:-)

And the winner is...

2009-07-03T10:00:00.000-07:00

The Prize Winner:
Woohooo!! Congratulations, Sharyn, you have won the free magnet give-a-way! Your profile is not public, so if you could please contact me via my website, and give me your shipping address (and preference for catalog magnets or security envelope magnets), I will send you your winnings!

Huge thank you to everyone who participated in our first ever Junk Mail Gems give-a-way! I really enjoyed all of your comments.

The Results of the Vote:
After tallying the votes, it looks like the badge holder comes out on top, being in 19 people's top 3, and #1 favorite for 11 voters! The paper weight came in a close second, being among 18 people's top three, and voted #1 favorite for 9 voters!

Thanks again for all of your feedback and votes...the paperweight and the badge holder will be my next new products, available soon this summer! As for the other new product ideas, I will continue to work on these and get them out there on my site down the road as well. Stay tuned...I'll be sure to blog about them when I have them available for purchase.

Have a wonderful 4th of July everyone!

Contest: WIN FREE Junk Mail Gems Magnets!

2009-06-20T10:52:00.000-07:00

As promised, I am going to give you all a sneak peek at some of the many new products that I have in the works that I hope to soon add to my current recycled junk mail product line. But, what is even more exciting, is that YOU have a chance of winning a set of 10 colorful catalog magnets, OR a set of 10 security envelope magnets; your choice! I have 7 new product prototypes below (and probably 10 more in my head!), and need some help deciding which to start offering on my site first!

The Rules:
Here's how you can enter in two easy steps....

1) Help me decide which products to make available on my site first by leaving a comment on this post with your top 3 favorites in order of their favorite-ness! (#1 being most favorite, #2 being second favorite, etc)

2) Post a link to this contest on your own blog. If you do not have a blog, share it with your friends via email, Facebook, or wherever!

The winner will be chosen at random and announced on Friday, July 3rd.

So, here is your sneak peek and the new product prototypes that you have to choose from to tell me your favorites!

The Prototypes:

1) Pencil Cup
This pencil cup is made entirely out of recycled junk mail catalog pages. The base is a sturdy piece of coiled paper and the sides have almost a leather like feel.

2) Coil Earrings
Created in reaction to some of my customers' requests at this year's Craftstravaganza, these coiled junk mail earrings are a perfect complement to my junk mail pendants and pins! They are coated in a high-gloss, clear resin.

3) Badge Holder
This stylin' badge holder is made out of the colorful recycled catalog beads that I also sell as necklaces, earrings, and separately as loose beads. But, now you can use them to display your badge at work in style!

4) Coil Bowl
This bowl is made entirely out of coiled junk mail, and covered in a clear, glossy finish. Certain to make a great conversation piece! Since these take a long time to make, they would likely be offered either as made-to-order, or I would display the current stock of actual bowls up for sale on my site.

5) Collage Bowl
This bowl has an underlying structure made of plaster, and is then covered with a collage of colorful junk mail catalog pages, and sealed with a clear, glossy finish.

6) Paper Weight
This awesome paper weight showcases a colorful catalog page behind a heavy crystal dome, magnifying the design while holding down your papers in style! The bottom is covered with a black velour pad. I would likely be displaying actual paperweights in stock on the site, so that you can snatch up the specific, one-of-a-kind pattern you like!

7) Keychain
These keychains are made with the same technique as my junk mail pendants and the coil earrings above, with a disc of coiled junk mail protected with a coating of high gloss, clear resin.

As you can see, I have my hands and head full of new ideas...please help me out and tell me what your favorites are! I'd love to know why as well, so feel free to elaborate! Thank you!! :-)

Possibilities for Recycled Chandeliers

2009-06-15T06:17:00.000-07:00

After doing a little web surfing today on SuperUse and I've noticed just about anything can be turned into a cool chandelier. You may remember my recent post with a plastic trinket chandelier I saw on our trip to Paris. Well, if you liked that one, here are a few more cool ideas!

Check out this styrofoam chandelier:

Umbrella and LED chandelier:

Flashmob Chandelier:

Ballpoint pen chandelier:

Plastic debris "Tide Chandelier":

Banana box chandelier:

PET bottle "Cascade Chandelier:"

CD Jewel case chandelier:

Stainless steel sink drain filter chandelier:

Recycled glasses chandelier:

Craftzine has a couple cool recycled chandeliers here too.
Oh, and check out the neat party popper chandelier on Ecofriend, and this tail light chandelier at Apartment Therapy. It seems the chandelier possibilities are endless!

DIY Office Storage Solutions...Don't Waste your Money!

2009-06-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

My postings have been a little sparse lately, due to the combination of a lot of freelance work right now, and a pretty major home remodel project we have going on. This remodeling, however, means that the Junk Mail Gems studio will soon be moving to the room next door, which means I will have more space. Wahoooo! It also means that this is a great opportunity for me to de-clutter and re-organize.

I have always been big on organization since I was little. I'm like a kid in a candy store when I go into a Container Store. However, rather than leaving their store with full shopping bags, these days I've been leaving the store with a lot more ideas to make things myself for a whole lot cheaper.

Take these storage canisters (above,left) for example. You can buy them for$3.99 to $6.99 a piece. OR, you can do what I have been doing in my office, and spray painting the lids of empty food jars with metallic paint, and getting the exact same look for pennies (above, right). Probably not even a penny...fractions of a penny. And I bet you can do it in less time than it takes you to go out and buy them. I don't understand why the same people who toss glass jars into the garbage or even recycle bin, would then turn around and pay for the exact same thing in a store!!

