{NewNew} for Good:Disaster Relief in Haiti

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I work for a non-profit Foster Care/Adoption agency which has many clients from Haiti, and as such we have been given suggestions to donate for Haiti's disaster relief.

In addition to my independent donation, I have discovered a way that perhaps more could be contributed for the relief effort in Haiti.



And so for the months of January and February, I pledge to donate a percentage of The Original Beadscarf net Etsy sales to The Red Cross in order to contribute to Haiti's disaster relief. Please visit http://beadscarf.etsy.com for more details.

Lingua Nigra is also running a similar campaign for Haitians in distress for the month of January.

Please feel free to comment here if you are doing any similar charitable effort within your own Etsy shop!

Thank you for your support.

Socrates Sculpture Park

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Socrates Sculpture Park


On the far west side of Queens, overlooking Roosevelt Island and Manhattan, is a very special, and dare I say, magical place, located in my very backyard of Long Island City/Astoria.

It’s called Socrates Sculpture Park and it is one of the best spring and summer destinations in NYC for families, couples or to wander around on your own.

Once upon a time, Socrates Sculpture Park was an abandoned riverside landfill. In the 1980’s it was transformed into an outdoor exhibit space and studio by a group of artists and members of the community. Today it serves as a world renowned outdoor museum and artistic workspace, as well as a multifaceted activity park.

The best part about the activities on offer is that they are all free of charge and available several times a week during the spring and summer, with some continuing into the fall.

There are educational art workshops, a film series, and a weekend fitness program including yoga, capoeira, pilates and more!

It’s all just a short hop from Manhattan on the N or W subway lines to Broadway, and then a 10 minute walk.

For more information on all the Socrates Sculpture Park has to offer, please visit: http://www.socratessculpturepark.org/

At a Glance:

PARK HOURS: Socrates is open 365 days a year from 10am until sunset. Click here for sunset times

ADMISSION: FREE

DIRECTIONS TO SOCRATES SCULPTURE PARK: N/W to Broadway (Queens)

ADDRESS: 32-01 Vernon Boulevard at Broadway, Long Island City (Queens), NY 11106



by Lorina Pellach-Ladrillono of The Original Beadscarf &


Top Five List for Recycling

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Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

We hear those words evermore these days, not just for the sake of the environment, but also for the sake of our wallets.

I absolutely try to reuse anything and everything that is meant to be disposable.

And so here is my top five list for recycling items that you normally might just throw away: (In no particular order)

1. Empty cereal boxes, the kind that have an inner liner where the food is held. This is one of my favorites! What I like to do is carefully dis-assemble the box and re-assemble it inside out so that I have a box that I can either use for gift giving, shipping items in, or even just storage for small items. If you choose to use it as a shipment box, make sure you put a label over any writing that might be inside the box, otherwise that box is ready to be labeled and shipped.

2. If you don't already save them, the plastic container that your wonton soup arrived in would make an excellent storage container, and not just for food. They're great because they are see through and easily stacked.

3. Page-a-day desk calendars, the kind you rip off the comic or other with the day and probably crumple and toss. Not so fast! Collect those and use the non-printed side for scratch paper for your grocery list or other musing.

4. Lonesome sock, you know the kind, the one the dryer left lonely without a mate. Good news, our single sock now has a new life, as a dustrag, a puppet or sock monkey.

5. That pesky junk mail. Especially the kind with the envelopes for you to mail back applications and such. I use those envelopes to store receipts in, for different categories and write exactly what's in them.

What are some things that YOU give a second life to? Please share!

by Lorina Pellach-Ladrillono of http://www.beadscarf.com/ and http://beadscarf.etsy.com/

How-to: DIY Wedding Favors

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When my mother remarried nearly 10 years ago, her wedding was all about DIY from her dress to the wedding favors. That's where the inspiration for this blog comes from too! It's a fairly simple, yet sweet keepsake for your guests to remember your union. To honor her 10 years with her husband, Frank, I bring you:

Wooden Heart Magnet in an Organza pouch


Gather:
Wooden heart cutouts (available at most craft shops)Magnetic self adhesive tape (ditto)Paints/paintbrush and/or metallic paint pens.Other embellishing paraphernalia (trimming, glitter, sequins... you get it)Small organza bags
How-to:

1. Lay the wooden heart on a flat, protected surface.

2. Put a piece of magnetic tape on the back, but not too much that it extends beyond the surface of the heart.




3. Draw, paint or otherwise embellish the heart (this one was sort of 'tie-dyed' and used silver metallic paint pens) and Voila! You have a sweet little memento for your guests to recall your special day, and it hold coupons, to do lists or childrens' art on their fridge!


-Lorina Ladrillono of The Original Beadscarf

Handmade Nation comes to NYC!!!

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By Lorina of

The Original Beadscarf

Yesterday I had the great pleasure of attending a Q & A session featuring the authors of Handmade Nation and the indie documentary film of the same name.

Andrew, the Editor in Chief of American Craft Magazine was on hand as moderator of the event. He likens the Indie craft movement to the Punk rock era of the 70’s and 80’s in which self expression was rebellious in nature, much the way today’s crafters are anti-“big box”.

Faythe Levine and Cortney Heimerl travelled through the US to interview crafters from every corner of our country. Both being indie crafters themselves, became very interested in learning how various communities of crafters evolve and thrive.

The two met while they were vending together at markets and eventually decided to put up a video on youtube to promote their journey documenting indie craftspersons of America.

Particularly interesting was when Faythe mentioned that there was a tremendous interest from people outside the community who didn’t know what they were doing, and had to explain what crafters actually do. They also found that men became increasingly aware and interested in joining this female dominated arena.

Cortney and Faythe believe that the web is an integral part of the future of crafting in the form of online communities, forums, sharing of info and getting one’s name into the public eye. Crafting fills a need to get people together in person, which is often challenged by contemporary life. Crafters often feed off each other in complementary ways. There is definitely a social aspect to crafting.

Handmade Nation the film has sold out for its showing at the Museum of Art & Design for Thursday night’s premiere; however, there will be additional screenings the weekend of Feb. 14 and 15. Visit https://streamingmoviesright.com/us/movie/handmade-nation for more information.

For more blogs from Lorina of The Original Beadscarf, please click here.