Earth Day Every Day

by Jessica Burko

with photography contributions by Kerry Hawkins and Bev Feldman

'Shaker egg' made from cardboard egg carton cups and dry lentils. Photo by Bev Feldman

Earth Day was first celebrated in 1970 as a day to take action towards promoting positive environmental changes in human behavior and to provoke government policy change to benefit the environment. Since then, Earth Day has been embraced by many countries around the world and is celebrated annually in countless ways by people of all ages. 

'Wine cork boat' made from two wine corks, reclaimed yarn, a magazine clipping, and a pipe cleaner. Photo by Bev Feldman

Members of Boston Handmade demonstrate environmental conservation and incorporate the concept of Earth Day every day as independent creative business owners producing and selling art and craft locally, and working from small studios, which reduces our own carbon footprint and that of our customers. Additionally, many Boston Handmade members keep the mindset of “reduce, reuse, recycle” as a driving force in our work through our choice of materials, and construction methods. Conserving resources is something we keep in the forefront of our minds, and harnessing the power of our own hands inspires us. 

Making 'Lap guitars' from shoe boxes and rubber bands, collaged with magazine clippings. Photo by Bev Feldman

On Monday, April 22nd Boston Handmade held our first community Earth Day celebration. The event was free and open to the public and held at the Boston Public Library, Jamaica Plain branch in their large multipurpose room. The goal of this event was to encourage creativity with household debris and to create what I like to call "garbage toys". The idea is that if we can create art and craft with materials we save from garbage and recycling bins we can keep those items out of landfills and save the energy it takes to process garbage and recycling, and whatever materials we can reuse saves us money in purchasing new supplies, and all the steps we take like this to be more environmentally conscious, creates a cascade of positive benefits for the Earth. Plus, promoting this type of creativity has educational benefits for children and the development of their problem solving abilities, and making new stuff from old stuff is just darn fun!

Pretend binoculars made from toilet paper rolls. A 'Rain stick' made from a paper towel roll, an accordion folded piece of cardboard inside of it and dried lentils as the rain. Jewelry made from cardboard egg carton cups and reclaimed yarn. Photo by Kerry Hawkins.

Two weeks before Earth Day I got the idea to organize this event after making cardboard egg shakers with my son's preschool class. Those 3.5-year-olds had so much fun with the project that it seemed like it could only be MORE fun to do it on a bigger scale. With not much time and a lot of supplies to gather I am very grateful to the Jamaica Plain community for all the various contributions they made and also to Harvest Co-op Markets for providing dry goods that we used to make percussion instruments, City Feed and Supply for saving their egg cartons for us to craft with, and Stride Rite for collecting shoe boxes so we could make "lap guitars".

Zachary making a paper and cardboard tree for his cardboard caterpillar to eat. Photo by Jessica Burko.

Among the approximately 200 people who attended the event were my son's preschool classmates and teachers who walked a few blocks from school to library for their first-ever first trip. They made caterpillars from cardboard egg cartons and a tree cut from a cereal box with leaves cut from magazine pages, so the cardboard caterpillar had something to eat. We were also delighted to have a visit from the 5th grade class at Nativity Preparatory School who made lap guitars from shoe boxes, shaker drums from large yogurt containers with dried pasta inside, and many other objects and toys of their own invention. Many parents and toddlers came by, several adults ventured in on their own, and we also had quite a few home-schoolers participating.

5th graders from Nativity Prep School with artist Stephanie Putland in the foreground and artist Carol Johnson at the back table. Photo by Jessica Burko.

Assisting me and facilitating the many craft projects throughout the day were a few members of Boston Handmade and several local artists. The event couldn't have happened without the help and dedication of these wonderful artists and craftspeople: Amy Hitchcock, Bev Feldman, Carol Johnson, Cristina Hurley, Lauren Teller, and Stephanie Putland. We spent the day, from 10am to 4pm making a wide array of toys, art, musical instruments, sculptures and art.

Three Earth Day event participants and the wonderful trees they made from cereal box cardboard, toilet paper rolls, reclaimed yarn, and a lot of imagination. Photo by Jessica Burko.

In an effort to educate while we explored our creativity, the library provided a wonderful display of books with Earth friendly themes, and I posted information about ways we can all help the environment. To encourage more environmentally conscious behavior I also asked everyone to pledge to do something in 2013 to help the Earth, and to record that pledge on a banner for everyone to see. Some of the pledges were particularly inspiring, and I have no doubt that everyone who inscribed the banner will follow through with their vows.

