Saturday, April 12, 2014

Wings & things

 So here is what I have worked on all week for the Green City Window project. Its a good thing my husband doesn't mind that I'm quite a pack-mouse as it seems sooner or later a crafty use is found for things.

The beautiful blue curtain fabric was gifted by a dear friend. The yarn from which all these flighty beauties will potentially hang came through a Kijiji purchase. When I bought embroidery thread a few months back I only wanted the thread, but it was one of those take all deals for the price which included small yarn samples used for yarn pictures. So items that when first gotten I felt would never be used  have been upcycled in a beautiful way. The wood and plastic beads were garnered from the Edmonton Reuse Store and probably the odd garage sale and I strung the beads with cast off Ikea picture wire, which as picture hanging wire is "crappola" but as bead holding antennae making wire its fantastic.

As a verifiable pack-mouse who uses proper twisted framing wire and hooks on the backs of my framed pieces I'd saved all the wire and clips that came with picture frames for about ten years. The clips were put to good use a few years ago when my husband made a gallery wall in our sitting room. He used the Ikea clips to suspend ball-chain from a metal bar from which I hang my paintings. We no longer buy Ikea frames since we found they are no longer wood, just sawdust and glue which screws fall out of and corners don't hold together but worst of all is the glass is now so thin its dangerous to work with. Sad that a once great store that sold quality at a decent price became too big and now to put it blunt "sells crap", a sad statement of our times I'm afraid.
I am so glad I learned the value of saving and reusing items. I love the upcycling trend that is happening with a segment of the population, many people young and old who are taking pride in deterring items from landfills by finding new use for them. Especially clothing that is restyled to trendy new looks. Its all so much fun. So whats your story, have you upcycled anything for a new use? Hugs, and be green.

1 comment:

Red said...

Funny how artists can't just stop at creativity but have to put rules on things as to how they are made . Nice use of close to disposed of materials.