Shut Your Flap!

OMG... so how cute are these!! Part of her new line of printable 3D things, these gift-giving wallets from Claudine Hellmuth are way cuter than store bought money or gift card holders. I got my hands on these just yesterday and my mind is reeling over how clever and adorable they are.

The kit comes with 17 pages of printable wallets and instructions, with plenty of designs for everyone in your life... boys, girls, tweens, moms, dads. It even comes with printable coupons you can fill out and give for all kinds of holidays. And if you think you'd never be able to figure it out, she's made videos on how to assemble them step by step!

And Claudine's talents seem to be endless when it comes to 3D printables! She's got tons of party favors like... cupcake holders that are ovens, colorful popsicles, retro cassette tapes. She's got birdies and trains, entire villages to make and so much more... all for instant download. So check out her Etsy shop if you want to impress your friends and family with your mad folding skills and some pretty darn adorable paper accessories!

Shop Update: Rag Dolls R' Us

Just dropping by to let you know that my motley crew of misfit ragdolls are now available in my Etsy Shop! Lots of different styles to choose from, and a whole range of characters from the awkward to the kooky, to the yummy and delicious variety — like these 3-tiered cakes!

Some are the bestest of friends!

Some are just full of themselves. Ugh... too much ice cream in my belleh!

Some give me a headache... or should I say toothache?

... and some are a little crabby! But they're all so lovable and they would be happy to find a new home. Check them out in the new Modern Vintage Rag Doll section of my Etsy Shop!

Shop Spotlight: Red for Valentines Day...

Looking for a hand made gift this Valentine's Day? I thought I'd showcase some of my very own reddish creations, all available in my Etsy shop...

Step right up for this one-of-a-kind mixed media assemblage — a tribute to my favorite carnival game!

Check out this gorgeous ruby red necklace, upcycled from a couple of vintage brooches and a heart charm.

Looking for something a little more fun and whimsical? How about one of my custom Tillie Knock Down Dolls? Each one is numbered and signed by be for the ultimate in carnival collectibles. This little guy is number 69 (and no! I didn't pick that one on purpose!!).

Know someone who loves to sew for the holidays? This jingle thimble necklace has all sorts of re-purposed sewing notions!

Wish you were somewhere over the rainbow? This pair of "original" ruby slippers was made from a pair of vintage pumps and like a gazillion faux gemstones! A great gift for that Oz fan in your life.

And that's just the red stuff. I've got tons of collages, assemblages, jewelry, dolls, carnival themed stuff and more... in every color of the rainbow. So check out my Yesterday's Trash Art Shop and buy handmade this holiday!

~Michelle xoxo

Happy Cyber Monday! Shop Yesterday's Trash...

After an incredible discount-focused weekend at these big box stores, I have to ask myself, "How can a small art business compete with such low prices on mass-produced goods?" This is how — I don't. I have to look at it like this... they can't compete with me! I'm unique, friendly, real, approachable, honest, flexible... and everything in my shop was made by me... with Love!

So I invite you to shop this Cyber Monday, but also to shop hand made. Shop my shop. Hey, I'm not afraid of shameless self promotion! And, just because I like you... I'm offering 15% everything in my Yesterday's Trash Etsy Shop — now through Friday, December 2nd at 5pm EST. Just enter the code MYTRASH when you check out. You'll find lots of unique items made from vintage, found and everyday items including...

Dolls! Like this easy-peasy, make-your-own Coraline Little Me Pattern!

Uncommon Jewelry! Made from vintage items, interesting finds, and antique pieces and parts... like this Carousel Necklace.

Tons of Carnival & Circus Fun stuff! Including arcade-inspired Knock-Down Dolls and Assemblages.

Mixed Media Art! Including shadowbox-framed collages and some really weird and interesting stuff too!

And then there's the token holiday stuff like Kitschy Ornaments for your wacky relatives and some Holiday Home Décor items too.

So skip the malls, don't fuss over parking, avoid the crowds... and be a Cyber Shopper. Shop loud. Shop proud. Shop in your underwear if you like, because I can't see you! And... Thanks!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/YesterdaysTrashArt

~Michelle
    xoxo

Thinking Outside The Box...