Here's another one. You can spend $8.00 on a piece of metal that you can stick magnets to:

Or, you can go to the hardware store, buy a piece of steel bar stock, and attach it to your wall yourself.

These wood veneer magnet boards are pretty cool looking. Bet you think you can't make this, eh? Think again!

Save the $25.00 and go get yourself a piece of steel from the hardware store, add some peel-n-stick woodgrain shelf liner in oak or pine, and you've got virtually the same thing. You can even try faux leather or granite! Looking for an even better deal that's even more green? Instead of buying a new sheet of steel from the hardware store, go to a local thrift store or yard sale and pick up a few cookie sheets! There's a great DIY cookie sheet message center project here. I've even seen rolls of left-over shelf liner at thrift stores and on Craigslist as well.

Don't forget to spruce up your magnet boards with some Junk Mail Gems recycled junk mail magnets, of course! Starting at just a buck a piece, you won't have to worry about emptying your wallet.

I am eager to get started on making my own personalized organization and storage solutions, once I am able to move into my new office. Once I do so, I'll be sure to post some instructions so you can try it too!

New Crochet Pattern: Rocket Ship!

2009-05-18T16:19:00.000-07:00

It's been a little while since I've posted! I've been busy with my list of 14 new Junk Mail Gems product ideas, making prototypes! I just have too many ideas to pick from so in the near future I am hoping to put up some photos of these prototypes and have you all vote on your favorites, for a chance to win some free Junk Mail Gems product! Stay tuned!

In the meantime, I've been back on a crochet kick again, and I'm really excited about my latest original crochet pattern, now available at my design site. It is a rocket ship, which I made for my 1 and a half year old's new space themed bedroom! Check it out...

The flames are my favorite part! :-)

This rocket was made using all left-over yarns from previous projects. That's the fun part about amigurumi figures...you can easily have enough left-overs to make many fun toys!

Book Review: Collapse of Distinction by Scott McKain

2009-05-06T13:00:00.000-07:00

I recently signed on as a book review blogger for Thomas Nelson. Basically how it works is, if you have a blog, they will send you books for free in exchange for you later posting a review. It's a pretty cool deal that I found out from my sister-in-law, and I thought I'd give it a try! So, here is my first book review!

For my first book I chose "Collapse of Distinction: Stand out and move up while your competition fails," by Scott McKain. I chose this book because I am a small business owner (three of them, to be exact), and thought it may provide some new ideas to help grow my businesses. I figure we could all use a little boost to our businesses in this economy, and this is certainly one way to start! It took me a little while to get through, being a full time at-home Mommy and business owner, as I pretty much only read in the bath tub! But, this book was a very easy read and Scott kept my attention throughout.

One thing I liked about this book is that it contains advice and strategies that will apply to your business, whether you are the CEO of a major corporation, a low man on the totem pole, or a small business owner like myself. Scott uses great stories and business examples ranging from his own father's small town grocery store to large corporations like Starbucks and Apple.

Scott starts out by explaining the phenomenon of a sea of "sameness" that so many companies today are getting swallowed up in. He explains three things that destroy differentiation, and goes on to talk about what does NOT work to differentiate. I was surprised to find that the things that first came to my own mind for ways to differentiate from the competition were among his list of things that don't work!

There are three levels of differentiation according to Scott. Level one, sameness, is when you are indistinguishable from your competition. When a company reaches level two, "differentiation," they have traits that separate them from their competition. But, it is when a business reaches level three, "Distinction," when you become #1 in your field. Scott goes on to explain the four cornerstones of distinction, and how you can build these cornerstones for your own business.

Every chapter ends with an "executive summary," or outline of what you've just read, which not only makes it easy to retain the information, but super simple to go back and look something up afterward. He also ends each summary with a list of action steps, questions, and ideas, which help to apply his principles to your own business.

Overall I thought this was a great book. For me personally, it reinforced that I have been doing many things right all along, but helped me understand why those things are working. It also made me think about my business and my customers in a new way, which I feel will impact my business in a positive way!

"Innocent Spam" by Janet Nelson

2009-05-03T20:55:00.001-07:00

So, here's how this post came to be. Yesterday I posted on my Facebook status that I "just deleted over 1,600 junk emails from my inbox from only 6 days; this is getting ridiculous!" A friend commented with something about how if only I could turn junk EMAIL into something crafty (like I do with paper junk mail). In chimes another friend out in Ohio, saying that he has seen artwork made from spam emails. You see where I'm going here? Anyway, I just had to share the link he sent because it made me smile, and was in some weird way, related to Junk Mail Gems...if only in a distant-cousin-twice-removed sort of way.

We all have gotten those spam emails with dirty subject lines. Well, thank goodness for people out there like Janet Nelson, who finds the innocence within the icky with her fantastic "innocent spam" cartoons. Check it out...you're sure to look at those nasty spam messages in a whole new light!

As I glance over at the now 244 messages in my junk email folder, I see a few that might be fun to illustrate...
"Women will stare at your member like at the museum."
"Never half-staying in bed."
"Ladies crave for bigger chest like the guys crave to be blessed."
"She won't hide her emotions when she sees your proportions."
"Just what your rod needs!"

These lines clearly are not written by people whose first language is English! Especially this one: "hoist your belove sexuality" and "Be sure in your hose." Huh? Well, I guess I can be glad that these forms of junk mail are electronic and not physically arriving in my mailbox, but they are no less annoying!! Thank you, Janet, for your creative and entertaining way to "repurpose" electronic junk mail!

