Upcycling Expert - Annie Temmink

Annie Temmink

Annie completed her BA in sculpture and math from Davidson College in North Carolina, and received a Thomas J Watson Foundation Fellowship to travel independently for twelve months studying fashion and textiles.  From Indonesia to Japan, India to Uganda and Tanzania, she worked with village women, dove through sprawling second-hand markets and explored fashion in the world’s biggest cities and smallest towns.  The scope of her studies took her from preparing plants for organic dyes to exploring the factories that produce clothing for brand name stores.

Much of Annie’s inspiration comes from common or unwanted materials whose wide availability sparked her interest in recycling materials six years ago. Now she transforms repurposed clothing into sculpture for solo exhibitions and larger installations. Her work catches attention including that of trend forecasting companies in New York and private collectors on the east coast. Annie looks forward to blogging about her experiences and showing you how to create fabulous projects (clothing, jewelry and beyond) with materials from Goodwill.

Annie currently designs and makes clothing and accessories (and dances like-a-fool) in Charlottesville, Virginia. To learn more and to see Annie's projects visit: www.artemmink.com

Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

Posted by Jamie Klinger-Krebs on May 8, 2013 9:53:00 AM

mother's dayWith Mother’s Day coming on Sunday, May 12th, I’ve been thinking about all the things I could do for my mom this year. Friends have suggested the following: take a cooking class together, make matching aprons, or plan a bike ride and picnic. But, my favorite Mother’s Day gift has always been breakfast in bed. I can’t think of any mom who wouldn’t delight at the thought of waking up to a beautiful breakfast served to her on a platter with flowers and a handmade card. 

You can find everything you need at Goodwill to make your mom’s morning special.

Here is a list of things you should look for:

  • A tray to carry her breakfast
  • A small vase
  • A fun patterned shirt, or other fabric that can be used to cover the tray or that can be made into napkins or flowers, or used to decorate your card
  • A plate, cup and silverware

mother's dayI used a cutting board for the platter, though Goodwill has lots of different types of trays that would be perfect, so look around. I also found this lacey collar, which I placed on top of some bright scrap fabric.

Find a glass for your mom’s favorite morning drink: a mug for coffee, or a glass for juice.

I also made a red flower out of a $1 Goodwill tie to liven up the setting:

Just undo the stitching from the tie and remove the inner piece so that you're left with only the silk fabric. Then cut a 7 inch piece, fold it in half and run a bit of wire through it at the folded edge (the wire gauge does matter, just something easy to work with).  Bunch up the fabric, and twist the wire around the base a few times to keep in place.

flower1.fwNow do the same thing with a slightly wider section of the tie. After gathering, insert the wire end from the small flower into the bigger flower and wrap the excess wire around the base to secure. Use craft or fabric glue to adhere a piece of backing fabric to cover up the wire on the big flower. Once the glue has dried you can also attach a hair barret or a pin to the flower so that your mom can wear it later.

mother's dayNow what to cook? Pancakes, waffles and eggs are always delicious, but I like this recipe for pear salad because it makes the house smell like a decadent cinnamon pastry, but has all of the health benefits of a salad. You mom will love the flavor and she'll feel great all day! (Just make sure you wake up before she does and plan at least 15 minutes to put this together and make coffee or fresh squeezed juice).

DSC04621PEAR SALAD

Ingredients:

  • 1 pear, peeled and cut into slices
  • ¼ cup of dried cranberries or other dried fruits
  • 1 tablespoon oil (grapeseed or vegetable oil)
  • a shake or two of cinnamon
  • a pinch of salt
  • lettuce (I usually do a mix of romain and spinach)
  • 2 or 3 strawberries cut up, or your favorite fruits
  • ¼ cup pecans

mother's dayDirections: Heat the oil briefly before adding the pear slices, dried cranberries and cinnamon.  Let sauté on medium heat until the pears begin to caramalize. Remove from heat and let sit while you prepare the rest of the salad.

Make sure to wash and dry your lettuce and tear it into bite-sized pieces. Put them on the plate with your cut of strawberries, then add the slightly cooled pears on top. Garnish with a sprinkling of pecans and an orange cut in half using a zigzag motion with the knife.

You can also toss the salad with a little grapeseed oil and a nice balsamic vinegar for a little extra punch.

Have fun putting together a nice meal for your mom, and I hope you both enjoy the day together. 

Happy Mother’s Day!

Topics: upcycle, Upcycling, Mother's Day, Upcycling Expert, Annie Temmink