Transition Putney
Reskilling #15: Repurpose and Upcycle Your Old Clothing
Sadelle Wiltshire and Grace Mrowicki
Sunday, Dec. 12, 1:30 – 3 pm
Putney Library

Transition Putney will host a reskilling workshop, “Repurpose and Upcycle Your Old Clothing” on Sunday, December 12, 1:30 – 3 pm at the Putney Library. The workshop, by Sadelle Wiltshire and Grace Mrowicki, will cover ideas to repurpose used clothing into new clothing, household items and even gifts. Demonstrations and hands-on time will include how to rework old T-shirts into Tote Bags, Pillows, Pet Toys, plus Deconstructing Old Sweaters into Reusable Yarn to knit, crochet and weave new items.

Other ‘DIY’ ideas for clothing upcycling will be shown and discussed. Attendees are encouraged to bring old t-shirts or other clothes for repurposing into a holiday gift. Also bring a pair of scissors *suitable for cutting fabric.*

Information at paull@sover.net

Art Healing Anyone?

Acrylic by Sienna Fontaine

Sienna Fontaine is a Vermont artist who  recently worked in Jamaica under the mentorship of raw food scientist and raw food gourmet chef, Dr. Aris LaTham. The images in her remarkable video are provided to provoke the action, process, and creativity throughout raw food preparation. The evolution is just as important as the final plates of delicious nourishment. This project is a smaller segment of Sienna’s raw food/meditation/healing as art studies during her Goddard College MFA semester. Enjoy and may you nourish your body with whole foods. And, don’t forget to tell us what you think!

Revised-Raw Renewal Rejuvenation of Restoration & Reflection: Re-Establishing Self from Sienna Fontaine on Vimeo.

You can contact Sienna here.

Photo: fullmoonfarminc.com

Don’t know what to do this Saturday? Well check out Burlington’s Farmer’s Market down on City Hall Park from 8:30 am- 2:00 pm rain or shine.  Choose from fresh fruit and veggies, hand-made cheeses, artisan breads. delectable desserts and tasty chocolates.  Other locally produced items include: maple syrup, jellies and jams, herbal body products, pottery, decorative art pieces and so much more.  Don’t forget to pick up a bouquet seasonal flowers complete with greens or berries.  The vendors are friendly, the market easy to negotiate around, the atmosphere fun.

Log on yourself to learn more: www.burlingtonfarmersmarket.org

The Waitsfield Farmers Market kicks butt in the world of flea markets. Here it is at the base of Sugarbush Ski area in the heart of the Green Mountains.

In Vermont, there are few things as poetic in autumn as the Waitsfield Farmers Market. This kind of event happens near or in most of Vermont’s 251 towns throughout the year, but when you add crisp temps and  blazing leaves to Vermont produce, well something extra special happens.

My favorite bread ever, and I have tasted many, aside from my own home made Aunt Luna’s oatmeal  bread recipe, is Red Hen Baking Company’s Mad River Grain. The loaf is handcrafted and wood fired from pure goodness in god’s country. It personifies localvore sustainable agriculture genius. It’s the way bread was supposed to be. Hmmmmm mmmmmmm.

All photos: Glenn and Donna Fay

Kerin Rose Hand Bracelets

The Joneses, a dark film comedy starring Demi Moore and David Duchovny opens this week. It’s a statement on American consumerist culture. The motion picture features jewelry by Kerin Rose, an artisan currently crafting’ modern talismans’ jewelry made of recycled precious metals in her studio in the verdant Green Mountains of Vermont.

The Joneses a newly released film starring Demi Moore and David Duchovny features Kerin Rose jewelry. The movie is a dark comedy centered around American materialism and our need for ‘things’…an exploration as to what lengths we are willing to go to have them. The Joneses are a ‘perfect’ family in every way. They have all the trappings of a successful suburban life, at least on the outside. Darker truths lurk beneath the surface, and we soon learn that so much of what appears to be true is not at all, once one explores more deeply. The Joneses have all the latest things, and their ‘perfection’ leaves the neighbors scrambling to do anything to achieve their own similar status.

There is irony here in that included in the parade of perfect cars and clothing, and toys are select pieces from jewelry artisan Kerin Rose, who runs a green jewelry business in a state known for its lack of material emphasis…Vermont, with its liberal values, organic culture, and laid back come-as-you- are vibe, is the perfect backdrop for an artist who makes jewels by carving small ‘sculptures’  (as she likes to call the models) out of beeswax, which has come from the bees her sister keeps. The golden models are cast into recycled precious metals. Spiritual symbols, textures from nature, and a reverence for all things mysterious are themes that show themselves repeatedly in Kerin’s jewelry. These classical themes are interpreted in a way that makes a statement and are meant to, as Kerin herself says, “embellish the soul”. Kerin’s work and this film are a pairing that works beautifully.

