Etsy Shop for SalvagedExpression

Vintage Decanter with 3 cups

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 06:31:31 -0500

$20.00
A decanter that looks like an old water pump, with three cups made to look like wooden stiens. This item is made of some kind of hard plastic or enamel that looks and sounds deceptively like ceramic. The decanter has spikes to hold up to 6 cups.

The decanter is 8" (20 cm) tall, 7" (16cm) wide and 3" (7 cm) deep. Each cup is 1.5" tall (4.5 cm) and just as wide with the handle.

The Salvaged Story:
Just when I had run out of vintage items from my aunt's attic and was thinking how silly and lonely the remaining 2 pieces in my shop looked I went out to visit my buddy and his sister, brother in law and nephews.
While indulging in free food and beverages we got word that a woman down the street had passed away and her daughter was cleaning out the house. She said that anything left on the curb was free to all takers. Like any good starving artist I checked it out with gusto!
Out of the boxes the nephews, my buddy and I pulled a number of treasures including this decanter. It has sat in my collection for a while and now I decided to pass it on to you. The item seems to have come in contact with pale yellow paint at some point but the small spatters come off easily.

Slow Roasted Bottlecap Pendant

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 06:59:44 -0500

$5.00
A bottlecap pendant filled with coffee beans and sealed with the ability to wake up...or just resin. 1.5" wide (4.25cm) and .25" deep (.5cm). Great for a barista or other coffee worker, coffee addict or anyone who just likes a good bean.

The Salvaged Story:
A friend of mine (dagin27.etsy.com in fact) makes beautiful beaded jewelry and recently gave me a jar full of her unusable beads, a few bottle caps, some tulle and an old book, saying "You can use these, right?" *Gulp*
Well of course I can! Another friend http://isntthatsomething.etsy.com threw a few coffee beans at me with a similar phrase not long after so the combination was inevitable.

Coffee anyone?

Irish Glass Pendant

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 06:55:19 -0500

$4.00
For your Irish neck on St. Patty's Day or year round. 1.5" wide (4.25cm) and .5" deep (1cm).

The Salvaged Story:
A friend of mine (dagin27.etsy.com in fact) makes beautiful beaded jewelry and recently gave me a jar full of her unusable beads. Some were too pointy, some had no holes and some like these were just plain broken. She also gifted me with a few bottle caps, some tulle and an old book, saying "You can use these, right?" *Gulp*
Well of course I can! So I present you with an Irish flag pendant made with glue, glass beads, bottle cap, paper clip, ingenuity and love.

Colors may vary by monitor. If you aren't happy with your order for any reason just contact me within a week and I'll do what I can to make it right.

Escape from the Ordinary Free-form Crochet Belt

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 09:32:17 -0500

$10.00
The third belt in my blacklight line this is also my first experiment with free form crochet.
This belt features an O ring slide through belt buckle and is 3 feet 7 inches long (115 cm) long and 2 inches (5cm) wide on average. This belt has a lot of stretch so if it's not quite your size it will probably stretch to fit!

The Salvaged Story:
I love things that glow in the dark. Always have, always will. As a result of this I had a lot of old glow bracelets and thankfully an idea.
The buckle on this belt has been on 2 separate camping trips and has been glued into a set of sturdy rings and sewn onto this belt.
http://doodlestar.etsy.com/ has been holding a weekly "Inspiration challenge on her blog Thursday Sweet Treat http://thursdaysweettreat.blogspot.com/ where she posts an inspiration every friday and the following thursday posts the creations of each crafter. This week was Vibrant Chaotic Rainbows.
The impression I get of free form crochet is that you make whatever mess you feel like making and then crochet your way out of it. In the middle you get a textural crazy piece with beautiful moments and crazy colors through the whole thing.

If anyone is interested yes that is me attempting to model this belt. None of the photos showed it really well but I just liked that one.

Machine wash delicate in cold and hang dry.
Check out the policies section of my shop for...my policies. :)

The Search for Love Pendant

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 07:00:33 -0500

$7.00
A bottlecap pendant inspired by fireflies, people, nature and the search for love. 1.5" wide (4.25cm) and .25" deep (.5cm).

The Salvaged Story:
http://doodlestar.etsy.com/ has been holding a weekly "Inspiration challenge on her blog Thursday Sweet Treat http://thursdaysweettreat.blogspot.com/ where she posts an inspiration every friday and the following thursday posts the creations of each crafter. This week was Flicker of Imagination or fireflies.
I got somewhat stuck on the idea of fireflies looking for a mate and of course that signature glow.
In the search for love your compass is broken. Beautiful but slippery rocks abound and can trip you up at any moment. Sometimes you're not even sure if your destination is real or which way to go but at night hope (or a couple of glow in the dark beads) flickers through and helps get you through another day of searching for what you love here in the real world.

I could just has easily called it "I love the outdoors" but of course the compass really is broken!

Rose Lariat Necklace

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 08:10:16 -0500

$8.00
A soft black and white lariat caresses the throat while a pink rose playfully entices.
The rose is 2.5 inches in diameter or 7 cm roughly. The lariat itself is 2 feet long or about 60 cm.

The Salvaged Story:
The first of what I'm hoping will be a few pieces of textile jewelry. I'm pretty happty with it though it always reminds me of Carmen from the opera. The pink is the last of my phenomenally 80's pink yarn unless I start re purposing again and the lariat... ok I bought that yarn because of it's suede and fluffy texture and general beauty.

The yarn may felt when washed cold wash and hang dry.

Set of Wooden Romantic Tiles PIF

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 07:48:42 -0500

$0.20
A set of wooden cupids, gentleman bears and a bouquet of flowers. Good for scrapbooking, jewelry making or wherever your imagination may take you.
Each tile is 1.25" at it's widest point or 3 cm.

PIF stands for Pay It Forward.
The rules are such: in exchange for getting an item for the listing and shipping price alone you agree to do a kind deed or list a PIF in your own shop if you have one.
We're all on the honor system!

Rust Gone Wrong Chain Link Pendant

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:03:23 -0500

$6.00
Wire wrap pendant with brown, yellow, black and white glass beads around a chain link. This pendant is roughly 3 inches long and 1.5 inches wide.

