Spotlight Team Member for Holiday Season : In the Studio with relove

relove:  The Interview

relove's favorite quote:

"Wait...don't throw that away! I can use it for one of my notebooks!"

Q: Tell us about the move to Brooklyn.

Brooklyn has affected my creativity in lots of interesting ways. I am surrounded by creative people and businesses all the time and this encourages me to think outside the box when I am crafting. Also, Brooklyn living is small. My studio is small so I find myself really thinking about quality rather then quantity. Lastly, Brooklyn has tons of opportunities to sell handmade crafts and hopefully by spring I will have a nice size collection of notebooks to sell. I plan on approaching some of Brooklyn's fabulous boutiques and craft markets. A long, cold winter will definitely help me stay on track and get some work done!

relove's notebooks combine upcycled components.

Q:  Can you tell us more about the process in which your notebook are created?


Each one of my notebooks are little works of art and I really enjoy selecting the pages from my collection of vintage and reclaimed papers. My paper collection is very personal. I have been collecting paper and envelopes for about 5 years and each piece relates to my life in some way. If you look closely at my books you will find pieces of old sketches I did in collage.

The insides of each notebook are unique, you never know what you may find.

Q: Your books are amazing, I bought a bunch and gave them away to my family last year as gifts -- they loved them. I still use one for my art journal.  I particularly love the vintage paper, where does all of that come from? 

Vintage papers are found randomly placed in the books!

My vintage paper comes from years of thrifting and tag sale hunting. Also, lots of my papers have been given to me by friends and family. Just about anything that I can write on and fold in half I will save for a notebook! Lately, I have been having fun giving each one of my books a playful title and "curating" the pages inside to match. For example, the graphic cover of the "Checkmate Notebook" reminds me of graphic design so I chose papers from and old graphic design and lettering book to include in this pocket sized notebook.

"Checkmate" retails at only $14 in her store.

Q: So where does all of this creating take place? Tell us about your studio!

My boyfriend and I built our loft bed/studio area ourselves out of partly salvaged wood and wood from a local lumber yard.

The relove studio, aka where the magic happens!

We reused brackets from old shelves to support the desk area. We had the wood precut at the lumber yard and assembled the bed/desk unit with a power drill in our bedroom. The entire project cost about $150 and took about two days to assemble. It was tons of fun to build and a fantastic example of upcycling done right!

My vintage chair (that I love) was found curb side and will soon get a new seat cushion once I find the perfect fabric.All of my art supplies and papers are organized in repurposed buckets and boxes.
 

I spy works in progress atop the desk!

Q: I'm glad I'm not the only one doing curb-side pickups.  Can you tell us anything about your upcoming projects?

I am working on some new books made from repurposed corrugated cardboard and vintage sewing and craft magazines. I love the vintage clothing depicted in old craft magazines so i decided to turn them into book covers.

Sneak Peek!

One of these fun notebooks is available in my shop now, "I Heart Vintage Notebook". More will be on there way soon!

Priced at $16 I Heart Vintage  from ReLove is a great gift for the fashionista in your family!

Q: Any secrets you want to share? 

Looking forward to spring...I am planning on introducing some upcycled jewelry to relove.etsy.com. My first line will be one of a kind "found object" necklaces. I have included a sneak peak photo (project3) for you to check out. Please let me know what you think!

Please share your comments and feedback to Sarah @ relove, and please share this story by clicking on the share buttons below!

Additional Note:  Relove has been an amazing help to this team, and even during a hectic move from her former home to Brooklyn, she managed to donate a huge box of merchandise (tote bags for sale in our Team Shop) and help with the team store.  Thanks for being a part of our team!  

Wrapcycle Is In The Spotlight

Summer Spotlight

AUGUST-SUMMER SPECIAL 2010 SPOTLIGHT 

Award Winner:  WrapCycle

Winner of the Team Vote!

Eco Padded iPad Wraps in 3 Different Colors, $42

Thanks to a huge team vote, I'm proud to spotlight WRAPCYCLE and Janet Michal of Atlanta, Georgia as this summer's Etsy Recycler's Guild award winner. Janet walked away from a corporate job in July of 2009 to concentrate full time on her business.  Let's learn more.

Janet says, "All things environmental and ecological are my passion  I drive very little and when I do it's in my Prius; I compost and recycle like mad; and I garden organically and sustainably - so this shop is a natural evolutionary step."

Eco Passport Cover Globe Trotter $14

Her creations combine her eco-consciousness with her ability to offer attractive designs at affordable prices. Earth-friendly cases for laptops, accessories such as passport covers and business card holders are just a few things you'll find.  Combined with custom detailing and embroidery, her fashions are both practical and useful.

Custom Embroidery 16-50 Characters, $5

Success and determination have made Janet's fashions a household name, and she works on her business in many ways, not just in her Etsy shop. She is a weekly vendor at the East Atlanta Village farmers market; has her own website, http://www.wrapcycle.com/; and most important, is seeking to expand her wholesale business. Janet goes the extra mile for her wholesale customers - primarily college and university bookstores - by offering a seasonal catalog in PDF format and special pricing. 

Catalog in PDF format is a great addtion to the Wrapcycle website.

Janet says, "I partner with local recycling centers and thrift stores for materials.  I love cruising yard sales for interesting fabrics. There's not much I can't use! I am especially excited about the partnership I formed recently with a local fabric manufacturer to take on their samples and remnants. They informed me that they would have to throw them away if they couldn't find someone to give them to, so this is a real win-win situation."

The "Wrapcycle Workroom"

I must admit, I'm jealous Janet was able to leave her corporate job behind.  I ask if she has any regrets?  She explains, "I've never been happier and I've never looked back. One of the things I like best is getting ideas for new products from my customers. I started with LapTopWraps (which are laptop bags and sleeves), but my customers had visions of other products that could be made from recycled fabrics, and I was and am happy to try to realize their visions as well my own."  

 

 

A customer suggestion led to these Eco Business Card Holders, sets for $75  

Eco Padded LapTopWrap Sleeve with Fruit $28, is what Wrapcycle is known for!

Janet continues to market and promote her product on many greenie sites offers sales and promotions, in addition to using social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Her drive, determination and keen eye for fashion and quality craftsmanship are to be commended   Please visit her shop on Etsy, or contact her for special orders at 404-219-1980.