Earth Day banner photos by Jessica Burko.

April 22nd was definitely a day to remember and one that we will surely repeat next Earth Day and hopefully for many years to come. We will also likely incorporate hands-on craft projects at other group events such as our annual Boston Handmade Marketplace in Union Square Somerville, scheduled this year on July 13th, and possibly at some of our winter holiday events as well. Stay tuned for all the details or join our email list to receive announcements of upcoming events delivered right to your in box. If you have ideas for art and craft projects to do with found or salvaged materials we'd love to hear about it! Please chime in with your comments and be sure to celebrate Earth Day every day with us!

Cardboard caterpillar made from egg carton cups and pipe cleaner. Photo by Kerry Hawkins.

Boston Handmade Alumna Elephunk's Trunk making paper flowers with her son. Photo by Jessica Burko.

Decorative bowl made from the bottom of a plastic soda bottle and collaged with magazine clippings. Photo by Jessica Burko.

Upcycling with kids: Valentine Bouquet

by Jessica Burko

Chocolates, candies, roses, hearts of lace. All treats one may expect to give or receive on Valentine's Day. Seeking the unexpected? Try this everlasting bouquet of flowers made by upcycling an egg carton. Suitable for any age child who is able to craft without eating paint, this project is fast and fun. Watch out - - Valentine's Day just got a little green.

Materials needed: cardboard egg carton, pipe cleaners, paint, glue, pom-poms, scissors, paint brushes.

What to do:
1. Cut the cups out of the egg carton, trimming the edges so they are level around the top.
2. Snip towards the bottom of the cup all the way around 6-8 times, creating the petals.
3. Press down lightly to flatten the petals outward.
4. Paint the cardboard flowers any which way you like!
5. Put a dab of glue in the center of the cup and add a pom-pom.
6. After the paint dries, wrap one end of a pipe cleaner around the base of one of the petals, close to the pom-pom.
Once you've made your beautiful and unique upcycled bouquet, give it to your Valentine wrapped with a bow or arranged in a vase.

At our house, we make our art the way we cook - - we use what we have. Don't have pipe cleaners? Glue the back of the flower to the end of a take-out chop stick. Pom-pom shortage? Use buttons for the center of the flowers. All out of paint? Try markers, crayons, or even food coloring in a little water. Getting creative and having fun is what it's all about.

Happy Valentine's Day to you and yours!

DIY How To: Making toys from everyday household objects

by Jessica Burko

You might not be surprised to learn that my house is full of art and music. In our family we have a very creative and active 3-year-old toddler and his easily entertained 8-month-old baby sister. Our toddler loves having "concerts" for us with drums, maracas, bells, and various other percussion instruments, and one of our favorite things to do is find music in the everyday like wind rustling trees, birds singing, wooden spoons banged on the sofa, and from instruments that we make ourselves. 

When our toddler was very little I made a few toys for him by myself but now that he requests "an art project" almost every day, we can make things together. We frequently talk about recycling and not wasting what we have, so I always jump at the chance to upcycle household items into something fun. I call these random creations: Garbage Toys. Our latest upcycled creation was from an oatmeal container that had an easily removable label revealing a beautiful white canvas. We used the empty container to make a bean-filled percussion instrument. It was easy, fun, and a great rainy day activity for kids of all ages.

Supplies:
• Any kind of empty cardboard container (We used an oatmeal container from our local Stop & Shop grocery store.)
• Your preferred art material like crayons, markers, paint, and/or stickers.
• A handful of dried beans (Any kind will do, we used kidney beans.)
• Strong glue

Instructions:
• Decorate the outside of your container any way that you like - the more colorful the better!
• Add beans.
• Glue the top on tight and let dry overnight (Or less time if you use quick-dry glue).
• Shake it baby shake it, and enjoy your own concert!

Celebrating Earth Day with Boston Handmade

Today is Earth Day. But ask yourself: Why celebrate the Earth with only one day of environmental awareness when it can be observed all year long?  

Unique hat recycled from a 1970s skirt, by Elephunks Trunk

At Boston Handmade we embrace the concept of Earth Day and carry the model through every day of every year. As independent creative business people the members of Boston Handmade produce and sell art and craft locally, and each member operates from a small working environment as opposed to pollution spewing factories. These environmentally friendly actions reduce both our carbon footprints, and those of our customers.