The Salvaged Story:
This is the second of two chain links I found in the Napa Auto Parts parking lot on my way to the Post Office one afternoon. Both were taken with rather embarrassing amounts of glee to my house and turned into wire wrap pendants thanks to wire and bead donations from a friend who didn't need them any more.
I put a layer of sealant on the chain so that no rust gets on you or your clothes and took a great deal of pleasure in choosing the most irregular beads I could find to spruce up this pendant. I went with a muted sepia type color scheme mostly because it seemed like a good idea at the time. This is one of my favorite pieces and would make a bold and interesting addition to any outfit.

Colors may vary by monitors however the pictures accurately reflect the product. If you are unhappy with your purchase for any reason just let me know within a week and I'll do what I can to make it right.

Zebra Stripe Skullcap

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:59:11 -0500

$9.00
A white and black striped hat made to look like the stripes of a zebra. This hat is 8 inches tall (20cm) and 22 inches in circumference around the head (54cm) for a one size fits most cap.

The Salvaged Story:
http://doodlestar.etsy.com/ has been holding a weekly "Inspiration challenge on her blog Thursday Sweet Treat http://thursdaysweettreat.blogspot.com/ where she posts an inspiration every Friday and the following Thursday posts the creations of each crafter.
This week was Artistic Safari.
The colors, textures and patterns I associate with Africa aren't a place I generally go for inspiration but in the end and after much experimentation I got to this cap that really fits into my aesthetic and has made me rethink some of my opinions about all those other colors and patterns I may be missing out on.

Hand wash and lay dry.

White Russian 31 Unsealed Paper Beads

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:04:04 -0500

$1.50
31 unsealed paper beads in black and white with occasional flashes of color.
Beads are approximately 1 inch (2.5cm) long and .25 inches (.5cm) wide.
They're surprisingly tough and can take moderate moisture (rain sure, swimming no) all are hand rolled by me and hopefully they're as fun to use as they were to make.

The Salvaged Story:
I was going through my stash of old college literature zines and decided to thin the herd before a move. The results wound up as a load of multicolored beads. I seperated them by color and am offering them here. If you're interested in multiple sets feel free to contact me about a bulk discount. Enjoy!

Blue Hawiian 18 Unsealed Paper Beads

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:08:24 -0500

$1.00
18 unsealed paper beads in sky blue, white and an occasional dash of bright green.
Beads are approximately 1 inch (2.5cm) long and .25 inches (.5cm) wide.
They're surprisingly tough and can take moderate moisture (rain sure, swimming no) all are hand rolled by me and hopefully they're as fun to use as they were to make.

The Salvaged Story:
I was going through my stash of old college literature zines and decided to thin the herd before a move. The results wound up as a load of multicolored beads. I've seperated them by color but feel free to convo me if you'd like several sets together for a bulk discount!

Extraterrestrials Want You Pendant

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:42:07 -0500

$3.00
This pendant features an alien almost in the classic "Uncle Sam Wants You!" position. The bottle cap is suspended by a can tab to hang from a chain, ribbon or other necklace type of your choice.
The pendant measures 1.25" wide (3cm) and .5" tall (1cm).

The Salvaged Story:
I was looking for designs to go under my green glass bubbles and thought this one was particularly awesome. The trouble is it was just too awesome to go under glass!
The whole pendant is held together with glitter mod podge and e-6000 glue and all rough edges have been smoothed to ensure comfort against the skin!

Whiskey Glass Bubble Magnet

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 10:10:50 -0500

$1.00
A glass bubble magnet that says "Whiskey". Why, because I thought it looked cool!

This magnet measures roughly 1 inch (2cm) in diameter and .5 inches tall (1.5cm).

The Salvaged Story:
The backing paper is from the same magazine as my Sportsmen Magnets http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=33413038
where I saw a whiskey ad that just begged to be immortalized.
Do you need it? I really have no idea, but do you want it? I think you do. (It's a lot like whiskey that way, eh?)

Swinging in the Rain Blue Multi Strand Scarf

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:26:43 -0500

$7.00
A multi strand scarf that I'm so pleased with that I'll be making one for myself shortly. This scarf is made up of seperate pieces in various shades of blue, white and purple of slightly different lenghts. The overall scarf is roughly 6 feet in length (180 cm) and can be worn at it's full length or wrapped many times for whatever degree of warmth is desired.

The Salvaged Story:
http://doodlestar.etsy.com/ has been holding a weekly "Inspiration challenge on her blog Thursday Sweet Treat http://thursdaysweettreat.blogspot.com where she posts an inspiration every friday and the following thursday posts the creations of each crafter. This week was Let Beauty Rain Down Upon...
I raided my yarn stash for blues, white and purple of varying textures and colors and added some ribbon yarn, wooly yarn and silver beads to produce this fun and beautiful scarf.

Recycle Bottle Cap Pendant

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:42:27 -0500

$3.00
This pendant features the recycle symnol under a green glass cabochon and is backed by a can tab (covered in glue so as not to irritate skin) to hang from a chain, ribbon or other necklace type of your choice.

The pendant measures 1.25" wide (3cm) and .5" tall (1cm).

The Salvaged Story:
Because sometimes you have to be just a little obvious! After all what goes better on a recycled bottle cap necklace than the recycle symbol itself?

Whisky Sour 17 Unsealed Paper Beads

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:23:24 -0500

$1.00
17 unsealed paper beads in black, tan and white. Beads are approximately 1 inch (2.5cm) long and .25 inches (.5cm) wide.
They're surprisingly tough and can take moderate moisture (rain sure, swimming no) all are hand rolled by me and hopefully they're as fun to use as they were to make.

The Salvaged Story:
I was going through my stash of old college literature zines and decided to thin the herd before a move. The results wound up as a load of multicolored beads. I've seperated them by color and will be rolling out each set in the coming weeks.

Purple Polka Dots Scarf

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:32:39 -0500

$9.00
A light, fun and eccentric scarf to liven your days.
Each rounded dot is 3 inches wide (8 cm) and the scarf is 3feet 6.5 inches long (104 cm).

