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What we do:
Indy Upcycle accepts donations of Art and Craft supplies and sells them at pay-as-you-wish pricing.Hours:
Monday Closed
Tuesday 10am-5pm
Wednesday 10:30am-7pm
Thursday 10am-5pm
Friday 10am-5pm
Saturday 10am-5pm
Sunday ClosedLocation:
620M South Rangeline Rd
Carmel, IN 46032
(inside the Soho Cafe)Payment:
Cash and Visa, MC, AmEx, DiscoverContact:
Mj@IndyUpcycle.com
317.643.2278
My Sketchbook Project Submission
I am a believer in projects. I think it is a good idea to have a couple tasks that need to be done at all times.
For the last two years I have participated in the Art House Co-op’s Sketchbook Project, a traveling art show that exhibits thousands of sketchbooks made by artists from around the world. Their 2013 call-out was just announced.
Last year when I saw that they were having “Limited Edition” project in addition to the normal one, I signed up for it too. The Limited Edition project will produce a book that will feature every artist that submits for the project.
Today I mailed off my submission. It was hard to close the package and say goodbye to my work forever, but I have seen very talented artists fail because they could never step over that obstacle.
Before I sent it off, I took a video of the book.
Enjoy!
Posted in Inspiration
Step away from the FEAR!
There are a lot of factors that stunt our artistic growth – time, money, obligations, and our own minds.
One of our biggest de-motivators as adults is fear. Fear of failure, fear of success, and fear of permanence.
Wednesday night, May 2nd from 7-9pm, I will be hosting a workshop called “Inspiration Box.”
In this workshop, we will put together and use a kit to help you create without the fear of failure, success, or permanence. At the end of night, you get to keep your kit.
When you arrive, you will get a box and a list. Fill the box with the items on your list (i.e. three things of the same color, five of the same item in different colors, three different textures, a piece of fabric or paper that is different on one side than on the other, etc.)
During the workshop you will get prompts, “Create a design using red for emphasis.” Everyone will lay their items out in response to the prompt. We will look at each other’s work to see how the same prompt results in different outcomes. Then we will wipe the slate clean and move on to the next prompt. Nothing is glued down, nothing is made to last forever. At the end of the workshop, you will keep your Inspiration box to help you get creative in the future.
We forget that we are allowed to doodle. We are allowed to brainstorm, share ideas, make mistakes, play, etc. and doing so allows our mind to open up with confidence.
I hope you will join us. Go to Classes to sign up.
Posted in Inspiration
Earth Day Contest
The kits are ready! 
This Earth Day (April 22nd), Indy Upcycle will be open from 10am-5pm.
The first 15 customers who come in and spend $20 or more, will receive a contest kit. The kit contains a number of items to inspire each participant to create a unique piece of art. Finished projects will be due back in two weeks on May 5th. Judging will take place May 7th through May 14th by fans and customers of Indy Upcycle.
The top three winners will win a Buddy pass to any Indy Upcycle workshop.
The First place winner will receive the first Indy Upcycle memebership!!
Rules:
- Spend $20 or more at Indy Upcycle on April 22nd to get a kit. (If there are left over kits, they will be available for $10 through April 29th or while supplies last.)
- Using at least 5 of the 7 different things in your kit PLUS any extra materials from your own stash, create a unique work of art.
- Your finished project may be 2-dimentional or 3-dimentional.
- Your finished project should not be more than 12″ in any direction.
- Submit your project no later than 5pm Saturday May 5th.
- Judging will take place between Monday May 7th and Monday May 14th both online and in the store. (You may vote once a week online and daily in the store.)
- Spread the word to your friends and family! Whoever has the most votes in the end wins!
- Prizes will be awarded to the top three projects.
- Winners will be announced Tuesday May 15th.
Good luck and have fun!
Posted in Inspiration
The Lost Art
I have found an activity, recently, that I find both exciting and fascinating, shopping at the Goodwill Outlet!! I go there to find awesome little treasures to supplement my store inventory and to find specific items for my own personal crafting adventures. For instance, I always have a eye out for scarves and wraps.
One day, I saw a shimmery little ball of love poking out of a heap. I swooped it up right before the bin was wheeled away into the fateful back room.
Later, upon inspection, I saw that this gorgeous piece of fabric was, in fact, an artist made OOAK scarf with tags on it and everything! It was a festive tangle of orange, maroon, and purple bound together with chocolate thread and sprinkled bits of fuchsia and gold. This scarf is what Indy Upcycle is all about! It took beautiful bits of left overs and reassembled them into a gorgeous piece of art.
The Lost Art
Oh my gosh! How did this get thrown out?! Was it an accident? It had to have been. Whatever the reason, this little scarf really needed to go home.