Craftstravaganza 2009 Recap

2009-05-02T18:50:00.000-07:00

Craftstravaganza '09 was a success! I will post some pics from my own booth and then show you some other great artists that were at this year's show!

If you read my post from last year, which was the first show I've ever sold Junk mail Gems at, you'll notice there was much improvement weather-wise this year! No freak snowstorms...I think moving it to May helped a lot! Here is the line-up of shoppers just outside the MN State Fairgrounds' Fine Arts building a few minutes before the show opened (the first 100 got a free swag bag of goodies):

Besides more new products, I added a little bit more to my booth this year, including a fabric backdrop, a hand painted banner, and some new fixtures...

This year I displayed the magnets on cookie sheets that I had purchased at my local thrift shops, propped up on some tabletop easels:

I displayed the beads in the basket/candlestick fixtures I blogged about a while back, and they worked great!

I used the same tree branch display from last year for necklaces and earrings, only this year I painted it silver:

I think it gave everything a more consistent feel having all of the display fixtures painted silver. There I go talking about fixture design...I'm mixing my professions here! This morning at the last minute, I decided to bring along a couple of my junk mail TV trays, just in case I needed a little extra display space. They ended up being a hit with shoppers, and I am hoping to offer some for sale next year, if not sooner via my website!

Here is my wonderful hubby, who is still coasting along on the brownie points he earned from last year's ordeal, and our baby boy:

They helped me set up on Friday night and then came up just for a little visit this afternoon which was a fun surprise!

Overall it was a good show! Although, it did not take much to beat last year! I always really enjoy seeing how people react to my products in person at these shows, since I never get to see people's reactions when they shop online. As usual, I left this year's show with a full page of notes on what to improve in my booth the next time around, and even more new product ideas to add to my list!

Since I was manning my booth by myself all day though, I unfortunately did not get a chance to shop around with the other vendors as I would have liked. But, I did get to see a few items while running back and fourth, and on the Craftstravaganza website, that I'd love to share. Be sure to check out these awesome, recycled goodies:

Repurposed vintage necktie accessories from A Boy Named Coy,
Recycled billboard bags by Drive-By Bags & Things,
A variety of fun recycled items from Emily Kircher, Recycling Artist,
Super cool belts made out of tires from Tired Ol' Belts,
...and many, many other creative and talented artists from this year's list of vendors here!

Thanks again, Andy & Jenna, for another fantastic job organizing the show!

Craftstravaganza, Here We Come!

2009-04-30T12:04:00.000-07:00

at the 2009

Hello everyone! This post may only be of interest to my fellow Minnesotans, but I wanted to send out a reminder about the upcoming 2009 St. Paul Craftstravaganza Rogue Art & Craft Sale going on this Saturday, May 2nd! This will be the 2nd year that Junk Mail Gems has been represented in the show. Last year we had a freak snowstorm, so this year is sure to be better! I am always so tempted to just leave my booth and shop because there are so many really cool artists there!!

And, I've got a good deal going on for all of you shoppers who stop by...I will be paying your sales tax for you this year! I figure, everyone else in the US who shops on my site doesn't have to pay MN sales tax. So, I wanted to take this opportunity to pass on that same deal to you!

My booth will be located towards the main entrance of the Fine Arts Building. If you enter and go to the left you should see me. This year I'll have some green fabric hanging from the wall with a blue banner that has my logo, so hopefully I'll be easy to spot.

You can download a pdf with all the details on how to get there and how to find the Junk Mail Gems booth HERE! Hope to meet you at the show! The first 100 shoppers get a free swag bag, so come early!

Fun Kids Craft Ideas from Crafty Crow!

2009-04-29T08:21:00.000-07:00

I just stumbled upon this super awesome blog today called "The Crafty Crow" that is full of great craft ideas for kids! I came across them because they recently posted a link to my paper chain tutorial. There are many fantastic project ideas that utilize recycled materials! So, be sure to check them out...and feel free to hint at your kids that Mother's Day is coming up!!

I also just saw that they are giving away a super cute book full of 20 amigurumi robot crochet patterns! I am totally going to enter, as you all know I'm into crochet robots lately, and you should too!

Amigurumi Robot Blasts into Cyberspace

2009-04-25T20:57:00.000-07:00

What could be more "green" than making your own amigurumi toys and gifts, yourself, out of yarn?!

I am excited to announce that I have just made my first original crochet design pattern available to the public!

I have done several original crochet projects as gifts for family since teaching myself how to crochet about a year ago, such as an "Olivia" doll for my niece Olivia (below, left) and a Dairy Queen "Blizzard cozy" for my Dad (below, right).

I am in the process of designing a new "retro space robot" themed room for my 16 month old boy and thought I'd try my hand at crocheting him a cuddly robot toy. But, this time I thought I'd actually write down what I was doing so that I could turn it into a pattern.

My chicken scratches, when combined with my graphic design skills, turned into an 8 page pdf pattern, complete with full color photos of the process on every page. Robot-loving crocheters can get their copy on my design site for just $5. Purchase the pattern, and I will ship it to you through cyberspace for free!

Aaaw, a smile like this is worth hundreds of thousands of single crochet stitches, don't you think?!*

(*Adorable, curly-headed boy not included)

DWR Champagne Tour Stops in Minneapolis for One Night Only!

