One of my superpowers is D-ray vision, which lets me scan the contents of trash containers at conferences and rescue perfectly good materials. I also try to pass materials along to people who can use what I can't, or what I can't reasonably transport home.
In that spirit, I'm passing along three links today: One for inspiration, one for opportunity, and one to maybe spark an idea.
Inspiration
Mr. X Stitch just posted a great story about the work of Frederique Morrell, a French couple who give vintage materials new life in their artwork and home decor products. I can only hope that the cross-stitch project I began in 1975 and sold unfinished at a garage sale 25 years later should be put to such use.Opportunity
Our neighbors up the road own The Hammock Shop, where they make and sell fabric hammocks in a beautiful array of amazing fabrics. Most of those fabrics were originally designed to be used in high-end commercial upholstery.
Recently, Shawn and Stephanie donated a whole trailer full of remnants to the local thrift shop. When a roll gets under 2 yards, it isn't enough to make a hammock or a blanket. They just don't have the space to store what they can't expect to use soon. So Shawn contacted me earlier this week with the kind of offer you can't refuse.But I did. I (gulp) don't have room for it. Or an immediate use, either.
Maybe you do? If so, let me introduce you to my neighbors...
A Spark
One last introduction. Recently I read about a program in California called Trash 4 Teaching. Their mission is minimizing waste, maximizing education, and bridging the gap between manufacturing and the public schools. Here's the best part:
Use of our unique materials encourages critical thinking and fuels the imagination by challenging children and teachers to find creative applications for non-traditional objects.So there you have it -- a quick dip in dumpster pools from France to Langlade to LA. Refreshing.
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