NEW MEMBER Introductions

[#1]

We are cleaning up the team threads, please post here if you are new and would like to introduce yourself. Tell us about your shop, your social networks, whatever you like! Threads started outside of this discussion will be closed.

Making the team's discussion board more concise will allow all of us to get to know each other and help us easily find the information we need to support and grow our shops & team!

Thanks, Bee, Cat & Melissa

[Former_Member]

You're more than welcome....we have a great bunch here and always glad to have more! : )

[Former_Member]

@Becca - Hello there! I too am a thrift store-a-holic!! Love 'em! Your black and white illustrations are so intricate! Awesome! :)

@Rachel - Welcome to the team! I really appreciate your zombie banks! I'm a big zombie fan, so those are great! :)

@Lena - Hi! Glad you joined the team! Your jewelry is lovely! :)

[Former_Member]

Welcome Dawn!! I love your shop, and these jeans. If only I was still a size small. lol

http://www.etsy.com/listing/110856679/eco-chic-bohemian-jeans-upcycled-denim

And welcome Malena! You have so many fun things in your shop, but this really caught my eye. Marvelous!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/109175188/art-star-book-paper-sculpture-altered

I am so happy to welcome both of you to the team. :)

[Former_Member]

Welcome Becca! I love vinyl. We have quite a collection at my house. None that can be upcycled though. So this cuff immediately caught my eye.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/110372552/repurposed-glitter-vinyl-record-cuff

Welcome Rebecca! Love the zombie stuff! Can't tell you how much I love zombie movies. They are my guilty pleasure. lol

http://www.etsy.com/listing/110689531/zombie-apocalypse-bank-large-green

Welcome Yelena! Love love love the boho stuff. This necklace is spectacular.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/99791811/boho-necklace-chain-links-boho-necklace

I look forward to getting to know all of you better. :)

[Former_Member]

Welcome Squid! I love the colors of this scarf!!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/110109786/bright-chartreuse-infinity-scarf-silk

Welcome Tammy! Love this basket!! I am always trying to get myself organized, so anything that can help that is always of interest to me. lol

http://www.etsy.com/listing/107969910/knitted-black-white-storage-container

And Welcome Shelley! I love this pendant. So pretty. The colors are spectacular!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/105925014/upcycled-coin-copper-enamel-necklace

I think I am caught up with everyone! Sorry I have been so busy that I had fallen behind. It is awesome to see so many fabulous shops joining the team!!

[allmappedout]

Hello Upcyclers!

Very excited to have found this team! I've been trained as an upcycler since birth - being towed around as long as I can remember to garage sales, estate sales, auctions, etc. To this day I still can't keep up with my parents' creativity but I've definitely caught the bug.

I am an academic geographer/cartographer and found myself hording vintage maps and atlases in my attempt to rescue them from a life of obscurity. I then realized the maps were getting no more attention or appreciation stuffed on my bookshelves than they had before. In an effort to bring the maps back into daylight and feature them as artwork into the daily lives of others, I started to repurpose the ‘outdated’ maps as coaster sets. The actual vintage maps are on the coasters, not a scanned color image, so unless the exact same atlas is found and the same page used, each set is unique. In the end, I aim to bring a bit of cartography to your coffee table, adding a sense of place to your space!

We recently moved to South Carolina for my husband's job and I'm just starting out attempting to do this full time so I am in dire need of networking and finding people to talk to as a new town and new at-home job has left me a bit isolated!

And if anything can prove my dedication to upcycling, let me state that I currently have an old truck fender hanging above my dining room table to serve as our wall art. :)

Looking forward to brainstorming, laughing, and promoting with you guys!

Candice
www.facebook.com/allmappedout
Twitter: @all_mapped_out
Blog: www.all-mapped-out.com

[Former_Member]

Hi Candace!.....Your shop is fantastic! All those maps you have been saving have certainly come into use with good timing, as home decorating with them seems to be on trend right now.