2009-04-25T07:11:00.000-07:00

This past Tuesday, this work-from-home Mommy took a break from making Junk Mail Gems, designing retail fixtures, and shipping out face paint to do a very rare and beautiful thing, thanks to Gramma and Grampa, and go out on a date with her husband! We specifically chose April 21st so that we could make one of our stops the Minneapolis DWR studio to check out the 50 champagne chairs "on tour," one of them being mine! (in the photo above)

(Click here to see my chair entries from previous years)

I was never into sports in high school, and me as a cheerleader would have been disasterous, so this is about as close as I've ever come to being on the top of the pyramid. Unfortunately we got out of the house a little late, and enjoyed beverages, appetizers AND dessert at dinner, so we couldn't stay very long as we then missed the first 10 minutes of our movie. But, I was really glad we were able to stop in and see the entries in person! Here are a few photos...

There was another Minnesota-designed chair, and his was also on top of another pyramid:

Here are a few more chair shots...

The "Spring 2009" chair by Gavri Slasky won popular vote:

This "Grape Divine Chair" by Tony Nemyer won "DWR Staff Pick:"

Jesse Menayan's "Kub Armchair" won "Judges Pick:"

It's always fun to see the winning entries and marvel at their feats miniature craftsmanship!
The top 50 chairs are still on tour through May 15th, so check out the schedule here and see if it's coming to a DWR studio near you!

Recycling Neckties

2009-04-21T07:06:00.000-07:00

Every time I go to the thrift store, I can't help but walk down the aisles full of neckties and think about all of the possibilities for transforming them into something new. I always love the graphic patterns on things like this, which really is how I got started with Junk Mail Gems in the first place...I couldn't bear to toss out another menswear catalog full of pictures of ties with the coolest patterns. From there my magnets were born, and the rest is history!

I was just out shopping on one of my favorite shopping sites, Uncommon Goods, and came across these cool wallets and necklaces designed by Laura Skelton of Prix-Prix:

Then I found this great Etsy shop called "Tie One On Designs," that sells recycled necktie purses, skirts, cell phone cases, and more:

Check out this great "Woof Nanny" blog post, full of tips on how you can prepare ties for sewing into something new, along with some photos of beautiful quilts and rugs, like this quilt by Lori Mason Designs,

and some really cool rugs by Eileen Away:

You can find some really great instructions with clear, step-by-step photos here to make this cute cuff bracelet:

...and click here for instructions to make this beautiful necktie scarf:

Craftster also has a nice tutorial to make these cute little necktie daisies, which I think would be great embellishments for just about any project:

I could totally see some of these sewn on to a necktie scarf, used to make greeting cards, or even attached to some wire stems for a bouquet!

And, if you're looking for an easy project to do with the kids for Father's day, check out one of my older posts on turning a tie into a sling for sunglasses!

I love the idea of turning ties into something useful, especially because not only can you make the tie live on, but also possibly the memories of the man who once wore them. You may not want to wear Grandpa's old ties to work, but it's better to turn them into something you will carry with you every day to remind you of him, than to leave it to collect dust in your closet!

A Peek into the Junk Mail Gems Studio

2009-04-16T14:40:00.000-07:00

I've been having fun lately recycling some things into storage in my studio and thought I'd share. Here is a photo of the view of the wall right above my drawing board/work table where I make all of my Junk Mail Gems products:

The wood ledge that the jars are sitting on I got at Ikea in their "as-is" section for $2 and screwed it to the wall to get some of my "stuff" up off of my desktop. You can see on the front face of it I've stuck some peel-n-stick velcro from the hardware store. Then, I put a little piece of the opposite side of the velcro on little things like my computer remote, letter opener, etc...another easy way to store little things you like to have at your fingertips all the time. On the bottom right corner is, of course, my Junk Mail Gems scrap paper box where I recycle my discarded computer printouts into scratch paper. The white board, of course, I found at a local thrift store for a couple bucks!

These are really just food jars. I've soaked the labels overnight in water to easily remove them, and then spray painted all of the lids silver for a more consistent look. They work great for storing little things like my recycled junk mail beads!

I also love to use soup cans and other vegetable cans for holding pens, pencils, and strips of junk mail waiting to be transformed into beads. I have them scattered around my studio as I use tons of them when doing my design work. Here is a can of white board markers that I have glued a row of magnets to, so that I can stick the can to my magnetic white board:

So, there are a couple ways that I like to incorporate some repurposed items into my studio! I am really excited that we are about to start a home remodel this weekend, moving some rooms around, and eventually that means I will be getting a whole new studio. Stay tuned for some shots of my new office "suh-weet" that I am currently designing!

"Repurposeful" + Free Junk Mail Gems Magnets!

2009-04-15T15:02:00.000-07:00

I just recently connected with the folks at this great blog, Repurposeful. It is full of great ways to re-use everyday objects in new ways! I have a feeling I am going to be linking to them quite a bit in the near future!

Anyway, today they posted about my site, and I've partnered with them to give away a free set of magnets to one lucky reader! So, be sure to go check out the post for details on how to enter...it's easy! And while you're there, don't forget to check out all the great ideas on the blog...you're sure to get inspired to do some of your own repurposing!

What to Do with Mylar Balloons?

2009-04-15T10:20:00.000-07:00

What do you do with those shiny, mylar balloons after the party guests have gone home, a week or two passes by, and they start to shrivel up and sink to the ground? I still have a bunch of balloons barely floating in my studio from my son's 1st birthday, and onen from my own birthday last month, which made me think about how I could reuse them. Sure, we can stop buying them, but you may still receive them as gifts anyway from friends and family, especially if you've spent any time in a hospital. (While latex balloons are biodegradeable, they are not allowed into hospitals to protect those with latex allergies.)