The Salvaged Story:
I've been habing some fun with light fall/spring scarves lately and decided to make one using the fun crocheted spots that I made a while ago and have been staring up at me since. This scarf can be worn alone or wrapped up with your warmest scarf so you're both cozy and cool at once.

Hand wash cool hang dry.

Jager Bomb 27 Unsealed Paper Beads

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:39:54 -0500

$1.50
Ok, so it doesn't really look like Jager or Red Bull but it does look like awesome wild fun. Artistic licence and all that.
27 unsealed paper beads in green, white, purple, pink and red. Beads are approximately 1 inch (2.5cm) long and .25 inches (.5cm) wide.

They're surprisingly tough and can take moderate moisture (rain sure, swimming no) all are hand rolled by me and hopefully they're as fun to use as they were to make.

The Salvaged Story:
I was going through my stash of old college literature zines and decided to thin the herd before a move. The results wound up as a load of multicolored beads which true to form I couldn't get around to listing until after the move. So save my new home from drowning in supplies and buy some beads!

Purple Sweet Pea Seeds

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:16:50 -0500

$1.00
You will receive 10 + sweet pea seeds (Lathyrus odoratus) to your waiting hands. All seeds are grown organically and hand harvested by me.

Warning: perennial sweet peas can be invasive in warm and temperate climates.

The Salvaged Story:
Sweet pea is a flowering, climbing perennial, growing to a height of 1-2 meters. Tendrils help the sweet pea climb and while the sweet pea is not edible it is a favorite of butterflies and bees. The flowers are range from light purples to light pinks.
These peas have been harvested from my own property where they grace a sloping portion of land near the road and keep erosion down. They're a great low maintenance plant that is beloved by pollinating insects and very generous with their seeds!

Margarita 27 Unsealed Paper Beads

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:58:33 -0500

$1.50
27 unsealed paper beads in green, white, yellow, magenta and occasional flashes of other happy colors. Beads are approximately 1 inch (2.5cm) long and .25 inches (.5cm) wide.
They're surprisingly tough and can take moderate moisture (rain sure, swimming no) all are hand rolled by me and hopefully they're as fun to use as they were to make.

The Salvaged Story:
I was going through my stash of old college literature zines and decided to thin the herd before a move. The results wound up as a load of multicolored beads which true to form I couldn't get around to listing until after the move. So save my new home from drowning in supplies and buy some beads!

Shining Green Stone Pendant

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:39:48 -0500

$3.00
This pendant features a mirrored paper under a green glass cabochon and is backed by a can tab to hang from a chain, ribbon or other necklace type of your choice.
The pendant measures 1.25" wide (3cm) and .5" tall (1cm).

The Salvaged Story:
One of the first bottle cap pendants I ever made I decided to see if I could use some mirrored sticker paper I had lying around to get this green glass to really shine. The result catches the light beautifully and looks great next to the natural stone I used to accent the piece.
The bottle cap is a spare from my SO's home brewing hobby so you'll be supporting two crafters at once!

Clean or Dirty Dishwasher Magnets

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:55:53 -0500

$3.00
Set of 2 magnets one saying "clean" the other "dirty". Useful on dishwashers or any other place you might have that needs periodic cleaning.

The magnets measure roughly 1 inch (2cm) in diameter and .5 inches tall (1.5cm).

The Salvaged Story:
Living with other people can be a struggle. Domestic mind reading being a thing of the future I came up with these magnets to deal with the struggles of today. Simply place the correct magnet above the incorrect one so that your housemate(s) know whether they can just throw their dishes in or if the machine needs to be emptied.
These magnets could also work well anywhere you have a surface that needs frequent cleaning in the home or at work.

Eragon Dragon Heart Pendant

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:10:25 -0400

$2.00
A heart shaped pendant with the e shaped dragon symbol from Eragon emblazoned on the front.

The pendant is 1.75 inches long (4cm), 1 inch wide (3cm) and sits nearly flat against the chest.

The Salvaged Story:
The bauble itself is the remnant of a pin I got for donating to the American Heart Association on a trip to the movies. The pin back broke but the heart itself seems to be made of sterner stuff. It is suspended by a can tab to hang from a chain, ribbon or other necklace type of your choice.

When we fly together

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:00:26 -0400

$3.00
Pencil and marker sketch on regular 8.5" by 11" paper showing a running female and her guardian angel.

The Salvaged Story:
This drawing was created for DoodleStar's Thursday Sweet Treat Blog http://thursdaysweettreat.blogspot.com/
for the "Angels" theme.
Basically it's a memory of playing on rock outcrops as a child and a certain leap I loved. I played around with the image and the idea that any guardian angel assigned to me probably has their work cut out for them!

Sportsmens Magnets

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:06:12 -0400

$9.00
Set of 7 magnets showing popular game animals. Perfect for the consumate sportsman, woman or outdoors lover in your life.

The magnets measure roughly 1 inch (2cm) in diameter and .5 inches tall (1.5cm).

The Salvaged Story:
I'm not really sure where the magazine came from... It showed up in the house one day and I found myself reading up on the best way to find antler sheds, the zen of a good shot and how to be rescued if you get lost in the woods. These photos were part of an article on game species that were being affected by global warming and they seemed too good to let them be thrown away.

The photos are (for those of you checking your knowledge) White Tail Deer, Big Horn Sheep, Salmon, Trout, Mallard Duck, Bobwhite, and Moose.

Garden Bombs

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:24:25 -0400

$10.00
This is for a set of 8 garden bombs 7 small and 1 large which reads Spread Seeds of Joy.

The flower seeds include Black Eyed Susans, Dwarf Sunflowers, Milkweed (for the butterflies), Sweet Peas and Morning Glory. The largest contains 4 acorns with fewer flowers so that any seedlings can have access to the sunlight.

Small flower bombs are 1.5" (4cm) by 2" (4.5cm) and .5" (1.5cm) deep. The large bomb is 2.5" across (6.5cm) andabout the same depth.