I contacted the maker and told her about how I found her scarf. As it turns out, she is Deb of Columbus, Ohio. She sells her work under the name, Funkyscarf. Each scarf, belt, and shawl she makes is a beautiful textural collage. Since she has come to Indianapolis to show her work at Penrod a few times, it is possible that this lost scarf was purchased there. What ever the case may be, this little scarf is on it’s way home today to be reunited with it’s creator.
I feel that all of our artwork and materials have a a personality. We treat them right and they do amazing things for us. That is why I feel passionate about re-homing unneeded materials, and that is why I feel it is better to return the scarf than to keep it or resell it. If the scarf were alive, I think it would be very happy.
Disclaimer: None of my stories involving interactions with people are meant to be offensive, critical, or in any way exploit the people in the story. I also have no intention of your ideas or artwork being reused or copied. If you feel that you are the subject of one of my stories, please email me so I can try to rectify the problem. Thank you. 
Posted in Inspiration
Tagged art, collage, Found, funky, Goodwill, Indy Upcycle, karma, Lost, Mandy Jared, mixed media, return, scarf, textile, texture
Is Upcycle a new fad word?
Well, yes, sort of… The concept has been around forever, but the word is relatively new. Man has always been finding uses for their leftovers. Bones were used to make tools, soldiers used shell casings and bomber windshields to make jewelry for loved, and now Pinterest is inspiring us to make all sorts of wonderful things out of items that we might, otherwise, throw away. The practice has been around forever, but the term first appeared in a 1994 interview with Reiner Pilz. In reference to recycling, he said, “I call it downcycling. They smash bricks, they smash everything. What we need is upcycling where old products are given more value not less.”
Upcycling tends to regain popularity when the economy takes a nosedive. We are creatures of consumerism and innovation. We like new and pretty things. When resources run low, we adapt. Upcycling is very much about finding new ways to use things to maintain our need (want) to obtain items we use on a daily basis.
Lets see how Upcycling compares to other methods of dealing with consumer waste materials.
Use – Technically, this is the first option. We can not avoid this method for dealing with matter. The things we need originate somewhere whether that is by purchasing them or picking them from the garden. The first time a material is entered into the game of consumption, it is being Used.
Reduce (a.k.a. Precycle) – When we avoid using material, we Reduce. Commonly this is done by using things more efficiently like putting 20 things in a bag instead of partially filling 4 bags with 5 items each. It can also be done by taking only what you need like buying 11 screws from the bulk bin rather than buying a box of 20, therefore eliminating both a box and 9 surplus screws. Reduce is also called Precycle because it eliminates waste before it enters the consumption cycle.
Reuse – Saving materials to be used again for the same purpose or another purpose is Reuse. When you bring your grocery bags back to the store to be filled again or you use them as trash can liners, you are reusing.
Upcycle – When we modify a item to be used again, this is Upcycling. There is a lot of confusion between Reuse and Upcycle, but the defining factor is that Upcycling requires the material to be modified. Using a paper bag again isn’t Upcycling, but cutting arm and neck holes in it for your child to dress up like a robot is.
Compost – Most clean and organic materials that will naturally decompose over time can be Composted. This is usually done by adding organic waste to a compost bin or pile outside. Many food, yard, and some animal waste items materials combine to produce nutrient rich gardening material. Without composting, we inadvertently create an unnecessary amount of waste. Items that can be composted that are bagged in plastic are no longer able to decompose naturally since they are cut off from light and oxygen that they need to do so.
Recycle (a.k.a. Downcycle) – This is the Green term that usually comes to mind when considering an alternative to throwing something away. It has been exceptionally useful in raising awareness in finding alternatives to dispose of waste, however, it is actually the least green of all the alternatives because it requires a great deal of energy to complete the process. Recycled materials are converted into materials to be used for future applications. (Paper becomes pulp which will become paper again.) By definition, recycling uses energy to process the material into raw materials which will, in turn, need to be processed again to make end products.
Dispose – We can not avoid this option, although we are best to avoid it as much as we can. Disposal of waste items is when we send our unwanted materials off to the landfill, in hopes that it will eventually decompose, or to the incinerator where it will become ash and gas. Waste that can not be reused because it is dangerous, non-recyclable, or for another reason unusable has to be disposed of.
Posted in Inspiration
Tagged compost, definition, downcycle, environment, example, explination, Indy Upcycle, innovation, Mandy Jared, precycle, recycle, reduce, resources, reuse, upcycle, Waste
Henryville Supply Drive
Tornado Study by Kevin Smally
March 2nd Henryville, IN was hit by a tornado which destroyed their elementary school and Jr/Sr high school.
