Bag of Joy News - October 2016
What did you do this summer? When I wasn’t road-tripping or fishing, I had my sewing machine going, turning out a dozen bags made of upcycled clothing, drapes, vintage linens, lace and recycled findings. My daily routine was no hardship as the machine sits at a window with a view of the East Ridge, cows and calves munching peacefully in the meadow, and an occasional bear in the clearing high up on the hillside.
My ReTies line increased as well, with several new ideas incorporated into the reuse of old men’s ties (the ties are old, not necessarily the men) found at thrift shops on my journeys. Some of the ties found their way into bag designs as well, such as the saucy little “Reader” bag in the photo, the perfect size for a Kindle or other digital reader. It's my Bag of the Month for October.Nonprofit Partner(s) of the Month
Two Maui nonprofits are holding their fundraising events this month:
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| Stars |
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| New Nadine - 2pc evening bag set |
MAPA (Maui Academy of Preforming Arts) 28th Annual Garden Party on Oct. 2. Don't miss the Bag of Joy donation on the silent auction table - New Nadine, an evening bag with matching wrist wrap.
October 7 Friends of the Children's Justice Center of Maui annual fundraiser. The Bag of Joy donation to the silent auction is Stars - a zipper-topped fully padded portfolio.
When your Maui nonprofit is planning a fundraising event don't hesitate to contact me for a silent auction donation. Please, no political, environmental or religious organizations.
To purchase Bag of Joy products, contact me directly or go to my Shopify, Etsy or eBay stores; contact information below.
Bags in Books – a monthly contest for readers
Can you identify the book this passage was taken from? The first person to correctly name the book title will win a gift from the Bag of Joy collection. Just make a comment below or send me an answer through any of the contacts listed.
“As soon as he thought of her, Florentino Ariza returned to the Street of the Windows, put two bottles of port and a jar of pickles in a shopping bag, and went to visit her, not even knowing if she was still in her old house, if she was alone, or if she was alive.”
Welcome to the 3R+C (Compost) Department
Recycle
If
you read my summer blog <mauisjoy.blogspot.com> you already know we
travelled 3000 miles from our home base at the Webster Ranch in Alberta to
Churchill Manitoba – a destination of lifelong dreams. Yes, we saw a polar
bear, beluga whales and the Northern Lights. But almost (well, maybe not quite)
as exciting was the display of creative recycling in their community garden.
During
polar bear season visitors get up-close to the bears in the safety of ‘tundra
buggies’ – huge buses with viewing platforms, a window for every amazed face,
and tires that don’t quit. It’s those tires that I focused on when we first saw
a buggy. After all, everything in Churchill comes in by train, air or sea (and
not much ocean freight now that the port has been shut down by the US company
that owns it). Well, not to worry. Used tires are converted to huge planters,
large enough to grow a summer’s worth of fresh produce.
The
top edges are cut into a sawtooth pattern and the treads are painted bright
colors. The pot is filled with a mixture of compost, bagged soil and
tundra peat. As you can see in the photo, the garden prospers under long summer
sunlight and a rich mixture of planting medium.
Reduce
We
found more communities living the plastic-bag-free life. In fact, in Manitoba’s
visitor guides travelers are reminded to “take your own bag” when shopping in
Thompson. For more information on all aspects of recycling those bags, visit:
Reuse
The
definition of ‘reuse’ in the 3R universe is to use something in its original
form but not for its original purpose, preferably something that has outlived
its function. A good example is an old door that becomes a desktop. Or, as
mentioned above, an old tire that works as a raised garden.
In
Regina’s downtown park I found an old piano converted into an artsy planter.
While digging through old family treasures I found a hand mirror that had been my
grandmother’s many years ago. The silver handle and mirror were in fine
condition but whatever had decorated the back was long-gone, leaving a withered
round of cardboard.
I used the cardboard as a template
to make a smooth base, selected a vintage fabric from my stash, glued it to the
base and carefully wrapped the edge of the fabric to the back. I then gently
worked the whole thing under the metal edge of the mirror until it was held
securely. It turned out well, don’t you think?
Compost
Yes,
I have worms and I’m proud of it!
I set up a worm compost bin in our ranch
house several years ago and no longer worry about them surviving the cold blast
of winter in Alberta. They thrive. True, I leave the bin next to the gas heater
set at a chilly-but-not-freezing 10 degrees Celsius for 8 months. The trick is
to empty about one-third of the bin during the summer, allow the critters to
settle down, feed them table scraps while we’re there and then pack the bin
with shredded paper. By the time we return in June they have devoured the paper
and completely cleared the bin of edibles. Because the atmosphere is so dry, I
don’t have to worry about worm juice overrun in the bottom bin; in fact, it’s
rare to find enough liquid to bother with. So, if you hesitate to set up a vermicomposting
bin because you’re not always around – take it from me: Eight months of peace
and quiet does them no harm.
Recycle this thought:
When you find yourself waiting – maybe in a parking lot, a mall, on a bench next to a fountain – pick up some litter. It gives you something to do, helps the environment, provides some exercise, and could be lucrative. I’ve picked up everything from a loonie (Canadian one-dollar coin) to a folded 20-dollar bill.
Contact information:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Joy-of-Recycling
Shopify:
https://www.facebook.com/JoyofRecycling/shop
eBay:
http://my.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?MyEbay&gbh=1&CurrentPage=MyeBayAllSelling
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/JoyofRecycling
Twitter: @SJoyWebster
Tumblr: http://joyofrecycling.tumblr.com/
Phone: 808-572-6303
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