone had a brilliant time!!

2012-01-01T21:33:00.000-05:00

Welcome to 2012!

This year I have big plans to ReVive ReLoved Designs.

In 2011 I started a new full time job, Moved into a new house (where I've been able to set up a studio in the basement), and went on a glorious trip to visit family in South Africa. All these things did their bit to draw me away from my business, and as the year wound down I decided to lay it down until 2012 rolled around.

Well here it is, it's here! 2012 has arrived and I am committed to putting in the effort to get things going again. I do so love the crafting and creating process and have missed it dearly. I took out some great books from the library to get the creative juices flowing, and I am chomping at the bit to get going.

However the first day of the new year has brought a bit of an unfortunate accident. This morning at work while making the fresh daily salsa the food processor went rogue and the safety device failed resulting in some very severe cuts along the back of my fingers. 11 stitches and a prescription to Tylenol 3 Codeine later I am afraid that my big start to the year has been a bit dampened.

Never fear however, I am determined to continue my efforts to ReVamp ReLoved! I will continue to set up and work in my new studio, I have some exciting plans for 2012! I plan to have some jewelry parties in my lovely new home, I also plan to make my studio into a workshop where friends can come visit and 'shop'. I will not be doing any craft shows this year, but will instead be focusing on selling online and private parties. I am so excited for 2012, it's going to be a tremendous year full of new experiences.

I hope that you too have big plans for this year. But even though the first of the year is already drawing to a close, know that every day is a new beginning and a chance to start something great! Here's to new beginnings, overcoming obstacles, and 2012... a year to be great!

2011-11-10T23:07:00.001-05:00

Oh well this is awkward.

it's been almost 5 months since my last blog.

well here's the skinny, I started a new job in March, went full time in May and have had little to no time blog, and the longer i put it off the more odd it seemed to pipe up and start writing again. But that will change. Starting in the new year I will be spending more time on my business. I am moving to a new house tomorrow and might not have internet for a while, I will also be traveling back to South Africa (it's been 7 years) in 12 days, and with the holidays hot on the heels of my vacation and move I decided to lay down the business until the new year, however the new year will be exciting. The new house is providing me with a large space in the basement to create my workspace, I just bought a new laptop and with two computers i will get a ton more done online. I am excited for some of these new changes in my future and I look forward to what that means for ReLoved.

Oh before I forget, an update on my sister. She is home safe and sound, however after having all her important documents stolen she also managed to fall off a mountain, break her leg and dislocate her shoulder. She had a terrible time but after months of crutches and knee scooters she is starting to walk again and looks forward to graduating with her bachelors in April. I am SO PROUD of her!!

Thanks my lovelies, I look forward to getting back into the swing of things here in cyberspace, until then 'au revoir'

ReLoved funds a ReTurn!

2011-06-28T14:57:00.001-04:00

My baby sister, a college junior at Alma college, is studying abroad this summer in Kenya and Botswana. The first leg of her trip was in Kenya and went very well, she had some excellent opportunities to work with a rural church and meet some amazing people with amazing stories.

Read about her adventures so far.

However on the second leg of her journey, Botswana, she had her bag containing everything of importance stolen from the car while she was at an event. She lost her Namibian Passport, U.S. green card, all her money and even her camera. She is truly heartbroken over the matter and faces a ton of obstacles as she applies for a new passport and then a new green card. One of the biggest issues is money. As a college student who is already up to eyeballs in debt from school, facing a possible $450 fee to get a new green card just to return home to family and friends is a lot to swallow. I cannot afford to give much myself, but what I can do is give all of my profit from ReLoved to my sister.

I know it’s a drop in the bucket, but it’s a portion of what I can do to get money to her.

Please be praying for her safe recovery back to states. My sister and I both have a heart that beats for Africa, and I desperately want for this event not to change that for her. Pray for peace, guidance, support and that she can continue to work over there despite the current situation.

Thank you.

The New Chicks in Town

2011-06-22T00:19:00.001-04:00

Meet the Chicks

There’s five of them, all girls. The City allows you to have up to five chickens, so that’s where we had to stop. We have 3 Barred Rocks and 2 Lacewing Wyandottes.

They’re outside in their fancy coop and run all built from scrap lumber from the garage and painted bright green. They are very happy there and enjoy eating caterpillars, cucumbers and occasionally my fingers. We should be seeing some eggs come fall.

For now they’re just plain goofy looking and poop everywhere.
C’est la vie!

A Cold Spring

2011-06-12T13:12:00.001-04:00

It’s been a very long while I know.

It’s vicious circle really, I forget to blog, I then remember and feel bad for being so negligent and and so I put it off because I feel bad, and then I feel worse. And round and round we go.

I have a horrible habit of starting things off with fire and passion and winding it down to sad fizzle. However I’ve spent a lot of time brewing on the matter of late and I’ve decided to stoke the fire again. I’m not setting goals or deadlines; I’m just getting back to it. I’m bringing with me whatever it is that is currently catching my fancy and I’m making it personal. If there’s one thing that I am consistent at it’s being myself, having my own thought and ideas, and finding ways to relove.

Here’s to spring, and though it’s been a somewhat strange, cold and rainy spring, it is spring. Time for a fresh start.

I hope to come back often and share. I hope to continue to hear from readers. But most of all I hope to rekindle my passions for the creative expression of making something beautiful out something with no worth.

I can Paint!!

2011-05-09T11:44:00.001-04:00

so I painted a picture…

Professional Photo Shoot

2011-04-06T21:22:00.001-04:00

In exchange for doing hair and make-up for a photographer friend of mine, she took some fabulous professional grade shots of my products!

Refashioned Vintage Pearl Necklace

Tie Bracelets

Metallic Copper Pistachio Shell Brooch
Songbird Earrings

Large Soldered Black Button Necklace
Black Art Nouveau Lily of the Valley Earrings

All the Photographs were take by Liz Ledford
of Ledford Photography

Napkin Pillow Cover Tutorial

2011-03-18T11:25:00.001-04:00

I have never understood the point of beautiful napkins. Designing something that is made for moping up food mess to be beautiful is rather self-defeating. This, my personal feeling, does not however stop manufacturers from producing some really exquisite napkins.
I acquired these two napkins for a couple dollars and saw a far brighter future for them than marinara sauce or spilt wine.

Behold my newest Bed Accessory:

*Throw pillows are something my brother-in-law sees as totally useless, whereas napkins completely make sense to him. go figure*

It’s AMAZINGLY easy to turn two square napkins into a pillow case.
First you’ll need the napkins, check thrift stores, and clearance bins for some great steals, but even at retail price these would have only been $2.99 each, so not much at all.

You’ll also need a throw pillow to cover and a needle and thread or a sewing machine. I also used a few pins to hold the napkins together while I sewed it all together.

*I snagged this pillow from a thrift store for $1, it had a small tear so it was really cheap, but tears or stains are no problem because they’ll be covered. However be sure to SMELL THE PILLOW before you buy it. It’s the one major risk of buying second hand, stinky pillows are no fun*

Once you have all your supplies, lay the two napkins together. There are two ways you can do this. Because the edges are finished you can sew the pillow right-side out or inside out, whichever way you prefer the look of.

*inside out*

I chose to do it right-side out. And i used brightly colored pins to pin it all together, that way I could see them against the bold pattern.

I used the existing seam around the edge of the napkin as my guide for where to sew. I sewed a half inch in creating a double thread line.

This part however is all about what you want. Keep in mid there are a world of options for how you want to do this pillow, you could use a contrasting thread color, you could even use a thick embroidery floss. Mind you if you think ahead you could embellish the napkin with sequins, beads, and embroidery floss before you sew the two sides together.

Make sure that as you sew the pillow together you leave a section of one side un-sewn so that you can put your pillow in the pillow case. Once the pillow is stuffed inside you sew the pillow case up. If you chose to leave the edges out and sewed the napkins right-side out, you can simply run the last section through the sewing machine and seal it all up; however if you chose to keep the edges inside, and sewed the napkins inside out, you’ll need to hand stitch it closed.

And there you have it!
Throw it on the couch, on your bed, or at the alarm clock, either way you have a styling new pillow and it was CHEAP!!
GO YOU!

A Month in Pictures Days 20-28

2011-03-10T14:19:00.001-05:00

Oh my poor neglected Blog!
I broke my camera cable and so I wasn’t able to upload images for a few days, but I’ve gotten a new one and I have to fulfill my goal of taking a picture a day (which I continued to do without my cable)
So here they are… Days 20 – 28

20

21

A Month in Pictures – Day 19

2011-02-21T23:57:00.001-05:00

I made a few signs for Visions Ministries.
I think they turned out quite nicely!

A Month in Pictures – Day 18

2011-02-19T19:27:00.001-05:00

Product Photography

A Month in Pictures – Day 17

2011-02-19T18:27:00.001-05:00

Michigan Heat Wave!!

A Month in Pictures – Day 16

2011-02-19T18:20:00.001-05:00

I’m still sick!

A Month in Pictures – Day 15

2011-02-17T23:35:00.001-05:00

I packaged up all my pistachio shell brooches

A Month in Pictures – Day 14

2011-02-17T23:33:00.001-05:00

Happy Valentines Day!!

I bought all my friends FunDip Valentines!

A Month in Pictures – Day 13

2011-02-13T23:54:00.001-05:00

Taking Stock

I have been working really hard the past week to prep all my inventory and brand like crazy. I have everything packaged up in little bags, and I have used up over two dozen boxboard boxes for all my packaging, boxes, tags etc. It’s actually been quite fun to put some polish on my products.

A Month in Pictures – Day 12

2011-02-13T16:01:00.001-05:00

I am getting over a nasty cold, and so fell asleep before i could post last night but this is the picture I took yesterday for day 12>

it’s my niece, fast asleep in her swing. Precious isn’t it?

