Recycled shopping bags repurposed!

Here is a easy project that I've been working on! I wanted to share:

Envelopes made from recycled paper grocery bags!



Here are the materials you need:
-A grocery bag
-An envelope
-Scissors
-Some type of glue/tape
-ruler/straight edge
-pencil

First you take apart the existing envelope for a model for what you will cut out of the paper bag. Unfold the envelope, unfold the paper bag, and outline the shape and then cut out the envelope. Fold in the same places that the existing envelope is folded. Its really easy! I usually use glue dots to attach the flaps to make the pocket, but you can use anything you want, double sided tape would work well.

To make a place for the address I used a piece of the paper bag and used the other side that didn't have printing on it. I used a flower stamp that I have to outline the label and then pasted it onto the front of the envelope.This is a really easy project, and a good way to use old cool looking paper grocery bags!

Finally Pictures!

So I finally got a memory card reader so I can post pictures from my adventure in Nashville so far! The first couple of pictures are from the farm. We are working at a community farm called Bells Bend. It is so much fun! The last picture is of me and my new roomie, Katie, love her! Planting has been so much fun! I will def. post more later!

Indigo Summer

On the schedule for today was:
1) To plant the dye plants in the plot at the farm
2) To finish our dye work for Alabama Chanin.

So early this morning I set out for the farm... and then about 45 min later I got there (after much ado and not knowing which direction I was going...figures). It was a beautiful morning and we got a lot done: dug out places for the seeds to be scattered, and planted marigold, hopi-dye sunflowers, and indigo. It was an incredible thing to be a part of the very beginnings of planting. The whole time I was thinking about the Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13, and also the idea of a harvest and how the process of planting, growing, and harvesting the seed is exactly that: a process. Its a beautiful analogy of how we grow spiritually with the Lord... Jesus uses so many stories and comparisons with agriculture that its incredible to be able to see it first hand.

The second part of the day was devoted to dying yardage for Alabama Chanin with Indigo. She has a beautiful line of clothing for the summer that is inspired by the color of Indigo. I thought I would give a brief overview of Indigo for those of you who don't know... Its actually been incredible seeing the process and getting a better understanding of how it works.

Historically Indigo is a very powerful and often times considered a "magical" substance. It is different from normal natural dyes in that it Indigo is a dye different than any other. It does not require any mordant. Rather it is dyed through a living fermentation process. The process "reduces" the Indigo, changing it from blue to a greenish color. In this state, it dissolves in an alkaline solution. The fiber is put directly into the dye.. usually kept in what is called a vat. It is sensitive to air so when you lower the fabric in it must be very gentle, introducing as little air as possible. When brought out to the air, it is a bright green and slowly the air changes it to the beautiful deep and rich blue of Indigo (this is the magical part).

I have become very attached to our vats of indigo.. especially our very large one that sits outside. There are probably a lot of reasons for it: One being that every day I come home with Indigo completely covering my hands, arms, and feet. Also because the vats survive by a fermentation process you can keep in going for however long you are willing to "feed" it and help it along with adding various materials like Barley Wheat (that kind of feeds the bacteria that live in the vat and keep up the fermentation, Soda Ash, or more Indigo Powder (to strengthen or weaken the color). The vats periodically need to rest, or need to be fed, or are exhausted from the amount of Indigo it has been releasing to dye fabric... It's just like a person! (we are in the process of naming ours, because they are personified so much). I wish I had pictures now.. but they will have to come later.. I need to buy a camera chord.

I've gotta run! I'm going to a benefit concert with my roomie for Logos Bookstore that got a lot of damage during the flood.

Today I worked on a farm...

I haven't posted in a while, but I'm blogging from Nashville, Tennessee! I have been here for a couple of days and everything is finally settling down for me to be able to be in contact with the world! I'm here interning for the summer with the company Ask Apparel which is a small apparel company that creates beautifully hand dyed and crafted products. They are in a transitional stage right now to become more of a dye house that dyes yardage for use of other designers. I have learned so much already about natural dying, the importance of sustainability, and especially recipes and materials for all of the above. So many things are interesting to me about all of these processes. Right now I'm excited about tomorrow morning, we will be meeting at the community farm called Bell's Bend to be planting dye stuffs that will be harvested in August. We are planting Indigo, Marigold... and much more that I'm not sure of, actually (oops). It really is neat being immersed in this culture of organic and all natural farming/living/eating. I've always wanted to learn more about everything.. for example: composting, gardening, diy yogurt, soy milk, etc. I'm learning tons and I cant wait to report back with more!