The Salvaged Story:
http://doodlestar.etsy.com/ has been holding a weekly "Inspiration challenge on her blog Thursday Sweet Treat
http://thursdaysweettreat.blogspot.com/ where she posts an inspiration every friday and the following thursday posts the creations of each crafter. This weeks theme was Spreading Joy.
I've been captivated lately by the idea of Guerilla Gardening. It's the idea of taking empty land ie. the grass between lanes of a highway or an abandoned lot and growing beautiful and/or edible things there for everyone. I made a set of garden bombs for areas you can't access due to fences, fear, topography or what have you. The clay will melt away in the next rain and the seeds should sprout.

All the seeds are for low maintenance plants harvested from my own property as was the clay. The bombs have been coated in a clear water soluable glue to ensure they ship in one piece.

The theme was inspired by another fun guerilla movement called Joy Rebel at this website http://www.joyrebel.com
Feel free to check them out too!

25 Christmas Balls

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:11:00 -0400

$30.00
25 Christmas ornaments:

My parents sometimes would do our christmas tree in all old fashioned ornaments with an emphasis on handmade. Local grannies used to love our tree those years. This included candles glued on to clothespins which we'd light, stare at (ohh ahh) and promptly blow out for fear of setting the house ablaze. If you have a similar tradition (or want to) or simply love the charm of these red and green balls on your tree...well buy them. :)

These balls are in various shades of white, green, and red and filled with fiber fill except 3 done in yarn with a silver thread which I filled with staples bags since I ran out of fiber fill during the project. All have hooks already attached and are ready to be hung or displayed.

Basket and tree are for display purposes only neither come with the order.

Berry Ball Fluted Candle

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 09:56:53 -0400

$5.00
A limited edition mulberry colored candle with a light berry scent. This candle is approximately 3.5" wide and tall (7cm).

The Salvaged Story:
Long before the tragic scent wax accident which ate away the mold for this candle (really is there no warning on the package?) I made this gem from a few odds and ends and a pile of malformed berry votives I got on sale thanks to my incredible bargaining skills. As with most of my candles the impurities in the wax came to the top of the candle in flecks of black, silver and red that I have been tempted to try to read like tea leaves. That plus the berry scent make this candle a personal favorite of mine.

Flower Child Harifalls

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 08:33:46 -0400

$4.00
These extra long hairfalls come in at 2.5'(75cm) long with green, blue, yellow and white strands to compliment the white and blue flowers.
Knots and crochet strands add texture while the flowers remind me a little of the cherry blossom combs in photos of geishas.

The Salvaged Story:
http://doodlestar.etsy.com/ has been holding a weekly "Inspiration challenge on her blog Thursday Sweet Treat
http://thursdaysweettreat.blogspot.com/ where she posts an inspiration every friday and the following thursday posts the creations of each crafter. This week was Where the Wild Things Bloom.
When the theme came out I had been thinking of this craft for some time and so started eagerly on....something else entirely. But halfway through this idea sprung back up in my head and I had no choice but to let it take over.

Black and Gold Beanie

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:44:27 -0400

$8.00
This hat is 8 inches tall and 20 inches in circumference or roughly a medium to large.

A good old fashioned Steelers, Penguins or Pirates hat just to show your Pittsburgh team pride.

The Salvaged Story:
The gold yarn is from my mothers old retro yarn stash and just happens to be the precise shade used for terrible towels, and virtually anything else in the home of the Yinz'ers (known to everyone else as Pittsburghers) The more time I spend away from that city the more I see how the teams permeate the culture and how prevalent fans are everywhere else. So if you love the Steelers, the Penns or the Pirates here's the hat for you.

Butterfly in Gold Dust Pendant

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:40:17 -0400

$3.00
This pendant features a blue butterfly on top of a bed of gold glitter. The bottle cap is suspended by a can tab to hang from a chain, ribbon or other necklace type of your choice.
The pendant measures 1.25" wide (3cm) and .5" tall (1cm).

The Salvaged Story:
A friend (isntthatsomething http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5146291 to be exact) gave me a bunch of random supplies one birthday I think partially out of a perverse need to see what I'd end up using them for. I hope she smiles when she sees what has happened to that glitter and the blue butterfly!
The whole pendant is held together with glitter mod podge and e-6000 glue and all rough edges have been smoothed to ensure comfort against the skin!

Seedling Hat

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 07:40:09 -0400

$9.00
A simple white hat with blue and green stripes has a little secret. On the side a seedling lifts its head to the sun beside a stream.
This hat measures 2' around the head (60cm) and 7.5" tall (19cm). Roughly a medium/small.

The yarn trailing behind is a set of hairfalls available elsewhere on my site. The falls were still on my foam head from the last photos I took and I thought they went with the hat.

The Salvaged Story:
This hat was created for DoodleStar's Thursday Sweet Treat Blog http://thursdaysweettreat.blogspot.com/
for the "Clair De Lune" theme. We were all assigned to listen to a classical piece (clair de lune) and make a craft based on what we imagined.
Classical music always brings me back to nature so when I heard this piece I ended up settling on the idea of a seedling by a stream. Of course then I had to figure out what medium to work with! I stared at each and every craft supply and imagined how each of them could be turned into the perfect project. In the end I went back to the old reliable hat and a more simple design. I like it because it leaves a lot to the imagination and lets you play with the idea as you look at it!

Hand wash with cold water and lay flat to dry.

Aztec Sun Bag

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:38:49 -0400

$18.00
The latest in my black light line, this 7.75" diameter bag ( 19.5 cm) glows with flecks of orange in black light and the 26.5" (66 cm) strap has glow in the dark lanyard braided along its length. A 6.5" (16 cm) zipper makes for easy stowing and securing of your valuables.

The Salvaged Story:
http://doodlestar.etsy.com/ has been holding a weekly "Inspiration challenge on her blog Thursday Sweet Treat http://thursdaysweettreat.blogspot.com/ where she posts an inspiration every friday and the following thursday posts the creations of each crafter. This week was Sublime Sunset. I ransacked my yarn stash and came up with an orange I had been eying for my black light line and dove in. The ridge stitch compliments the spiral stitch and shape of the bag and gave me the name I'd end up calling it, the Aztec Sun Bag.

