I adore handcrafted PRACTICAL items. And of these, rugs are probably my favorite. They are sturdy, yet provide a squishy soft comfort to your cold feet early in the morning, welcome guests as they enter your house and are often passed down from generation to generation.
Tomorrow I begin a new semester of volunteer teaching elementary and middle school children in fiber arts. These next 18 weeks, the students will explore many kinds of rug making....braided, prodded, hooked, sewn, looped, and much more. We will make "mug mat" samplers of each technique and then the students will individually choose their favorite technique to make a small rug of their own.
The first project? A sewn rug, using wool yarn scraps and recycled burlap coffee bag sacks. I can't wait!
Please remember to subscribe to this blog and to "like" our FB page at Everything But The Oink and our NEW FB page Crafters Co-op. Only six more weeks until the opening of the Crafters Co-op retail store, an upcycling craft store, class studio and craft artisan boutique.
"Outta the landfill and into your heart!"
Showing posts with label tutorials. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tutorials. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Crafters Co-op: An Upcycle Craft Store/Shop Opening!
PLEASE HELP FUND THE DREAM! Crafters Co-op is going to be an awesome, innovative craft store, combining classes, a craft library, studio space, supplies, and OOAK completed projects. It will uniquely FOCUS on reclaimed and vintage supplies of high quality at a reasonable price. (Cotton fabrics for $3/yd, NOT $10/yd and up.) Just need a needle, or a thimble, or a classy vintage button? Come in and just buy ONE.
The shop will be located in Oak Harbor (Whidbey Island, WA) at 910 Pioneer Way, with an unobstructed water view, 1100 sq. feet of studio, boutique and library space...and the tea kettle will always be on!
However, I need YOUR help. I'll be honest. I have planned this for two years, have spent 1000s of my own money and 1000s of hours of time in getting ready. Yet, I don't have a rich uncle (lol). We're going to go for "crowd funding" via PayPal. A secure, safe way to help Crafters Co-op get ready for it's April 1st opening! You will receive a gift certificate (available at the store as of April 1st) for 100% of your donation amount. So, you will be prepaying for wonderful classes, supplies, and service ALWAYS with a smile in a GREEN business on Whidbey Island. Not in the immediate area? We would still love your help in creating this upcycle store and will list your name in the store as one of the founders! Please be a part of "Outta the landfill, into your heart."
Donations accepted at Paypal, payable to: royalalpacas@aol.com (Dena Royal.) Have questions? Email me at that same address or message me on my personal FB page.
The shop will be located in Oak Harbor (Whidbey Island, WA) at 910 Pioneer Way, with an unobstructed water view, 1100 sq. feet of studio, boutique and library space...and the tea kettle will always be on!
However, I need YOUR help. I'll be honest. I have planned this for two years, have spent 1000s of my own money and 1000s of hours of time in getting ready. Yet, I don't have a rich uncle (lol). We're going to go for "crowd funding" via PayPal. A secure, safe way to help Crafters Co-op get ready for it's April 1st opening! You will receive a gift certificate (available at the store as of April 1st) for 100% of your donation amount. So, you will be prepaying for wonderful classes, supplies, and service ALWAYS with a smile in a GREEN business on Whidbey Island. Not in the immediate area? We would still love your help in creating this upcycle store and will list your name in the store as one of the founders! Please be a part of "Outta the landfill, into your heart."
Donations accepted at Paypal, payable to: royalalpacas@aol.com (Dena Royal.) Have questions? Email me at that same address or message me on my personal FB page.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Wisdom Wednesday! Tips to Save Plastic from the Landfill
I'm starting a new feature.....Wisdom Wednesdays! This will usually be wise tidbits shared by others which I've enJOYEd reading about and learning from.....
Until I started recycling/upcycling fiber arts, I didn't recycle as much at home. But, fiber arts re-use made me more aware! We live on an island so I feel an extra sense of responsibility to not contribute to the landfill or to junk which may end up in the ocean. Plus, it's nice to not have to pay real dollars to the county dump to leave all that extra trash. ;)
I came across this website and it has helpful and interesting tips on how to reduce your plastics use. Hmmm....I never knew that chewing gum was made out of plastic. What's with that?!
While I'm definitely not there yet (eliminating plastic purchases), I hope to incorporate some more of these wise suggestions into my daily life. Please share what you learned from this website and enJOY your Wednesday!
http://plasticfreeguide.com/
Until I started recycling/upcycling fiber arts, I didn't recycle as much at home. But, fiber arts re-use made me more aware! We live on an island so I feel an extra sense of responsibility to not contribute to the landfill or to junk which may end up in the ocean. Plus, it's nice to not have to pay real dollars to the county dump to leave all that extra trash. ;)
I came across this website and it has helpful and interesting tips on how to reduce your plastics use. Hmmm....I never knew that chewing gum was made out of plastic. What's with that?!
While I'm definitely not there yet (eliminating plastic purchases), I hope to incorporate some more of these wise suggestions into my daily life. Please share what you learned from this website and enJOY your Wednesday!
http://plasticfreeguide.com/
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Please "Like"/"Join" our Facebook Page!
We have a Facebook page: Everything but the Oink.
This is in the spirit of using every bit of a recycled sweater or other fiber art items!
In other words, no animals were harmed. :)
Please also check out our Etsy shop (www.etsy.com) under "Spinayarn."
Each and every purchase from our Etsy shop helps us to make and deliver more handmade recycled woolen mittens to the homeless in the Pacific Northwest AND to help us teach fiber arts to area youth for free. We NEVER charge a single penny to teach youth fiber arts and we provide all of the supplies.
EnJOY!
This is in the spirit of using every bit of a recycled sweater or other fiber art items!
In other words, no animals were harmed. :)
Please also check out our Etsy shop (www.etsy.com) under "Spinayarn."
Each and every purchase from our Etsy shop helps us to make and deliver more handmade recycled woolen mittens to the homeless in the Pacific Northwest AND to help us teach fiber arts to area youth for free. We NEVER charge a single penny to teach youth fiber arts and we provide all of the supplies.
EnJOY!
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