A Month in Pictures – Day 11

2011-02-11T22:57:00.001-05:00

Took photographs in Manual mode today. It was really quite interesting to see what different effects each setting had on the picture itself.
Too bad I didn’t notice how dusty this pistachio shell brooch had gotten. But the clarity even picked up the dust. That says something doesn’t it? It’s just what exactly it’s saying that concerns me.

A Month in Pictures – Day 10

2011-02-10T21:18:00.001-05:00

i have a cold.

i also have an enormous pile of tissues.

A Month in Pictures – Day 9

2011-02-09T23:43:00.001-05:00

playing with the settings on my camera

A Month in Pictures – Day 8

2011-02-09T01:58:00.001-05:00

I went to see my friends band tonight…
they were fantastic!!
Kelly Deanne and the Octagon Band

A Month in Pictures – Day 7

2011-02-07T18:42:00.001-05:00

today we discovered static electricity!

A Month in Pictures – Day 6

2011-02-07T00:03:00.001-05:00

Robot Art!
My sister created this delightful little fellow using bits and bobs from various discarded electronics. He’s not completed yet, but I had to capture him today to share him with the world!

A Month in Pictures – day 5

2011-02-05T19:02:00.001-05:00

i tried my hand at stealth photography… turns out my stealthy skills are about that of my bowling skills… terrible!

A Month in Pictures – Day 4

2011-02-05T00:34:00.001-05:00

I cut my own bangs today

A Month in Pictures – Day 3

2011-02-03T18:29:00.001-05:00

I want to start using the different features on my camera. I took a photography class when I was in High School, so I know a bit about exposure, aperture, shutter speed and so-forth. But that was then, and with an old Canon 35mm film camera that had all kinds of different options that photo editing software provide now. However, I want to know how to use the tool I have now, and get the most out of it.

A Month in Pictures – Day 2

2011-02-02T18:19:00.001-05:00

Snow Day!

(well actually it’s groundhogs day, but the poor bugger couldn’t shovel himself out of his hole in time for his bug debut)

A Month in Pictures – Day 1

2011-02-01T21:03:00.001-05:00

I got a bead spinner for my birthday, and it’s been mania ever since. I can’t stop making beaded necklaces. I have always loved the way multi-strand necklaces look, and I have been inspired by the Zulu beadwork I saw as a child. I remember loving a necklace my mother had comprised of 20+ strands of thousands of teeny tiny red seed beads. I loved the way it felt against the skin and when you held it in your hand it had a sort of contained chaos. I’m so pleased to be able to recreate these types of necklaces, and I thought I’d capture the miniature fascination for you with my camera.

A Photo a Day…

2011-01-30T03:23:00.001-05:00

… keeps the brain-blocks at bay.

I know what you’re thinking, it’s most likely along the lines of “what?!?”.
Let me explain. It all started with a book a I got from the library called Photojojo, which as i came to find out was born from a website, and was chock full of fancy and wonderful ideas, tips and inspiration!

Buy the Photojojo! The Book at the Photojojo Store!

Anyway… now that you’re done staring at the cute picture embeded directly from their very fun online store (which contains some of the most delightful gift ideas for all your camera-loving friends). I’ll tell about what I’ve been inspired to do, for the month of February.

While thumbing my way through the pages of the Photojojo book I was struck with an idea, a wonderful, awful idea.
I’m going to take pictures everyday, and post one every day on my blog for all the world to see. There are a variety of reasons for my doing this, and they include:

improving my photo skillz
practicing consistency in online activity
discipline (time well spent)
inspiration!
creativity, and trying new things/techniques
justification for time spent playing with my camera
a greater appreciation for those who take great photos
an even greater appreciation for my old point-and-click camera

…and that last one leads into my introduction of my chosen weapon of mass creation… or perhaps destruction, depending…

my Canon Powershot A550

February… here I come!

Bead Spinner Review

2011-01-23T15:37:00.001-05:00

I got a Bead Spinner for my Birthday. It’s one of those things I’ve always wanted, but could never justify to myself spending the money on.

Essentially it’s a devise that holds a large amount of small beads and spins so that you can thread beads in record time.

It’s a really great tool for jewelry makers who love that multi-strand look, but acknowledge that doing that by hand takes and eternity, and when you make jewelry for the purposes of selling it, your time is a precious factor into the overall sale price of the item.

The Spinner set I got was a battery powered one (as opposed to the manual variety, which is cheaper to buy and run, but perhaps less effective). The kit included the spinner, three bead pots that set onto the spindle and spin. Each container comes with a lid which allows you to store and/or transport up to three different collections of beads. And then finally the kit comes with two hooked needles and a spool of beading thread. The Needles are long with a hook at the end to facilitate easier bead threading.

Getting set up is very easy and the needle is really easy to thread seeing as though it is made up of two separate pieces of wire that are soldered at each tip creating a large “eye” that essentially can be as long as the needle itself, but then stays together while you use it. Once you’re needle is threaded you’re ready to start spinning, this is where it actually got a bit tricky. Turns out bead spinning takes some skill, and some serious finesse. But if you stick at it and keep trying you’ll eventually figure out the perfect angle to hold your needle so as to not collect and then loose all your beads in one foul swoop.
All in all I think it’s a clever little device. It took some getting used to, but it has certainly opened me up to more options, and even sparked some ideas. In short, it was a great birthday present. Thanks mom :)

Ringing True

2011-01-15T01:17:00.001-05:00

I’ve been working to create a new line of pieces.

I’ve been making few rings. I’ve always loved rings, although I don’t tend to wear them due my working with my hands so much and also having a nickel allergy.

I especially love large cocktail rings. They’re such fun!

I’ve never liked the idea of walking around with a house payment on your hand, and I have a personal vendetta against diamonds. However these fun, inexpensive rings are such fun to wear!

Check out some of the new rings coming to my store, and please let me know your thoughts, feedback, ideas and questions! I do so enjoy hearing back!

Time to Treasure

2011-01-11T13:01:00.001-05:00

I’ve just received a collection of messages the last few days informing me of treasuries that I am in. I wanted to share some of them with you as some of the collections are quite wonderful!

Fresh Greens by speckleddog on Etsy
Simply Winter Green by ecozydesign on Etsy

A Few of my favorite Things by DonnaHup on Etsy

Happy New Year

2011-01-01T15:07:00.001-05:00

Welcome to 2011!

It’s a new beginning, a fresh start, a clean slate!

Every year I relish the new year as an opportunity to set some goals start some new and improved habits and set out with an “attitude of gratitude”.
2010 was a good year, ReLoved Designs became an official LLC, and my sales continued to climb. I reached my sales goal in August, and continued to love what I was doing. This year I have some new goals, and some big ideas for taking ReLoved even higher. I got a nice big 500GB external hard drive for Christmas, and so there’s no excuse now for not taking billions of pictures, and creating online information for my store. Here goes:

~Make 300 sales by years end
~Catalog all inventory (old and new)
~Close consignment accounts
~Blog at least once a week – tutorials monthly
~Read more
~Time online spent wisely

There will most likely be more added to the list, but this is the working list for now. I find that by posting them I am held accountable to my word, and there is a greater need to adhere to the tasks I set out to accomplish. I feel happy with my list, it isn’t impossible, but it does require my time and attention.

What are some of your New Years Resolutions?

A Christmas Photoshoot

2010-12-07T12:30:00.001-05:00

I Photographed some of my Christmas Cards, but then I got a little help.

My little Christmas helper…

…and her little Christmas helper

I think everything is made better with twinkly lights.

Recycled Christmas Card Ornament - Tutorial

2010-12-01T01:06:00.001-05:00

This is the “How-To” for creating a great Christmas Ornaments using old Christmas cards from years before.

First off, gather your old cards and remove the backs (unless they have images on them as well). Now trace circles or use a circle punch to cut your cards into circles. I used a 2” wooden disc as my template, but next time I will invest in a paper punch.

Next you need to create a triangle on your circles. The easiest way I’ve found to do this is make a spare paper circle and fold it in quarters to find the center of the circle. Once you find the center, fold one side into the center, and this will be one side of the triangle. Following the corners fold the last two sides up and you’ll have a triangle which you can trace onto all your circles.

Once you have the triangles drawn, score it and fold it to create the triangle with rounded edges pictured above. These flaps are what you’ll line up and glue together.

Glue all the circles together (20 per ball). I found it helps to hold the flaps in place with wooden clothes pegs. Start by gluing 5 circles together, and then follow the template below. However if you just start putting the pieces together, you’ll begin to see the ball take shape and you could figure out where all the pieces go. I’m sure there is some kind of basic geometry behind all this, but I’ve never claimed that to be my strength.

Once your ball is created let it dry. It might not be a bad idea to let it hang while drying as to not crush a side of it. However depending on how thick the cardboard from the cards is this may or may not be an issue.

Once it’s all dry you’ll have your ball! Now it’s up to you how you decide to hang it, or if you choose to embellish it further with glitter, stickers, or ribbon.

Black Friday SALE!!

2010-11-24T01:45:00.001-05:00

This Friday Shop ReLoved Designs and Save!!

A Discount of 20% is all across the store starting Nov 26 at 12am EST
and running until 12am EST on Nov 27.

Be sure to grab the savings while they last!!

This Christmas…

2010-11-08T11:09:00.001-05:00

…I want to spread Love. Being a Namibian National living abroad I have a burning heart for missions. I have also seen great intentions get swallowed up in poorly conceived ideas. I however can whole-heartedly get behind the ministry of Operation Christmas Child, a ministry out of Samaritan’s Purse.