Machine wash cold lay flat to dry
Modeled by one of the proprietors of http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5146291

Skinny Retro Jacket

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:16:36 -0400

$16.00
This jacket features a zipped front, stretchy and warm knitted collar and waistband and retro full shoulders and arms in a red and black plaid. It is designed to enhance and create an hourglass figure.

The jacket is tagged as a size 2 but fits self described 8's and 10's (US sizing).

The Salvaged Story:
This skinny look jacket is a salvage from the 1980's very likely and is from a company called Taxi. The tag is a little frayed but the jacket itself is as good as nearly new with only a little pilling on a few knitted sections which can be easily removed.

My model is one of the proprietors of etsy's isntthatsomething so thank her for her adorable charms and feel free to check out my cameo in their shop! This is also their hallway as it was REALLY cold that weekend.

Vodka Cranberry 19 Unsealed Paper Beads

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 19:24:23 -0400

$1.00
19 unsealed paper beads in red, white and an occasional dash of black. Beads are approximately 1 inch (2.5cm) long and .25 inches (.5cm) wide.
They're surprisingly tough and can take moderate moisture (rain sure, swimming no) all are hand rolled by me and hopefully they're as fun to use as they were to make.

The Salvaged Story:
I was going through my stash of old college literature zines and decided to thin the herd before a move. The results wound up as a load of multicolored beads. I've seperated them by color and will be rolling out each set in the coming weeks.

Black Cherry Sundae Jar Candle

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 10:06:07 -0400

$10.00
A two layer jar candle with French vanilla ice cream on the bottom and black cherry on the top. This candle is 6.5 inches tall (16cm) and 4 inches wide (10cm)

The Salvaged Story:
It would be hard for me to be happier with this candle. The smells are strong and appetizing and the colors are rich and combine very well. I hope you agree!
A friend gave me some old French vanilla iced cream candles which I've been working with for a while for smaller jar candles when I realized that I was having an urge to make a larger one and of course didn't have enough wax. I sorted through my stash of jar wax for something that I thought would work well and came up with a little bit of black cherry. Necessity being the mother of invention, I bring you black cherry sundae!

Glitter Gray Unscented Spiral Candle

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 07:59:28 -0400

$5.00
A limited edition gray unscented candle. This candle is approximately 3.5" wide and tall (7cm).

The Salvaged Story:
A rarity among my candles this one is unscented. Nothing aginst them just that most of my candles are made from a few different waxes melted together and invariably one will be scented. As with most of my candles the impurities in the wax came to the top of the candle in flecks of black and silver that give this candle a really fun shiny even spacey look.

Jack O Lantern Hat

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 10:43:43 -0400

$10.00
A black and orange skullcap with a jack o lantern face on the crown. This hat is 7.5 inches tall (19cm) and 22 inches around the head (56cm).

The Salvaged Story:
Love Halloween, jack o lanterns or just silly hats? Done, done and done. This hat is slightly inspired by my costume this year (scarecrow with pumpkin head) but mostly just something I knew I'd do eventually.

Hand wash cold and hang dry.

Autumn Leaf and Acorn Fabric

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 08:32:09 -0400

$7.00
This fabric depicts colorful leaves... which look more like maple than oak to me and green acorns over a cream colored backround.
This fabric would be great for a fall craft project or for an upcycled clothing project!
There are 2 pieces of fabric in this lot one which measures 3'6" (100cm) wide and 4' 5" long (132cm). The second measures 3'6" (100cm) wide and 4' 7" long (138cm) long.

Coral Sea Mermaid Arm Warmers

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 09:52:16 -0400

$10.00
A set of ocean inspired arm warmers to remind you of warmer days. They measure 10" (26 cm) long, 4.5" (12.5 cm) at the base and 4" wide at the thumb(9.5 cm). Beautiful for an ocean inspired outfit or that rave down the street with the black lights.

The Salvaged Story:
http://doodlestar.etsy.com/ has been holding a weekly "Inspiration challenge on her blog Thursday Sweet Treat http://thursdaysweettreat.blogspot.com/ where she posts an inspiration every friday and the following thursday posts the creations of each crafter. This week was Poetic Sea. The blue/green just reminded me of somewhere tropical with an ocean view and had to be used. I still really wanted to crochet coral so I added the undulating white edge and a flowing white trimmy thing on the side. I'm more or less obsessed with that flowy trim now!

Machine wash cold/delicate and lay flat to dry.

Pond Frog Fabric

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 10:58:24 -0400

$4.00
This fabric depicts colorful flies and dragon flies flying over a blue watery backround evading the bright green frogs below. This fabric would be great for a child's room or for an upcycled clothing project!
The fabric measures 3'8" (110cm) wide and 6' (180cm) long.

The Friendship Candle

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 10:25:12 -0400

$7.00
A candle with springs of pennyroyal and lavender meant to symbolze friendship and good times.
This candle measures 3 3/4 inches tall (9.5cm) and 2 3/4 inches wide (7cm).

The Salvaged Story:
This candle was created for DoodleStar's Thursday Sweet Treat Blog http://thursdaysweettreat.blogspot.com/
for the "Believe in Magic" theme.
We were encouraged to create something that brought to mind the magic of a good friendship and while I created this candle with a specific friend in mind it works well for a lot of people I think. Two herbs skirt around a red core which could represent anything from love to red wine.
The red core is more visible than I'd like so this is an oops sale item. If you just burn the candle a little you'd never know the difference but as it is now it looks a bit silly!

The Moon Gets Lit

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 09:32:28 -0400

$3.00
This is a silver pencil on black paper drawing which measures 8.75 inches (22 cm) square.
This drawing has been sealed with fixative and should not smudge. It also bears my signature on the back as a little secret between the new owner and myself.

The Salvaged Story:
http://doodlestar.etsy.com/ has been holding a weekly "Inspiration challenge on her blog Thursday Sweet Treat http://thursdaysweettreat.blogspot.com/ where she posts an inspiration every friday and the following thursday posts the creations of each crafter. This is my first weeks submission with the theme of Enchanted Night. With the inspiration DoodleStar posted a poem that talked about drawing down the moon and giving it a piece of pie and some rum. I had a picture of the moon drinking rum stuck in my head comic style and decided to submit this drawing.

