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]

Hi, I am new to this team. My name is Kit Strandberg & I make purses at Old Hag Handbag & make other item, like stained glass and other crafting at my other store Kit Strandberg. I do a lot of upcycling & reusing items, thus my interest in this group.
thanks
Kit

[TheMarbleTea]

Just found this team. Have been working on my shop for a bit but now am able to really work it into a business with a fantastically supportive husband and the time and opportunity to do it. Will be getting my blog back in order as well as my FB page and I am also starting a Brown Owls crafter meet-up group in Parramatta to serve the western suburbs of Sydney. My husband and I really want to be able to live simply on cottage industry.

I hand sew dolls and other gifts out of repurposed wool sweaters and sometimes other materials, but I prefer natural materials. The dolls are stuffed with Australian wool fleece. I ship generally plastic-free in clean repurposed cardboard boxes cut to fit and sealed with adhesive gummed tape rather than plastic shipping tape. The dolls are wrapped in thrifted, clean pattern paper as an alternative to new tissue paper. My product tags/business cards are cardstock samples from an Australian company which are exactly the right size and already hole punched. I rubber stamp my shop name on them and have a template to poke little holes and embroider each card with a silhouette of the doll. One day that may have to change but for now, it's all about making it personal and in a clean and world friendly way.

My whole life has kind of been like this. My grandparents didn't use garbage bags and produce bags and they cleaned with hot water and plain soap and I love to live just as they did without consumer distractions or looking for natural substitutes for things I never needed in the first place. I believe people can live comfortably and very 'bill-free' providing most of what they need themselves without having to live in mud and without any comforts as some would assume. There is a happy earth and community friendly medium and I have lived it for years. My passion for this kind of life has created the space from which these dolls have come.

I am really enjoying the posts and trying to visit the shops people have introduced here. I am inspired and awed at the creativity and variety here.
Thanks,
Allison

[Former_Member]

Hi, everyone. I am new to etsy teams and am giving this a whirl, since upcyclers are who I belong with!

I'm Sophie of halfabee handmade. I get satisfaction out of making something useful or lovely out of something that's been discarded. I especially enjoy working with paper and cloth. Currently my etsy shop sells funky jewelry made from old stamps, maps and felted sweaters. I am still new at selling online and have a lot to learn but I like to make all kinds of things, and hope to include fabric and stamp garlands, cards, and maybe altered clothing in my shop in the future.

I don't quite know what it will be like to be on a team, but I am hoping being part of a network of like-minded crafters and artists will inspire me to be more active on etsy, to add listings and improve my shop! Looking forward to communicating with you all.

Sophie

[Former_Member]

Hi Team Upcyclers!
I am so excited to have found this team! I am super passionate about repurposing the things we already have and putting every last thing to use.

I suppose I am a self proclaimed dumpster diver/ bring your stuff here'r/ I can do something with that'r/pick it up off the street'r. I love to create funky sustainability and support a simple, good for you, good for the earth life that is attainable for everyone!

I have been working lately to expand my shop to include a few different things and look forward to putting my supply piles to good use. It seems every time something important in my life comes up, I find new inspiration to try something new. I have an ever growing list of ideas and supplies bound for the dump. I really love what I do and the purpose behind it.

I can't wait to see what everyone else is doing and participate in the team!

Go Team Upcyclers!!!

[Former_Member]

Hi everyone! I'm new to the team but I'm an upcycler at heart. I make one of a kind necklaces from old and broken necklaces, hardware and handmade beads.

Here is a sample of one of my necklaces made from eight different necklaces:

www.etsy.com/listing/121807593/nature-inspired-necklace-with-wing

Here's a sample of one of my necklaces made from brass sewing snaps:

www.etsy.com/listing/121803496/ornate-brass-snaps-and-dark-purple

When I can't find my "perfect bead" I will make one out of old paper, hardware, or anything that I can find that's just lying around the house.

At the moment I'm slowly adding "teamupcyclers" to all of my listings. If anyone knows an easier and faster way to do this please let me know!

[Former_Member]

Finally getting to do some more peeking around inside these new, awesome shops!!

Sophie....pinned these cool stamp earrings

http://www.etsy.com/listing/116309948/queen-elizabeth-vintage-stamp-earrings?

to our team Pinterest board here: http://pinterest.com/upcyclers/ecochic-fashion/

Niky...love this - makes me think of Spring!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/113851779/upcycled-sweater-cowl?

pinned here as well: http://pinterest.com/upcyclers/ecochic-fashion/

Suzanne....love your upcycled jewelry creations!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/121077460/brass-chain-necklace-with-chainmaille?

pinned here as well: http://pinterest.com/upcyclers/ecochic-fashion/

[Former_Member]

Lou Ann....Awesome shop name! Cool stuff:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/122664404/vintage-set-of-four-monterrey-western?

