Scraps February 21, 2009

Just a few bits  to post for today.

My sister-in-law reminded me about the site Etsy. com. It’s an online marketplace for individual artists and crafters to sell their work. Be careful when you visit though, it’s like walking into the world’s largest art fair. I usually find about a dozen things just on the front page I want. The range of talent, prices, and products is vast. You can also search for people who use recycled or organic fabrics and materials (these sorts of craftspeople have a strong presence on Etsy).

sidenote: whoo-hoo I just made $40 more dollars on Craigslist! I assume most people know about Craigslist these days . It’s a great way to get rid of the “stuff” you no longer want AND make a little money as well. The benefits: less stuff in the landfills (one man’s garbage is another woman’s treasure adage), no boring yard sales waiting for people to stop by and paw through your stuff , easier than hauling it off to Salvation Army – because someone comes and hauls it off for me instead (and I make some $)!It’s a great site for those with kids, lot’s of strollers, plastic kitchens and riding toys, playhouses etc.   Disadvantages: I see other people’s stuff I want to buy (although this is “allowed” since it’s not buying new)- and, occasionally the person who comes to get your stuff wears a tank top that barely covers their girth and hairy back.

Also, for those of you that have stuff lying around that you don’t necessarily want $ for there is also the option of freecycle.org, which functions much like craigslist (local postings of stuff people want to get rid of) except no money is exchanged.

I am thinking about trying to make a braided rug. It’s something we need (to cover our ugly green carpet) and it doesn’t seem like the directions for making one are hard (although it may get a bit tedious if making a large one). I figure if I take my time though and work on it when relaxing for the evening watching TV that it’ll get done. So, here’s a call out to all of you with tshirts, sheets, or curtains you no longer want. Put them in a bag and hand them off to me to be included in the great rug project. I’m looking for anything cotton or cotton blend. Those of you that are too far away to hand over your old tshirts to me- here’s an easy (really really easy) way you can upcycle them: Martha Stewart t-shirt bag

Stumble item from last weekend: containers for organizing Cooper’s outgrown clothes.

Ok, I just linked back to etsy to drool over some more stuff: this is officially my favorite item for the day: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=fp_feat_5&listing_id=21176823

Creativity out of Crisis February 3, 2009

So we have a few more items to add to our “stumble list”: some felt from Walmart to make Cooper some more play food (good news: it’s “eco felt” made from recycled plastic bottles) a child proof latch for the oven because Cooper likes putting his new play felt pizza in the real oven rather than his play oven, and the second season of This American Life on DVD (no good excuse for this one except we can’t get it from blockbuster and we don’t have Showtime).

I had a busy and productive week writing abstract submissions for 2 conferences. I have already received one acceptance, so I’ll be reading a paper (taken from on of my dissertation”chapters in progress” ) in late March in Rhode Island. I don’t expect to hear from the second conference submission for another few weeks- it’s a larger, national conference  (American studies association)and I have less hope for being chosen. I have been pushing myself to submit to more conferences  not just because I should beef up my CV (resume) but also in hopes it’ll put the pressure on getting chapters done for my dissertation. I want to have solid drafts for all 5 chptrs by the end of August. This is an ambitious goal since I am still struggling to complete one solid chapter (I have drafts for 4 of the five chapters, however, they are all in preliminary stages and need serious attention and development) . However, it is crucial that I get on the job market this year (if there is going to be any) and I need to have all the heavy writing done so I can focus on job materials for the fall. Being an adjunct is a  precarious state to be in these days as the axs are being swung around ferociously on campuses. I have been very lucky to have the support of the English department at Fredonia, and although they have always been a department that respected and protected their adjuncts I fear they may soon have no other choice but to start cutting us. I already know that I will be facing a reduced load next semester (I am down to teaching 2 courses rather than 3), which means I will need to find another way to supplement our income.  Not a great time to be out looking for jobs, but also not a great time to be a “part-timer”. So all I can do is bust ass to work on what I have control over (finishing my degree) and hope that Obama’s stimulus for education helps some universities lift their hiring freezes next fall.

Ok so some good news about all the belt-tightening? (just because I have to find something!) The environmental  movement has sparked some awesome creativity, but I think the economic times have boosted the awareness of  creative reuse and reduce ideas since they not only are more “green” but also promote rethinking how we can use what we already have at hand. I think one of the most amazing and transformative things that is becoming more widely thought about during  the economic/environmental crisis is the the idea of “upcycling”. Upcycling takes objects that are no longer desireable (out of fashion etc) or are broken/unusable for their original purpose and reimagines a new use for them. What I like about this movement is that it completely shifts our ideas about our “stuff”. It’s great to reduce our consumption and reconsider what we really “need”, but there is still so much stuff out there – in our landfills and our homes– because of our fascination with “disposible” products. Even furniture today is only made to last a few years. In a culture which trends and fashion shift so rapidly it seems more productive to not try and stifle that desire so much as figure out how to creatively refashion what we already have into something “new” and unique/one of a kind . I  love seeing what people come up with, recreating old furniture or clothing or appliances. I like that it promotes a sense of excitement and hope, that answers to our problems don’t just mean sacrifice and reduction but productivity and creativity.  So there, there’s something good to think about in all the doom and gloom.