Watch the little video below to get inspired and then follow the next 4 simple steps:

Pack a Shoe Box with toys for a needy child
Download a Label and stick it on your box
Drop off your Box (find a drop off location near you)
Follow your Box (starting this year you can track your box)

For more details or to learn more about OCC or Samaritan’s Purse
Click Here

Touch a child’s life this Christmas

The Story Behind ReLoved’s Logo

2010-10-30T15:54:00.001-04:00

In the summer of 2009 I was gearing up to do a craft show, when I decided I should be more than “random stuff made by me” and actually engineer a business with a name and a logo, and a little professional polish. The name was actually my brother-in-law’s idea, but it worked so nicely as ReLoved Designs’ initials were RLD and so were mine. It also carried my heart for the restoration and reuse of the unwanted and discarded. I loved the thought of a business called ReLoved, where I could ReLove pieces to have and to hold. But before I had even decided on a name I knew what Logo I wanted. I had kept a photograph of my father from 8.5 years ago because I knew I would one day use it as a logo for something. Here for the first time is the original photograph:

I had LOVED this picture from the moment it was taken. It was so completely random and bizarre. It was taken at my oldest sister’s wedding on a rainy day in May. We had gone as a family to the MSU children’s gardens to take a few pictures and my father had wandered over to where a sheep statue stood and taken a seat astride the cement beast. With one hand casually in his pocket, and the other holding the umbrella erect, my father sat upon a sheep, wearing a suit, in the rain. And so was taken a picture I will always love.

It was then a simple matter of creating a simplified logo image of the original, which I did by hand with a sharpie and scanned in for final editing touches in photoshop. Now I have my logo which finds it’s way into my shop, on my business cards, in the background of my twitter, and even on my shipping envelopes. It’s a tribute to my father in a way, but it’s also something so very uniquely me, and in a world of perpetual repetition it’s like a breath of fresh air to find something truly unique.

I have even dressed my logo up for the holidays:

So there you have it, the explanation behind the logo for ReLoved Designs. It may not obviously have much to do with the business itself, but ReLoved is something from my heart, and this logo comes from there too.

Team Mondo

2010-10-27T14:58:00.001-04:00

So it’s no secret that my new favorite reality show is Project Runway.
It’s not steep competition seeing as though I can’t stand reality television in general, but this show has captured my fancy week after glorious week. I am enthralled by the talent and the speed at which these designers work. While there are many less than exciting garments, the glimmering moments of creative genius that do occur are what keep me coming back again and again. And in season 8 I have not been disappointed. My favorite designer by far has been Mondo, a small in stature but enormous in talent designer who has blown me away week after week with designs that had they been described to me I would have been more than skeptical but he sends them down the runway and I find myself in love with the look!

I think the real reason I love the show so much is that it inspires me no end. I see what these designers are doing and methods they are using and my mind goes to work. Inspiration is a beautiful thing and whenever and wherever you find it, you must draw it out. That’s why I’m putting my pride on the shelf and announcing to the world that I LOVE PROJECT RUNWAY! And I hope Mondo wins, I really, really, really do!!

Twitter-pated

2010-10-21T14:15:00.001-04:00

So it’s true, I’ve got a Twitter account. I’ve been avoiding this for over a year, but it finally happened. I’ve been hearing a lot of praise for such social networking for the promotion of a small business.

It all started when a dear friend who’s finishing her Bachelors at MSU in Agro Science took a course in Communication and Promotion for Environmental Issues. She was asked to find a small local business, preferably with environmental ties, and promote them. She chose me. I am a small business that recycles junk into jewels, and so I fit nicely into the requirements.

The assignment called for my friend to promote me in various ways and so she chose to set up my Twitter account, and also will be plastering the MSU campus with tear-away flyers about my Etsy store. It’s actually quite exciting having someone run promotion for you for free, but they benefit as well by getting a good grade for their class. A truly marvelous symbiotic relationship.

So if you could kindly follow me on Twitter, it would help me feel a little weird about this new venture. Also any and all hints and tips about Twitter would be greatly accepted!

Simple Soldering Tutorial – Pocky Pendant

2010-10-19T14:44:00.001-04:00

I know it’s been a long time in coming but here is my tutorial on soldering. I am no expert on this matter, and in most regards I am self-taught. But the the beauty of knowledge is that it is greater when shared. And so let’s begin.

First off let’s cover supplies:

For preparing the pendant you will need:
Pocky Box – after you enjoy their biscuity goodness
Interesting Papers – for the background, I chose origami paper
Pencil – for tracing the size of your glass onto the paper
Scissors – for cutting out the box and papers
Glue – to secure all the paper pieces so that nothing moves inside the slide
Microscope Slides – most microscope slides can be inexpensively purchased online and are standardly are 1” x 3”

for soldering the pendant you will need:
Soldering Iron – this is that plug in pointy bit that get’s ridiculously hot
Flux – this is a liquid catalyst that helps the solder stick to the copper
Copper Tape – this is the metal that you wrap your glass in
Pegs – I use clothes pegs to hold the slides together while taping
Standing Clamp – this helps hold the pendant while you solder
Gloves – it’s always wise to protect your hands when soldering
Goggles – solder can splatter and it’s extremely hot, protect your eyes!
Work Surface – I use a 1.5x2” piece of plywood to protect my desk
Jump Rings – jump rings are soldered to the top and bottom

Take your Pocky box and cut both side panels. These will be the focus of your pendant. One side is in English and the other is in the language of the Pocky’s origin, in my case it’s Thai, both sides have Japanese characters.

Once you have the two sides choose what paper will surround your Pocky papers. I chose a blue flowered origami paper, but the options are endless.

Using a microscope slide as a template, trace the size of paper you will need to backdrop the Pocky paper. Cut out two pieces (one for each side), and then glue everything together. There should be 4 pieces of paper, two backdrops and two Pocky papers.

Now using a clothes peg clamp the papers between two slides. Now it’s time to wrap the copper tape. The silver solder will only go where there is copper tape, that’s how you get nice clean edges. Wrap the copper tape around the outside, taking great care to press it down firmly against the glass all the way around.

Chances are it will wrap over the edge slightly, this is fine just make sure to smooth out the corners. it really helps to use something to smooth out the copper tape. I use the plastic stick that comes with rub-on packs, but you can use a popsicle stick, or even your thumb nail. Just run the tool along the edge applying pressure until all the wrinkles are out the copper looks smooth. Remember if the copper tape is wrinkled the solder will look a bit wrinkled too.

Now your ready to Solder. First plug in your iron and give it a minute or two to heat up. While it’s heating up you can prep your copper tape by applying the Flux. Flux is a chemical catalyst that allows the solder to bond with the copper. Without the flux you will have great difficulty getting the solder to stick and flow like it should. You may need to reapply it in areas, especially if you take a long time to solder. Once the flux dries it stops being effective.

At this point before you go any farther you should make sure your wearing goggles, heat resistant gloves, and make sure your hair is pulled back. To test and see if the iron is hot enough press it against a piece of the solder. If the solder melts quite readily then you’re ready to solder.
*BE VERY CAREFUL THE SOLDERING IRON IS HOT!!!*

By applying the soldering iron to the Solder collect some molten solder on the iron and apply it to the fluxed copper tape. The solder should stik quite readily to the copper tape and by gently running the iron along the copper tape it should ‘smear’ the solder onto the copper tape. It will take some getting used to to be able to manipulate the iron for the desired flow of solder, but never fear practice makes perfect, and you can always go back and fix your mistakes.

Once you’ve completely covered all the copper tape with the silver solder you’re ready to add the jump rings. First you have to decide where you want the jump rings to go, and then you have to paint the jump rings with flux. Just like the copper tape, the solder will not stick to the jump rings unless they are painted with flux. Flux is like magic!
Once you’ve placed your jump rings and fluxed them you can place a small drop of solder on the jump ring to hold it in place. A neat trick I use is I take an extra microscope slide and set the jump ring on the edge of the glass so that it lines up with the middle of the edge. That way after I apply the solder to the one side, I can flip it over and apply a drop to the other side, this creates an even stronger bond.

Once you’ve finished with the jump rings, you’re done soldering. Now unplug your soldering iron and let the pendant cool sufficiently for you to be able to handle it. Now comes the fun bit, you’ve just created your own pendant, and all that’s left is to jazz it up with some bead dangles and string it on a chord, chain or ribbon for a finished piece.

Take a look at the finished Pocky Pendant in my Etsy Store.

Please feel free to ask further questions, and even add your hints and tips if I’ve missed anything!

Yo, yo, yo! What up?

2010-10-15T13:44:00.001-04:00

So it’s no secret that 90% of my crafting occurs while watching, TV, movies, or something online. It’s as though my brain works better when it’s partially engaged in something else. I also can now not watch anything without having something for my hands to do.

Recently however much of my late night crafting has taken place on the couch beside my sister who is on maternity leave and stays up late nursing. I had to find a way to bring my workshop downstairs without bringing my workshop downstairs.

And so without farther ado… my proud moment of genius…

yeah that’s it, and I realize it’s not rocket science. But I use cork boards and straight pins to hold projects in place while I work on them, and it allows me to tote the projects around wherever I go.

Sometime the pins poke through the other side and create a weapon of mass pokage… which I have loving dubbed the “Corkupine”

Button up, it’s getting chilly!

2010-10-05T22:30:00.001-04:00

Over the summer I scored an enormous stash of buttons for FREE!
I met a woman who wished to get off her hands a huge collection of buttons, literally thousands of buttons. I spent an entire week sifting and sorting through all of them and categorizing them into color, shade and size. It was thrilling (I love to organize!)!

So here are some of my button adventures!

Navy Button Triangle Necklace

Purple Dangle Button Necklace

White Iridescent Button Bracelet

White Button Triangle Necklace

Black and White Button Bib Necklace

Three Holes Button Stud Earrings

And so it begins…

2010-09-29T23:39:00.001-04:00

The Christmas madness has started, and I’ve been working in my free time to get some items made, photographed and listed.