Re-Use as Balloons Again:
There is no reason to toss them out and keep purchasing them year after year when they are so easy to deflate and re-use! Cut off or un-tie the string/ribbon from the balloon. Then, simply stick a tube or straw up into the hole until it goes far enough to reach the inside, letting the remaining air out of the hole:

Don't forget to have fun inhaling some of that helium and amuse your kids by singing "Lollipop Guild!" You can now flatten and fold it up, and have it re-filled with helium for your next party.

Use it as a gift bag
Cut the bottom of the balloon off so there is an opening, and insert a gift. Gather the opening together and tie it closed with some ribbon (maybe even the ribbon that was tied to the balloon!). For smaller gift items, you can cut the balloon in half and wrap two with one balloon. Or, separate the front and back and use it as regular gift wrap. Either way, don't forget to add your recycled greeting card gift tag!

Craft Material:
Add them to your box of art & craft supplies for yourself and/or your kids. Shiny paper is a pretty cool addition to a collage! You can also use them as scrapbooking material, as I have mentioned in the past, or to make gift cards and placemats. It's a great way to preserve another part of your child's birthday party, by including a balloon in his or her scrapbook!

Etc...
Shred them and turn them into confetti.
Cut strips and attach them to a hair clip for a festive accessory.
Tie strips to your fence to scare animals away from your vegetables.

...I'm sure you creative readers have more ideas so feel free to comment with more!

Plastic trinket lampshades

2009-04-09T17:30:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd do another post with something from my recent trip to Europe. I spotted this in the gift shop at the Pompidu modern art museum in Paris. They had a cool lamp (on the countertop above) as well as a hanging chandelier (hanging in the pic above), both with shades made out of various colorful plastic trinkets.

I got up close and snapped this shot, and then my husband informed me that there was a "no photography" sign so this was all I got:

I thought this would be a fun idea for something to make...it is so colorful and a great way to re-use all sorts of little trinkets and otherwise disposable plastic things in our lives. I could see one being made out of colorful plastic bottle caps, laundry detergent scoops, spice container tops, bread bag ties, etc... I think I just may have found the project to utilize my stash of random plastic "junk!"

It looks like everything is just strung on string and then attached...you could almost make a garland out of it too!

Zoe Cotlenko's Zipper Jewelry

2009-03-30T09:36:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I just got back from an 11 day family vacation in Paris and London, so that's why you haven't heard from me in a while. But, the good thing is, I will have a couple fun things to post here from my trip.

Today I want to share a fun souvenir I purchased in one of the stores underneath the Louvre. It is a cool little bracelet made out of zippers, which was packaged in a charming little drawstring pouch:

I tried to find a website for the designer, Zoe Cotlenka, however most of the links I find take me to a site that asks for a password to enter. If anyone out there has a link to her direct site, pleas share! I did find this site though which sells more of her work. There are some more very cool pieces made out of zippers, both strung like mine and encased in resin. Check 'em out! I don't know that they are made from recycled zippers, but this is something that could be fun to make out of zippers from old clothing, purses, etc!

New Special Edition Jewelry Supports Cancer Research & Charities

2009-03-06T12:44:00.000-08:00

If you are currently a subscriber of the Junk Mail Gems e-newsletter then you've already heard about the latest new products. But, I thought I'd post about them today for everyone else! I now have some new special edition jewelry available...read on for the story behind these special beads!

In the summer of 2008 my dad was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. After many tough rounds of chemo, we are happy to announce he is in remission! So what does this have to do with junk mail? Read on!

As you know, I make hand rolled beads, pendants, and magnets out of my recycled security envelopes. I get tons and tons of blue and black patterns in my junk mail, but rarely receive red. I’ve told my family who like to collect envelopes from their mail for me that I have more than enough blue and black, but if they ever come across red, I’ll take ‘em!

Since my Dad’s cancer journey began, naturally my parents have been flooded with mail from their medical insurance company...all arriving in red-patterned security envelopes. I did not want to just mix these in with my regular selection, since I consider these red envelopes to be special. Besides being a rare occurrence in my own mail, they are a reminder of how much my dad and mom have been through this past year. So, what to do? The answer came to me almost instantly!

I have decided to create some new red beads and necklaces, and to donate a portion of the proceeds from these items to two very important charities.

If you know someone who’s gone through hard medical times, you may have heard of CaringBridge.org. They provide free web space for people going through life threatening illnesses, enabling them to post journal entries & photos, and receive messages from family and friends in their online “guest book.” My dad’s CaringBridge site has been a great support, not only for family and friends to keep up on his progress, but for all of his loved ones to channel their support through their loving guest book messages. For this reason, $5.00 of every red paper bead necklace purchase will be donated to CaringBridge.

For every red envelope glass pendant necklace sold, Junk Mail Gems will donate $5.00 to the important work of The American Cancer Society.

Thank you for helping support not only the environment and small business-owning Mommies, but also these very worthwhile causes!

Urban Alchemy: Tranforming Recycled Materials into Custom Couture!

2009-03-05T08:57:00.000-08:00

Wow, it's been way too long since I've posted! My design business has been pretty busy this past month with several projects that have taken up most of my time, not to mention a sick child, and the fact that I've been frantically trying to brush up on my French in time for our upcoming trip to Paris! Anyway, enough of my excuses...let's get to the good stuff!!

