This lady has gone green.

I have been green for years but in the last several years I have turned “Dark” green. I have 3 compost bins, and raise my own organic vegetables in raised beds. Need any red worms? I raise meal worms as well. I have always been a crafter and my passion is sewing. I am always attempting to create something out of items headed for the landfill. It has become a way of life for my family. My husband is a “scrapper” of sort. He has recycled metals for years in his free time. I believe there is nothing we pick up that we don’t think “What can I make from this?” When we need to purchase something, we think “how can I make this from something we toss out?” I love to talk about recycling. I love to read anything I can get my hands on about being GREEN.

Several years ago I was showing my sister some purses I made from recycled wool sweaters. She asked me if I would show her young daughters how to make them as they were wanting to earn money for mission trips. The purses were simple enough that my nieces could create them and re-sell them. Ideal for beginners at the sewing machine. My mission: The search and creation of items that could be recycled, useful and simple enough that 2 teenage girls could create.

We now create over 50 different items. We sell at craft fairs, green fairs and farmers markets. We are the only vendor that sells our type of product ay any given venue that we have attended thus far. The entire family is involved. My husband has a good eye and is always eager to help. He located and created displays from utility shelves removed from an old work van. My son is a welder and has created jewelry displays from discarded candle sticks and wire baskets.

Sometimes we think maybe we should remove some items from our inventory . It is a challenge to transport and display so many items. But they are all useful and there is no item that is just not wanted. All our created items do sell. How can we possibly remove any items? Our prices are very reasonable. Of course, this is possible because of the low cost of supplies. Some items we create are aprons from recycled linens and denim, fire starters from recycled candles, jewelry from spoons, Laundry bags from t-shirts, swiffer style reusable covers from sweatshirts, compost buckets from discarded pottery canisters. The list goes on and on. I am sure by the time this blog is read, I will have created another item.