Is this figurative and literal eye candy or what? These carnival-inspired assemblages of mine have become so popular, I'm working on making another 15 of them this week! But as I create the same items over and over, my natural tendency is to evolve a bit... and think outside the box! My mind is always saying, "well what if you did this, here?" or "what if you made that a little different, there?" And so this time I listened. Let's see what's new...

I'm using a bunch of transparent light bulbs I recently acquired at a rummage sale!

In that same stash, I found two funky Christmas lights, so I paired them up for a monochromatic red version.

I also found these awesomely round lights and really thought "outside the box"!

I decided to leave the wood bare on a couple of boxes, and color them with stain instead. Loving these!

I'm also trying some different color combinations.

And capitalizing on some interesting vintage illustrations that add to the assemblages!

And I have even more surprises... but we'll save that for later. Until then...

Always Room For Improvement...

My creativity the past couple weeks has been directed toward some other tasks... namely my website and Etsy shop. I did a grand sweep of changes, including updates to my home page... making it more visually pleasing and easier to navigate. I updated the bio a little bit to better reflect my current direction.

I updated lots of pages and even added new ones... like this Custom Jewelry page. This is so people know that I can create a special piece of jewelry using their own personal stuff!

I've also been adding some new items to my Etsy shop like a few more custom made Knock Down Dolls and my original framed Collages.

And... taking tons and tons of photos to bring a more cohesive look to the different categories of my shop. Not just for the new items I add, but for much of the existing items as well. Whew! But as always (for me at least), everything is a work in progress. But I'm happy with the improvements so far.

Photos, Photos, Photos...

Recently I had been given some tips on how to increase my sales on Etsy... and one of those ways was to make my photos "Etsy front page worthy". Now, I think my photos are pretty darn good... but alas... they do not look like the photos that are put on the front page. And because my pieces are all very different, my main photos all tend to be a little different as well.

So, after a little bit (okay, alot) of research on Etsy photos of upcycled, vintage, mixed media jewelry... I had myself a little photo shoot. (P.S. I left out some of the more embarrassing ones!)

I really like the texture of this one, but for some of my pieces... they don't show up as well and the texture interferes with the jewelry.

Open books or having vintage handwritten letters are popular backgrounds on Etsy also. But, I think it might be hard to get every photo to look the same, with the book at the same angle each time. Especially when I don't shoot all my jewelry at once!

I really love how this one came out. But again, getting the angle of the books just right... and the angle of the photograph just right... could end up looking kind of messy when they're all together in my shop.

My mom had this really unique candle stand. Just the kind of texture and color I was looking for. So I did an entire photoshoot for almost all of my jewelry using this prop. Many of the photos turned out great... but others... eh... so-so. I'm finding it hard to maintain my own vision, but yet make the photos Etsy-worthy so I get the exposure. I guess I'll be testing out more photography options, but for now I hope my shop looks a little more cohesive?

Let me know if you have any ideas or suggestions!

Recently Listed: Vintage Key and Lock Jewelry

After a recent trip to a vintage hardware store... I was really inspired to raid my collection of antique skeleton keys, door locks and miscellaneous brass bits and bobs I've collected for years! This simple Key To My Heart necklace has minimal elements, but big impact.

Pairing just the right peek-a-boo photo with this brass door lock leads to an interesting story about Mommy's Room.

And of course... sometimes there's a man behind that door who wants to profess his love for you, but might be a little shy. This Secret Admirer necklace was built around such a story.

The necklaces you see here and more have been added to my Etsy Shop this past week. You can check out my entire selection in the Uncommon Jewelry section of my store. Happy browsing!

St. Patty's Day Promo: 17% Off Sale!

Aye and Begorrah, friends! Just wanted to let you know that in honor of St. Patrick's Day, I'm offering 17% off of everything in my Etsy shop... through the 17th! Just enter the code SHAMROCK when you check out. Happy shopping!

Yesterday's Trash Etsy Shop Now Open!

That's right, folks... I am pleased and excited to announce that my Etsy Shop is now up and running... we're open for business!

Here you'll find all handmade one-of-a-kind merchandise made by me... like collage, assemblage, jewelry, dolls, home decor items, holiday ornaments, fashion accessories and more! It's mixed media madness.

I'm adding more daily, as I get items photograhed and written up... so check back often! Thanks for looking!