I'd like to introduce you all to a friend who, like myself, has recently left her gig at the same corporate office I was at to enter "momtrepreneurialhood!"

Alicia is her name and Urban Alchemy is her new game...check out her site full of really cool and original fashions, hand crafted from recycled and other natural material, right here in sunny Minnesota! Download her catalogue here, where you can literally build your own piece and have it hand made by Alicia, incorporating your own recycled materials if you choose. What better way to give your old, worn, favorite t-shirts a hot, new second life?!

It may have taken an appendectomy to finally convince her to follow her true passion, but nonetheless, she has bravely made the leap and I wish her great success! Check out more of her great work on her website here, or you can visit her new shop on Etsy, here!

Okay, better get back to rolling my security envelope beads while my little sidekick is still napping...I'm working on some new colors! Watch out blue and black...red and green are comin' to town! Stay tuned for updates on the new beads and jewelry coming soon!

Crochet + Beer Cans = Party Hat?!

2009-02-13T08:54:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week my mom and I were out hitting a few thrift stores in the area, and I came across this hat made out of a combination of beer cans and crochet...a combination I must say I never thought I'd see! I could not bring myself to pay the $9.99 price tag on it, but my mom had her camera handy and got this shot!

So, I thought I'd Google it to see what other beer can related recycling projects I could find. And, what is the first thing I stumble across? A site that sells these exact hats!!! Check it out here.

When I saw this in the thrift store among the other old hats, I pictured a little old lady wearing it and it just made me laugh. But, after seeing the website, I can see they are targeting college kids. But, they can also make purses too! So, if you have a favorite beer and some school colors to go along with it, you can have your own custom drinking hat or bag made here!

Recycling Shotgun Shells

2009-02-11T21:35:00.000-08:00

I picked up a couple handfuls of shotgun shells while exploring some wilderness on my recent trip to Arizona, and it got me thinking of ways to recycle them. Here are a few things I found out on the web...

Here's a cool chair made out of shells:

Our friends over at Great Green Goods posted these cool earrings:

You can even find instructions to make your own shotgun shell jewelry here.

You can find some instructions here to make these shotgun shell lights:

You can even get salt and pepper shakers made out of them!

And last but not least...nothin' says Christmas like a shotgun shell ornament!

Hmm...now I just have the tough task of deciding which of the many cool projects out there to try...

Travel With Toddlers...My Experience & Tips

2009-02-10T11:56:00.000-08:00

I just returned from my first time attempting air travel with a toddler, and since I have so many other mommy readers, I thought I'd share my experience for those of you who are interested!

We flew from Minnesota to Arizona, which is about a 3.5 hour flight or so...coupled with a 2 hour drive from the airport to our end destination. I seem to have a surprisingly angelic child, however, I did find that there were several things I did along the way that may be helpful to other traveling mommies.

BABY GEAR
I have been researching and purchasing travel baby gear for the last 2-3 months in preparation for our upcoming overseas trip to Paris, and got a chance to test some of it out on this "dry run" to Arizona. You can so easily spend a fortune on baby travel gear, but some of it is really worth it to give you a little extra sanity, and you can easily find many of these items on Ebay or Craig's List. Keep in mind that not all things work for all children or all parents, but as for my own experience, here are a few things I highly recommend...

The Sit-n-Stroll.

Making this purchase cut down on our "stuff to lug around" and made the whole airport ordeal much easier. It looks like and functions as a car seat, but then when Mommy pushes the magic button, voila...a stroller. We were the envy of every parent lugging a car seat and stroller through the airport. It fit through the security scanner when laid upside down, and it not only wheeled our little guy right to the plane, but down the aisle and right to our seat, where it transformed back into a safety seat for our little traveler to the airplane seat. No more dragging around a clunky car seat or waiting for your checked stroller at the plane door!

(By the way, a little sidebar here...it boggles my mind that the airlines are required to secure down every person and every physical OBJECT on an airplane for safety, yet it is not required to secure a child, our most precious passengers at all. If you can at all afford to purchase a seat for your child rather than taking them as a "lap child," please do so!)

We then wheeled our way off the plane, then collapsed to function as a car seat in Grampa's truck, all without unbuckling the little passenger. Genius. Pure genius. I saved $60 getting it on Ebay, although without a warranty because I am willing to live dangerously if it saves me a few bucks. I found an extra large binder clip to come in very handy to keep the sun shade back when it was not in use. Otherwise, it wants to stay open all the time. It does not have cup holders and all the fancy storage areas of a larger stroller, but you can get accessory bags to hang from it separately. My little traveler spent many hours in it, and even after finally returning home, wanted to keep climbing into it on the living room floor just to sit. So, I'm guessing it's as comfortable for him as it looked!

Phil & Ted's MeToo Traveling High Chair.

It folds down to like an inch high. It weighs 2 pounds and holds up to a 40 lb child. When our suitcases were too full to add any more, we still had room to lay this high chair on top before zipping it up. Keep in mind it won't attach to EVERY table, but it worked great for us at Gramma and Grampa's house and several restaurants. I bought this to use in Paris after hearing that high chairs are hard to come by in restaurants. With something so small and portable, why not bring your own? Then you don't have to look at that white goo caked into the nylon straps of the crusty restaurant high chair and wonder what food item it once was or how long it had been chewed before being smeared into those crevices. I used some canvas left-over from an old project to sew a simple "envelope" to slide the whole thing into. This is one thing I think they should add if they were to make another generation.

