Useful useless stuff

One day....I woke up and realized that Americans/"we" throw everything away!  When something (almost everything) is of no use to us anymore...we, simply, toss it in a can or throw it out the car window (bad bad!).  I also realized that I may not be able to "change the world", but, I can change MY world.  So, I decided to stop complaining and start "doing my part"....making 'useful' out of 'useless'.

With two kitties and one big, fat, slobbery dog...we tend to have a few 'feed bags' lying around.  I've always pondered what, exactly, I could do with the dog/cat food bag...and, typically, I used them as a 'recycle container'.

I love to sew...I knew this was cool material...I love google images!  I searched "dog food bag idea" and found an idea that just made sense!  Totes made from 'feed bags'!  YES!  and, after several "trial and error" sessions with my Singer 401a (best machine in the universe!), I, finally, made this...

Nope...not a feed bag...but, this was the start of "Tote-all Sense".  I continue to make totes and have added "laundry totes" (really really big) and "storage totes" to my list of 'ideas that worked'!  The laundry tote is PERFECT for those of us with our washer downstairs...and the laundry line outside!  Makes hauling much easier!

So, here are a few more pictures of totes that I have.  I will be at "Fleastock" (Farmers Market, Live Music, Antiques, Food & Wine) on August 11, 2012.  10am-5pm  2 Jo's farm & Western Town; Hwy 30, 18 minutes East of Cedar Rapids.  There are a few vendor spots available...contact me if you'd like to join in the fun!

Thanks for looking
and for listening.

Be Blessed; be aware; be Earth Friendly...and, please, take care.

xoxo

Julie

Making small differences

Waste not; want not.

Unemployment has left me with an opportunity to create, dream, think and learn.  I wanted to be home for my children, but, I struggled with the financial aspect of this...how in the heck was I going to feed my kiddo's?

Well, a year ago, I discovered an old, broken Singer 401a sewing machine...and I fell in love!  I knew that I could make her run again...so I did!  And this machine is, truly, amazing to me.  I've owned sewing machines for many, many...(way too many) years and I've come to realize that the "new" machines do NOT hold up as well and they are very expensive to repair.  I'll take an "old-school" machine any-day!

I saved this Singer from the landfill...the dump, the garbage...the previous owner claimed that it was "just a piece of junk" and I FIXED IT!  This sparked a deeply rooted 'mission'...  I would do everything in my power to reduce, recycle, re-claim, re-use and rescue usable stuff...from a life sentence in a landfill.  

So...I sew.  I create unique bags, purses, totes, belts, jewelry...whatever I can come up with...out of 'trash'.  I continue to be stunned by the stuff that people discard.  I will continue to make a Tote-all Difference...one stitch at a time.

Feel free to contact me at toteall.julie@gmail.com

xoxo
Julie