Here are a few of the first batch:

Wire-wrapped Christmas Light Bulb Earrings

Rolled Paper Bead Christmas Tree Ornamnet

Christmas is Coming

2010-09-09T23:33:00.002-04:00

I know it’s 3.5 months away and that seems like a long time, but let’s face it, it’s really not. As a designer I have to start rolling on Christmas items THIS MONTH. I have plans for:

Pistachio Shell Flower Ornaments
(with custom messages on the back)

Soldered Glass Pendant Ornaments
(made with old Christmas cards and wrapping paper)

Rolled Paper Bead Ornaments
(Made from green and red beads in the shape of trees)

Carved Wooden African Animal Ornaments
(Made from these great little wooden creatures I saved)

I will begin to take custom orders for consideration staring immediately. Please contact me here or convo me on Etsy.

Looking forward to a fun festive season of ReLoved Keepsakes!

Tutorials

2010-09-02T00:52:00.002-04:00

Hello dear ones!
I want to start doing some more tutorials, but I’m not sure what to do. That’s where you come in. What would you like to learn? What would you be interested in finding out more about? Is there an item in my store you would like to learn to create, is there a technique you’d like to know?
Let me know what you want to know, and I’ll work on trying to deliver!
Thank you,

ReLoved Designs in the NEWS!!

2010-08-24T21:51:00.002-04:00

That’s right, ReLoved Designs was featured in the ABC NEWS in an article about rolled paper beads. The Writer Jennifer Forker contacted me last week and we set up a phone interview and on Monday afternoon I got notice of the article being up. Here’s the direct link… but the story is as follows….

Roll out the Fun With Paper Beads and Baskets

Old magazines and junk mail can get vibrant new life as rolled-paper beads, bowls and more

By JENNIFER FORKER
The Associated Press

When you're done with that magazine, don't toss it.
Clever crafters today are turning pages into pretty: beads, bowls, baskets, photo frames, mirrors and more. It's all made by rolling strips of shiny magazine paper, junk mail and other paper trash.
Some of the paper beads you can buy in craft and jewelry stores are made by women in developing countries.
A nonprofit group called BeadforLife, in Boulder, Colo., for instance, trains Ugandan women in paper bead-making, then buys their finished jewelry for sale in the United States. Besides beading, the Ugandans learn business and entrepreneurial skills. They open bank accounts. And 18 months after joining BeadforLife's program, each graduate is expected to launch her own small business in her community.
Most succeed, says Torkin Wakefield, co-founder and co-director of BeadforLife. The nonprofit has worked with more than 700 women since its 2004 inception, and paid nearly $1 million to its jewelry makers last year.
"The problem with being really poor is you can't save or get ahead," says Wakefield. "The bead rolling gives them a steady income for all 18 months (of the program), so they don't have to worry."
Paper-rolling is also catching on among crafters in this country. Rebecca Douglas, 23, of Lansing, Mich., learned how to roll paper beads as a child living in Namibia, and returned to the skill years later out of financial necessity.
Paper beads can be made out of nearly any paper trash; Douglas prefers to use catalogs and other unsolicited mail.
"It's my quiet protest against junk mail," she says.
Douglas also fashions rolled paper into larger objects: a waste basket, a mirror. She snips off spirals from her paper rods to create delicate necklaces, which she sells from her Etsy shop, Reloved Designs. All of her creations - and instructions for many of them - can be seen on her blog, RelovedDesigns.com. Some were adapted from "The Big-Ass Book of Crafts" (Simon Spotlight Entertainment, 2008) by Mark Montano, a designer for TLC's "While You Were Out."
"I've kept my hands busy for so long now they can't handle not doing anything," says Douglas.
Another paper-beading fanatic is Janice Bautista, 52, who owns Aubrey's Beads shop in Glendora, Calif., and sells beads and jewelry online. She calls herself "the Paper Bead Princess" in the profile at her Etsy store, Janicemae, and posts a new use for paper beads daily on her blog, Paper Beads.org.
Bautista is crazy for the colors and shapes of paper beads, but it's the element of surprise that really grabs her.
"When you're rolling it, you'll slowly see the beads come to life," Bautista says.
Bautista has a sister in the Philippines, an avowed non-crafter who caught the paper-beading bug, then shared it with others. Now the sisters employ about 50 bead-rolling women in Quezon City, and Bautista receives about 200 36-bead strands a month to sell at her shops.
"It's driven by the idea of helping the women have jobs," Bautista says.
GETTING ROLLING
To get rolling, a few supplies help: paper, a rolling tool, glue or a glue stick, scissors and a water-based sealant, such as Polycrylic by Minwax.
Both Bautista and Douglas recommend recycling waste paper, and Bautista suggests experimenting with nontraditional paper, such as cat litter bags, which are sturdy. Rolling tools can be purchased at craft stores, but Bautista and Douglas recommend working with items in the home: a coffee stirrer, a toothpick, a pencil, even your finger. The larger the rolling tool, the larger the bead hole will be.
Bautista mostly relies on her tapestry needle, while Douglas uses her grandmother's metal, narrow-sized knitting needle, which she also uses to roll the rods for her spiral jewelry.
Many online sites, such as those listed below, offer paper-bead-rolling instructions, but it comes down to simply cutting a long strip of paper - preferably wider at one end; rolling it around the rolling tool (from wider to narrower end); gluing it; allowing the glue to dry, and sealing the bead.
Bautista says it's just about the easiest craft to teach.
Douglas suggests starting by hoarding junk mail.
"Start getting excited when you get catalogs in the mail for stuff you don't want," she says.
———
Online:
http://paperbeads.org
http://www.aubreysbeads.com
http://www.beadforlife.org
http://www.etsy.com/shop/janicemae
http://www.etsy.com/shop/reloveddesigns
http://www.reloveddesigns.com
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Copyright © 2010 ABC News Internet Ventures

Get Motivated!!

2010-08-16T09:56:00.001-04:00

Here are a few of the tips I received on how to get yourself going:

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!
Switch gears, try something new/different!
Just start doing something, something about the forward momentum of just being productive seems to spur on further productivity!
Get inspired!
From a huge list choose the easiest thing first, and then you’ll feel like progress has been made!
Hunt down some inspiration online or in a book!
Get out and clear your head, take a walk, take in the scenery!
Visualize the finished product and just how worth it it’s going to be!
Look at other artists creating what they love to create, it’s contagious!

And the Winners are…
Mattscraftywife

Christie Cottage

Lizzi

Motivational Giveaway

2010-08-09T10:15:00.002-04:00

This is my first ever giveaway on my blog. I’ve given items to other blogs in the past but I’ve never done it here before.
I’m Giving away 3 Pairs of Earrings to 3 different people!!

The rules are simple:
1: Post about the giveaway on you’re blog, facebook, twitter, or other social network
2: Write a comment about your posting (include a link if you can)
3: Write a separate comment telling me how you get motivated. What do you do to get your mind in gear for working online, or in your garden, or working out, or doing chores. All of those things that involve self-motivation. How do you get Motivated?

At the end of the week (Sunday night after 10pm) I’ll draw 3 number’s from a hat and the writers of those comments will be the winners. But the real winner will be me, the one with the wealth of knowledge from all you lovely people!

Thank you!

DeStAsH?

2010-08-02T11:52:00.001-04:00

I’m giving some serious thought to creating a “Destash” Section in my shop and I would love some feedback. For those of you who are curious as to what Destash means, well I understand it to be a section of a shop where a seller sells items that they haven’t necessarily handmade, but that they have too much of and are wanting to deplete their ‘stash’ hence ‘de-Stash’.
I already have a “Supplies/ReLovables” which could technically be considered a “Destash” section. Because I like the word ReLovables because it’s items that can be ReLoved by the buyer.

The items I have which I am thinking of listing include a TON of sewing patterns from the 1970’s and a bunch of really, really old sheet music. I have plans to use some of the patterns myself, and the sheet music would make for some sweet paper crafts, but I have so much I don’t know what to do with it all.

Do you think it would work to sell it on Etsy as a part of my shop? Or should I perhaps open another shop? Two shops sound like a lot of work.
What are your thoughts?

What’s New?

2010-07-19T10:56:00.002-04:00

A ton of stuff!
After working furiously for weeks to prepare for the craft show, I’m left with a lot of inventory and the past week I have worked hard to get some of these new items photographed and listed:

Click on any of the following images to see more pictures in my etsy store.

These are a few of the pieces yet to come:

Be sure to keep you’re eyes peeled, there’s even more to come…

Book Reviews

2010-07-12T12:04:00.001-04:00

As a library aficionado, and a furious crafter I am an extremely picky craft book reader. I have however on my journeys found some seriously awesome books, and I thought I would share them with you.

CRAFTCYCLE – Boyd

This book I completely “Judged by it’s cover” and I was thrilled to discover that the neat pictures on the outside were in fact a great display of all the wonderful crafty projects inside. Boyd does a great job of providing ideas that use items you might actually have laying around (which sadly a lot of junk artists use materials that are hard to come by, or end up actually costing you a pretty penny). And what’s even better is that the final result of these projects are vast improvements on their former selves. From projects like her melted toy soldier bowl to the CD disco ball, this book is a great source of inspiration without being too ridiculous or un reasonable.

RUBBISH: Reuse Your Refuse - Shoup

I found this book on a clearance rack when I was visiting Seattle. It is possibly the best souvenir from that trip. This book doesn’t actually have the best projects, but what it did for me was open up a whole new world of what junk can be used for. I’ve probably tried more than half the crafts in this book, but also have been able to use the ideas presented to come up with my own. So this book inspires me, and challenges me by showing interesting ways to use so many different mediums! I love it!