The TRAYblecloth

This is a really cool little thing for several reasons. 1) It gives your child a clean surface to eat and play on, sliding over the airplane tray table. 2) It folds up tiny so it does not take up much room. 3) It can serve as entertainment for older kids by placing things like a tic tac toe board on a piece of paper under the clear cover, acting like a whiteboard (comes with markers). 4) It holds more stuff. There are pockets that come in very handy, even when the tray table is up. We had my little guy's tray table up the whole flight and still used this for things I needed to grab quickly and didn't want to fish for down in the dark, grimy depths of those seatback pockets. It is my firm belief that whatever is used to store barf bags should not be used to store my baby's utensils. It also worked perfectly to hold my video iPod in the center pocket, in front of him but out of reach, without covering the screen.

Phil & Ted's Traveller Bed

I'm a fan of the pack-n-play, but NOT for lugging through an airport. I don't know who Phil and Ted are, but they sure do know a thing or two about taking excellent adventures with kid stuff. We didn't use this in Arizona since Gramma had a crib, but have a few times around home, and it will serve as our crib every night in Paris. It weighs less than 6 pounds and folds down to 24" long, fitting inside our larger suitcases with room to spare.

Baby Wrap
My little guy outgrew his Baby Bjorn, and I really didn't want to haul along my big Kelty Kids' backpack on a plane. (I got one at a garage sale which worked great for our hike up north, but does not fold down small for plane travel.) So, I turned to wraps for something more portable.

You can get a Moby Wrap for around $40 (link above), or you can make your own for a fraction of the cost, which is what I did (photo above). Basically it is just a huge piece of fabric. Depending on the kind of fabric you get, you may have sew a zig-zag stitch on an edge or two, but otherwise it just involves buying some fabric and cutting it. I also affixed a tiny iron-on patch to mine to make it easier to find the center. I got instructions to make a wrap HERE. Some people say to use cotton jersey (t-shirt material) and some cotton gauze. I went with the latter. The link has some great visuals to help you find the right fabric. I also found a great YouTube video showing you how to use it and after watching it and practicing a few times, you'll get the hang of it. It's a lot of fabric to maneuver, but most people find it to be the most comfortable option for your back. Here we are on our hike...it was actually a little chilly and windy this day, but the gauze is a very light and breatheable fabric for hot days as well:

The Hotsling (above) is another good option. It is much less fabric to maneuver than the Moby style wrap and perfect for those occasions where you'd rather not look like Obi-Wan Kenobi. But, I find the Moby is more comfortable for longer hikes on my bad back. I brought both on my trip.

ENTERTAINMENT
Of course you need to keep your little one entertained the entire way...it's in everyone's best interest to keep baby happy on the flight, even if it means waiting on him/her hand and foot for a while. Here's what seemed to work for me when it came to keeping my guy distracted from the fact that he was spending hours upon hours strapped down...

Mommy's Bag of Tricks

I found a small zipper pouch at a thrift store for $1, and limited myself to it's capacity on toys. I then collected various small toys at thrift stores and a few new items as well. (some shown above with Amazon links) It was fun to collect small items, and I found I only needed 2 toys on the flight out while he napped most of the time...maybe 4 on the way back. The trick was to find toys that were small and that he had never played with before. I found some fun light-up toys (with no sound effects out of courtesy for our fellow passengers), which were extra fun when it got dark. Don't overdo the toys...remember, you'll probably find some fun souvenir toys along the way, and your child will no doubt draw minutes and minutes of entertainment from some things you've never expected. (like plastic cups, magazines, spoons, etc) Yes, every MINUTE counts!

Movies
I have a video iPod which was wonderful for airplane entertainment as well as bedtime.
I got these kid sized headphones from Amazon:

I wasn't sure if my 13 month old would keep headphones on his head, but once he figured out that's where his favorite music was coming from, he actually used them! The key was the content on the iPod. I have many home movies of him growing up on my iPod that I make via iMovie, and he loves to watch himself (and other babies) on the screen. I just slid the iPod into the center pocket of the TRAYblecloth (above) and it was in perfect view. My little guy doesn't really watch TV much at home so this was an extra special treat. You can also download free podcasts that work great...I recommend "Vintage Tooncast" for a bunch of old (& very politically incorrect) cartoons.

COMFORT ITEMS
Most children have a favorite blankie or toy, etc. Don't leave home without them. My little guy had a couple and I tied one with a shoelace to his stroller/carseat strap so it wouldn't get lost. I also packed an un-washed sheet, the one he slept on the night before we left, which made Gramma's crib smell like home.

My little guy has a mobile in his crib that he likes to fall asleep to every night that plays music and looks like an aquarium with fish, lights and bubbles in water. (scored at a garage sale for $2) Not wanting to clear out a square foot of our suitcase to lug it along with it's 4 heavy D batteries, I came up with a creative idea that worked great. Before the trip I took my camera and filmed his mobile running, then dropped it into iMovie, copied and pasted it a few times so it would last about a half hour. I exported the little "fishy mobile" movie, complete with it's own music, to my iPod. I purchased these portable speakers for about $6 from a seller on Amazon:

My video iPod then became an instant travel mobile. I folded open the speakers, set the iPod in it, and played the fishy mobile sound and movie just out of reach from his crib. Not only did it give my little guy some comfort of home, but the little LED light on the speakers and the backlit iPod screen worked as a great nightlight while it played.