Pinned these here: http://pinterest.com/upcyclers/green-living/

Kit....love your shop name, too!...and your cute bags -

http://www.etsy.com/listing/121889221/green-zebra-bag?

Pinned this here: http://pinterest.com/upcyclers/ecochic-fashion

Allison....I think you just missed our upcycled sweater challenge! This is so cute:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/112727456/gizmo-hairy-upcycled-softie?

Pinned to our team board here: http://pinterest.com/upcyclers/2nd-time-around/

[Former_Member]

Hello Everyone, I am excited to have joined this group and look forward to sharing ideas on upcycling! I have been inspired to reuse and create in a new way since my son was born and now have a blog- artsyreuse.com and am beginning to sell my fiber art bowls at local fairs as well as in my etsy shop/artsyreuse. I mainly stick to textile fibers and am experimenting with vintage music papers and illustration books. I am a self-taught artist and a lifelong crafter and am enjoying every minute of upcycling! I am also trying to craft in a "zero-waste" studio and my art is evolving with that in mind. Well, I will see you all around the forum:)

[Former_Member]

Hi Kimberlie!

So cool what works of art you can create with fibers!...love the bowls

I have pinned your beautiful wreath:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/109438552/unique-thread-wrapped-willow-wreath-with?

to our team Upcyclers' Pinterest board here:

http://pinterest.com/upcyclers/home-made/

Welcome to the team! : )

[UpcycleOutlet]

Hi everyone!
My name is Caroline. I am new to this team, but not to upcycling. I love using any materials I can find and alter into something else. My shop, LooneyJoon Tees, focuses on upcycled t-shirt creations such as jewelry, headbands, housewares and more!

Please take a look at my shop www.looneyjoontees.etsy.com and 'like' my FB page as well: www.facebook.com/looneyjoontees

I look forward to getting to know new shops & people :)

[TheMarbleTea]

M. Basile, I'm just getting my footing here in teams. Using online resources and especially all that Etsy has to offer has been overwhelming so I pretty much avoided it all. But I'm trying to be active and tie it all together. I love connecting with other crafters but especially upcyclers.

And thanks about the doll. I'm sorry I missed the sweater challenge. That's mostly what I use these days.

The selection here is incredible. It's very uplifting to see all the great work!

[Former_Member]

Hello all! I'm Allison and I love upcycling :)

By day I am a neuroscientist, but at night I CREATE!
I am fairly new to Etsy. I am an extreme upcycle-r. My gold-dipped jewelry us made from raw, untreated natural stone and vintage scrap gold. I make jewelry out of unwanted vintage buttons. And, I also do woodwork from recycled and reclaimed woods.

[kriswitman]

Hi my name is Kris, I am a new member! Very excited to see all the cool Recycled/Upcycled products!!
I recycle Beer Bottle Caps into Trays, Coasters, Pictures, and whatever else i can find:) Here is a sample of my latest!

www.etsy.com/listing/124050554/beer-cap-picture

Thanks so much for making me a part of your team!!
Kris

[Former_Member]

Hi everyone!
I joined this team about a month ago and I am so happy to be part of this upcycling movement! I am a transplant to Prague, Czech Republic where there are great sources of beautiful old stuff to create with! I pick up things off the street, in trash bins(people here don't have yard sales, so they just put boxes of stuff next to the city trash cans) But there is a lot of competition for the trash bins! LOL! People actually throw away valuable antiques and the pickers take them and sell them at the flea markets!
Also I find a lot of new old stock jewelry pieces at the flea markets that I repurpose into jewelry and also sell as parts. Currently, I am interested in the folk costumes of this region and sell them in my other etsy shop: Pretty in Prague, and use bits of destroyed costuming in pieces like this one:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/111964240/czech-gypsy-vintage-folk-pieces-original?ref=v1_other_2

[Former_Member]

Hi, I've just joined Upcyclers. I make lots of different stuff but through writing a business plan and journaling I recently realized one thing all my different creations have in common is repurposing.

I opened my Etsy shop several years ago, but really didn't do much with it. Now I'm in a place to become more active and thought it would be fun to join a team who shares my interests.

Thanks!

[MomsantiquesNthings]

Hello everyone, just jumped on board here! I am a vintage re-saler who also dabbles in mixed media art using recycled materials both new and vintage. I create shadow boxes, altered art assemblages, wall art and decorations that can be used for home decor, weddings, holiday decor and parties. I love to decoupage, paint, and "no-sew" (I use iron on fusion tape, or I hand sew, I once sewed a finger, therefore machines are out) and so yes, that also means I'm an old lady with a hot glue gun!