Green Circuitry Bottle Cap Pendant

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 08:47:54 -0400

$5.00
A bottle cap pendant using recycled keyboard circuitry. 1.5" wide (4.25cm) and .25" deep (.5cm).

The Salvaged Story:
This pendant is made from your average everyday bottle cap in a bright neon green combined with keyboard circuitry and a bit of resin. This upcycled masterpiece is suspended by a paper clip and covered with a layer of resin for durability.

Large Plarn Bag

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 09:03:46 -0400

$30.00
Crocheted from plastic yarn made of recycled grocery bags in white with touches of red, tan, green, yellow and blue, this large everyday tote bag has two sturdy straps and a reinforced bottom to prevent smaller items from sneaking away.
This bag measures 14.5 " wide (39cm) wide and 11.25" (21.5cm) tall with 14" straps (35cm).

The Salvaged Story:
Plarn (plastic bag yarn) is one of those really great upcycling ideas. It takes something everyone has and makes it into something many people can use.

Perfect as a beach bag that won't hold sand or smells and will dry quickly and can be hosed off if it gets dirty. This bag will also hold library books, a change of clothing, a small load of groceries, or whatever you have to carry around all day!

Ugly Hat 3 Wild Water Lilly

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:05:52 -0400

$12.00
A hat in various shades of blue with flecks of seafoam green throughout.
This hat measures 22.5" around the head (58cm) and 7" tall (18cm) or 10" (26cm) with the ear flaps.

The Salvaged Story:
This hat was created for DoodleStar's Thursday Sweet Treat Blog http://thursdaysweettreat.blogspot.com/
for the "Let Beauty Rain Down" theme.
I made this one a little tidier and smaller than my other Ugly Hats since it just seemed like a dantier kind of hat. It's still a little larger than the foam head in the photos but it will sit flatly against your own skull! The radiating circles from the center out remind me of ripples in a lake or puddle and the whole thing is one of my favorite pieces to date.

Hand wash with cold water and lay flat to dry.

Big Plarn Messenger Bag

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 08:21:20 -0400

$50.00
Crocheted from plastic yarn made of recycled grocery bags in white with touches of red, tan, green and blue, this large everyday tote bag has a flap closure and a thick comfortable strap.
This bag measures 1'9" wide (53cm) wide and 14" (35cm) tall with a 2'3" strap (69cm). It sits roughly from the waist down to mid thigh.

The Salvaged Story:
Plarn (plastic bag yarn) is one of those really great upcycling ideas. It takes something everyone has and makes it into something many people can use.
I personally had more plastic bags than I could ever use as little trash bags so I decided to go for broke and make a huge upcycled bag. Hour upon hour of effort later and this bag was born!
Perfect as a beach bag that won't hold sand or smells and will dry quickly and can be hosed off if it gets dirty. This bag will also hold library books, a change of clothing, a small load of groceries, or whatever you have to carry around all day!

In Defense of Pastel Wire Wrap Pendant

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 07:43:28 -0400

$8.00
A pale granite (looking at least) river rock wrapped with pinkish gold craft wire and a natural lichen growth. This pendant is 2 inches long (5cm) and .75 inches high (2cm).
The whole piece was sealed with resin and has an attached can tab to hang from making the piece eco friendly. Naturally any rough edges have been coated with resin so they're safe and comfortable next to the skin!

The Salvaged Story:
Pastels have a bit of a bad wrap in this day in age and I admit I have frequently been one of the ones doing the wrapping. But looking at the subtle tones of this stone and it's lichen I was moved to mimic rather than destroy its delicate coloring with a gold-pink wire and a red bail just to highlight the pale tones found in the rest of the piece. The result is my defense of pastels.

Autumn Jewels

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 09:42:31 -0400

$3.00
Set of 3 magnets with a backing of colorful fall leaves.

The magnets measure roughly 1 inch (2cm) in diameter and .5 inches tall (1.5cm).

The Salvaged Story:
These magnets were created for DoodleStar's Thursday Sweet Treat Blog http://thursdaysweettreat.blogspot.com/
for the "Fiery Vibrant Fall" theme.
These magnets are my new favorites and I am hoping to make more as the leaves start to change colors in earnest out here. So if you live somewhere where you don't see fall leaves at all or if you just love them so much you want to look at them all year these are for you.

Winter Rain Scarf

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 10:35:10 -0400

$10.00
A light and fashion forward scarf inspired by the coming winter.
Each rounded "snow flake" is 3 inches wide (8 cm) and the scarf is 4 feet long (120 cm).

The Salvaged Story:
I've been habing some fun with light fall/spring scarves lately and decided to make one that reminded me more of winter. This scarf can be worn alone or wrapped up with your warmest scarf so you're both cozy and cool at once.

Hand wash cool hang dry.

The Ugly Hat 1 Schizophrenic Sunspot

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 08:54:05 -0400

$12.00
An orange, sunflower, mustard, canary, chick and just plain yellow ear flap hat to remind you that trash can be treasure and ugly can be oddly beautiful.
This hat measures 21" around the head (54cm) and 7.5" tall (19cm) or 1" (30cm) with the ear flaps.

The Salvaged Story:
This hat is another piece born out of DoodleStar's Thursday Sweet Treat Blog http://thursdaysweettreat.blogspot.com/
The Ugly Hat: Yes that's what I'm calling it. It's made out of other peoples rejects in firey colors. Bits of yellow and orange that people donated to me and couldn't use and where, in one case, the cat had torn it up so badly that there were only strands of orange string left. All of the ingredients are wrong and you know what? I love this hat! It's bad, it's like twinkies and sweet red wine watching that movie you can't really admit to liking. It's just so bad it's good. In fact it's so ugly beautiful that I have decided to make as many as I can find yarn for. So keep on the look out for upcoming ugly hats and if you have a color or size request just convo me.

Hand wash cold and lay flat to dry.

