Another Fabulous Treasury!

Thanks, again, NaturalStar, for putting together such a lovely treasury!

Introducing...willywaw!

Shop name: willywaw

A little about you: When I was growing up, my Dad would tromp us out into the woods with our Peterson Field Guides in hand to discover and identity what was growing there. So it’s by nature that I still find inspiration for my art and designs. My name is Ashley Van Etten and I live in Narragansett, R.I., with my husband, Joe, and our rescued border collie/Alaskan husky, Cody. Joe is a marine engineer, avid diver and kayaker. I love the ocean and the creatures that inhabit the shore but I also have a passion for mountains and snow.

I've worked as a freelance illustrator for over 15 years and enjoy creating just about anything. My favorite mediums are oil, watercolor, screen prints and wood. I have a B.A. in studio art and background in fashion design. At one time I designed couture under my own label and after volunteering on a trail crew in the Tetons lead to a move out west, I designed ski clothing and outdoor gear for five years.

My Etsy shop shares the name of my web site, willywaw.com, and my design studio. Named after the ferocious arctic winds that sweep down coastal mountains and slam onto the ocean (I like reading non-fiction arctic adventure), Willywaw is the creative outlet for my own work.

A little about your products: A few years ago I became a master gardener. The program teaches sustainable gardening practices and reinforced my concerns about the environment, so choosing organic textiles was a no-brainer. My tote bags are screen printed on organic cotton canvas, and I use hemp webbing for the straps as it wears better than cotton. I am trying to buy only fabric grown and milled in the U.S. and get most of my fabric from NearSea Naturals and their blog but I've had to make some compromises. For now, my t-shirts are not organic and the decision to offer a t-shirt with great cut, style and colors won out. The dye house does have a state of the art water treatment recycling system and is in New England so they get some points.

What about the organic mission inspires you?: When I swim in the ocean or dig in my garden, I think about how what goes in is going to come out, or go somewhere, or end up back in me. I’d like to be part of a solution not part of the problem.

What’s your current project?: My big project right now is building a bigger light box so I can burn very large screens. My tote bags are screened as one piece and then sewn so I am limited by the size of the tote I can create. Customers have expressed a lot of interest in bigger bags, pillows and new styles. I’m also working on multi-colored prints and paint as often as I can.

Where your products can be found: Right now I am only selling on Etsy. I will be at the URI East Farm Spring Festival next May and the Coastal Growers Farmer’s Market at Casey Farm throughout the summer 2009. Both events take place in Rhode Island.

Portfolios: www.willywaw.com
Shop: willywaw.etsy.com
Blog, under construction: willywaw.blogspot.com

Fabulous EOT treasury!

Another lovely treasury put together by NaturalStar.

EOT Green Christmas Treasury!

Check out this great treasury by greenthing:

Introducing...ecogeneration!

Shop Name: ecogeneration

A little about you: I have always been conscientious about how wasteful we are as a society but I wouldn’t classify myself as an environmentalist in the traditional sense of the word. I recognize that we live in a disposable and “we want it yesterday” era that quick and convenience take priority over worrying about landfills or the environment, even including me, at times. But I am changing and I owe it to both my mom and my mother-in-law. They have been the ecological savvy matrons for years without knowing that they were saving the environment. In fact, they were being just frugal! They don’t buy any new plastic containers. They always reuse ice cream tubs, yogurt containers, Chinese Take Out tubs, and alike… (Now, the studies have shown that they may leak chemicals into foods. Yikes!). They also reuse glass jars before recycling became mandatory. Now, I, the one who always complained that we had too many empty glass jars and plastic containers in the pantry, am filling my own pantry with glass jars and non-recyclable plastic containers. I am also looking at ways to reduce buying the “want’ items and just buying the “need” items. I also started converting some non-recyclable items into functional housewares (see bottle caps) instead of throwing them out with the trash. I am also buying organic, including my knitting yarns. I have organic and natural rubber mattresses. I have organic sheets. I use phosphate free laundry detergents (safer for the local waterways) that are plant based (Eco brand). I don’t use commercial cleaning agents anymore; instead, use vinegar and baking soda (another one of my mother in law’s secret for years). I started making my own dishcloths, inspired by my mom, and haven’t bought a commercial sponge in years.

So, after considering many of my friends suggestions to sell my ever growing selection of handmade ecological goodies, I decided to sell them on Etsy….not just to make money (trust me, I’m not retiring any time soon) but also to educate and send out a message that we should all reduce, renew, and recycle. And we can do it in style.

A little about your products: My Organic Washcloth is long lasting and is so soft (and gets softer with each washing) that it can be used even on babies’ soft and sensitive skin. The washcloth gently exfoliates tired cells and you’ll feel so much cleaner. I use 100 percent certified organic cotton and dyed to meet the organic guidelines. I also made reusable makeup remover pads with organic cotton yarn. These pads will eliminate the need for disposable cotton balls or make up remover pads. Teenagers can use them for their acne prone skin. They’ll love using them. The organic pads can be used over and over, saving you money but also the environment. I started out making dishcloth before I started selling on Etsy. I’d give them away to my friends and family. I love them because they clean better and last longer so they don’t end up in landfills as quickly. (I don’t use organic cotton yarn for the dishcloths or scrubbies because, frankly, rougher acrylic yarn cleans the stains better than the soft organic ones.) I have other products on Etsy but they are not made with organic materials. They are made with reclaimed or repurposed materials so they are still contributing to saving the environment.

What about the organic mission inspires you?: My mom developed an allergy to formaldehyde from years of working in the garment industry. Formaldehyde is used in almost everything we come in contact with, including fabric, lotion, soap, furniture, and more. She also loves gardening and prolonged exposure to pesticide and insecticide in the past has made her become very sensitive to any chemicals. I started buying organic more conscientiously after she started feeling all that. But I won’t buy organic products from another country. It defeats the purpose of being environmentally conscious if we have to have them shipped or flown from a foreign country, wasting energy. We have so many fine products produced right here at home. Of course, I’d prefer to go to a local farmer’s market and buy “Local Organic”. That’s the best.

What's your current project: It’s a secret. No, seriously, I am currently working on making some toys using plastic bottle caps. I already sold a set of birds’ nest magnets (my avatar) that I made from plastic bottle caps so I am really happy that I am putting these non-recyclable caps to use. I am also knitting a preemie’s set: a hat, bootie, and glove with organic yarn. I’m hoping to finish them for Christmas season.

Where your products can be found: ecogeneration.etsy.com

Blog: ecogeneration.blogspot.com