From Darkness to Light

... without darkness
Nothing comes to birth,
As without light
Nothing flowers.

May Sarton

Now, I must confess that I really, really wanted to call this piece "She has Big Kahoonas". Alas, I didn't have the Kahoonas!!

Continuing with the lava stone obsession, I wanted to contrast the natural, rough and organic texture of this stone with something ordered and structured like the crystal.

With the plains and jewel tones of this season, it works perfectly.

For the feminine warrior, explorer, fashionista... who am I to tell you what part of you this bracelet will express!

Perfect and simple on its own or layered with other black & silver bracelets, this single stranded bracelet with clasp features 3 large 20mm lava stone balls decorated with Swarovski flatback crystals.

Available on Etsy & MadeIt

Don't Cross Me

"Don't mess with me fellas. This ain't my first time at the rodeo!"

— Joan Crawford

Inspired by a combination for the penchant I have for all things Rock Chick that still need to work with the rest of my wardrobe (ok, so maybe my slightly more feminine take on Rock Chick), the eternally upcycled Sacred Heart leather pants and these Jet and Crystal Swarovski pendants I saw on a lava stone hunt, Don't Cross Me was born.

Simple yet edgy, this 48 cm necklace is so versatile. Wear with denim, woolens, plains and stripes depending on the look you want to create.

Strung on chain, lava stone and upcycled leather (from the fames Sacred Heart leather pants), the 38 mm Swarovski crystal cross, contrasted with jet, catches light in the most amazing way without being too overwhelming.

Hand created, this unique piece is a great addition to any outfit.

Available at Etsy and MadeIt (for those wanting $AUD)

From Trashbag to Handbag

It's soon to become my new "gotta make it" obsession: The Handbag.

To me, the handbag is almost equatable to a best friend: when you find a good one, one that you can take everywhere, goes with every outfit, can always handle whatever you've got going on, it is impossible to replace.

But have you ever thought through what goes into making a new handbag, both ethically and environmentally? Of course, there are many, MANY artisans (like one of my favourites Nancy Bird) that don't faux pax on the ethical front, but it takes a large amount of energy and often pollutants to produce new materials.

Lucky for us, there are some great upcycling efforts going on on the bag front!

Side note: Whilst researching this category, I came across a lot of "upcycled" bags that really should be sold as "altered" or "recycled" bags. Upcycling is about reclaiming a material and creating something other than what it was. You wouldn't get a milk bottle, put a decal on it, still call it a milk bottle and call it upcycled.

Salvation Sacks

Salvation Sack Episode 3: miniXL

SalvationSacks came into existence in 2002 when its creator, Margaret, was doing a Spring clean and had an epiphany about what to do with the sentimental, vintage, amazing items of clothing and bits.

The bag above is made from

recycled leather + suede miniskirts
vintage/recycled ties from the 1950s to 1990s (vary)
vintage/recycled textiles + leather remnants
recycled belt buckle as adornment (varies leather
belt as a strap

It's great to see this being done outside of the realms of Etsy & MadeIt

Margaret stocks some shapes that I hadn't yet seen in my travels such as the bowler bag.


PurseInBoots



Purse in Boots operates out of Goshen in the US, Purse in Boots creates bags from discarded Cowboy boots. There are some gems in there!

These have quite a unique shape and a great vintage feel with that asset of upcycled leather: the preloved feel.

Mina + Oli

Mina & Oli Leather Day Bag

Another member of DUST (Down Under Street Team) on Etsy, Mina + Oli is the creation of designer Laura Thomey. Canadian born, Laura caught the travel bug and six years later finally settled in Melbourne, Australia. Laura's bags incorporate her love of fashion, creativity and op shopping

“I find it a romantic thinking about the history the leather might have once had - who wore it? - where has it traveled? - was it a cherished item? It's also great to be able to recycle and give a new life to materials that might have ended up in a landfill."
"I think fashion should be fun, I love the little details, to open your bag and have a great colorful print inside always makes me smile! A bag should be as exciting on the inside as out!”

I love this particular bag as it has that "I am so loved" feel that takes a good couple of years to get into a bag without the wear and tear on the zippers and other bits! It's also perfect for that every day bag that can be slung around with my favourite vintage look boots from Basque.

Peace4You

Individually hand crafted, Peace4You makes unisex satchels (yes boys, you can upcycle your man bags too!) out of materials like old army tents! The bag above, which can be found on Etsy, is made from a recycled leather jacket with a strap from an old Navy kit bag for a strap.

Based in Germany, check out the amazing ability to customise your bags at the Peace4You website (warning: it's in German but who cares... it's a visual thing!)

Ecoist

Forget Oroton! Lets go pulltabs instead!

The ULTIMATE in upcycling in MHO comes from Ecoist. Ecoist create
handbags made from recycled candy wrappers, food packages, soda labels, subway maps, newspapers, and other waste-bound materials. They collect waste and turn it into functional, durable and eye-catching handbags that you will simply love to own.

