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

Picnics in June

Posted by Jamie Klinger-Krebs on Jun 25, 2013 1:20:00 PM

picnic1Peas, beets, and blueberries - with these and so many other delicious fruits and vegetables in bloom, June is a great time to plan a picnic.

With a little effort, good food, and beautiful weather you can’t have a bad time, and if the weather doesn’t cooperate, you can always have a picnic indoors.

You only need three things: a blanket, good recipes, and a basket for your delicacies.

blanketYour blanket can be made of nearly anything, but I chose to use several fabrics to make a more festive, interesting picnic blanket.  

Search your local Goodwill for inspiration.  I used curtains for the base on this one, but next time I might try cutting up towels into interesting designs.  I think it would help wick away moisture from the ground and it would be more unusual. 

blanketI came up with a simple design using triangles, but you could be more playful and cut out animal shapes, make stripes, or other designs.

blanket1. To make this design, measure the length of your base fabric, divide it in half and cut a triangular pattern out of two different Goodwill fabrics (one of mine was from a vintage car garage banner) to fit +1/2 in. to turn under.

2. Use an iron to press under all of the triangle’s edges.

picnic3. Pin both triangles in place and sew close to the edge.

4. Trim away the excess base fabric on the back of the blanket and you are finished!

Now for something to eat! 

I don’t like anything too heavy this time of the year and it’s hard to beat fresh vegetables from the garden anyway.  So I usually cut up whatever we have growing in the garden and bring nice fluffy lettuce, olive oil and balsamic vinegar to go with it.  Ill also pick up some nice cheeses (brie, tomme, and manchego are some of my favorites) with a crusty loaf of bread and something cold to drink: simple and refreshing. 

My favorite cold summer drink is Hibiscus Tea.  Called Bissap in West Africa and Sorrel in Jamaica (with many other names in the many other countries where it’s enjoyed) its often brewed with ginger, cinnamon and other spices. It glows with a deep red, tangy, sweet flavor. Hibiscus Tea is also thought to have positive health benefits for high blood pressure and other ailments.  Brew it ahead of time and take it with you in a big clear pitcher with slices of oranges and other fruit floating in the crimson liquid.

teaHibiscus Tea

6 cups of water
4-5 hibiscus tea bags
2 cinnamon sticks
1/8 cup honey
3 oranges, (2 for juice, one sliced)
Apple cider to taste (~ 1 cup)
Ice

Bring water to a boil and turn off the heat.  Add tea bags and cinnamon sticks.  Let steep for 15-20 minutes.  Remove cinnamon sticks and tea bags and add honey, the juice of two oranges and apple cider to your taste.  Once cool add ice cubes and orange slices and serve in a clear pitcher.

For something to carry all of these treats look for baskets, backpacks, or other interesting dishes in the housewares section of Goodwill and don’t forget utensils, plates, and napkins! 

Enjoy good friends, food and weather, while supporting the community with your purchases from Goodwill at the same time! What could be better than that?  Happy Summer!

Topics: upcycle, Upcycling, summer, Upcycling Expert, Annie Temmink