Showing posts with label sustainability. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sustainability. Show all posts

October 9, 2013

Wednesday's Welcome!

It's been a long time since we've brought you daily posts on our blog~ a huge thanks to Bee from The Wooden Bee and Tricia from Upcycled Stuff for keeping us going even as intermittent as we've been! Without them, we may have fallen to the wayside like so many other blogs. I have had one tough year, and I don't know what I would have done without them and the other team leaders on Etsy I have come to love and count on. They, too, have had their own tough and busy times and have managed to still keep us posted with contest results, articles, discussion threads, tweets, Facebook posts, treasuries and our weekly Linky Parties. They have taught me the meaning of the word TEAM.

That said, I hope with our upcoming third anniversary on November 8th, we can start a new wave of consistent activity in our upcycling movement with new and exciting things to put us back on track. We are looking for more contributors to our blog, social networks and Etsy discussion threads, as well as developing new features and, ultimately, a new website with more to offer everyone. So with that said~ here is the first!

Wednesday's Welcome!

Each week we will feature three new Upcyclers~ either from our team on Etsy, our Twitter followers or our fans on Facebook. Whichever venue we find each week's featured upcycling artists, writers or companies, we promise to bring you something awesome and interesting every Wednesday. All we ask is that you welcome them by checking out their shops, pages, websites, blogs, etc. Whether you tweet, share, tumble, stumble, pin, comment or purchase~ show your Love 2 Upcycle by supporting your fellow Upcyclers!

But don't think we are going to neglect our dedicated and long time Upcyclers, we've got plans for you, too! We will sponsor new contests and giveaways, revamp our Blogs 2 Love and share more DIY ideas, tutorials, and links to the most innovative sites we can find so we can inspire you to keep upcycling and living a sustainable lifestyle. Our world is rapidly changing it's attitude toward what we do and it's up to us to show everyone it's not a trend~ it's a necessity. We all must face the need to adapt to the demand for accountability for how we use the resources of our world and to be responsible inhabitants of not just this planet, but the universe. The beauty of the internet and social networking is the opportunity it affords us to reach out globally to spread the word with an impact.

But we need your help. No one can do it alone, we have to do it together.

Our thanks again to all of you and~ Welcome to this week's new Upcyclers...

The first is a new member of Upcyclers on Etsy. Why this one? You are going to love how they describe upcycling. I could not have said it better myself...

Studio ABCD



A graduate from National Institute of Fashion Technology in Bangalore, India, and a student of architecture, Raahul Khadaliya has immersed himself in a sustainable lifestyle that is emulated in his innovative, yet traditionally based products. Using a handmade, eco-friendly method of block printing firmly routed in his culture, he creates brightly colorful and artistic gift wrap from discarded newspaper, as well as other products. Yet, even more beautiful is how he describes why and what he does:

"It is high time now to link things we have used, to the things we will use, and this link between the two holds a promise to a sustainable possibility for future. We know the grave possible problems in times to come, and its ironic that we don’t do much to help the situation. The solution is as simple as rethinking the complete design process incorporating ideologies like cradle to cradle design into both minor and major systems of creation. The need of the hour is to justify the energy, raw materials, human resources and other natural energy that are used in creation of a product and question ourselves each time we discard any thing we use.

To expect a third party to save the environment is passé, when everyone of us can help the cause by re-using things of daily requirements…" ~Visit his shop and profile to read more of his philosophies. He also illustrates his idealogy and method in an amazing infograph on his website.


B - Reloved





Our next Welcome is to another new member on Etsy~

"If the only thing that can not be recycled is wasted time, I thought I might as well put my time and any God given talent I have into making things beautiful by using the power of Recycle. Mission: To bring a creative approach to recycling."

We, in all honesty, prefer to call Christa Behen's approach to the art of recycling~ upcycling, but we also know that many still are more familiar with the term recycling. No matter, it's beautiful!