These are interesting and although some are a bit... loud... there are some combinations that are really quite cool!

The only thing better than the candy is this handbag from the wrappers!

And lastly but so very, VERY not the least, we have....

Ashley Watson
The beautiful Large Shell Clutch

Vancouver based designer Ashley Watson and her staff handcraft her one-of-a-kind leather products using exclusively recycled material. She began designing handbags with recycled leather in early 2005, inspired by the original features of soft and gently worn jackets purchased from charity thrift stores. She ultimately incorporates these features, such as pockets and seams, into each unique bag or wallet design.

With an extensive background in studio art, Ashley brings an innovative and environmentally sound approach to fashion design, creating products that are practical, sophisticated, and, above all, distinctive.

Ashley Watson Recycled Leather bags and wallets are sold in stores across North America, and are now available in select stores in Europe, Asia and Australia.

I can actually see the softness and quality of this leather in the images and I'm doing all I can not to call the one store that stocks them in Australia tomorrow.

Ashley's designs are intricate yet simple; classic yet funky and versatile and again have that "I've been loved" feel without the wear and tear on the rest of the bag. I'm in luuuurve!

And to think, I've only really touched on larger bags here with a tote or two... purses, make up bags, wallets... well they're a completely different kettle of fish to be explored soon... stay tuned!

Next: Pimping the Upcycled Pad

One Person's Trash is Another Person's Bling

Introduction

This is my main thing right now: creating pieces from materials found in the strangest of places. As I stated in the last post, this is fairly evident in any of the things I create, but it's a new exploration in the realm of jewellery.

I use old dynabolt casings for tubes, evening dresses that I'd normally bin for fabric, even curtain rings.


My current fetish is the old leather pants purchased from the op shop in my area run by the Sacred Heart Mission who every day assist hundreds of people who are homeless or living in poverty to find shelter, food, care and support. Anything I would normally send to landfill or, in the case of Sacred Heart, has a positive social connotation, is fair game.

There's an element of upcycling in each piece that I create.

And I am not alone! A recent call out on the DUST (Down Under Street Team) forum, a group of Australian creative geniuses who sell on Etsy resulted in some very interesting replies!

Lekker

Pendant by Lekker

Three guesses what Rachel at Lekker makes these fun and fabulous pendants out of..... Smarties?..... Skittles?... No... a stash of old knitting needles!

The item description for this piece makes everything clear:

Ever wondered what happened to Nanna's old coloured Knitting needles? I did.

This pendant has been made from my ever so secret stash of knitting needles that I have been left by the many Nanna's of the world.

While the art of knitting may be lost to the younger generation, encased in an aluminium frame made from pipe offcuts and embedded in resin, this pendant may be a sign of things to come for the fate of the knitting needle!

Having studied printmaking for years, Lekker is run out of Melbourne, Australia.

Incalesco

Recycled Copper Fringe Earrings

Incalesco means glow in Latin. And I have nothing but glowing reviews for this metalsmith! Another Melbourne based artist, Erika works mainly in silver but often uses other metals & stones to giver her pieces that extra bit of colour. Her pieces are delicate yet contemporary, intricate yet versatile.

Not long before I started hunting for fellow upcyclers, Erika of Incalesco was given a pile of scrap metal by her father.


And I think you would agree that there's a big difference between the pile above and what has emerged so far:



Spoonerz



Now, I'm just going to put it out there... I'm not a huge fan of spoon & fork upcycling. There's a guy at the local market who started a trend around here and then everyone was doing it... but they were all a bit... plain for my taste.

This morning I logged on to Etsy however, and saw this utensil upcycler on the front page...

A Mum of 4, SpoonerZ takes the bits and pieces of utensils and remakes them, rejuvenates them and redefines them.



Other bits and pieces

This article could go on forever. There are a bunch of people out there doing great stuff! Here's a few more...

Sea glass pendant by Epheriell

Steam Punk Cuff Links from Nouveaumotley
Cufflinks from mobile phone copper & photographic silver by Ben at Biome

Circuit board earrings from Upcycled Jewellery



Next: Trash bag to Handbag

The Biker Pants Live On

 

Did you know it takes approximately 208 gallons of crude oil to raise one feedlot steer? And that's just raising the cow, not to mention the amount of energy that goes into creating the hide.

By upcycling materials, this 7cm wide by 13 cm long cuff, created from the pocket of an old pair of leather pants - (probably, given the opshop they came from, once the pride and joy of a bikie)- would be saving at least 2.6 gallons of crude oil in the raising of the cow alone....

Not to mention, the materials were purchased from the op-shop run by the Sacred Heart Mission in St Kilda, Melbourne.

Who would have thought reducing your carbon footprint could look so good?

Fully adjustable via the lace up chain system at the back, this cuff is edgy yet feminine.

