Upcycled Vintage

Searching for a look to complement these flowers turned up this memory of a December 2012 visit to Sarah Lou Designs.

Peace Of Thread At Summerfest

The mission of Peace of Thread is to employ refugee women in vulnerable populations by producing high quality, one of a kind purses, bags, and accessories using repurposed or upcycled materials, and to engage in activities which are necessary while promoting peace.

As it welcomes refugees from the world's bitter conflicts, the small town of Clarkston, Georgia has become home to one of the most ethnically diverse populations in America. Such an unique status crops up in many ways and places. At Pecha Kucha Volume 28, I shared a stage with Kitti Murray, who spoke of her Refuge Coffee Company, a non-profit business that serves the needs of that global village. A good friend of this blog welcomes the newly arrived, as other Americans once did her father. My exploration of Clarkston led me to Peace of Thread, where glorious fabrics from ADAC: Scalamandre, Schumacher, Oscar de la Renta, Grey Watkins, to name but a few, become those lovely bags. Each bears a card signed by its maker, and a dove of peace lives by a thoughtfully placed inner pocket. "The bags should be just as pretty inside as they are outside," believes Founder & CEO Denise Smith. Much of the work takes place at home, so families remain together. Please look for Peace of Thread this weekend at Virginia-Highland Summerfest.

Peace Of Thread

The mission of Peace of Thread is to employ refugee women in vulnerable populations by producing high quality, one of a kind purses, bags, and accessories using repurposed or upcycled materials, and to engage in activities which are necessary while promoting peace.

As it welcomes refugees from the world's bitter conflicts, the small town of Clarkston, Georgia has become home to one of the most ethnically diverse populations in America. Such an unique status crops up in many ways and places. At Pecha Kucha Volume 28, I shared a stage with Kitti Murray, who spoke of her Refuge Coffee Company, a non-profit business that serves the needs of that global village. A good friend of this blog welcomes the newly arrived, as other Americans once did her father. My exploration of Clarkston led me to Peace of Thread, where glorious fabrics from ADAC: Scalamandre, Schumacher, Oscar de la Renta, Grey Watkins, to name but a few, become those lovely bags. Each bears a card signed by its maker, and a dove of peace lives by a thoughtfully placed inner pocket. "The bags should be just as pretty inside as they are outside," believes Founder & CEO Denise Smith. Much of the work takes place at home, so families remain together. Please look for Peace of Thread in Booth 148 on Clairmont Avenue at this weekend's Decatur Arts Festival.

Graphic Prints: Act I

A child's bed sheet repurposed as a skirt gets a frilly hemline from Drama Girl Designs.

Smart Glass Dressing

Kathleen Plate celebrates the reduce, reuse, recycle ethic by turning old Coke bottles into cascading ringlets. Her Smart Glass designs have appeared on this blog before, as earrings worn to a Captain Planet Foundation gala, so when a friend offered to model one of her glass dresses, I scoured Decatur for a suitable location. Thank you, Worthmore Jewelers, for lending us something special.

Save The Dates: Food Truck Fashion Fridays

Yes, that print is vintage Pucci, upcycled into a clutch by the talented Sarah Sozo. She has joined forces with Jessica Caballero of The Cycle Of Style to bring their special glamour to Fashion Fridays this season at the Food Truck Park, 1850 Howell Mill Road. Three monthly dining and pop-up shopping events will take place from 5 'til 9 pm on June 20, July 18 and August 22. Remembering the great looks from a summer past of Food Truck Thursdays at Woodruff Arts Center, I look forward this year's convergence street food and street style. See you there!

Street Scene: Fairlie-Poplar

bag: upcycled Argentine bus upholstery via Heliotrope
blouse: Lucky Brand via yard sale
shoes: Fly London
sunnies: A. J. Morgan
scarf: Target

More Bastille Day

headband: diy from upcycled fabric
blouse: Old Navy
shoes: vintage
Found and Fixed on Common Thread

At The Revival: Finding Fabulous

Most days you would have to visit Blairsville for their creations but today, Finding Fabulous may be found at The Goat Farm.

SarahLou Designs At Lake Allatoona, Part I

Perhaps it was pining for the spring season. Following our December trackside adventures, designer Sarah Daly and I turned our thoughts to things nautical. She used the interval well, organizing what became an extravaganza. Models, hair and makeup artists, musicians and photographers converged Sunday upon Lake Allatoona. Here is a first sampling of our brew.
SarahLou Designs

In Marietta: SarahLou Designs

It has been a week for trains on this blog: first in College Park and now Marietta. After all, Atlanta is a railroad crossing all grown up. It was trackside downtown at the Indie Craft Experience last month that I met the Sarah half of SarahLou Designs. Her sense of retro-inspired whimsey and upcycling ethic demanded a second look. Time stood still as designer, model and photographer explored moods on the rails and in the studio. Also a painter, Sarah learned to sew at her mother's knee. That gorgeous heirloom Singer belonged to her grandmother, a War Department careerist. Please follow this link to more images from that day.

Reduce, Reuse...Upcycle!

dress: thrifted
silk scarf and cotton gingham bag upcycled by re:loom

Weaving A Better Life is the business of re:loom. More than repurposing fabric into rugs, scarves and bags, the Initiative For Affordable Housing in Decatur is renewing the fortunes of those in need by teaching them valuable skills. Donations of disused materials both gain and give new life. Care to lend a hand? Visit affordablehousingatl.org or call 404-299-9979.

Summerfest, Part II

Her creative talent extends beyond painting to seeing a blouse in this former window curtain.
www.maggiegrier.com

At Salvage

from the Good Food Truck

What a week for sustainable creativity here in Atlanta. From Eco Style South to the Indie Craft Experience's Salvage, great green looks celebrate the abundance of what we already have.

Save The Date

Earth Month festivities continue Saturday when Salvage comes to Ambient Plus Studio. Celebrate the abundance of what we already have in vintage clothing, housewares and upcycled goodness from the same crafty folks who brought you ICE.

A Rainy Saturday: Part II

What becomes of your outworn clothing? There was a time I would cut swatches from old favorites before tossing them away. The spirit of our time, reduce, reuse and recycle, offers a charming alternative to the landfill. Thanks to designers like Lionel Lymon and boutiques like Green Pomegranate, a recently retired dress shirt was reborn as a small boy's trousers. That its blue and yellow plaid continues to please someone should be a joy for all of us.