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
For my last post I thought it would be fun to chronicle some of the festive dresses I have found at Goodwill over the past year. What I love is the variety. If you’re looking for a New Years outfit, you can always stick with sparkles, but you might also want to be a little more adventurous.
Topics: Goodwill, Annie Temmink, shopping Goodwill
Lighting can make such a difference when creating “atmosphere” for a gathering. As you begin cooking and building centerpieces for your table this Thanksgiving, it’s worth taking a few minutes to think about lighting. You might consider getting a new chandelier, or maybe a hanging lamp to accent your table; you could even use a string of lights to brighten up the centerpiece. String lights are great because not only do they have a low risk of flame, but they’re also easy to install. They can dramatically change the atmosphere of your event! Goodwill often has great string lights for much cheaper than you can buy new.
Topics: Goodwill, Annie Temmink, lighting, string lights, holiday lights
With Thanksgiving around the corner, it’s worth discussing preparation and organization for the big holiday meal. Whenever possible, my family snakes doors-turned-makeshift-tables throughout the house and covers them in festive, mismatched linens and invites everyone we know to a huge feast. This requires, among other things, a little preparation and LOTS of butter. Now, if you’re planning on hosting this year’s shin-dig, Goodwill can help you go a long way with your planning.
Topics: holiday organization, Goodwill, Thanksgiving, Annie Temmink, holiday cooking
As the wind picks up and the weather gets gloomy, all I want to do is bake something sweet and delicious. If you feel the same way, but your kitchen isn’t pre-equipped with the proper bakeware, it can be a little pricey to whip up your favorite sweet thing. Luckily Goodwill carries a wide variety of cooking utensils, bowls, and pans (and more) in order to bake whatever your heart desires.
Topics: Goodwill, Annie Temmink, bakeware, baking
Before the temperatures get icy and send you cuddling up in front of a cozy fire, consider spending your last few weekends exploring the outdoors.
Topics: hiking, hiking equipment, Goodwill, Annie Temmink
You don’t have to be anything for Halloween this year!
Topics: Goodwill, Halloween costumes, Halloween, Annie Temmink, halloween costumes at Goodwill
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
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