Made from the to of the pocket of that infamous pair of leather pants, this is a narrower cuff with antique gold findings & fittings.  The chain on the front is sewn on with copper wire.

Both available at Etsy and soon at MadeIt for Australian buyers.

Birthdays

What a great birthday present! I made my first sale on Etsy today... Ironically, I'm guessing it was a birthday present for fellow DUST team member Incalesco... So Tin Man has gone to a loving home! Hoorah!

As for birthdays, I think for me my birthday is much like New Years Day... while some people approach the New Year as a time to assess and, quite frankly, judge the successes and failings of their year, for me it's my birthday. This usually leads to Birthday Eve being a not so pleasant experience.

This year however, the little downs of tonight are peppered with anticipation for the day my friend Mish has planned for me tomorrow. Here are my what to wear instructions:

So princess Mary,

Here's the low down ...

Please bring:

1) 1 pair of sexy bikinis and a big towel

2) A good book

3) A pair of boots that are comfy for hiking up big mountains and dont matter if they get dirty

4) 1 pretty top and something warmish to put over the top

5) 1 pair of sexy jeans (yeah you know the ones i mean)

6) Some nice shoes that you feel happy in

7) A pair of pants like leggins that are comfy and warm enough to do cartwheels in a chilly meadow

8) A top thats warmish but can be taken off quickly in our pillow fight and doesnt matter if it gets duck down on it

9) A plain comfy t-shirt

10) wear some undies

Please put on 3, 7, 8 & 9 on to leave in ... oh and of course 10 hehe

Love you xx

Hmmm... so what do you think she's up to...??

*****Spoiler alert******
I suspect something involving a horse... (sorry JD, no pillow fights!)

Things that make you go mmmmmmmmmm......

Some jewelery pieces fill a need: you need a necklace for the dress you've just bought, the latest fashion says put so many bracelets on that you can't lift your arm or perhaps its time to give an old dress a new lease of life with updated accessories.


Other pieces, however, sing to you as soon as you lay eyes on them. I found one of these pieces recently as I checked out the work of a fellow Melbourne jeweller Erica who markets her wares under the branding Incalesco (which incidentally means "glow" in Latin).


Trilogy

I love the strange power in this piece (perhaps that feeling is the one I'm talking about... the singing) and I can't help but feel that there's a hidden meaning in there somewhere!

On a design level, I love the slightly unstructured nature of the silver balanced out with the structure of the stone.


Another piece from Etsy that I discovered and really enjoy the simplicity of and the meaning I add to the design is this pendant titled Stitched Moon by JuJubySarah, a US seller.

Incidentally, JuJu also has a meaning:
Juju, n: A word of West African origin, referring to the supernatural power ascribed to an object, fetish, charm or amulet. Aura or other magical property, usually having to do with spirits or luck, which is bound to a specific object; it is also a term for the object.

Funny, I have a friend who always uses that word ("Ooooh, that's bad Juju") and I thought he was making it up! Blogging... fun AND educational!

And last but not least, is the piece that inspired this post... unfortunately there are no images because it lives on in my memory as the one that got away! It was a crudely made silver piece set with 3 raw, brilliant, pulsating aquamarines and a few cut and polished ones at Living Energies in Southland. Set in a snake/branch like pattern, the pendant was about 10 cms long and sat beautifully right on my chest.... *sigh*

Off to bed with me so I can dream sweet, sweet dreams of the pendant I'll never have (and how I can generate money for the ones I can!!)

It's been an elephant like preganancy...

... but my jewellery baby is finally born and we have called it Kreated! I pity the poor elephant whose pregnancy usually lasts for about 22 months!

Kreated has been, well,created to play with this sense of wonderment, this thirst to try everything once, and turn it into accessories which help express any which side of ones personality. Be it Astronaut; Fireman; Sumo Wrestler; Pop Diva; Mother; Belly Dancer; Lion Tamer.........

As for me, my workspace could best be described as the “House of Stashes.”

There are stashes of fabric, piles of cookbooks, a box full of teddies (with various arms, legs & heads missing, displays of finished work,random notes & quotes fallen on the floor,bundles of wool that never quite made it to their intended jumpers, coloured pencils, paper, metal findings, semi precious stones in abundance, as well as drawers and boxes crammed full of nostalgia. All of this is inspired & driven by an affinity and obsession with texture & colour.

When exploring my background, it is evident that I have the vocational attention span of a child who, just because they still believe that anything is possible, one day wants to be an Astronaut, then a Ballerina, next a Mud Wrestler & then her best friend’s uncle’s pet cat. I have studied Journalism, Multimedia, worked as a Photographer, worked retail, managed an office and flipped burgers. And I still think I may want to try my hand at the Astronaut thing.

Having said that though, at some point in your life you discover which path it was you are meant to follow.... the path that lights you up and drives you like a steam engine! So now it's all about caring for my Kreated and watching her grow, influence and bring joy and self expression to the world around her!