I make useful goods from upcycled paper and textiles. I am a collector of treasures and hoarder of snarky quotes.
My favorite thing is to go into a thrift store yard sale, or rummage sale and dig for materials.
By the end of my trek through a thrift store my cart will be overflowing with t-shirts, jeans, flannel shirts, jackets, kids' sweaters, tablecloths, shower curtains, sheets and a couple of vintage atlases. I bring these home and give the textiles a good washing. With scissors in hand, I look at each piece to see what it will become. I cut the letters from an unwanted t-shirt and add them to my stash of letters to make ransom note designs. I cut the legs off a pair of jeans and add a small cat face cut from a t-shirt and sew some ribbon to the edge for a unique pair of cut offs. I'll take a toddler dress and cut off the top, sew up the bottom, add a lining and strap and make a unique bag for a festival. I’ll take my hoard of pieces of tie dye t-shirt and make a patchwork blanket and a rainbow rug. I’m always trying new things and imagining different ways to cut apart and sew back together the textiles I collect.
From vintage maps and atlases, I make pins, magnets and cards using the original pages (no copies). People of all backgrounds and ages love to acquire a piece of a place that is special to them.
I love to demonstrate what I do. I can bring my sewing machine and some raw materials and show people how things are made. I think it's important that people understand the work that goes into the creation of goods.
Many themes run through my work: pop culture, music, animals, geography, science, and general snarkiness. I love to play with color and pattern. I have made thousands of bags, hundreds of blankets and countless other items.