I was recently browsing Etsy and came across this wonderful shop called TheFlowerpress and fell in love with it. Necklaces,rings, earrings,brooches and more all recycled from T-Shirts and used in such a clever way that I had to buy one of her adorable necklaces. It arrived beautifully gift wrapped and I am wearing it right now and yesterday I wore it as headband.
The girl behind the Flower Press is Anne Pinaglia, a multi-faceted late twenty-something. A little over a year ago, Anne packed up her pug, left her home and career in nonprofit work in Portland, Oregon, and moved to Paris, France to be with her long time boyfriend. Not yet having a work visa, she poured herself into her passions, one of which being music, joining forces with the Paris-based English band This is the Kit, playing a plethora of instruments from the Autoharp to the musical saw.
During the summer of 2010, taking two weeks to walk from Porto, Portugal, to Santiago de Compostela, Spain (following the old pilgrimage routes of Saint James), she ran across a necklace made from used fabric. Admiring it, she inquired and was told that it is a longstanding Portuguese tradition to use old fabric and turn it into "new" items. With this in mind, upon her return from Spain she gathered some old tee shirts and started cutting.
"I really didn't know what I was trying to make, I was just testing my creativity," she explains. Slowly but surely, those old tee shirts were turned into simple necklaces, and within a matter of months those simple necklaces became more elaborate, with collections of brooches, earrings and even up cycled clothing added into the mix, some of which are even stained and colored with tea, wine, and vegetable extracts.
Anne adds that she gets tee shirt donations often, and laughs "people must think it's a bit odd when they see my excitement after handing me an old white tee shirt with holes in it. In my mind, I'm already thinking about the size of the necklace and the type of tea I will use to stain it." Those tee shirts would have otherwise been thrown away; after an hour in Anne's hands it is given new life (and hopefully a new home!).
Now at four months into its life, the Flower Press has seen - and continues to see - success, both at craft fairs and on Etsy. "For me it's not just the sales that mark its success, but the response that I get so often on my pieces.
Simple Rules to Enter:
1)Please follow my blog yes you know it makes me smile:)
2) Please visit Anne's shop and pick your favourite and post here only takes a few minutes of your time http://www.etsy.com/people/theflowerpress
If you would like to follow Anne on Twitter here she is : http://twitter.com/#!/FlowerPressShop
This giveaway will begin January 17th, 2011 and end at 11:59 pm EST on Feb.7th 2011. It is open to anyone worldwide to enter so come in and have a go. Random.org will pick a winner!
There is no limit as to how many times you can enter! oh and Happy Valentines Day.
Good luck and thank you Anne.
25 comments:
Lovely work Anne! I really fell in love with these and I have added you to my favorites!
http://www.etsy.com/listing/62562751/upcycled-ornaments-snowy-poufs
Will go stalk you on twitter as well! Good luck to all and I wish you many sells!
Londi
It's these earrings that blow me away ...
http://www.etsy.com/listing/62577563/black-and-white-pouf-earrings-made-from
they are super cute, and if it wasn't for an empty paypal account, they'd be mine already! hehe!
Keep up the good work, i love recycling and will sure be trying out more recycling myself this year in my jewellery and other crafts.
x
my fav are the pouf rings =)
Following you on GFC of course :-) !
And I adore this necklace: http://www.etsy.com/listing/64975964/the-knitted-alison-necklace-with
danaan at gmx dot at
my favorite is the Alison's Petit Fleur, upcycled tee shirt necklace with brooch - LIMITED EDITION
thanks for the chance to win!
yes, i am a follower!
Wonderful jewelry and great feature!
I'm following you here and FlowerPress on Twitter now!
These earrings are my absolute favorites:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/62577563/black-and-white-pouf-earrings-made-from
Thank you Krishenka:)
Mercedes
Thank you girls so much for stopping in to look at Anne's work, she will be delighted..
Don't forget you can keep posting as each post will count as an entry and Random.org will pick one of you:)
I follow your blog!!
and i love all of her flowers, especially the Alison's Petit Fleur
yuetong27 at hotmail dot com
I'm a follower. I love the Alison's Petit Fleur, upcycled tee shirt necklace with brooch - LIMITED EDITION!
aikychien at yahoo dot com
Great giveaway Krishenka!
i follow your blog.
elizabethmedina87@hotmail.com
My favorite item from Anne's shop is "Alison's Earrings" they're ADORABLE!!
Thanks everyone for your kind comments, I really appreciate it. :-)
i really love the pouf flower rings. what a fantastic idea for old tshirts.
following on google friend connect
trish
mahgwi21 (at) yahoo (dot) com
I Love it when a new lease of life is created from old, thanks for posting Trish.
Just followed you :) Great post to read, I love anyone who upcycles fabric! My favourite item is this bracelet: http://www.etsy.com/listing/64328157/pink-tea-stained-bracelet-made-from
Btw thanks for your comment on my blog! It made me laugh so much, because I've made 'bulge' pants too :P
Ha ha Sarah thanks so much for entering and great name for them "bulge pants" makes a cod piece look tame!
I'm a follower: miha.ela
I love the Upcycled navy blue cardigan.
mihaela.mihordea(@) gmail(.) com
Thanksfor the follow and for entering Miha. I looked at that one yesterday and I liked the addition of the not over the top ruffles. Good luck
I am following your blog! alexandra_digiorgio at comcast dot net
My favorite thing in your shop is the army green necklace!
alexandra_digiorgio at comcast dot net
Following you via gFC. :)
I really like this item: "
The Kipling necklace, knit and felted wool"
so.kitsch at gmail dot com
Love it. My favourite is the navy blue cardigan.
peggy aplSEEDS You are the Winner huge congratulations and thank you so much for entering
Just received this sweet letter from the winner of this giveaway and she said I can post it for you to see that here prize of a pair of earrings was well received. Thank you again to Anne
hello, Krishenka,
just to let you know, the earrings from the Flower Press arrived safely
and i love them! they are so unusual and light to wear.
thank you so much for offering them in a giveaway.
i am so delighted to have won!
blessings,
peggy
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