4000 Flower & Plant Motifs - McCallum

This is exactly what it says it is, a giant collection of flower and plant images, spanning several styles. Talk about inspiration! There is a whole chapter on Art Nouveau (my favorite style) and another on art deco, then there’s a whole chapter on trees, and it’s like a book of inspiration matches, each image able to spark a fire of creativity. This book is an awesome tool, and I would recommend it to painters, and potters, and anyone who's ever set pen to paper.

Better Homes and Gardens: Gifts to make yourself (1972)

This is the greatest $.75 I have ever spent at a thrift store. I have always loved the art of the 70’s but what’s more is that before it was trendy to recycle, be eco-friendly, it was simply practical to use what you had available. So many of these crafts use simple household items such as string and aluminum foil to decorate the coolest looking jewelry box. They paint rocks as paper weights and there’s a whole section on macramé :)
There’s also some tasty recipes, mod podge, and creating gift wrapping! This is one of my favorites!

Big-Ass Book of Crafts - Montano

Be not put off by it’s ridiculous name, this book has over 150 craft ideas and while some of them are so totally bazaar and borderline ugly, there is a wealth of technique and ideas between the paper back covers of this book. I simple can’t wrap my mind around the size of this writers home, but it truly contains all the projects he’s created than it has to be enormous! But I owe many an inspiration and technique to this book. I often pour over the pages to find inspiration for my next project.

Stencil Me In – Le Van

This book is not unique in concept, and I know there are others like it available. But I enjoy not only the 28 ready made stencils in the back but all the information on stencil design, preparation and cutting, not to mention all the information on paint application for a variety of surfaces. Stencils are almost entirely fool-proof and if you have a design eye but no hand for free painting, stencils provide a beautiful option for decorating a variety of boring surfaces and creating masterpiece!

Martha Stuart’s Encyclopedia of Crafts

Ahhh yes. Martha Stuart. This woman has commanded my respect and this book deserves an honorable mention. While most of Martha’s work is not my style, she’s far to big a fan of pastel which I don’t believe to truly be colors at all, but I have to say her ideas are clever and this is a massive book with something for everyone. I don’t own this book myself, but I do take it out from the library on occasion to thumb through the pages and learn a thing or two. It’s a good read, and I always find something I can take away and try in some capacity.

Please Read Books! Even if you only read the ones with lots of pictures :)

The NEW Room!

2010-07-05T11:57:00.001-04:00

So few weeks ago I unveiled my insane choice of room colors in ‘Just Teal with It’ and now I’m fully moved in and beginning to defy the laws of physics with how I am going to fit all my earthly possessions into a 9’ x 12’ room.

Observe:

The Work Space

The Sleep Space

Essential Storage: IKEA Expedit Bookcase and Bright Yellow Filing Cabinet
The Cabinet cost $100 and the filing cabinet cost $43.00 from the MSU Surplus Store (a total steal!). So that’s a grand total of $143.00 to be able to store all of my crafty goodies and my junk collection.

The 2.5’x3.5’ solid oak desk a scored from a garage sale for $5 a number of years ago is the most coveted piece of real estate in the room, and it’s where all the magic happens.The Laptop only lives there a portion on the time, otherwise I pull out a filing cabinet drawer and rest it on top and half watch movies while I work.

An inexpensive old book shelf sits on top of the desk to create easily accessed storage while I work. It also holds some of my dear friends, like my Namibian Herero Doll, Japanese geisha doll, and posable mannequin.

My bed doesn’t have a headboard so I bought the beautiful frame from IKEA and spray painted these old plastic candle holders to match and crated a focal point that I am extremely pleased with. Closer to the door is an umbrella hook which holds my keys and a vinyl record mail holder where I put my movie rentals so I’ll remember to get them back to the library. And each bedside table is actually an inexpensive Closetmade 1’ shelf which contains all my movies and all the books that are not craft related.

And here lies my faithful friend Tumbo who loves to sleep on the laminate flooring because it’s cooler than the carpet. I can always tell if she’s been napping in my room because she leaves warm patches on the floor.

I hope you enjoyed this little tour of my new room.
I’d love to hear your feedback!
There are more crafts coming soon, I have to schedule some photo shoots.
Stay Tuned!

The Craft Show!

2010-06-28T17:22:00.001-04:00

I’M BA-ACK!

This past weekend was my big craft show in Williamston, MI.
The turn out was terrible but I certainly put on my best show.
I thought I’d share a few pictures from the show.

I’d LOVE to hear your thoughts and musings upon the subject.

Thanks for looking!

Just Teal with it!

2010-05-24T09:42:00.001-04:00

I am moving this summer! My new house is in need of much work before I actually move, but in the mean time there are some fun projects… like painting MY NEW ROOM!

This is what it looked like BEFORE:

Notice there’s no floor. Also notice it’s quite small… 12’ x 9’

Well now I need to pick my colors:

Hmmmm…. what colors should I pick?

I shocked everyone and went with something VERY BOLD and COLORFUL!
I chose my favorite colors: Lime Green, Teal and Turquoise.
I went with Dutchboy paint because I love the convenient plastic canisters.

The First Coat went up and I was in LOVE with the color!

I was a painting Machine! I was up until 3 am last night finishing it up in time for the floor to go in today! But now it’s all painted!

What do you think? I can’t wait to move my stuff in and put some stuff up on the walls! And the crowning piece of furniture will be my new IKEA Bookshelf… once I buy it… but it’s been reduced to $99… and I’m SOOO excited!

The New and The Treasured

2010-05-17T14:11:00.002-04:00

My life is rapidly getting crazier! My sister and her husband (with whom I will be living as an au pair) closed on their new house (which is at the moment uninhabitable) so it’s all hands on deck getting it livable. And then the following week I received notice that I was accepted into the Jubilee Craft Show which is the only big show I do all year, and it’s NEXT MONTH!

oi vey!

So in preparation of the craft show I’m printing NEW BUSINESS CARDS with a great new company I found called NOVIK PRINT who will print me 1,000 cards on recycled cardstock color both sides for $22 with $13 shipping!
So here are the new business card designs:

Front

Back

What are your thoughts?

Oh and here is the vinyl sign I’m having printed from the same company.
2’ x 4’ for $19

Oh and I’ve discovered myself in a number of treasuries in Treasury East!
Check ‘em out!

Please take a look and comment if you can!

I have big plans for my new house and I plan on posting some before and after pictures too. Its always fun to see what some hard work and creative stylings can do to a completely blank slate.
So Stay Tuned!

The Recycling Center

2010-05-10T18:40:00.002-04:00

One of the blessings of working with salvaged materials is that you don’t pay a thing for all the junk you use. However one of the burdens of such a business is that once people (namely my immediate family) catch wind of your “recycling center-like business” you find yourself the new owner of 70 back issues of Vogue, 200 cereal boxes, and more junk than you know what to do with. And contrary to my love of transforming junk, I actually hate to collect it. I keep a constant black bag in my room which I call my VOA bag (Volunteers of America) and anytime i come across something I no longer wish to own, I immediately donate it to the bag which is then dropped off at the VOA and replaced with a new bag that will meet a similar fate within the next 3 months. It’s an ongoing cycle, I LOVE to shop thrift stores, but I also love to donate to them as well. And when everything I buy is so cheap, it makes it so easy to let it go again when I discover I don’t really need it.

As of a week ago I had accumulated a lot of other peoples junk and it was beginning to overwhelm me, especially as I will be moving sometime this summer. Friends and family had given me their cereal boxes and periodicals as they knew it was a bad move to throw them in the trash and out where I live there is no curbside recycling service, so I became a such a service. But I can only roll paper beads so fast…
So in knew I had to do something. So I called the local health department and with courtesy and bureaucracy they offered me no help. So I hit the wonderful world wide web, and after some stupid clicking about and almost giving up entirely my brother in law suggested Granger and I checked them out and they have a 24hr 7days a week drop off site with all kinds of recycling options, and they were 2 min. away from my best friends house (so chances are I’ll be in the area)! Wee! I was so excited and so the next day I set about cleaning out my room of all the extra, unusable (by me), and unwanted bits of recycled material and I turned the back of my car into a mobile recycling bin.

With paper bags, boxboard, magazines, and corrugated cardboard.

Notice everything looks a little disheveled? Well that’s because they were ReLoved before they were Recycled. I cut out what I could use and recycled the rest.
So Hoorah! No more UNWANTED junk! And now, and can continue to receive my junk donations with a smile and a pair of scissors.

And oh look I got a super awesome pressie in the mail today:

My very own wrist cuff from Mary Zoom!

Mary Zoom

2010-05-03T00:29:00.002-04:00

It’s May, and it’s time to celebrate Mothers and Mexico!!

This months ReLoved Featured Artist is MaryZoom! I always find my artists by searching “recycled” and then wading hip-deep through all the thousands of listings until I find something I LOVE!

Meet MaryZoom, she makes the neatest little wrist cuffs I’ve ever seen, but wait it gets better, they’re also little wallets!!

“Everything in my shop is handmade by me from thrifted or recycled fabric or fiber.” –MaryZoom

All of MaryZoom’s fantastic cuffs sport fun images and/or quotes!

She even has cuffs for Kids!!

And just in time for Mother’s day you can order matching Mother/Child cuffs!
These cuffs are great for taking walks or going cycling, especially if you are short on pockets. Seize the warming weather and stuff your house keys in your cuff and jet out the door for a stroll around the block!

Who Rules Earth Day?

2010-04-19T14:04:00.001-04:00

I received notification on Thursday through a very sweet friend that I had made it into the Etsy Voter for the Earth day theme. I was soooo excited!!

My Purple Pistachio Shell Brooch was nominated

So if you haven't voted yet…
PLEASE VOTE FOR ME!

