You don’t have to be anything for Halloween this year!
Upcycling Expert - 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
Topics: Goodwill, Halloween costumes, Halloween, Annie Temmink, halloween costumes at Goodwill
Fast and Easy Animal Ears, Fancy Hair Clips, and Hat Dazzle
This project was inspired by a local clown, mime, and friend, Ruckus. Looking for a quick and easy way to spice up your Halloween costume? This project can be taken in any direction and the possibilities are endless.
Topics: costumes, Halloween costumes, Halloween, Annie Temmink
Shoes often make the difference in an outfit, and the same is true for a Halloween costume. Generally for one night of wear you won’t invest much in a great pair of shoes, which is why Goodwill is a good place to start your specialty shopping. You can find a pair of heels for a few dollars and alter them to enhance your costume.
Topics: Halloween heels, Halloween costumes, Shoes, Halloween, Annie Temmink
It’s time to start thinking about Halloween, and if you’re the type of person that usually runs out of time to build your ideal costume, here’s your chance to get it right!
Topics: Goodwill, Halloween, Annie Temmink, Halloween costume, super hero costume, super hero cape
Cooler weather is on the way, so it’s time to start collecting sweaters! With the unpredictable fall weather you usually won’t need bulky woolens just yet. Instead, you can start by layering light, breezy ones and work your way up to those mid-winter weights.
Topics: distressed sweaters, fall sweaters, Goodwill, Upcycling, Annie Temmink
Here’s an easy accessory project that only takes three materials and a few minutes. With Halloween coming up I thought it would be fun to show accessories that are good for everyday, but can also enhance this year’s Halloween costume.
Topics: headband necklace, upcycle, Goodwill, Halloween costumes, Annie Temmink
Add a Little Flower Flavor to Your Headband
Wear them for school dances, costume parties, Halloween, or just for fun on Saturdays; these flower clips and headbands bring playful summer colors into coming the fall and winter grays. Goodwill is a great place to find artificial flowers for projects like these because they have a good selection of colors and flower varieties - and the prices are much better than those you’ll find at craft stores
Topics: Goodwill, Upcycling, Annie Temmink, artificial flowers
The new school year brings great sports along with it. From junior high touch football, to high school volleyball, and collegiate intermural and novelty club sports, there’s a little something for everyone. The variety of college athletics, for example, can span anywhere from Quidditch to lawn bowling and medieval longsword sparing (this is a real sport!). Of course, you’ll also have the usual soccer, basketball and tennis too, but best of all, you can try several sports before settling on your favorite. But, that’s a lot to train for, and it can also be costly when you consider the cost of the equipment you might need for some of these sports. But, that’s where Goodwill comes in!
Topics: back to school, Goodwill, Annie Temmink, school sports
I found a vinyl banner at Goodwill last week and remembered some of the cool, used billboard bags I’ve seen before. With a new school year right around the corner, I thought it would be fun to make a pencil case out of the vinyl sign. To make your own pencil case, here’s what you’ll need:
Topics: back to school, Goodwill, Annie Temmink, upcycled pencil case, billboard bag
Sometimes you find a great dress at Goodwill, but what you really wanted was a top and skirt. Or, maybe like me, you’re going to an Indian wedding, borrowing a friend’s sari and need to make a matching top to go with it. It happens. But, you no longer have to fret because today I’m giving you instructions for turning a dress into a two-piece outfit (that looks cute even if you don’t need it for an Indian wedding)!
Topics: upcycled dress, Goodwill, Upcycling, Annie Temmink