Black and Purple Striped Hat

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 09:30:52 -0400

$8.00
This hat is 7.5 inches tall (19.5cm) and 21 inches in circumference around the head (53cm) or a medium small.

The Salvaged Story:
If you happen to be wanted by the police or perhaps by those wanted by the police this might not be the hat for you since the bulls eye pattern does tend to make you a bit of a target. On the other hand if you're already a target why not just live it up?
The black yarn used in this hat wears like iron getting softer and staying strong over time.

For best results cold wash delicate and lay out to dry.

Cyber Stone Pendant

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 15:07:00 -0400

$7.00
A triangle shaped stone with green wire and circuitry embellishments. This pendant measures 3 inches tall (8cm) and slightly over 1.5 inches (4cm) widest the base.

The Salvaged Story:
This pendant is made from your average everyday sandstone worn smooth by time and likely a creek combined with keyboard circuitry, green craft wire and a bit of resin. This upcycled masterpiece is suspended by a can tab and covered with a layer of resin for durability.

Granny Square Scarf in Pink Blue and White

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 08:27:24 -0400

$8.00
This scarf is made up of several granny squares sewn together. The white yarn has a fuzzy shine that you don't see very often in specialty yarns and really makes this a special piece. It would also make a fun table runner or window dressing. This scarf is 3.5 inches wide and 69 luxurious inches long.

The Salvaged Story:
These squares were going to make up a baby blanket but I ended up not having enough yarn to complete the project so I turned them into this simple yet charming scarf instead. The white yarn was a donation from my Mother's stash and the blue and pink was leftover from my friends dish rag making stash.

The white yarn may felt when washed so cold wash and hang dry to be safe.

Black Russian 115 Unsealed Paper Beads

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 09:38:02 -0400

$5.00
115 unsealed paper beads in black and white. Beads are approximately 1 inch (2.5cm) long and .25 inches (.5cm) wide.
They're surprisingly tough and can take moderate moisture (rain sure, swimming no) all are hand rolled by me and hopefully they're as fun to use as they were to make.

The Salvaged Story:
I was going through my stash of old college literature zines and decided to thin the herd before a move. The results wound up as a load of multicolored beads. Every time I came across a black page I always turned it into a black bead rather than use the other side of the paper. Really how often do you get black beads? Well it paid off since this is the largest single color lot I have. Enjoy!

Crocheted Rock Garden

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 10:23:32 -0400

$12.00
A crocheted rock garden designed to bring peace and playfulness to wherever it lives. The three crocheted "stones" are beanbags filled with dried lima beans that make the bag mouldable and pleasant to the ear. The bags and base are in calm and rejuvinating colors in muted tones so they're easy on the eyes.
The blue base is 7.5" (19cm) square and each bag is about 2.25" (6cm) in diameter.

The Salvaged Story:
http://doodlestar.etsy.com/ has been holding a weekly "Inspiration challenge on her blog Thursday Sweet Treat http://thursdaysweettreat.blogspot.com/ where she posts an inspiration every Friday and the following Thursday posts the creations of each crafter.
This week was Once upon an afternoon stroll...
I thought about a recent camping trip and staring at the fire somewhere between exhausted and zen and decided to try to recreate that feeling with this garden.
Honestly I had a lot of fun just playing with it and setting it up in new configurations.

Free to be me by the Sea Magnets

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 10:01:19 -0400

$5.00
Set of 6 magnets showing a peaceful seaside. Each magnet has it's own subject such as gulls, shells, grasses or in one a far away sail boat.

The magnets measure roughly 1 inch (2cm) in diameter and .5 inches tall (1.5cm).

The Salvaged Story:
These magnets were created for DoodleStar's Thursday Sweet Treat Blog http://thursdaysweettreat.blogspot.com/
for the "Let Freedom Ring" theme.
These magnets show all of my favorite things about the shore. The peacefulness, the violent beauty and the ability to stare out at a ship at sea and still wonder if you've somehow become the last person on earth.

Cosmopolitan 18 Unsealed Paper Beads

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 11:19:38 -0400

$1.00
18 unsealed paper beads in pink, white and an occasional dash of green. Beads are approximately 1 inch (2.5cm) long and .25 inches (.5cm) wide.
They're surprisingly tough and can take moderate moisture (rain sure, swimming no) all are hand rolled by me and hopefully they're as fun to use as they were to make.

The Salvaged Story:
I was going through my stash of old college literature zines and decided to thin the herd before a move. The results wound up as a load of multicolored beads. I've seperated them by color and will be rolling out each set in the coming weeks.

For the Love of Letters Purse

Sat, 29 Aug 2009 09:04:08 -0400

$11.00
A tribute to snail mail and all the wonderful things that show up in mailboxes. Packages and letters from friends or from your favorite website. It can also be used as a gift bag and would hold a book or a group of items very charmingly.
This bag measures 6 3/4 inches tall (18cm) 10 3/4 inches wide (27cm) and has a strap length of 15 1/2 inches (36cm)

The Salvaged Story:
http://doodlestar.etsy.com/ has been holding a weekly "Inspiration challenge on her blog Thursday Sweet Treat http://thursdaysweettreat.blogspot.com/ where she posts an inspiration every friday and the following thursday posts the creations of each crafter. This week's theme was The Strike of Love, with an emphasis on love letters. I decided to use one thing I love (crochet) to create an ode to something else I love, which is almost any mail I get that isn't a bill!

Machine wash cold and tumble dry.

Spiral Sugar Cookie Candle

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 09:18:41 -0400

$5.00
A round candle with fluting all around in a beautiful strawberry blonde color and sugar cookie scented. This candle is approximately 3.5" wide (7cm) and is currently a limited edition!

The Salvaged Story:
You know I don't think of myself as particularly accident prone or bad at candle making but once you start listing items all those little mishaps start to add up in your stories. This candle was made from the remnants of a 3 wick candle my parents had and is in fact the last candle I was able to make in that mold before a tragic scent wax accident which kind of ate away at the plastic. You can actually see some of the roughness at the top of the candle where ever greater experiments with scent oil started to roughen the mold. Personally I think it gives the candle a softer more country look and goes well with the strawberry blonde color.
Of course that makes this candle a limited edition. If you think I should get another of these moulds just vote with your mouse and click buy.