I’m so glad the grass is back, so I can take more “hand” pictures.
but for a laugh you can see some of the pictures my poor dying camera created yesterday:

My dear sweet friend and model had to put up with tireless attempts to take a normal photograph… good thing she’s got a sense of humor!

Taking Care of Business

2010-04-12T18:59:00.001-04:00

I have been somewhat absent from the internet as of late. It’s a combination of the weather warming and making it really hard to stay inside, and that my personal camera is traveling around Ghana with my younger sister and the one I’ve been using in it’s place is dying a slow sad death (observe below). I have however kept up with crafting and there is a ton of stuff that needs to meet it’s internet audience very soon.

I think I may hold my breath until May 12th when my camera will be returning home but perhaps not… we will just have to see.

I have however been keeping busy with business related items and have been making strides to meet some of my New Year’s Resolutions.

On April 18th I filed for my LLC within the state of Michigan!!
After that is processed I will file with the state treasury. These are some huge developments for me and I am really excited (and a little nervous) about where we go from here. I am looking into trade marking but that isn’t crucial and the summer craft show season is fast approaching so it may just have to go on the back burner for now.

With that being said the creativity is flowing as ever and I’m discovering new things I can solder, glue and drill everyday! I picked up a grommet punch and 250 grommets on clearance for $10… so that’s opened a whole new world of things I can do with junk!! I’m really excited to see where ReLoved is headed, and also for the summer. 2010 holds great promise! It’s going to be a lot of work but the reward is worth it!

Here’s to BIG dreams and small business!!

Wordz of Life

2010-04-05T12:39:00.002-04:00

This months Featured Artist is a fellow
CAST team member who’s heart captured mine.
Wordz of Life

Everything about this piece speaks to me. It’s made by hand, and as a member of creation myself; I LOVE handmade. This heart is also salvaged from seat padding which was not only unwanted but also hidden under a much more attractive fabric. I know I’ve been places in my life where I feel hidden and unattractive… and unwanted. But it’s been salvaged and shaped into a heart and embroided in the blood red is the word
REDEEMED!

“He redeemed my soul from going down to the pit,
and I will live to enjoy the light.”
Job 33:28

Each and every one of Wordz’ quilted hearts are made from old quilts. So every little message is unique and redeemed.
Just as we are.
Take a moment to browse her store and I’m certain it will fill your heart with JOY!

Junk Mail Call

2010-03-29T15:22:00.003-04:00

So it’s no secret that ReLoved is all about taking Junk and making it into Treasures. Well here is your opportunity to salvage some of your junk and send it to me in the MAIL! This is my call out for JUNK MAIL!

I’m looking for certain items in particular but would be open to others.
What I’m looking for are:

Old Gift cards or plastic cards of that nature
Maps – of anywhere and everywhere
Pistachio shells (I’ll wash them)
Odd buttons
Board game pieces
Old or unwanted CDs
Electrical wiring and/or insulation
Small toys: Barbie shoes, Lego's, or light bright pegs
Broken or unwanted costume jewelry
Interesting/unique bottle caps
Foreign coinage

If you have some items you think I might be interested in please contact me and let me know.

Now for your reward! With every order received I will make a note of the cost of shipping and with your next order I will refund you either the amount you paid to ship my junk mail or the amount of the shipping for the order which ever is greater. So if you mailed me a package that cost you $3.49 and order an item that has $2.95 shipping you will receive a $3.49 refund via PayPal. However if your order has $4.95 shipping then you will receive a $4.95 refund via PayPal.

Beachy Keen

2010-03-26T13:41:00.002-04:00

So with summer looming off in the distance the draw of all things warm and summery is beginning to pull me in. I love the beach and I am blessed to live in the State of Michigan where we have the Great Lakes that warm up quickly and don’t burn your eyes like the sea. I’ve been making Pistachio Shell brooches for 6 months now but I’ve always painted them…. however I’m beginning to wonder if perhaps they should be left to their own color pallets. What are your thoughts?

I tapped into my mothers shell collection which spans over 20 years and two continents.

The tulle has been kept for such random occasion from my sisters wedding 5 years ago. If I can store it it stays.

Happy Birthday Zuri!

2010-03-22T10:32:00.001-04:00

My niece celebrated her Second Birthday on Friday and
Today we are having a big party!

This is who I take care of 4 days a week.
Isn’t she sweet?

Behind the Scenes of the Pistachio Shell Flower Brooch

2010-03-15T16:11:00.003-04:00

As one of my signature pieces the Pistachio Shell Flower Brooch has always been one of my favorites. This past week I discovered I had unwittingly signed myself up for a craft show that took place this past Saturday. So I had less than five days to make new items as my stock was running low.

I managed to generate 10 Pistachio Shell Flower Brooches in what added up to be less than 24 hours… I was a machine!

needless to say I’m a bit put-off pistachios for the next few weeks. However I thought I’s share with you some of the behind the scenes pictures of the process.

As you can imagine to start off I need a whole lot of pistachio shells. This involves reigning in friends and family to buy and eat bags upon bags of the things (no arm twisting was involved believe me) however the “please don’t throw those in the trash” part proves to be more challenging.
Then I have to clean, rinse, and sort them. Fun Times!

Then comes the GLUE! This little gun is a dear old friend!
I make the bases by cutting out circles from super sturdy boxboard. Can you figure out where this circle’s from?

After ages of gluing and gluing and gluing we have
FLOWERS!

Then if the weather’s permitting I head outside armed to the teeth with old newspapers and cans of spray paint. I often wonder what the cashiers think when I go through the line with fabric softener, anti-acids, soy-milk and 10 cans of multi-colored spray paint.
I like to keep people guessing.

The Lumber Monsters

2010-03-08T01:44:00.002-05:00

The iPod monsters are back and better than ever!!

Lumber Jack – Lumber Jill – Lumber John – Lumber Jane

Hope You’ve enjoyed my attempt at cartooning and keep your eyes peeled this week as Lumber Jack, Jill, John and Jane make their Etsy debut!

Remaker

2010-03-02T15:07:00.002-05:00

This month’s Featured Artist is Remaker whom I discovered after taking Silver in the Handmade Olympics. You see Remaker had so generously offered a $50 gift certificate to the second place winner.

Remaker creates items from discarded pieces.

“Upcycled stuff started showing up in my work about ten years ago. There's nothing greater than the challenge to make something Funky Yet Useful™ from stuff other people think is junk.” ~ Remaker

I couldn’t agree more!

The Items that really caught my fancy were her repurposed notebooks made from recycled cereal boxes.

And what pleased me the most to see was that she also sold kits to allow people to make their own.

This is sheer brilliance to enable people to repurpose their own trash and inspire creativity on a wider scale! Bravo!

Overall I was exceedingly pleased with my interactions with Remaker. Seeing the great things she’s creating really excite and inspire me to continue working to rid my world of trash and instead see it as materials for more fun and fascinating pieces of functional art!

LiveJournal Tags: Featured Artist,Remaker,Eco-Friendly,Recycle,March

My Heart

2010-02-22T15:01:00.002-05:00

In the past few weeks I felt I’ve lost focus and gone off track with my business. So I’m reminding myself and sharing my heart for my business.

My business is founded on the concept that “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” but as it’s developed it’s gone much further than that and it’s resounded deeper with my heart.

Every person at some stage in their life feels like trash. They feel as though they are worthless and good for nothing. It’s a lie we are all sold at some stage and many of us latch on to it and it becomes a deep seated wound that drives us either to constantly prove ourselves or to give up entirely and settle for our lot. Whatever the affect it has it leaves us feeling broken.

The items I use for my creations are castoffs, the unwanted fashion magazine from last season filled with colorful images of what’s no longer fashionable, the broken car charger that was inexpensive and so not worth trying to fix, the tie that once made a man look very professional but now doesn’t match any of his golf shirts – all of these perfectly good items which are no longer of use to their former owner, and in some cases no use to anyone… except me.

I have a gift.

I taken what is unwanted, unattractive, unloved, useless, and doomed; and give it another chance to shine. I take pistachio shells which although extremely hard and were crucial for protecting the soft green nuts inside, have now been discarded because their work here is done…

I take old CDs whose contents prove no longer important and whose compact size still takes up too much space in the desk drawer…

I take old cereal boxes whose sturdy recycled material stored and protected those delicate cocoa puffs from crushing disaster…

And I do this not only to save the planet (as I am most certainly a caped crusader) but also to salvage hope and to create tangible reminders that the end might very well be another beginning. And though you may feel worthless, you are no such thing!

I believe in a God who is in the business of salvage.
I believe in a Spirit who brings restoration.
I believe in a Christ who passion is new life.

I ReLove because He first Loved.
I create because I’m inspired by the creator.
I Handmake because I am Handmade.

The Fast and the Fabulous

2010-02-18T00:44:00.001-05:00

Ash Wednesday has officially come and gone and so has begun the season of lent. I’m not Catholic (and never have been) but I often partake in lent because I’ve see the fruits of fasting and I know that I can always use a little more discipline in my life.

This season I’ve chosen to do a Daniel Fast which in a nut shell is vegan and also excludes refined sugars. Now there is much debate over the details and I’m not concerned with fretting the details. If it’s a plant or a product of a plant I’m eating it!!

The thing I’m really going to miss is black tea with milk and sugar --- three things that are not permitted. But the point of the fast regain focus, and reap the benefits of eating a really healthy diet.

Through this season I hope to keep up my new years resolutions and also to keep crafting and bringing you more fun stuff to feast your eyes on!

This is my latest:

Here’s to a season of victory!

Season of Love!

2010-02-08T19:12:00.003-05:00

There’s still a chill in the air, not to mention a winter weather advisory for the greater mid-west. However Sunday February 14th marks a holiday when we celebrate LOVE!

So ReLOVEd is SO onboard!

However it’s important to note that you don’t have to have a significant other to celebrate LOVE!