West Clay Elementary School (my daughter’s school) is collecting Backpacks, Rulers, Notebooks, Notebook Paper, Pencils, Pens, Poster Board, Colored Pencils, Index cards, Post-its, Glue, Glue Sticks, Crayons, Highlighters, Scissors, Markers, and other new or gently used Art/Craft/Office supplies.
To support their efforts, Indy Upcycle will be going through our inventory to gather items to add to the collection. If you would like to help support our efforts by donating these items this week, they will go directly to the people who need them most.
Indy Upcycle is open from 10:30-7pm Wednesday and from 10:30-5 Thursday and Friday.
March Workshops Announced!
Creative Workshop – Plan B
(What to do when you can’t do it your way.)
Wednesday, February 29th from 7-9PM in the Gallery
Join us as we tackle the inevitable problem all artists and crafters face at some point in their work, road blocks! We will discuss the pros and cons to giving up, settling on flaws, and innovating.
The workshop costs $15 and includes basic materials you may need. Feel free to bring materials you are comfortable working with, or for $10 extra, you may gather any materials you need from Indy Upcycle.
Creative Workshop – Simplify
(How to say the same thing with less.)
Wednesday, March 7th from 7-9PM in the Gallery
Come to discuss and experiment with ways of simplifying your work. Practice your ability to edit and revise to make your message clearer and more impactful.
The workshop costs $15 and includes basic materials you may need. Feel free to bring materials you are comfortable working with, or for $10 extra, you may gather any materials you need from Indy Upcycle.
Creative Workshop – Pysanky Eggs
(The Ukranian method of dying eggs.)
Wednesday, March 21st from 7-9PM in the Gallery
Try your hand at the traditional art of Pysanky. Hear a brief history of the tradition and create a lasting keepsake to show off during the up-coming holidays. No experience necessary. Detailed and abstract designs look beautiful with this technique of egg decorating. If you need a creative jolt, design examples will be on hand.
The workshop costs $20 and includes all the materials and training to make a Pysanky egg. We will be working with goose eggs, so your creation will be durable and long-lasting. Don’t worry, the eggs have all been emptied and sterilized for you! If you would like to buy an extra egg, I will have them available for $5 each.
To sign up for any of these classes, RSVP in-person at Indy Upcycle or online at www.IndyUpcycle.com/class
Class size is limited, so reserve your seat early.
Classes are for participants 18 years old and up.
Pricing Strategies
$1 back by Lauren DiCioccio
Someone asked me recently how much they should charge for their creations. This is a topic that touches every one of us that has considered making our crafting our career.
I went to a Crafting Caucus last year and got a lot of great information.
Here are my notes from the pricing strategies workshop.
* Price by what it’s actual value is and back it up and stand by it.
* Do not join the race to the bottom. (The race to the bottom is when people price things to sell and often under price them. Underpricing things makes it hard for people to make a living with their crafting. We are not here to compete with Walmart. We have a valuable thing to sell, and that is quality handmade goods made with love.)
* What is your hourly wage? $20? go from there. Use your IDEAL wage!
* Hourly wage may differ depending on the work. For instance a freelance job may cost more because of the extra effort in working with a client to create THEIR design and not one you are familiar with.
* Labor costs – think about how much your life costs hourly and how much it would take to make it worth pulling you away from your family or other responsibilities.
* Administration costs – Now how much do you add for URL fees, rent, ink, books, research, travel, Etsy/Ebay/Paypal/Square fees, and show fees etc.
* Material costs – Factor in the cost of materials. paper, thread, fabric, notions, packaging, etc. (don’t forget to include necessary material waste! For instance, if you need a yard of fabric, but you buy 1.25 yards of fabric because of compensation for your pattern, or design alignment, you actually have a material cost for 1.25 yards of fabric not 1 yard even if you plan to use that extra fabric for a smaller project.)
* Make sure your wholesale price is the same as consignment price. This should be your base price. (labor+admin+materials+10-20% for growth.)
* your resale price should be wholesale price plus another 20%.
** DO NOT settle for breaking even or losing income!! It hurts you and every other crafter trying to make a living.!!
** Part of knowing your customer is know that not everyone is your customer.
Recommended books:
Posted in Inspiration
Tagged artwork, cost, crafts, formula, how-to, Indy Upcycle, Mandy Jared, money, payment, price, Pricing, worth
What Is Indy Upcycle?
Indy Upcycle sells art and craft materials at Pay-As-You-Wish pricing.
The items in the store have all been rescued and are longing to become something special.
My #1 goal is to help give great materials new life. It’s alarming how many art materials are just thrown away when they could have been used by someone else.
My other goal is to re-energize and inspire people to create pieces when they find something new or different in my store.
Come in and visit, you never know what you might fall in love with.
Posted in Inspiration