Seeing Spots Scarf

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 10:00:11 -0400

$18.00
Scarf in tan, white and blue with circular crocheted "portholes" to play peekaboo with your neck or clothes. This scarf is 5.5 feet long (165cm) and 3 inches wide (8cm).

The Salvaged Story:
I had just worked out how to make those round crochet circles with the large holes in the center and was having a bit too much fun making them when unfortunately the practical half of my brain kicked in and said "Now what are you going to do with those?" Thankfully inspiration seems to be the sibling of invention and so this scarf was born.

Hand wash cold and lay flat to dry.

Skinny Spiral Scarfette

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 12:16:29 -0400

$12.00
A light, long and playful bit of all season neck jewelry, this scarf can be wound around your neck for a luxurious look or left loose so it can bounce as you walk.
This scarfette measures 6.5 feet long (almost 2 meters) and about .6 inches wide (1.5cm).

The Salvaged Story:
This scarf was inspired partially by my Swinging In the Rain scarf and partially just to see if I could maintain a spiral over such a distance. I'm very pleased with it since it's in some of my favorite colors and the white has a string of shimmer in it that just completes the project.

Wild Berry Mojito 50 unsealed paper beads

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 10:08:14 -0400

$4.00
50 unsealed paper beads in purple, green and white. Beads are approximately 1 inch (2.5cm) long and .25 inches (.5cm) wide.
They're surprisingly tough and can take moderate moisture (rain sure, swimming no) all are hand rolled by me and hopefully they're as fun to use as they were to make.

The Salvaged Story:
I was going through my stash of old college literature zines and decided to thin the herd before a move. The results wound up as a load of multicolored beads which true to form I couldn't get around to listing until after the move. Not really sure I saved any space there eh?

Mamma Needs some Prada Pin

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:28:10 -0400

$2.00
A pin showing a woman carrying shopping bags walking away from a stroller. made from a bottle cap, pin back and reused paper you can imagine any scenario you like for this illustration.
The pin measures 1.25" wide (3cm) and a little over .5" tall (1.5cm).

The Salvaged Story:
Hey sometimes I just make stuff. :)

Long Island Iced Tea 39 unsealed paper beads

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 15:16:40 -0400

$2.75
39 (yes 39) unsealed paper beads in orange and white. Beads are approximately 1 inch (2.5cm) long and .25 inches (.5cm) wide.
They're surprisingly tough and can take moderate moisture (rain sure, swimming no) all are hand rolled by me and hopefully they're as fun to use as they were to make.

The Salvaged Story:
I was going through my stash of old college literature zines and decided to thin the herd before a move. The results wound up as a load of multicolored beads which true to form I couldn't get around to listing until after the move. Not really sure I saved any space there eh?

Ultra Long and Skinny Yellow Scarf

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:40:10 -0400

$15.00
There are fashion scarves and wacky scarves and eccentric scarves that make you stare and then there is this scarf that dominates them all. 27 feet long (8.1 meters) .5 inches wide (1.5 cm).

The Salvaged Story:
Remember finger knitting? I didn't remember how but I'm pretty sure that's what friends and the internet are for. So I grabbed a big ball of yarn and started knitting. And kept knitting. Then of course I knit a whole heck of a lot more and ended up with this scarf. I love it because it's right between high fashion and rubber room. A person could become an extremely cultured world traveling, book writing, nomad without a cause in a scarf like this. Or you could just turn heads walking into the office. The scarf doesn't care it's cool with whatever.

Do Not Use This Pin

Sun, 16 Aug 2009 11:40:58 -0400

$2.00
Because sometimes you MUST look at the pink elephant, hit the red button etc. The button simply reads Do not use this beige sticker. Clearly you did, you are sooo bad!
This pin is 1.5" wide (4.25cm) and .5" deep (1 cm).

The Salvaged Story:
I was staying with an aunt who wants very much to win the publishers clearing house but doesn't want to fill out the forms. No prizes for guessing where that story goes. Suffice to say that she has not won and I had my hands on a lot of odd clearing house materials. One I found odd was a beige sticker next to the silver extra special prize sticker. Do not use this beige sticker? Then why even make it a sticker? Why if it's not meant to be used can it be peeled away from the paper? Why is it beige?
BEIGE?

I had to do it. Do you have to have it?

Set of 2 Crunchy, Organic Catnip, Cat Toys

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 09:54:27 -0400

$3.00
Set of 2 cat toys of your choosing. Each one is crunchy, filled with 100% organic catnip and crocheted by yours truly. The one in the first picture belongs to my cat, she is kept away from the ones for sale!

The Salvaged Story:
These cat toys have become my top seller and I'm always flattered and overjoyed to hear how much the cats seem to love them!
The yarns in these cat toys come from a variety of sources but all are clean and the finished product made with an eye for durability. One has stood up to my mother's sumo kitty for months!
Each is filled with a grocery bag making them just the right level of crunchy. Each ball is roughly 2 inches or 5.5 cm in diameter.

Just convo me or put your two choices in your note to seller and I'll ship them off to you and your pet right away. If you don't specify colors, or prefer to be surprised I'll just pick 2 out for you.

Glow in the Dark Silver Choker

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 13:16:52 -0400

$5.00
The horned pendant of this choker sits fetchingly at the hollow of your throat with a glowing rainbow suspended beneath. This item is a silver and pewter choker with a lobster claw clasp. This choker is 14 inches long (35 cm) with the center pendant measuring 2.2 inches tall (6 cm).

This choker can be lengthened or shortened at buyers request.

The Salvaged Story:
http://doodlestar.etsy.com/ has been holding a weekly "Inspiration challenge on her blog Thursday Sweet Treat http://thursdaysweettreat.blogspot.com where she posts an inspiration every friday and the following thursday posts the creations of each crafter. This week was Dreaming in Color.
The inspiration photos were of aurora's against the night sky so I decided to pay homage with a glow in the dark necklace with a half moon center pendant that reminds me of the curve of the earth. The pony beads also keep things fun and lighthearted.