I enjoyed reading your intro and profile and I love that you have such knowledge and respect for your maps. Its nice how you put your logo on the bottoms of the coasters, along with the year and where the maps are from. So many to choose from - I shallowly chose these for the pretty purple in them : )
http://www.etsy.com/listing/110625445/1978-arizona-state-map-coasters-ceramic

You can find them pinned on the team Pinterest board here: http://pinterest.com/upcyclers/2nd-time-around/

Glad to have you here on the team!! : )

[allmappedout]

@RinnovatoVintage - Thanks so much! I'm thrilled to have found this team and to receive such a personal welcome is wonderful. Yes, it seems maps are all the rage these days - but they are all the rage all the time for me! :) I'm excited to be an active contributor/collaborator on this team. Happy sales to you!!

[Former_Member]

Hello,

I'm Jules, new to the team & reasonably new to Etsy. I make gifts from old glass bottles, generally wedding thank you gifts made from empty wedding day champagne bottles from the toast but can be from any celebration.

Jules x

[Former_Member]

Hi amazing Upcyclers. I just joined the team. Can't wait to participate :)

[Former_Member]

Hi Jules & Gina!...Welcome.

Jules....I love the nostalgic idea behind the unique gifts that you make.

The color of these earrings is beautiful!:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/110630246/unique-gift-sterling-silver-and-lampwork

Gina....What a cute shop you have! Such a variety of upcycled goodies!

I have been going through a jute wrapping "phase", so this caught my eye...the butterfly embellishment is cute:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/99102364/natural-home-decor-holder-with-butterfly

You can both find your items on our team Pinterest boards here: http://pinterest.com/upcyclers/

Happy to have you both on the team!! : )

[Former_Member]

Thank you!

[Former_Member]

Thanks for the warm welcome :)

[Former_Member]

@Candice - Hello! Welcome to the team! I love your shop banner. That is cool. Love your Ohio coaster! I spotted my little area right on there. How fun!

[Former_Member]

@Jules - Welcome to the team! Your beads are lovely. :)

@Gina - Hi there! Glad you're a part of the team! Love your paint card notebooks. :)

[Former_Member]

Welcome Candice! I love your shop!! I love old maps, and so does my brother. He just got a globe that still has the USSR on it! I chose this coaster to feature, because I am in Seattle. :) The first house I lived in when I moved here had a fantastic view of Rainer.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/109213730/1930s-mount-rainier-national-park-map?ga_search_query=washingt...

I am so happy to welcome you to the team. :)

[Former_Member]

Welcome Jules! I love what you are doing. Fantastic gift ideas! Loved these...

http://www.etsy.com/listing/110629082/unique-item-sterling-silver-and-fine

So happy to have you on the team. :)

[MidwestAtticTreasure]

Hi I'm Kerstin
I've been looking for a team like this for awhile. This summer I started some new projects of upcycling vintage jewelry boxes and earrings. I also sell vintage jewelry and household items. I also like to see what everyone else is doing and how they get inspired with things. For me, the jewelry boxes were the most fun(I still have to list them...which is on the top of my to do list :) The upcycled hair pins are very girly and pretty and hopefully other people will feel the same.
Thanks and have a great weekend!

[Former_Member]

Hi, my name is Anna and I recycle old and I mean old, wood windows. They are from the late 1930's and 40's. There is some risk involved in refinishing them as they all have been painted with lead paint. (Any window prior to 1978 can be assumed to have been painted with lead paint.)
I use personal protective equipment (PPE) required for the toxicity of lead paint (HEPA face mask, goggles, gloves, full cover clothing and a HEPA vacuum). The hazard is in inhaling the dust or ingesting the peeling chips. All children, pets and pregnant women must avoid the workspace until properly cleaned. It's a serious health hazard.
However, I enjoy the process of refinishing the windows and covering them with a safe latex paint and crackle/glaze texture. I use local re-building centers in the metro area to get recycled (mixed) paints and finishes. The process I use provides a safe and enjoyable antique window that I am proud to share with the bigger community. I love them!
I have just recently opened up sales for DIY windows but I'm still hesitant to provide them to the public. In doing so, I make it very clear to the buyer, the hazards of working with these old windows and what protection is needed to prevent health problems. I'm afraid not all sellers do so.
I personally believe we should be required as responsible business partners to share the warnings which are applicable when we sell potentially hazardous recycled products.
I also sell old shutters and other vintage items which I collect. I have been reusing products since the 1970's when in Oregon (the first state to do it) it became law to recycle aluminum cans by putting a 5 cent recycling fee on them and eventually plastic drink bottles as well. All you have to do is visit a landfill to see the crushing load our country's consumers buy.
The words have changed from reusing, to recycling and now up-cycling but for me it's all the same process. The creative nature of people to reuse items is so inspiring, not only for ourselves - but for those who really don't seem to have or want to have a creative bone in their body. There's pride in being a responsible steward, who cares for people and their well-being in addition to our precious earth.