Collectible owl made from 20-year-old pants, vintage buttons, and eco-friendly wool, by Hibou Designs

Many of our members create their art and craft from recycled and upcycled elements. Found, rescued, or passed down through the generations, by not using new materials we reduce waste and save resources. Through our choices of materials and our creative methods, the mindset of, “reduce, reuse, recycle” means more to us than a slogan on a blue box. Conserving resources is something each one of us keeps in the forefront of our minds, and harnessing the power of our own hands propels us.

Paper quilt made from wallpaper scraps, damaged books, and found ephemera by Jessica Burko

Please celebrate Earth Day by recognizing and acting on the many things you can do to help the Earth, and by supporting artists and craftspeople who already do.

My Favorite Up-cycled Accessories

By Amy of Bumble Belly Designs

It's wonderful doing shows, especially around the holidays. You get a sneak peak before the show opens and can do some really great shopping. Two years ago, I was beside the ladies from Look At Me Designs and I spent some of my earnings on this fabulous hat!

Look At Me Designs up-cycles sweaters and other recycled materials to create one-of-a-kind pieces.

This past fall at SOWA, I didn't dress appropriately for the weather (a fog rolled in and it was damp and chilly) I went over to see Tiffany and Melanie, again, and they let me borrow a scarf for the day. Well I fell in love and bought it. It's my "go to" scarf whenever I go out in the cold.

Their pieces are beautiful and a conversation starter. It's amazing what an old sweater can become!

Very Handmade Toys

by Jessica Burko of Reclaimed to You

We feel so lucky in our family to be surrounded by many talented artists and craftspeople that we count as friends, work with as colleagues, and even have as family members. My husband and I have designed and created many of the items, furniture and art in our home, and as we watch our 16-month old son Zachary play and explore, it seems that we have already influenced him to appreciate handcraft over mass-produced.
Some of our son's favorite toys are hand-knit by my knitting group friends represented by "Rasta" and Elephant above. He also loves the wooden toys we've given him made by former Boston Handmade member, Tactile Baby, and naptime and bedtime would not be complete without Eugene the sock monkey made by Monkey Shine Studio, and the hand-knit crib blanket that I made for him. However, even with this high quality selection of playthings, Zachary also seems to have a great appreciation for the very handmade "garbage toys" that are in his toy box.
In my artwork and craftwork I upcycle, recycle, and reuse many found materials so it seemed only natural that I show Zachary how to do the same, and I have to laugh every time he chooses to play with one of these over a fancy plastic toy with lights and buttons. Together we made a rattle toy from a water bottle, a few corks, and a handful of almonds. He loves the varied sounds the bottle makes when he shakes it. Then one day as I put an empty tissue box on the floor I was delighted to see Zachary fill it with blocks and squeal as he shook the box, pulled all the blocks out again, and put other small toys inside. These tissue box toys are endless hours of fun, recycleable, and replaceable.
The first of these toys I made for him was from an empty oatmeal container. Inside the container is a large jingle ball kept from embellished holiday gift wrapping I once received, and the top and bottom of the container is sealed with packing tape. It isn't pretty, but it works really well as a rolling musical toy and as a stand-up drum.Reinforcing our very handmade toy making are our son's wonderful daycare teachers. At daycare Zachary does many art projects with cardboard saved from cereal boxes like the beautiful happy birthday airplane he brought home as a gift from all his little pals. Being creative comes in many shapes and forms, does not have to cost a lot of money, and is always a good time. I can't wait to see what Zachary creates as he continues to grow.

Making Old Coats New

By Jen Paulousky of Blue Alvarez

Photo courtesy of 4dpg.

The Eliot School in Jamaica Plain, MA has asked me back again this year to teach a really fun class - Making Old Coats New.

In this 5 week class, students will bring in a coat or jacket from their closet or a vintage find, and learn how to take it apart, reshape and restyle, and then reassemble it to create a fresh, new style for the season.



If you have any interest in learning some basic tailoring, repair, and design, this is definitely the class for you! Basic sewing skills and experience with a sewing machine are required, but no design or tailoring experience is necessary.

