BlogHer - Recycled Crafts: Recycling Crafters of Etsy - Comments

Don't forget about Crafting A Green World

Skye — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 21:08:03 -0500

Deb, it's thanks to your mention of Crafting a Green World that I'm now blogging over there. Let us know what you think so far!
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Crafting A Green World | Flooded Lizard Kingdom | Heroine Content

Clicking is Dangerous...

debra roby — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 00:33:50 -0600

Clicking through the wonderful shops at Etsy can be dangerous. Really. I wanted to show a wider variety of work in this article, but my resistance was failing! That darned bread wrapper necklace is STILL haunting me. Even when she described how she made it... HOW did she make THAT???

Imagine the fun I'm going to have the next couple weeks visiting thrift stores for inspiration for the "thrift store/craft store" article!

Debra
A Stitch In Time
Deb's Daily Distractions

Eye candy

amygeekgrl — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 22:15:59 -0600

I heart Etsy. Such wonderful eye candy there. And I love all of these creative folks who repurpose old materials and make them into something amazing.

Amy
Crunchy Domestic Goddess
BlogHers Act contributing editor

I'm not clicking, I'm not clicking

sassymonkey — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 18:44:38 -0600

Because the last time I clicked a link to Etsy I bought something. (But it's purty and I can't wait until it arrives....)

Sassymonkey and Sassymonkey Reads.

Hah.

Denise — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 17:26:28 -0600

You want me to sign my emails "The Babes of BlogHer"? OK, making a note of that 'cause your wish is my command.

And these links - awesome.

One problem. I'm supposed to be de-cluttering our entire household. I'm not supposed to buy even one thing! Hmm wait. Maybe I can buy some of this stuff for other people. The bread bag choker - I'm thinking the perfect gift for my sister, the woman who has everything. Awesome.

Thank you.

~Denise
BlogHer Community Manager

Flamingo House Happenings

Recycled Crafts: Recycling Crafters of Etsy

debra roby — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 17:15:35 -0600

I was thrilled last month when I clicked on a message in my overflowing inbox and read a request fairly similar to this:

Dear Deb,
Please write about crafters who recycle in March as part of the Healthy Body, Healthy Mind, Healthy Wallet series.

We Love You,
The Babes of BlogHer.

Ok, these notes are never signed "The Babes of BlogHer", but I think they should be!

Now I've already written about refashionistas and refashioning with a purpose this year. Last year, about one article a month was on recycled craft of one sort or another. This was a request pitched into my wheelhouse! (baseball.. another month away...) So I'm going to step up, and try to drive this one outta the park! This is, after all, BlogHer's REACH year!

How about an article each Saturday focusing on a different way to look at recycled artists and crafters? This week: the brilliantly talented artists/crafters who can turn trash into cash by creating recycled, upcycled, and repurposed pieces then selling their good on Etsy.

Courtney Watson makes her TwisTeD Jewelry from 100% recycled telephone wire.

TJTDesign sells beautiful knitted items. Her shawl from recycled sari silk is stunning!

DebbyAremDesigns takes circuit boards and repurposes them into office products and beautiful jewelry pieces.

I am considering ordering this Upcycled Bread Bag Choker just to figure out how it was made!

Etsy even has a proud groups of creators who formed a recycled craft street team! TheY are know as Trashion and this group has both the Etsy Trashion Shop and the etsy trashion blog. They use recycled materials in all their products. One of the bloggers interviewed,Tiffany Threadgould of RePlayGround remembered the first thing she recycled:

Do you remember the first thing you made using the trashion concept?

The first thing I made was a CD holder out of an old microwave when I was an undergrad. The microwave broke and it was a shame to throw it out, so I turned it on its side, added a shelf and put CDs inside. I still have it and it holds 32 CDs.

This is a just a sampling of the many creative souls who are creating things both beautiful and practical with materials that have lived before their current creation.

So what it's store for the rest of the month? How about other communities, group blogs and individual blogs that talk about recycled craft? How about a discussion of how DIY can save your earth, your wallet and your brain? Or how about a shopping guide to using your local thrift store like a craft store/art supply store?

Debra Roby blogs her creative life at A Stitch in Time and her mundane life at Deb's Daily Distractions .