A hearty welcome also to a new fan on Facebook~ Redeemed, a Museum/Art Gallery in Sharon Pennsylvania, held it's Grand Opening on September 28th! This shop looks amazing, I wish I could take a trip north just to see all the wonderful upcycled treasures it holds! Stop by if you are in the area, or give them a 'Like' and a Welcome on Facebook!



We hope you've enjoyed meeting these three new Upcyclers! I can't wait to Welcome more of you next week!

;) Cat

August 14, 2013

Domino's National Upcycling Collaboration

We are always pushing the team concept as part of our mission to spread upcycling through our strength in numbers~ but occasionally it is the outstanding singular effort of one member that demands our recognition and gratitude for the individual's achievements.

Liz Ohsiek deserves that and more~ And we are so incredibly proud to call her a member of Upcyclers! 

Domino's recently changed their marketing strategy including a newly designed logo~ and in an effort to reduce waste decided to UPCYCLE their stock bearing the previous logo. Liz told us all about it in a recent blog post:




"I don’t usually like to talk about myself. At least not important stuff. I’ll bore my friends with the minutia of life (what I had for breakfast, what craft my kids are working on, how many loads of laundry I folded, blah blah blah) but when it comes to my own shop and business, I don’t typically share. Maybe I just don’t think anyone really cares — and I don’t like to sound braggy (especially when I don’t have tons of faith in myself). I know, I have issues.
BUT – right now, I want to tell you about a really exciting project that I’m participating in. I’m going to toot my own horn for a minute. Ah-OOO-gah!!
Several months ago, Domino’s Pizza contacted lil’ ol’ me (ME!!) to tell me about their Second Hand Logos project. They recently changed their logo, and rather than throw away all of the old ones, they’ve asked independent craftsmen and artists like me to upcycle the old stock into new creations. I am one of 10 artists nationwide to participate in this amazing initiative.
domino's new logo
The project was unveiled on June 17, and since then there has been a bit of online buzz including a Yahoo! Finance article that used my photograph and mentioned my name. (You can check that out here. My 15 minutes of fame! There are also articles that use my product photos here, here and here).
Domino’s sent me some employee t-shirts, pizza boxes, and food wrappers all displaying the old logo. I made them into scarves, notebooks, and bowls."
Making Domino's Scarves from old stock t-shirts
Making Domino’s Scarves from old stock t-shirts
Pizza Box Notebooks
Pizza Box Notebooks
Paper Bowls
Paper Bowls
These items are available for purchase in Liz's Etsy shop! And you can see all of the talented artists and their creations at www.SecondHandLogos.com
It is fantastic to see the upcycling movement recognized by a global corporation like Domino's. Collaborative efforts like this inspire our team to continue creating art, crafts and practical goods from what the world once considered "TRASH"! Perhaps one day we will look back and wonder why we abandoned the centuries' old tradition of 'using it up and wearing it out' for what has become a largely, throwaway society. Until then, we thank Liz Ohsiek for dedicating her talent to Upcycling and for being a member of Upcyclers!


*Editor's Note~ Read Liz's opinion about "What is Upcycling?"

 

July 27, 2013

Love 2 DIY on the Weekend~ Is For the Birds!

If you love birds in your backyard habitat, we've got some way out and somewhat, wacky upcycled inspiration for some cool habitats for your winged visitors~ If you don't want to DIY, some of these birdhouses are available for sale in the artist's studio or online shop.



Brian Carlisle~ GadgetSponge.com



It's a Crazy Life...what craft is Sam working on now?




The Guilty Crafter~ confessions of a domestic Goddess wannabe



Upcycled Garden Style...a website from Gardens Inspired


April Crafternoon@ fdlpl.org


Tale of Twisted Fibers


Mama's Nook



EcoCycled


So look around your garage, basement or attic and turn an old treasure or tossed away article into an upcycled home for your feathered friends!

Have a fantastic weekend!
;) Cat

July 3, 2013

Summer Style Report~ Eco Chic!