Another really cool thing is that I'm in Nashville! What a cool place, I really didn't prepare myself during the last couple of days of school for moving to a new place... I kind of didn't think about it at all actually until the drive up. But everything is so much fun.. everyone is "doing the music thing", or is a farmer, or is a hippie, or is a Vanderbilt student and is majoring in biochemical engineering (what the heck!?) I love this city!

Whew!

Well, I have more to say than I ever could have the patience to type out I'm sure, but I will say that I learned an absolutely ridiculous amount of information about the world of print and pattern/licensing/trade shows. It was the best experience I could have ever asked for to be able to attend Surtex, see what I saw, and meet who I met. Here is a picture of Katie's and my booth, and also of the other girls that were finalists from San Fransisco Academy of Art:






I have a stack of business cards and leave behinds that I am planning on going through another day... so then I can tell you who were stand outs to me in the show. And I can talk more about it.. haha I'm just so exhausted!

Today I got to walk around NYC one last time before my flight leaves.. I took the subway to Chealsea and walked on The High Line, which is an old rail line that has been converted into an above ground walkway... it was really neat. I also got my last street vendor hotdog for a while, haha! love hotdogs. I'm just in love with NYC, its overwhelming to think about going back to Savannah! I'm gonna be dropped back into the real world with finals and exams! Then In a week from Monday I'm moving to Nashville, what the heck! But here's the thing, I know Jesus has got me, and things are going to be great. Ty and Beck are going to come to Sav on Monday and I'm pumped!!

more from the big apple...

So, the second day was just as great as the first. Today we went to the Javits center to see the trade show floor. We met the Surtex Show Management staff, and they were so friendly even in the midst of all the vendors coming in and setting up and the confusion that comes with that. It was so incredible to see everyone setting up for the print and especially the stationary show! Everyone was decorating and re-working their booths to become their own enviornment. I wish I could have taken pictures (no pics allowed in the show room), it was just an incredible process to see happen. I also got to connect with a sweet sweet woman that I have been in contact with prior to the show. Her name is Caroline (owner/creator of company Multiple Blessings. This is her blog. She is great and so talented!) I saw that she was featured on the Surtex website and from her prints and blog found out that we shared the same faith in Jesus. It was so encouraging to meet her and to encourage each other that we can cast all of our anxieties about the show onto the Lord.

Not only did we see both the National Stationery Show and Surtex show room floors, we also got to see the ICFF (International Contemporary Furniture Fair) that was happening in the downstairs of the convention center. It was absolutely breath taking. There were companies from all over the world displaying their innovative and beautiful textile products including these: Amy Helfand, Bennett Bean, malene b, Rug Art, Rough and Perfect,and Jonathan Adler. There are so many more, and I'll keep posting more. Needless to say, I could have spent a lot more time down there than I did. Katie and I just kept pointing to booth's and saying "Oh! Lets go there!". I am so inspired by everything I have seen today and I know it will just get better.

As for Katie and I, we set up our booth and then had the rest of the day to ourselves. We decided that we wanted to check out Soho, so we traveled there via Subway (how exciting!) and then walked around and shopped for a bit. We went into Anthropologie, and as always the display was beautiful: It is a dress made from dyed coffee filters.

We then walked through Little Italy, which was, as everything is to me, so surreal. I feel so small town :) Everything is like the movies to me here, its just so fun. But we ate at a funny restaurant and had some funny waiters... and the food was wonderful.


We then got back on the subway- saw some interesting characters and are calling it a night at the hotel. I just can't explain how incredible this all is. I just know that the Lord is showing me that He is absolutely in control. I love this! More to come...

New York!!

I'm here in NYC getting ready for the show! Today was a blast, I've just been exploring the city by myself. I just love it! I wen to Whole Foods (my new favorite place) and found this company: Green Baby that makes the sweetest 100% organic baby products.



My friend Katie who is presenting with me got here later during the day and we walked to Time Square and had Chipotle, so delicious. Tomorrow we are having orientation at the Javis center and then setting up our booths. Its going to be so incredible to be able to meet so many designers. I'm so excited!

More to come...