[Former_Member]

Hi Kerstin & Anna!.... Welcome to Upcyclers!

Kerstin....I love your beautiful, upcycled hairpins - little bits of bling! I am just a bit of a vintage lover (if you couldn't tell from my own shop), so I had a ball looking through your shop and favoriting lots of cool vintage goodies!

I actually have a print of this lovely French painting "Young Girl Reading" in my den...love the image on the music box AND that it plays "Lara's Theme" - want!
http://www.etsy.com/listing/101549925/vintage-jewelry-music-box

Anna....I love your shop name and what you wrote in your intro! ("There's pride in being a responsible steward, who cares for people and their well-being in addition to our precious earth." - wonderful sentiment!)

You are a heavy-duty upcycler, taking on some serious projects! I have always loved the idea of upcycled old windows. I see so many of them tossed aside and I truly didn't think about the obvious dangers with the old lead paint! I really like the Pacific Northwest Poetry window and this car one - love the retro feel.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/107304063/1955-1956-lincoln-car-ads-in-antique

You can find both of your items on our team Pinterest boards here:
http://pinterest.com/upcyclers/

Very happy to have you both on the team!! : )

[allmappedout]

@Mandy and @Luci - Thanks for the welcome!!

And welcome to all the even newer members! It's fun to see that all new members are as relieved as I am to find this group!

[IrieEyeCreations]

Hello,
I'm a new member, just joined today!
I make a lot of different things such as earrings, necklaces, hats for people with dreadies and non dreadies, crocheted and upcycled/recycled bags, art, paintings, prints...I'm all over the place lol

I'm loving this team already I'm just getting started, love the games and such!!

oh and I also have a facebook too!
www.facebook.com/irieeyecreations

every 50 sales i hold a sale, I'm going on my 300th sale pretty soon and will be holding a week long 30% coupon.. woot woot!!

[Former_Member]

Hi Jennifer!

You have such a fresh and funky upcycled shop - love it! I really like all of your spiral earrings.

I don't think I have ever heard of things made with banana fiber...that is just awesome - and so are these earrings!!
http://www.etsy.com/listing/99302754/red-green-black-banana-fiber-spiral

You can find them pinned to our team Pinterest boards here:
http://pinterest.com/upcyclers/ecochic-fashion/

Welcome to the team! Hope to see you around the threads here!!

- Marcy : )

[Former_Member]

Welcome Kerstin! I love your shop, and really love this sewing basket. It reminds me of the one my grandmother had when I was young. Ah, nostalgia...

http://www.etsy.com/listing/107361522/vintage-wicker-yellow-flower-sewing

I am so happy to welcome you to the team. :)

[Former_Member]

Welcome Anna! What a beautiful introduction. Thank you so much for sharing with us the process that goes into this. It was very interesting to read. Your shop is fabulous, and I really loved this window, especially knowing what went into upcycling it. :)

http://www.etsy.com/listing/101305808/antique-wood-display-window-with-crackle

Welcome Jennifer! I love bright and eclectic shops! So many fun things. I relly love these earrings. Bright and colorful. :)

http://www.etsy.com/listing/99301554/rainbow-spiral-wire-wrap-hippie

It is a pleasure to welcome both of you to the team. :)