“I don’t know if the costume designer was trying to show that some folks will try to ‘buy’ spirituality by using my jewelry, or if she (Renee Kalfus) wanted the characters in the film to be saying, something to the tune of being chic and cool can be eco friendly too, but either way, I am thrilled to have my work in this film”, says Kerin. “My studio purchases carbon offsets for the small amounts of electricity used, have swapped out traditional toxic acids for natural citric acid and vinegar. We use only recycled sterling silver and gold, and recently have moved away from using much in the way of stones at all, due to my feelings about mining in general. I use beeswax for carving, as a way to bring more attention to issues of disappearing bee colonies…using everything I do as a platform to help create awareness, using my art as way to spread the message”. (more…)

Wow, you’ve got to see this!

The April Stash Bust is in full swing, y’all! If you’re not participating, it isn’t too late. Awesome posts and projects have been rolling in, and as promised I’m rounding them up for ya. Ready? Bust it:
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Vermont Shepherd Farm, Post Oil Solutions & Windham Farm Bureau Sponsor Community Wool Fest & Free Wool Giveaway

Vermont Shepherd farmers, David and Yesenia Major, have between 1500-2000 pounds of wool that they would love to give bags of away for FREE. Post Oil Solutions recognizes an opportunity to perhaps strike a creative spark in the community for the development of a local industry. The Windham Farm Bureau (of which both Vermont Shepherd and POS are members) is interested in doing whatever it can to support local agriculture.

Together, the three are co-sponsoring a Community Wool Fest & Free Wool Giveaway on Sunday, April 11, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, at David and Yesenia’s farm, 268 Patch Farm Road, Westminster, Vermont. Admission is free, refreshments will be available, and Lerna (an area spinner) will be providing music on her hammered dulcimer. (more…)

Our guest author, Becky Striepe, from Glue and Glitter is an independent crafter and freelance blogger living in Atlanta, Georgia. Her passion is working with vintage fabric and salvaged materials.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, and a few of us crafty types decided to pull together and do something to celebrate! Did you know that we spend $4.2 billion per year on art supplies(pdf alert) and many of them are toxic and harmful to the environment. Instead of buying new, we want to make April a Craft Destash Month! Together, we can have a really big impact on the environment and on our own wallets. For the entire month of the April, let’s pledge not to buy any new craft materials, tools or supplies for the April Stash Bust! Many of us have ginormous stashes with many fun and creative projects waiting to be born. So, we also pledge to make at least one project from our stash using only what we have on hand. For motivation and to show how you can use and repurpose what you already have on had, we’ll have a round up of exciting destash tutorials from: Scoutiegirl Craft Leftovers Dollar Store Crafts Cosa Verde Crafting a Green World Glue and Glitter Swap Bot And to encourage you to do the same we will be hosting an April Stash Bust contest! To enter, take the Stash Bust pledge to not buy any new materials, tools or supplies for the month of April. Place the awesome April Stash Bust badge (created by Liz at cosa verde) on your website or blog (found below). Create a project from your stash using only what you have on hand. Submit your finished project detailing the stash materials you used with a link to your finished project by Earth Day, April 22nd. A crack team of judges will review the projects and choose a winner. So what could you win?! A lucky creative type will receive:

• “Alabama Stitch Book” by Natalie Chanin from Swap-bot.com
• A one year showcase on cosa verde for your repurposed & eco-friendly crafts
• A one year membership from Hello Craft
• A Cup Glove Kit from Glue and Glitter!
• A mini box set of volume 2 of Craft Leftovers zine (issues 1-4)
• A Modeling Chocolate kit from Dollarstorecrafts.com

Other April Stash Bust Events:

• click here to apply by April 5th]
• April Stash Bust craft supply swap at Swap-bot

Want to show off your involvement in the Apri Stash Bust? Here are an array of buttons for you to choose from:

Copy these logos to put on your site, or visit Glue and Glitter to get the code!

A larger/resizable button:

Our guest author, Becky Striepe, is an independent crafter and freelance blogger living in Atlanta, Georgia. Her passion is working with vintage fabric and salvaged materials.

Becky says, “My indie business, Glue and Glitter, is all about using existing materials in products that help folks waste less without feeling deprived. I believe in the power of little changes: using cloth napkins instead of paper or a reusable bag instead of a plastic one. Things like this add up to make a big impact! Even the act of cooking is so much greener than takeout when you consider all of the packaging and whatnot involved in ordering that Chinese delivery. If a Lunch Kit would get you packing your lunch for work or school, or a cute apron encourages you to get in the kitchen and put a meal together, I hope that I can make one to inspire you!.”

Hat tip to my pal Taylen for sending this link! Shaun and Tawny Reynolds’ company Sundrop Jewelry uses passive solar power to create gorgeous recycled glass jewelry! They’re super-transparant about their materials and sourcing over on their blog, which makes me love them even more!

On the blog, they talk about everything from where they get their silver findings to the impact of shipping and what they’re doing to improve all of it. It’s refreshing to see a company so open about its processes. I love how on the level they are about everything – they admit areas that could use improvement right alongside great news about how they’re lightening their business’ footprint.

Of course, the part I’m most enamored with is how they form those lovely drops. Check out this totally rad video of the process:

What a simple setup, and the results are just beautiful! They stock earrings, belly buttons rings, necklaces, and wine charms in their online store as well as in bunches of shops around North America.

Please comment if you wold like to see more blog pieces like this one!