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
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
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
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
I saw several electrical spools on the street waiting for disposal a few weeks ago, so I picked one up thinking it might be good for something. Sure enough, here’s a simple tutorial for turning an electrical spool into an ottoman. This is great technique for small tables you find at Goodwill, too. Maybe they need refinishing or a bit of a facelift? A simple slipcover like this one can do just that.
Topics: upcycle, Goodwill, Upcycling, Annie Temmink
When I saw these rubber animals and insects the other day at Goodwill, I couldn’t help but write this post. I know I’ve covered DIY button earrings, and this project is very similar, but bug and dinosaur earrings are so much fun for summer.
Topics: upcycle, Upcycling, Annie Temmink, DIY earrings, animal earrings
No matter where you might be traveling this summer, you’ll need somewhere to put your things. Goodwill has all the bags, luggage, trunks, and totes you could ever need. Even if you find a great suitcase at Goodwill chances are it looks like all the other black suitcases out there. You’ll want your luggage to stand out so you never have to worry about lost bags again.
Topics: Upcycling, Annie Temmink, summer travel, travel bags, customizing your travel bags
I have a favorite pair of shoes from Goodwill- they are simple canvas sneakers that I have completely worn out. Instead of buying new ones, however, I wanted to see if I could bring them back with a fresh coat of paint. It turns out you just need house paint, brushes, and a clear protectant to add function and style to the shoes you find at Goodwill.
Topics: upcycle, Upcycling, Annie Temmink, shoe revival, painting shoes
For this week’s post I thought it would be fun to put a spring twist on the traditional button-down shirt. The warm weather brings out brighter colors, so add a little neon to a plain button down from Goodwill and go enjoy the sunshine.
Topics: button down shirt revamp, upcycle, Upcycling, Annie Temmink
You never thought they’d make it, and frankly, neither did they, but with some remarkable luck you are now facing a graduate! This is an exciting time of year for so many students who finally have their coursework behind them and can move on to their next phase of life. As a friend or family member it can be hard to pick the perfect gift for your graduate. Luckily Goodwill can help. Here are some ideas to get you started.
Topics: Goodwill, Upcycling, Annie Temmink, graduation, graduations gifts
My Friend Claire showed me this technique the other day and I thought it was a great one to share. In an hour or less, you can make bright spring earrings from small fabric scraps. You can match them to your outfit (a great idea for the wedding season), or use them for an added splash of neon. Make them for yourself or your friends – these can make great gifts!
Topics: button earrings, earrings, upcycle, Upcycling, Annie Temmink