SAFETY
Every mom worries about her little one's safety. It's our job, 24-7, and it only gets more stressful when you leave the safe, babyproofed coccoon of home. I read many books on traveling with kids and found some good tips for babyproofing, like bringing along a roll of masking tape to cover outlets. This works particularly well for international trips, when your American outlet covers won't fit their outlets. Also, binder clips and rubber bands can work well to tie up cabinets and curtains. If you're staying within the US, it doesn't hurt to throw a handful of outlet covers into your suitcase if you have room.

Mommy I'm Here Child Locator

I just can't bear to put a leash on my child, so I opted for the Mommy I'm Here Child Locator. If you'll be taking a toddler in hand through crowded places, this will hopefully not be used but will set your mind at ease if nothing else. You attach the little bear to your child and if they get away from you in that split second you aren't looking (it happens to the best of us), just push the button on your keychain to let out a loud beep. We didn't use this in AZ but I got it just in case for our overseas trip. Look for a possible review of this after that trip!

First Aid
Don't forget to pack along a standard first aid kit. Other items that are good to have on hand for babies are some infant Tylenol, thermometer, nasal aspirator, and whatever else your child has used in the past for his or her ailments. I also picked up some child's EarPlanes, and some homeopathic Calms Forte 4 Kids for the plane. I didn't use the EarPlanes as I didn't think he'd keep them in, but I hear they work for older kids. Don't forget some Orajel, Teething Tablets, or whatever you use for teething comfort, as well as a medicine syringe for dispensing any liquid relief.

OTHER USEFUL STUFF
Pacifier Clips

I've been using these pacifier clips since our little guy was born. On our trip, though, we also used them to attach toys to his carseat/stroller. The end opens with velcro so you can use it to secure many items...even a sippy cup handle, and the clips are nice and strong.

Reuseable Juice Box

I got one of these and used it all the time. It's small and square which fits well into a carry-on, and you can pour any beverage into it with the option of sealing it off to use later. We took this to every restaurant too as it causes less mess than those restaurant kids cups (which always have the annoyingly large adult straws). I don't believe it's BPA free plastic, so I wouldn't use it every day of his life, but for a trip it worked great.

Books

I read many books on traveling with kids, and found "Travels With Baby" to be the best by far. By the time I finished it, I had pages of notes on products to check out, tips, things to pack, and websites to visit. Most of the other books I checked out were geared at older kids, but this one was full of great info for traveling with a BABY. So, it's the only book I'm recommending!

I hope some of these items and tips will be of use to some of you...if not, then I've just wasted a ton of time writing! I'd love to hear your comments if any of you seasoned travelers have had any other good tips or recommendations. I'm sure I'll have more unexpected adventures ahead with our overseas trip and can always use more advice! :-)

My Shameless Plug for VOTES!

2009-02-05T06:40:00.000-08:00

Hello friends, family, and fans! Last month I told you all about DWR's Champagne Chair contest. Well, turns out my chair was among the 50 top designs chosen to tour the country! The winners of the grand prizes have not been disclosed yet. But, here is where YOU come in! This week they are taking votes on their blog for the "popular vote" prize winner. Mine is up for voting today. I would be much obliged if you would take just a couple seconds to check out the awesome chairs and vote for one! If you'd like to remain biased like myself, and support Junk Mail Gems, please go vote for my chair here...it's called "Silver Chair," and is the one with the silver webbing and the built in floor lamp! (4th one down in today's selection of chairs)

I don't think they got the greatest photo so here are a few more pics of my entry! Keep in mind that at it's highest point, the top of the lamp, the chair measures 4 inches.

Here's a close-up of the top of the lamp shade:

Webbing: I originally chose a bottle with pink and a bottle with purple foil, to get a cool mix of colors. However, after weaving them all together and looking at the BACK, I noticed this awesome contrast of textures rather than color, and decided to go all silver. (One foil was textured and the other smooth)

There was no glue or tape harmed in the making of this chair...it completely holds itself together. ;-)

Okay, now go vote here! Thank you very much!!

Cool green displays can double as home decor

2009-01-28T18:52:00.001-08:00

I was making some new displays today for my booth at this year's Craftstravaganza, and thought it might be worth sharing because I could see these things being used in someone's home as well. I wanted to get a tiered counter top basket display to hold my loose beads for people to dig through, much like this display. But, then I thought to myself, silly me...why should I waste any of my precious margin on a stock fixture like this? I mean, I AM an experienced retail fixture designer after all, and the business that I am designing these displays for is all about repurposing old stuff.

So, after recovering from my momentary lack of judgement, off to the thrift store I went! In one stop at Saver's, I found some heavy brass candlesticks in varying heights for the tiered effect, and three sizes of baskets. ( I also found a miniature mailbox that I will paint and use in my display, going with the junk mail theme of my work.) All of these items cost me about $10-$12. (Most thrift stores have an entire aisle of candlesticks and at LEAST an aisle of baskets.)

So, here is what you need to know to do this fun DIY project:
STEP 1: Glue candlestick to basket.
STEP 2: Spray paint the whole thing.

DONE! What a simple project. I could totally see these being used on a dining room table to hold some fruit, a plant, some potpourri, or a grouping of candles. You could even use something else in place of a basket, like a pan, plate, or bowl. The possibilities are endless. I went for wicker so the base would weigh much more than the top, keeping them stable when shoppers dig through the beads. I was hoping to find a candeabra with several arms on one base, but I think these worked out nicely and still gave me the tiered effect with the flexibility of arranging them however I please:

For what shipping alone would have cost me for that stock fixture, I made something unique and totally within my Junk Mail Gems brand...not to mention a cool item to use in my house and a great DIY project to share with you!