Today is the final day for entries in Etsy’s Upcycling contest, and I just completed my own final entry for the contest earlier today.
It’s a bustier, skirt, and flower choker made from recycled FEMA blue tarp. Last year around Mardi Gras, I participated in a fashion show fundraiser charity auction to benefit the America’s Wetland organization. The only rule for the auction was that all of the outfits had to be made using blue tarp as the primary material.
My dress made the front page of the Times-Picayune Living section that week and prompted requests for me to make some simple dresses out of this FEMA blue tarp material. A lady had found a big pile of it on the side of the road, and I made her and her friend dresses out of it for them to wear on Mardi Gras. I had a TON left over though, and the Upcycle contest finally gave me an excuse to use up some more of it.
My fellow New Orleans Craft Mafia member Heather of Unique Products makes messenger bags out of blue tarp, and she’s submitted them as an entry into the contest as well.
Here are ten of my favorite Upcycle entries I’ve seen so far, in no particular order:
1. recycled sweater “weiner bench”
3. plastic bag rain jacket (seen here)
5. vintage camera spy girl purse
6. antique typewriter desk organizer
7. reclaimed teapot electric lamp
8. Priority Mail envelope wallet
9. recycled paper shower curtain
10. flashlight purse
Holy shit, babe!
This is incredible. (Eric agrees with me.)
If I had $250 (and could fit into it), I’d snatch that up in a heart beat. The lines on it are great, the design is cute, functional, funky, and recycled.
I love it.
(Plus, your legs are like 32904890 million miles long in that first picture.)
Left by MissMischief on January 15th, 2007