Just in time for the 4th of July~ a look at some of the 2013 Upcyclers' Summer Fashions! Colorful, fun, very unique...and ECO CHIC!


Summer Style Report~ Eco Chic!

Top
etsy.com

Top
etsy.com

Top
etsy.com

Top
etsy.com

Romper
etsy.com

Mini skirt
etsy.com

Skirt
etsy.com

Romper
etsy.com

Romper
etsy.com

January 30, 2013

A Bit of Inspiration

Sometimes it takes a catalyst to reignite our passion for what we do. This morning I faced the fact that I've been neglecting my writing and rarely post consistently anymore. And for someone who spent so much time building the foundation for this mission we have as Upcyclers, that is a waste (and Upcyclers hate waste!) and a shame. But life has a funny way of sending you messages. 

As it happens, I received a convo (Etsy speak for an email) this morning also. It was from a new member who offered her blog posts as material for our blog. I clicked on the link and browsed her articles and found this one. I read it and it flooded me with memories of my own history of family members resourcefully repurposing to save money. And I remembered why I started this blog and our team of Upcyclers on Etsy. 

I hope you are as inspired by her story as I was and that you continue to Love 2 Upcycle...

'My Mom was upcycling before it was a big deal . . . before it was even called upcycling.
My Mom was born during World War II in Holland, and then immigrated to Canada with her family in 1947. Being part of an immigrant family that also knew the desperation of war meant being resourceful and not taking anything for granted. Food, water and money were carefully rationed, and clothes were handed down and reworked from sibling to sibling. This immigrant story is not unique to my Mom, of course. But her experience as an immigrant child has had an indelible impact on the way she has lived her life.
Picture
my Mom (the little girl with the white bow in her hair) with her brothers and sisters a couple years after her family immigrated from Holland to Canada
On top of that, my Mom has always had a deep love and sense of responsibility for the earth. It's a love she and my Dad share. My parents see the earth as God's masterful gift that he entrusted to us. Nature has always been a place where they meet God and feel renewed. Most of my childhood vacations and day trips were spent exploring the land, hiking, canoeing, skating or cross country skiing.

Wherever we lived, my Mom usually found a way to have a vegetable garden, and she took great joy (and still does) in caring for it and harvesting its yields. She canned and froze what she grew, and my family ate her harvest late into the winter. What she couldn't grow herself, she picked at local farms to preserve for the rest of the year. I always loved how my Mom's cold storage looked, with its neat rows of colourful jars and baskets of potatoes and apples.

She taught my brothers and I to be grateful for what we had and regularly reminded us not to waste. And she lived what she spoke. Before recycling was commonplace, my Mom tried to recycle in her own way by turning waste into something useful. In our house, bleach bottles were turned into trash cans, tin cans became containers or baking pans, bottles were reused as jars for her homemade jam, and paperboard from packaging was reused for recipe cards and crafts. We always had a kitchen drawer overflowing with every variety of plastic bag so they could be reused. (It made me very cranky to wash all those bags, but my Mom persisted.) She worked hard to make food go as far as possible. (The More with Less Cookbook by Doris Longacre was her culinary bible.)

Little did I know that all my Mom's choices would leave such a mark on me.
Picture
my Mom and me setting off for a skate on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa, Ontario many moons ago (with my awesome Bono circa 1984 hair)
When I started making jewelry out of garbage items a few years ago, it never dawned on me that I was doing something my mother taught me. I knew I wanted to create conversation pieces that would make people think a little more about reducing waste. I knew I wanted to constantly challenge myself (and others) to find a purpose for trash rather than throw it away. Eventually I started to ask 
myself, "Why is this so important to me? Why do I feel such a need to do this?" And I began to realize, it's mostly because of my Mom and her bleach bottle trash cans, vegetable gardens and frequent reminders to be grateful and responsible for what we have.