You can celebrate everyone you LOVE!

Friends . Family . Co-workers . Neighbors . Bloggers

If you Love ‘em, Celebrate ‘em!

Love is something well worth celebrating! Make sure not to shrug off this opportunity to celebrate those you love. Making a card, or giving a treat or simply a big hug do something to celebrate how wonderful it is to LOVE!

“The Greatest Thing you’ll ever learn is just to Love and be Loved in return”
~Frank Sinatra

Honor Crowned Crafts

2010-02-01T00:14:00.002-05:00

Welcome to February!

The first week of every month I want to dedicate to featuring another artist who Re O Loves!

the Feature for February is
Honor Crowned Crafts!

A fellow CAST team member, this great artist has found a fun way to not only reuse unwanted ties, but also do away with disposable “java-jackets” for a reusable and greener alternative. Click on any of the following pictures to view these tie cup cuffs in their Etsy Environment, and don’t forget to heart O

Check them out!

Not many people wear ties anymore, but they don’t wear out like other items of clothes and so many collect in closets and wind up in thrift stores en-mass.

However millions and millions of people drink coffee!

These stylish coffee cup cozies can be used by men or women, and who says it has to be coffee in that cup either, it could be a tea cozy, chai cozy, or hot chocolate cozy if you want!

Buttons are added to these tie cup cozies to make them even cooler.

“Caution Contents may be Hot” but you won’t have to worry with a nifty cozy like this one.

Visit Honor Crowned Crafts’ Etsy Store to view more cup cuffs and see what other creative things she has come up with! I promise you, you won’t be disappointed.

Ch-ch-ch-changes

2010-01-25T01:25:00.001-05:00

If there’s one thing that’s consistent throughout my entire life it’s CHANGE.

It’s a strange world we live in where “there is nothing new under the sun” and yet everything is constantly changing.

But honestly I have come to the conclusion time and time again that change is good, and the sooner that is embraced the easier it all becomes.

Talk to anyone who’s a little jaded and they’ll tell you the world is going to Hell in a hand basket, and that everything is changing for the worse. They might be right in some cases, but as a blanket statement they couldn’t be more wrong. I’d like to point out the computer screen your looking at right now, which is accessing the world wide web, and that you not only have access, but you have electricity to power they whole kit and caboodle. That my friend is positive change.

Oprah’s latest magazine had an enormous list of things that have actually improved in the last few years (as everyone stares dismally at the stock market, Haiti, and their house that hasn’t sold) the list was unfortunately started off with “flower arrangements” and the rest therefore could not be taken seriously.

However what we must remind ourselves is that everything is changing, little is certain, and we are so mind-blowingly fortunate to live in a first world country with access to nutritious food (although we strangely opt for alternatives), clean potable water (although we prefer soda anyway), reliable electricity (so long as we pay our utilities), and freedom of whateverwewant (and youtube so we can make sure complete strangers know about it too).

And so as I sit here in my heated room, on my warm bed, beside my electrically powered light, on my own personal computer, I leave you to face tomorrow with the certainty that the only thing that is unchanging is God and change itself.

Melting Moments

2010-01-18T10:57:00.001-05:00

So I’ve been having an absolute blast soldering and wanted to share a few of my creations:
A necklace with a fortune cookie on one side that reads “You need to Live authentically and you can’t ignore that”

…and “100% Genuine” on the other side.

These are two of my favorite pendants. They both have scripture verses which were salvaged from a discarded church catalog, they were images of panel banners.
One is the definition of Faith from Hebrews (see below) and the other is the Psalm “I lift my eyes up to the hills”

Growing up in Namibia with with my three sisters, my mom and my dad, we drank copious amounts of black tea. The brand of choice was Five Roses, which became somewhat of a family joke because my Father was blessed with 5 women, his wife and four girls. So it was Rory and his Five Roses.
I soldered bits of tea box and a tea tag between glass slides to create these two one of a kind pendants. I then added a small rose charm (which I was alarmed to discover had an identical melting point to solder) and created a pendant and a necklace (see below).

I’ve so enjoyed soldering, the possibilities seem endless.
I’ve given new live to an old deck of cards which was missing some key players>

I also love bicycles, so these bicycle cards were great!

Some scrapbooking bits and origami paper made for some fun pendants, my favorite is this Wise old Owl with pink paper on the back.

I hope you’ve been inspired to create some amazing works of art yourself!

Simply Soldered

2010-01-11T21:39:00.001-05:00

So I celebrated my 23rd birthday on the 7th and my gift was money to spend at my favorite store, Hobby Lobby!

I’ve been so excited to try my hand at Soldering (which the American strangely pronounce “soddering”), and so with the money I bought all the tools I needed and spend the entire day Sunday playing with my new found toys and watching Midsomer Murders! It was marvelous!

I’m so excited for the possibilities that are opening up for me! Just think of the junk I can solder together! I had such fun digging through my junk boxes and deciding the fates of my bits and baubles.

Starting in February I am going to start doing articles on other artists on Etsy who recycle and relove junk into beautiful items to have and hold! I also plan to do more tutorials and share my experience as I learn to make more fun and interesting items from junk!

Please continue to join me and keep you eyes peeled for all the fun coming up!

ReLoved Resolutions

2010-01-04T17:31:00.001-05:00

New beginnings are brilliant! A chance to try again or try anew. A chance to shake off the dust of the past and face the future with bated breath.

This year I have many new years resolutions. Personal and professional, and all pushing me to become greater.

But the trouble with resolutions is that when kept secret they can loose their incentive and lack effect. So I am making my professional resolutions a public matter, as to apply more pressure to myself any my business.

Re-Loved Resolutions:

Resolutions	Deadline
Make 100 Sales	Years End
Blog Once a Week	Weekly
Save $1,000	Years End
3 International Sales to NEW countries	Years End
Host an Open Trunk Show	Summers End
Post or Renew at least 3 times/week	Weekly

I will probably come up with more, dreaming big is a wildfire.
But for now here they are, in all their glory!
Looking back at last years Resolutions I saw that “create an Etsy account” was on the list! Ha-Ha! How Marvelous!

Here’s to your New Years Resolutions!

50 by 2010?

2009-12-28T15:46:00.001-05:00

Can it be done?
I have 43 sales, that means I need 7 more to reach my goal.

I have a plan!

Starting immediately, 15% will be refunded for all sales made between now and New Years Day!
Just enter the code: 50BY2010 into the message for seller when you make your purchase and you will be refunded via PayPal within 24hrs!

But wait… the 50th sale if made between now and New Years day will receive 50% off!!!

This is your chance! Help me reach my goal!
Buy Handmade!

“LOVED” Scrabble Tile Bracelet

Flower Stamp Resin Pendant on Gold Chain

Mixed Scrap Fabric Flower Brooch in Pinks

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-21T18:10:00.002-05:00

May this Holiday Season find you Blessed and Highly Favored!

…and remember…
LOVE has no season!

Photography to a Tea

2009-12-15T22:10:00.001-05:00

I’m a little Tea Pot

Short and Stout

Here is my handle… Here is my spout

When I get all Steamed up

Hear me shout!

Tip me over and pour me out!

Windfall!

2009-12-08T00:14:00.001-05:00

Oh Me Oh My! How time does fly!

So this weekend I received 6 orders! I’ve had entire months without that many orders. So in a few short days to receive 6 was mind boggling!

I cannot believe I am entering my 6th month of being on Etsy. 6 months ago I was gearing up to do a craft show and contemplating going online. I’d heard of Etsy, and had done a bit of research… since then however so much has happened!!

I…

…created a logo with the help of my darling sister (a graphic designer)!

…made a sale… or 36

…rolled a lot of paper!

…met my first ever nephew, Aiden!

…ate an awful lot of pistachios!

…took up learning the bass

…got my work into three different stores in three different towns

YeeTown – Williamston, MI
The Dandy Lion – Harrison, MI
Scavenger Hunt – Lansing, MI

…and shipped all over the place!!

I Won! I Won!

2009-11-29T16:06:00.001-05:00

I can probably count on one hand the amount of times I have won anything. I remember winning an art contest when I was in Primary school, I got a free t-shirt and a calendar (which I still have) that featured my drawings.

I was 6 then, I am 22 now. Slight difference.
About a week ago I won a Free Giveaway from the PaintMeAPicture blog. I won an adorable headband from SkylarsCandyClips on Etsy.

Here it is!!

Isn’t it lovely!!

She even posted it on Etsy and named it after me!!

Black Friday Through Cyber Monday SALE!!

2009-11-26T01:10:00.001-05:00

That’s right ReLoved has jumped on the bandwagon this year and will be participating in the “Black Friday thru Cyber Monday Sale” on Etsy.

My sales will include: All items $10 and Up will have 10-15% discounts on their already low prices, and under $10 is free shipping.

These deals will be effective Friday Nov 28 – Monday Nov 30

~GET SHOPPING~

Also all custom orders taken during this time will be given the same spectacular SALE treatment!

All Non-Custom orders will be shipped on Monday or Tuesday to ensure speedy delivery this holiday season!!

Continue to check in with ReLoved through December as new items will be added Regularly!

Be sure to place custom orders early!!

Light Box

2009-11-21T12:29:00.004-05:00

I built a light box with help from this website

Bass Lessons

2009-11-17T00:13:00.001-05:00

So I’ve taken up Bass lessons on the upright bass

Mostly because I’m enthralled by the notion of playing something bigger than myself!
These are big suckers!

Anyway it was hanging out on it’s side in my bedroom catching some late afternoon rays when I got a brilliant idea!

I’ll take pictures!

Because stringed instruments can double as jewelry holders

It is after all a DOUBLE Bass!

i’m so punny…

What do you think?

Pretty Pieces of Paper

2009-11-14T17:15:00.001-05:00

I made a treasury today…

If you get the chance to go take a peek before Monday 1:58pm… please do! And leave a comment!

