Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Ladie's upcycling tee shirt class was a success

Above all, spreading environmental awareness is the top priority of Reclaimed Rubbish, and tonight we had a chance to do just that.  Every fourth Tuesday night, a group of ladies get together at the Metro Church of Christ building to share craft ideas.  Tonight, we got to teach the ins and outs of tee shirt upcycling.  We made tee shirt necklaces, dog toys, bracelets, tutus, and talked about the reusable tee shirt produce bags that Reclaimed Rubbish will be launching soon. 

I want to give a special thanks to the ladies of Metro Church of Christ in Gresham, Oregon for putting together this wonderful program for ladies all over our area to attend, and we're excited to see it grow.  Not only is it giving women an opportunity to come together, it is helping to raise money for a Women's Vocational Training program in Ghana, Africa where women who might not have an education or a husband to support the family are learning a trade that they can take into the world and keep food on the table. 

Keep checking back to see what craft we'll be working on next month when we announce the information for the next Sister to Sister class.  If you would like more information on how you can help the Women's Vocational Training program in Ghana, please email thebiblechick@yahoo.com. 

Check out the reclaimedrubbish Etsy store for available products.


Friday, March 23, 2012

Things we love

Creation is often based on inspiration. We love Pinterest because it's like the mother computer of all things creative, but there are many other places we like to draw our inspirations from.  If you take some time to wander the web, as we often do when we get 'creator's block', you will find a world of blogs by artists and crafters who create and inspire beauty. 

If you head over to our Things We Love page from time to time, you will find our favorite places to browse.  We will be adding more and more as we find them, so keep checking!


If you have a craft blog and would like to be considered for our Things We Love page, please comment with your url and let us know where you are!

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Creative Painting-Water Beads

Water beads, or 'water babies' as my preschoolers have always called them, come in a pouch of sand sized beads that when soaked in water grow to various sizes, depending on which ones you purchase. We use them for a variety of things in our curriculum from sensory tables to sink and float experiments, and we have rolled them around in paint before, but today we had a different idea. 

We often times let them grow, use them, then let them shrink back down, grow them, shrink them, and so on.  This time, before they shrink back down(a process which takes quite a long time), I decided that we could sacrifice a few for the sake of art.
I started by adding a few to a paint tray.
Then I added tooth picks to the water beads.
We use liquid water color for almost everything.
Fill the cups with paint.
Voila!  Masterpiece!  Now, some things to note:
  • This will make a mess.  If you do not like messes, this is not for you.  
  • If you use plastic toothpicks, they won't suck up the color, but what's the fun in that?
  • You don't have to use water color paint, it just is a favorite for the kids.
  • Don't expect the water beads to stay on the toothpicks, because the point of this exercise isn't water bead balance.  It's learning about them falling off, chasing them around, poking them with the toothpicks, rolling them, pinching them, smashing them, and all of the fun things that you can do to boost those fine motor skills.  
  • Do not direct what they are painting.  This isn't an, "Okay class, let's paint a portrait of your family" type of thing.  It's purely exploratory and learning cause and effect. 

Have some fun and get creative with the things you use to paint with!  Reclaim those old water beads and smash them to oblivion in the name of art!

Trust me, you're gonna love it!

Friday, March 2, 2012

Tee Shirt Upcycling Class

Come join the ladies group Sister to Sister on Tuesday, March 27th at 7 PM at Metro Church of Christ
1525 Northwest Division Street  Gresham, OR 97030 for a free tee shirt upcycling class.

What you need to bring: 2-3 old tee shirts of any size and any shape, 1 pair of scissors.

There is no cost for this class, but we do ask that if you can, please bring a $5 donation for the Women's Vocational Training Center in Ghana, Africa. 

We hope to see you there!  If you have any questions or need more information, please feel free to contact Sunshine O'Connor at portlandparentingexaminer@gmail.com.
 

Examiner Q&A

Why do we do what we do?  Here's a little bit of insight:

Reclaimed Rubbish Q&A

What is a fashion cuff?

Cuff bracelets are taking fire in the fashion world.  They're a little bit jewelry, a little bit clothing, and they are catching on like crazy.  They are wider than traditional bracelets, and can be made from any material. Whether made of leather, metal, or made from 100% upcycled materials such as burlap and vintage buttons, everyone is taking notice of them.  Every fashionista is adding them to their accessory arsenal by the dozens.  They scream personality and unique style.

At Reclaimed Rubbish, our cuffs are designed by Kerri Scranton.  She takes bits of things that are lost and tossed, puts them together, and creates beautiful fashion cuffs that will be sure to get everyone talking.

As much as we love fashion, we also consider ourselves environmentalists, and by recycling old materials that would otherwise end up in a landfill we are doing our part to spread awareness through beautiful upcycled creations.  When you purchase a cuff from Reclaimed Rubbish, you are not only making a fashion statement, you are making a global statement about environmental awareness.  Join us in our crusade to help save the environment by turning trash into things beautiful enough to add to formal attire, yet fun enough to dress up a pair of jeans!

If you haven't had a chance to explore the world of cuffs, find your perfect cuff personality at Reclaimed Rubbish's Etsy store!