Repurposed Firewood Box

Mark just finished this wood box for our front porch. He used odds and ends of wood from deep, in the darkest corners of the basement. He also used the old pine he took off the front of the fireplace when we put the insert in last fall. I think he did a fabulous job, it is beautiful, totally repurposed!

wood box

recycled wood box!

Red Recycled Wool Rag Rug on the Front Page!!

Much to my delight one of my recycled felted wool sweaters rugs was featured in a treasury on Etsy that made it to the front page yesterday. Etsy seller, Zygopsyche was the creator of this lovely collection!

Always a thrill to see your work on the front page, getting maximum exposure!

Thank you Kellie!

Recycled Basket Weaving Workshop

I taught a basket weaving workshop with children for the first time in many many years, today. I will admit I really over prepared, I spent too many hours working on prep for it. So, when the day was done, I felt let down. It was however a big success. It is just my sensitive artist self showing its face. We used cardboard strips for the reed, and recycled shrink wrap for the weavers.

                                            

                         

          

                    

Because of children's privacy laws, I was only allowed to take photos of their working hands. Their working hands say it all anyway, they were busy, and for the most part they enjoyed themselves. The photos are just a few examples of the beautiful baskets the children wove.

Recycled Material Basket Weaving

I have been asked by one of the elementary schools here to give a workshop in May to 50 students from area schools. My choice of what I do with them. I have decided that whatever I do decide it will be totally a recycled material craft.

I have been doing massive online searches for recycled material weaving for children, but am not really coming up with anything that gets my attention.

I think I have decided to try a simple basket with them, grades 4 through 8. I quickly worked with newspaper and plastic last night, and this is what I came up with. Very crude, they only have two hours to complete the project. Mark thinks it will be too difficult for the younger kids. I am not sure, I have been away from children for too long, and am not sure of their capabilities. I could just use round reed, but would rather not, I will have to come up with a better way of rolling the newspaper tighter. If anyone has any suggestions I would very much appreciate them. I do think it is nicer if they go home with something, not just a wall hanging. 

Newspaper reeds and cling wrap warp, twine woven basket, unfinished. The cling wrap comes from my local grocery store. They have been saving it for me for my rug experiments that for now are at a standstill. I am being over run with boxes of used plastic, but will get to it soon.

Handwoven Wool Rug and Swap O Rama Rama, Fashion Show and Auction

I was contacted about a month ago by a group of students from the Crocker Middle School in Hillsborough, California. They are planning a Swap O Rama Rama, Fashion Show and Auction, on Earth Day, to raise money to support the Coyote Point Museum.

"At our event students will swap used clothes, work with talented designers and artists to recycle the used clothes into wearable art, and then showcase their creations at a fashion show. After the fashion show, prizes will be awarded and a silent auction held. This letter is to ask you to please donate a prize for the fashion show or an item for the auction. We scoured the internet for people who are recycling materials into incredible items. We love that your rugs include recycled materials, and shows people how incredibly cool recycling and conserving can be!"

I have decided after a little research that I will support their cause and donate a rug to them. I am just in the process of getting a package ready to mail out tomorrow. This is the rug I am sending. I did have a hard time deciding which rug to donate. I decided on this one because the students are in middle school, grades 7 and 8. I thought these bright colours were more appropriate for their age group. 

 It really is a gorgeous rug, and a fine example of recycling used clothing!