Now, my Mom helps me at art and craft shows, and she's one of my best "garbage collectors". She always asks me, "Where do you get all these ideas?" I usually say, "I don't know." But really, it pretty much started with her.'



                                  wrote this story and her beautiful "Eco Friendly and Earth Inspired Art and Jewelry can be found on Etsy. 

Repurposed Vinyl and Copper Riveted Earrings
Life has so much to delight in - whether it's our glorious earth or the mundane scraps and ends we often leave behind. ~Jane Koopman

I am proud to have Jane as a member and honored that she and all of our members believe so strongly in upcycling and support our mission to promote it~ And thank you, Jane, for sharing your story with us! We'd love to hear about what inspires any of you to either upcycle or creatively repurpose resources in your life, feel free to share in a comment!

December 15, 2012

Milestones...

Life sometimes throws us curve balls, a fast ball, walks us when we want to run, or strikes us down and out. But with persistence and fortitude, we hang in there and work hard to fulfill our dreams. They are so often cut short by tragedy, failure or despair, that when we do reach a milestone in our lives these days, it might be ever so much more important to stand up and take notice. Pat ourselves on the back, give each other a hug or just quietly say under our breath, “Thank you.”

So, although there has been such a tragedy this holiday, it must still be a time to count our blessings~ our joys are what keep us from drowning in sorrow.




This little post is a thank you to our devoted fans and members of Upcyclers. You’ve made us 2000 strong on Facebook, and over 2500 Etsy sellers have joined our team. Our blog has been viewed over 175,000 times and we have almost 800 followers as well. Each day we connect with hundreds, if not thousands, of people who care about promoting sustainability, handmade planet-friendly goods and a community of those who care about our Earth and its inhabitants.

For that we commit ourselves to doing our best in 2013 to further the upcycling movement by offering even more products, resources and consumer education to our fans and members. Even more importantly though, we will be looking towards promoting and participating in charitable and community projects, expanding our reach to include art education endeavors.

Thank you again for being there for us~ we have a wonderful and devoted group of people who have built a community. We look forward to welcoming many more in the coming year!

June 22, 2012

T.G.I.Free~ Read for Free!

Do you Love 2 Read? Well, this week I went looking for a free read~ and I found some great resources for free eBooks and downloadable books! Not only do you save money, but you can save paper by reading online or on a reading device~ good for your wallet, your planet and your brain!

Freebooks.com calls themselves "the most popular website for Free Books"~ just ignore the annoying pop-up offer for a free gift card~ as much as I like free things, I don't like them with tricky strings attached! I didn't find very many choices but there were some all time favorites.


Pride and Prejudice from Freebooks.com

Grimm's Fairy Tales from Freebooks.com

I loved Kobo where they invite you to "Read Freely"...and offer about 180 titles including many classics.

Aesop's Fables from Kobo


Jane Eyre from Kobo

You can "go to the mall"~ the eBookMall, that is! They have about 125 free eBooks you can download to your "eReader, smartphone, tablet, PC or Mac. But they say their list is updated on a regular basis and that the same books are not always available, so grab them when you can!


Walden from eBookMall

Maxwell's Smile from eBookMall

Just Free Books is a search engine you can use to find free eBooks for you! I searched for one of my daughter's favorites: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and found 10 pages of results! Some better than others and a bit varied from the title, but it led me to a nice find called Storynory where you can download or just listen to audio books for children. They had a wonderful version of Alice in Wonderland that is illustrated and clearly read with lovely diction.


Available at Storynory.com


Just Free Books also listed another audio version from BooksShouldBeFree.com that is dramatically read and uses different readers voicing the different characters.

Available from BooksShouldBeFree.com

Of course there are tons more sites out there~ including Amazon.com, Audible.com, Project Gutenberg, PlanetPDF.com, ManyBooks.net, FreeKidsBooks.org and MagicKeys.com.

I hope you'll have fun browsing for your favorites like I did~ when you find a good one all you have to do is find a comfy spot and enjoy a good read for FREE!