Class runs from October 24th through Nov. 21st. You can get more information and sign up now at the Making Old Coats New class page or visiting EliotSchool.org.

Coutureplanet

by Brooke Pickering, of Bancroft Studios

As some of you might remember, last fall my business went through some major changes. One of the biggest was a new home in a shared artist space at the Lydia Pinkham Building in Lynn. To date I have been joined by two painters – one abstract and one portrait – one fashion designer and a company called Coutureplanet who make the most adorable hand bags from 100% post consumer newspaper.

Their handbags bear headlines from the world of art and culture, food and dining, travel, sports, and haute couture. Coutureplanet was founded by Constance Carman and started as a recycling project. Connie, as the buyer for the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel in Boston, observed stacks of newspapers going into the recycling bin--or worse, trash can--and become involved with the hotel’s green team.

Here’s a peak at a few of their offerings-

Craftland School Of Craft

By Beth of Elizabeth Brennick Designs

Reconstructed Tees

Take that plain boring tee-shirt and let’s revamp it for the summer! Learn how to use cut-off sleeves to create coordinating accents like flowers and more! We'll cut, add, and embellish using our own handmade appliqués and embroidery.

Course Fee: $35.00

Materials Fee: $5.00

Date: Saturday May 15th

Time: 11:30-1:30

Craftland is located at 235 Westminster Street Providence RI 02903

I'm returning back to Craftland to teach easy, functional, and eco-friendly sewing classes. You can go to the Craftland site and sign up for my tee-shirt class and any of the other great classes they're offering.

Recycled Puppy Fashion

by Katy Brown of muchacha K handmade

This past Fall I got myself an awesome little puppy, Chico "Che" Guevara. And he's not just little because he IS a puppy, he's tiny because he's half rat terrier and half chichuahua...and you know what that means: permanently tiny dogs in winter in New England must have clothing!

As a seamstress and an activist for all things handmade, I wasn't simply going to go out and BUY dog gear. I also figured this would be a perfect time to recycle some materials, and I had a ton of clothes that for various reasons were no longer wearable.

The moth eaten cashmere sweater. Some cool ski socks that had holes. Long-sleeved tees that were simply too sloppy for me to be wearing anymore.

So I busted out some scissors and my serger, and started freestyling some puppy wear, or as we like to call it "Chi-wear!".

He now has a pirate shirt, an orange ensemble with head covering, a ski sweater, and a cashmere sweater.

It's warm enough now, finally, for him to just go outside to pee and be puppy-naked while doing it. That just means many months between now and next winter for making more awesome puppy clothes from recycled materials.

Tip: tiny dog torsos often fit nicely into sleeves! Cut a tube of sleeve off, cut holes for legs, sew a turtleneck on and some sleeves...instant pup fashion!

DAME: A boutique in Jamaica Plain

by Jessica Burko of Reclaimed To You

Since January 2009 there has been a go-to source for vintage clothing, accessories, and handmade design in central Jamaica Plain. DAME: Fine Vintage and Independent Design is located at 68 South Street in JP and showcases a rotating selection of fine hand-picked vintage items dating from the 1930s-1980s for men, women, and children. They also exhibit artwork on occasion and I am delighted that they are now showing my mini art quilts. The quilts are made from found materials and incorporate photo transfers on fabric. Five of the ten quilts on display can be seen in the photo above.

In addition to their keen vintage-wears, DAME has a growing selection of handmade items, including fine silver work, hand knits, clothing, and refashioned/upcycled clothing and jewelry. Along with my art quilts, the shop now carries knitted scarves that I make from reclaimed yarns.
DAME has become an established entity in JP during the past year, and an oasis for the stylish lover of uncommon fashion. As if carrying swanky threads and exhibiting work by local artists isn't enough, DAME also stages events on occasion. This Saturday night, February 20th, the shop will be host to a night of alternative country music for a speakeasy style party. Two bands will be performing: The Tom Foolers, and Humble Tripe who is celebrating the release of their new CD called 'Counting Stars'. The party starts at 7pm, when the store will be closed, so if you want to partake in the fun, be there BEFORE 7.

Check out DAME's web site for hours and directions to the shop and follow their vibrant blog to see debuts of new vintage items, cool photos from days of yore, and more.