My favorite materials to work with are fabric scraps, broken jewelry, vintage hardware, sheet music, buttons, china, figurines, toys...actually anything vintage, just about anything I find that has been discarded will find a place in my art and in my heart! I hope you enjoy what you see in my shop!

Thanks for looking,
Janine

[Former_Member]

Hi, I'm Paula! I am trying to recycle and upcycle, whenever possible!
My fb page is https://www.facebook.com/paula.stonebuckner?ref=tn_tnmn#!/Stone.Buckner.Freelance

Here is a sample of upcycled earrings, made from bullet casings https://www.etsy.com/listing/121345038/shooting-stars-upcycled-bullet-casing

[Former_Member]

Hi, this is Sarah and Christina, we are new but both like the idea of upcycling old jewelry. So far we have taken old components that were just lying around the house (and some new) and made up some necklaces. We also have a couple of projects involving disgarded newspaper and an old calendar.

[Former_Member]

Hi!
I make jewelry out of found/recycled/repurposed/upcycl;ed materials, focusing on vintage buttons, neckties, vintage glass and sewing notions. I love creating something nice to wear out of things that are usually forgotten in drawers or closets!
www.etsy.com/pistilandpennyroyal

www.facebook.com/pistilandpennyroyal

www.twitter.com/PistilandPenny

www.pinterest.com/keeh/

[Former_Member]

Hi everyone out there,
since one year our etsy shop is open and we're quite happy here.
After getting used to this platform I'm almost addicted to it now.
Slowly slowly I start understanding and became more courageous to join teams.
I think this one is a perfect one for me :o)))
My friend Filiz and me are working with driftwood which we find on the beaches of Alanya in Turkey.
All pieces are not carved or cutted, they are all in their original shape as we found them. Mother nature is the greatest artist and we only bring some of her masterpieces together to show which potential we see in them.

Our product range is wide, even if our shop doesn't show all of them.
Especially difficult to shipk and breaable pieces we prefer not to sell here.
But if you have a look at our blog:

http://yalos.blogspot.com

or on facebook.:

http://www.facebook.com/yalosalanya

you will see what I mean.

We do jewelry as well as home decor like fishes and boats, also mirrors and shadow boxes and some useful things or wedding stuff.
Also we try to reuse and recycle as much as possible, like all beachfinds and the parchment we use for the sails is a waste product from the parchment industry in İstanbul.
They only can use the inner parts of the skin and we can use the edges.
And we try to support local turkish products, like evil eyes, meerschaum and the turkish "amber-like" stone oltu as well as silk and cocoons.

thank you for listening...eeh...reading...
xo
Christiane,
feat. Dr.İftwood

[Former_Member]

Hello!!!
I am Jennifer With East River Trading. I am very excited about finding you guys. I have a huge issue when I am sewing that I do not throw anything away. At the same time I am very organize so my husband has accepted this issue. The part I enjoy the most is to sit in my sewing room looking at all my scraps and creating something I never would have without those small pieces saying please use me!!! I cannot wait to share and create with all of you.

[Former_Member]

Welcome Caroline from looneyjoontees
https://www.etsy.com/listing/109940708/upcycled-t-shirt-necklace-for?ref=usr_faveitems

Welcome Sweater Doll - we featured your items on our blog last month! :)

Welcome neuroscientist Allison! Glad you create at night!
https://www.etsy.com/listing/117679627/vintage-button-bobby-pins-floral-pearl? Awesome that your shop benefits cancer research!

[RinnovatoJewelry]

Welcome new teamies....such wonderful shops!!

I am going to go through and pin some of my favorite items from your shops to our team Pinterest boards when I have a moment!!!

You can check them out here: http://pinterest.com/upcyclers/

[Former_Member]

Caroline....oh, how I loved looking through your shop....candy for the eyes! Color and creativity abound. I also enjoyed reading your profile - very inspirational!! : )

It was hard to pick just one, but this is so darling:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/98656271/on-sale-tshirt-wall-art-on-canvas-wooden?

I pinned it to our team board here: http://pinterest.com/upcyclers/home-made/

[Former_Member]

Alison....You are just all-around awesome...lol. What a cool job and cool shop you have. I am am a vintage lover and happen to be currently obsessed with making jewelry from beautiful druzies...so I can definitely relate!! : )

I am loving this little mirror:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/122442951/vintage-italian-mirror?

I have pinned it here: http://pinterest.com/upcyclers/2nd-time-around/