Bag of Joy Maui: Hauoli Makahiki Hou (as we say in Hawaii)

January 2017 - Happy New Year! It’s going to be a dynamite year for everyone.

Bag of Joy News

New from Bag of Joy

A selection of ReTies

My ReTies aren’t new, but my Etsy shop is and all my ReTies are listed there. What exactly are ReTies? I convert old, unused men’s ties (the ties are old and unused, not the men) into stylish slip-over-the-head accessories that look wonderful and fit just about everyone. With added “bling” – a vintage earring (one that lost its mate or is broken) or button, fringe or beadwork – these ReTies are one-of-a-kind fashion statements. Boy, were they were a hot seller at the December sale at Makawao Union Church. If you have a favorite tie your favorite guy no longer wears I’d be excited to turn it into a unique accessory for you. ReTies are $15 to $25 (plus shipping where applicable) and can be purchased in my Etsy shop.

Nonprofit Partner of the Month

At the December sale at Makawao Union Church, Bag of Joy raised $500 for the Organ Enhancement project. Thank you to everyone who stopped by my table, inspected my bags and such, and purchased a last-minute gift or something for their very own.

This month and every month!

Busy Bag #1

A New Year - a New Plan! I’m excited to let you know that the Alzheimer’s Association will be my ongoing Nonprofit Partner during 2017. Twenty-five percent of sales of my new Busy Blanket will go to them each month. These 18"x18" lap blankets are designed to keep hands and minds busy, with zippers and bows and beads and pockets, including two snuggly pockets to keep hands warm. Lightly padded for comfort, these blankets are perfect for anyone who spends time in a wheelchair. You can support this ongoing fundraiser by ordering your Busy Blanket from my Shopify store. They’re $40 each (plus shipping where applicable), and $10 of that will go to the Alzheimer’s Association Aloha Chapter right here in Hawaii.

Shopify News

Good things are happening in my Shopify store on Facebook. Several items have sold from the site, and orders for custom bags are coming in. If you see something you like or you’d like to see my entire inventory, let me know and we’ll make an appointment for you to visit my Makawao studio.

Bag of the Month

Glamorous Gloria

"Glamorous Gloria" is an exquisite two-piece evening bag set. The bag is a drawstring style, with hand-beading and froufrou, lightly padded and fully lined. A matching wrist wrap cuff completes the set. All ingredients are recycled and upcycled of course. $65.

Bags in Books – a monthly contest for readers

For the avid readers among us: Can you identify the book this passage was taken from? “Traffic sounds are heard. Bernard, now mature, sits whistling to himself. A pair of tennis rackets and an overnight bag are on the floor beside him.”

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. Contest ends January 31.

Yes we have a winner in our December contest! Melody Hofmann correctly identified “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” as the source of our Bags in Books quote. We had half a dozen correct answers; Melody got hers in first and won a 2-piece placemat set from Bag of Joy.

3^rd Annual Boxing Day/Month Giveaway was a great success!

One day's giveaway during December

Thirty days of free stuff went out my front door during December. I gave away boxes of fabric, lengths of grasscloth, craft paints, a roll-up blind, gift bags and gift wrap, dozens of pants/skirt hangers, vinyl and leather swatches, and a used Bernina sewing machine. Thank you to everyone who participated. If you missed out this year, make sure you’re in the loop next year by ‘liking’ my MauiSCRAP page on Facebook. Giveaways will start on December 1, 2017.

And if you have something you know someone could use and you just don't need it anymore, let me know. I can probably find a home for it.

Welcome to the Recycling Department!

Can I help you?

Compost happens

Do you like the thought of composting, but it’s just too darn much work? I’ve got good news. As long as you’re not in a huge rush to get your hands on finished compost, the “work” of composting can be minimal.

1. Compost needs oxygen, nitrogen (green gooey stuff and food waste), carbon (dried leaves, shredded paper), and moisture (from the gooey stuff or plain old water).

2. The how-to books tell you to “turn” the compost every few days to get it mixed up, right? Well, don’t! Turning the compost cools it down and allows a lot of nitrogen to escape. Just leave it alone; it will decompose as nature intended.

3. On the other hand, don’t let it pack down too much or oxygen won’t be able to seep in. Take care of that possibility by throwing in a few twigs, small pieces of wood or a thicker branch once in a while. Air pockets will form, the mixture will stay moist, and the pile will take care of itself. Sure, you’ll have to remove the chunks of wood when the rest of it is composted, but isn’t that a whole lot easier than turning, mixing, and fiddling with it?

From Resource Recycling:

Good news from the world of recycling

Sustainable shopping: Swedish retail giant Ikea has achieved an 88.7 percent combined energy recovery and recycling rate, according to the report it published for 2016. It plans to install more than 150 balers at various locations across the world to make recycling more efficient. Waste reduction is the company’s next big project.

Collection sites: The City of Paris will be installing hundreds of public recycling stations by the year 2018. The stations will be similar to ones already found in apartment buildings. Those stations get full very quickly, forcing residents to throw recyclable materials in the trash.

Until next month, recycle this thought:

What is “out” as in, throwing something “out”? Out of the house? Out of sight? When you throw something "out" remember it has to go “in” something – trash bin? Dump? Landfill? Ditch? Ocean? Think twice before you toss.