For Your Valentine

by Jessica Burko of Reclaimed To You

Since I expanded my Etsy shop to include paper and knit items created from reclaimed materials, I was able to add some valentine treats for you and your sweetie.
I am delighted to create a variety of art, paper goods, and wearables made from found materials in an effort to reduce my own carbon footprint, and that of my customers. When I knit with yarn discovered at a tag sale or collage a small gift card with papers found in a discard pile, it keeps what some might consider waste, out of landfills, and creates something useful and beautiful instead.
When purchasing for your loved ones this valentine month consider shopping reclaimed and give something to your sweetie and to the earth.

Just for Me

by Rebecca of Hypothesis

Most of the time, I'm creating pieces to sell on Etsy and the rest of the time, I'm making gifts for Christmas, birthday, Valentine's Day, and every other occasion. Two nights ago I decided it was time for me to make something for me.

Even though I am swimming in leather pieces that need to be fixed up and upcycled into new creations, I am still using the same ratty wallet I've had for several years. I decided the time had come for me to have a nice new leather wallet.

Here's to doing something for ourselves!

Tiny Worlds Class

By Crystal Hanehan of Vintage by Crystal

A little while ago I took my BH buddy Mimi Kirchner's "Tiny World's" workshop. It was fabulous and I learned a lot about detailed sewing. I am always enchanted by the detail Mimi puts into her dolls and I'm glad to have come away with even a tiny portion of her knowledge.
Above is the adorable tiny world I made! I love how it turned out. Pretty classic colors but the red door makes it pop. It reminds me of a little school house. I'd like to add a little bit of red embroidery around the edges to finish it off.

Mimi provided tons of materials to work with.

My unfinished world is in front. Two of Mimi's are behind. Pretty close eh?

If you'd like to make one of these tiny worlds, Mimi offers a tutorial here. Thank you Mimi for a wonderful lesson!

Waste Not Want Not in Providence, RI

by Jessica Burko of Reclaimed To You

A truly unique venue has opened in nearby Providence, Rhode Island. The concept and format is revolutionary, and incorporates aspects of a fine arts gallery with a craft work space, an artist supply depot, and a high-end thrift shop.

This venue, called Waste Not Want Not, is the brainchild of recent Rhode Island School of Design graduate Laura Shirreff who states, "In a city where dumpster diving is a prosperous public past time and unemployment rates are the second highest in the country, it is my mission to make use of these unwanted but useful commodities to benefit local charities and the Providence community at large. Waste Not Want Not is not your average thrift store or consignment shop. At the heart of downtown Providence it is dedicated to the local community and local organizations." And she means it.
Within WNWN's 3,600 square feet of prime real estate space on stylish Westminster Street, in newly gentrified Downtown Providence, Shirreff has created areas of gallery, boutique, and shop. On view in the gallery are pieces of original sculpture and fine art which utilize found objects and reclaimed materials.
The boutique features clothing designed by local artists who upcycle pre-worn items into new treasures. The shop has racks of donated wearables divided deliciously into color categories, and bosts an impressive amount of vintage treats. The space overall is beautifully designed and has a distinct loft feel. The high ceilings are emphasized with soft sculpture hanging from rafters, and two free standing dressing rooms suspended by high-tension wires.
Shirreff approached me in May at the RISD Alumni Sale about showing my artwork in her new space, and currently she is showing a few of my smaller photographic mixed media works (as seen above) and five larger pieces.

The aspect of WNWN that fascinates me the most is that Shirreff makes all donated items available to artists and designers to use, at no cost, to create new garments, jewelry, art, or objects. Artists and designers are then expected to bring their new creations to exhibit at WNWN, and they will be made available for sale. Fifty percent of sales go straight to the artist and fifty percent go to WNWN and supported local charities. Shirreff says, "In this way, artists and designers have easy access to raw materials as well as a convenient marketplace that will help to support and promote their own artwork. It also encourages not just recycling but upcycling of material goods and inspires people to be creative when regarding their own belongings before discarding them."
In addition to the showing, selling, artist support, and community involvement, Shirreff has also programmed regular craft nights where all are welcome to create, chat, meet, and mingle. I'm verey pleased to have my work represented in Waste Not Want Not, and I look forward to seeing how this new venture develops. WNWN is located at 232 Westminster Street, Providence, RI 02903 and the hours of operation are: Mondays through Thursdays 10am - 6pm, Fridays and Saturdays 10am - 8pm, and Sundays 12pm - 6pm.