Or leave a comment here :)

Family Photo Shoot

2009-11-08T22:59:00.001-05:00

Today boasted unseasonably warm weather for November, which is ridiculous seeing as though August was frightfully cold! Never the less the important thing to do is seize the opportunity to enjoy what the day delivers. So I seized my little sister (who was home for two days from her hectic college schedule), the lovely warm weather, the bright sunlight, and my camera!

We took pictures!

She was a Fantastic Model

And a Funny one at that

…and she will probably kill me…

But then my niece joined in and the pictures got even better

Those little hands came in handy

to show off my baby pistachio shell brooch

and my crazy HUGE one too!

It was then that those little hands got a hold of the Camera…

She even managed to capture a picture of me…

trying to catch a little rascal with a camera.

Look for some of these lovely pictures in my store soon!!

Falling for Fall

2009-10-26T16:00:00.001-04:00

The fall or Autumn Season is truly beautiful here in the mitten state. Taking road trips across the state reveals miles upon miles of shocking color as the sugar maples and burning bushes put on the show of the year!

This is my back yard where it seems all the trees turn yellow. I wanted to make something that celebrates a serious yellow.

So I made another yo-yo necklace.

I took the pictures outside in beautiful cool crisp air.
And then I went for a roll in the leaves…

Such Fun!!

Junk Mail… Revisited.

2009-10-21T11:19:00.001-04:00

On Sept. 14th I posted about how I had received my first ever junk mail! Read about it here.

The package had mostly copper wire insulation as IvyTalagaDesigns (who sent the package) makes jewelry from reclaimed copper wiring. There were also some random bits and bobs that had no purpose… yet.

This is where I come in! It’s my calling to make treasures from junk! So here are a few of creations.

Flower hair clips made from copper wire insulation

the long blue spacers are copper wire coating.

made from the scrap silver findings I received.

There is still a lot of insulation left, and plenty of ideas.
There are also some fun and exciting findings still to see!
Check back in and see what else is cooking!

Technorati Tags: junk mail,recycling,crafting,scraps,junk,creativity,madness

Just call me the JUNK MAIL AVENGER!

2009-10-16T16:08:00.001-04:00

I should wear a cape! But honestly I have a vendetta against the stuff, and it’s relentless! I think if all of man-kind were wiped out in some cataclysmic disaster all that would remain would be cockroaches, Twinkies and JUNK MAIL!!!

Anyway, here are my methods, mad though they may seem.

I roll paper beads! I show those catalogs who boss!

okay who’s the slightly less important boss…

inside those little rolled paper beads are advertisements for services you don’t want and products you don’t need!

I mean seriously who needs a contraption that sharpens your knives AND polish your shoes WHILE brushing your teeth!

So this is what I do. Well some of what I do.

This is how I combat those mass mailers who in the face of rising postage costs still send out ridiculous amounts of high quality images of low quality goods!

Mwah Ha ha ha ha haaaa!

to see how you can make your own rolled paper beads and be a junk fighting hero click here.

My First Ever Treasury!!

2009-10-09T13:14:00.002-04:00

Go check it out in person, and if you’re an etsian please comment!
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=71312
Thanks!

Homesick

2009-10-05T07:30:00.000-04:00

There are times I really miss Africa. I miss the sound of the birds, I miss the smell of braai, I miss the warm endearing voices of relative seldomly seen.

Africa will forever have a special place in my heart, and to commemorate that I thought I'd share some of my favorite pictures from the 6 months I worked in Zambia at Children's Town.

The Children made it worth it. The joy they had, the LOVE they showed towards me, even though I was there to love them, they out did me every time!

I taught music lessons to the grades 1-3

I helped build a rope pump for a new well!

Finally! We got water, it was muddy for the first two weeks and then it cleared as the sediment settled and the well calmed. Fresh clean water was now only a few yards away!!

I was a celebrity everywhere I went... just because I was different!

Two of my favorites! Jane and Kennedy!

The Children overjoyed at the Donation of 20 Tonka trucks!

The Glorious Victoria Falls

The even more glorious Namibian Falls!

I was going to have a treasury… and then I lost the internet.

2009-09-26T01:18:00.003-04:00

I was all geared up to have a treasury today. I had the time tacked down written on a posted note on my wall, and the idea for it was going to be:

I’m Dreaming of a GREEN Christmas

I had found some fabulous Christmas ideas that were recycled and I wanted to bring them all together and display them in my first ever treasury. Well I suppose that will have to wait, but I thought I would show you a few of the ones I had found.

ReLoved Designs

evesjulia12

WhenRubyPearlSmiles

Izubal01

SmileyMoo

What do you think? I’m so excited for Christmas!

Double Digits!

2009-09-18T22:22:00.004-04:00

ReLoved Designs has had 9 Sales!

This is very exciting, and I thought I would

something special to coax the 10th.

To honor the DOUBLE digit, I thought a

BUY ONE GET ONE FREE Sale was in order!

However because of the current set up at Etsy it is difficult to do this kind of promotion in store, so with the help of my blog, I thought I would give a small list of unlisted options for the buyer to choose from. So the next person who makes a purchase from ReLoved will just have to indicate which of the following items they would like, and that item will be included free with their purchase!

Here are the choices:

#1: Rolled Paper Bead Necklace

#2: Plastic Wire Coating

#3: Scrap fabric Necklace

All of these Necklaces are made out of recycled materials!

If you make the 10th purchase just leave in the comments #1 #2 or #3 and I will ship the items off to you!!

Hurry up there's only one "10th Sale"

Junk Mail!

2009-09-14T22:57:00.000-04:00

It's so bazaar I just have to declare that I LOVE JUNK MAIL!
That being said let me explain myself!

About 4 days ago I got a response to a thread I posted in the etsy forums, the thread was requesting a critique for this polymer clay necklace:

But I got this response instead:
"I love your shop and hearted many of your unique and eco-friendly creations.

I use upcycled copper electrical wire in my jewelry. I strip off the colored insulation and then hammer the wire. Do you want any of the insulation tubing? I have white, red, blue, and black. You could probably make many cool things with it."

My thought was... AWESOME!

And so this morning I received in the mail a padded envelope filled with electrical insulation and also some other odds and ends like silver findings, odd buttons and other nifty junk. I was so excited!!
I can't wait to start creating some masterpieces! I'll be sure to photograph what I concoct and post it here for your viewing pleasure!

One last thing... make sure to check out IvyTalagaDesigns to see some of those amazing upcycled copper wire creations, they are truly beautiful!

How to Brooch the isssue.

2009-09-03T23:01:00.018-04:00

I've always loved brooches, especially antique costume jewelry ones.
My favorite are flowers, I wear flowers in my hair, pinned to my coat, and just about everywhere else it's appropriate to put them. Well I've Finally Started making brooches of my own and here some of them are:

This is my Fuzzy Flannel Flower Brooch made from old flannel pajamas!

This is my Christmas Lights Brooch and it's made of just that, old dead Christmas light bulbs, sequins and beads.
It's quite sparkly when the light hits it.

These Brooches are definitely some of my favorite! These are my pistachio shell brooches, made entirely out of pistachio shells which are all hot glued onto a wooden disk and then painted different colors.

These brooches are 3 1/2" and less than 1" tall. I painted the red one by hand, and added a slight gold finish on the outside. The brown and green one were spray painted.

All in all I just love making brooches!

Twisted Material

2009-08-21T15:37:00.000-04:00

So my new obsession is rolling magazine paper.

There are many reasons for this:
First: it's recycling in the best sense!
Second: Magazine pages are full of so many colors
Third: the materials are dirt cheap (often free) and glue sticks are on sale everywhere this time of year.
Fourth: The final result is really neat!
Fifth (and final): It's a feel good project because of all of the above!

So I saw a tutorial on making a basket from magazine pages and loved the idea. It was from that fabulous book: Big Ass book of crafts. I loved the idea, had to it do and so set about rolling magazine pages.

First step was to cut the magazine pages into 2-3" strips. I'd recomend using a paper slicer for this, otherwise you might just give up in the first 15 min. This is a time consuming project but it's so very worth it!

Then starting at the corner you roll the page, I used a small knitting needle to roll the paper. When you're almost done rolling you apply glue liberally (glue sticks are ideal) and finish off. Now you have a rod with points on each end.

Now you can use the rods as they are for crafts such as this picture frame.

I mounted the rods onto one of those simple pine framed mirrors from IKEA which I had painted black.

Or if you're gunning for the really labor intensive stuff keep going. Take the rod and flatten it. Using the knitting needle (or what ever you used before) roll the rod into a spiral being sure to glue the last 2 or 3 inches. Hold the spiral in place for at least 30 sec if not more (the stiffer your paper the longer you should hold it)

Ta Da! You have a spiral! Now make about 200 of these and you can begin constructing your basket. :P

The base of the basket is just one giant spiral made by adding rods and rolling it all into one big spiral. It helps if you slip the rods into one another to help secure them. You can decide how big you want the base to be, but keep in mind that the bigger it is the more sturdy it will be as well.

However if the idea of spending hours and hours rolling paper (while watching movies of course) does not sound like your cup of tea, try something smaller, like this necklace.

This necklace can be seen in greater detail in my etsy store.

Whatever you decide to do with your spirals, the next step will require every crafters favorite weapon... the GLUE GUN!
Nothing else seems to do the trick.
The glue needs to dry quickly and hold fast.

Now the book where I got the idea recommended you use a stainless steel container like a wastepaper basket or something as a mold. I didn't have one and just went at it with reckless abandon... a method that seems to have served me well for some time now.

So armed with this new information perhaps you'll face your junk mail catalogs with a whole new attitude!

MAKE CRAFTS! NOT WAR!