What's New?

I love, love, love our latest design - The BackSack. In fact, the next one I make is going to be for myself. :-) Fairly small at only 13" wide by 15" tall, it packs a lot of punch style-wise. It's reminiscent of My Favorite Bag, with it's extra-large grommets and tie-front pocket. It sports one deep side pocket, but the other side has a handy strap from which you can hang your keys (snap included) and your sunshades. The inside has a nice, big pocket too. It's super easy to close. Just loosely knot the cords for a fun, funky look without a lot of fuss. One of the nicest features for me is the fact you can throw it in the washer and dryer.




This bag retails for $45 and is currently only available as a special order, so please email me or send me an Etsy convo if you're interested in having one for your very own. (The bag in the pictures sold already but I have more of this fabric available as well as many, MANY other great choices.)

We will be developing a PDF pattern for this bag within the next few weeks, which will incorporate a lot of tips for sewing with recycled and/or thrifted fabrics. If you're an eco-conscious seamstress, be on the lookout for that. Thanks for visiting!

Save $$ without Compromising on Style

Let's face it - the economy isn't as robust as it once was so we all have to make tough choices these days. I don't know about you, but my family isn't eating out as often; we're opting to stay at home and watch movies on pay-per-view instead of going to the theatre; and we're taking fewer vacations.

One thing we are NOT doing is letting our money escape out the windows and doors. We are using draft stoppers. And it's making a difference in our utility costs. I knew when I saw daylight peeking underneath the front door that I needed to do something to plug up the problem, so to speak. So, I tried a rolled-up towel in the beginning. Ugh! It was ugly and it was too lightweight to stay in place. 

Finally, an Etsy friend, GEEKDETAILS (fabulous geekery, you MUST check her out!) put in a special request for draft stoppers and they turned out so well I knew I had to make some for myself too. Soon, not only did my foyer look FABULOUS, but draft stoppers were my number one seller.

If you know how to sew, you can quickly and easily stitch up your own money-saving door and window guards. Or, if you don't have the time or inclination to make your own, you can pop over to The Recycled Jeans Company's Etsy store where we've got a nice selection to choose from. You can choose a pre-made stopper, or you can custom order your own fabric and size.

Whether your style is basic or bold and beautiful, The Recycled Jeans Company has got a draft stopper for you. 

Contest Winner

We have a winner in our "Give My Hamster a Voice" contest! It was hard to chose, but Genevieve is a HUGE Def Leppard fan so in the end we decided on ButterflyDesign1's quote "Pour some sugar on me..."

Thanks to you all who participated. Just for fun, I thought I'd tell you how the decision process played out. I chose the top three answers, then my 12 year old daughter, the actual hamster owner picked the final winner.

Our top three answers were:

1. Pour some sugar on me...
2. One hamster or two? - by Lissa
3. I is not a sugarcube! - by AmyJosCreations 10 year old daughter

As promised, our winner will be receiving a $25 gift certificate from The Recycled Jeans Company. Thank you all again so much for participating. We'll have another fun and exciting contest coming up soon, so stay tuned.

Amy

New Contest - Give My Hamster a Voice

Anyone can see this is a witty hamster. If only she could speak, there would already be something funny and/or profound in that bubble. Since she can't, I'm asking for your help. Tell me what YOU think she's saying. The person with the best answer (as chosen by me) will win a $25 gift certificate from the Recycled Jeans Company. Entries will be accepted from November 1 - 30th. I'll announce the winner on December 1st.

Please... no profanity. Although my hamster does have a political affiliation, she doesn't wish to make it public, nor does she wish to offend any of the misguided souls who don't agree with her, so no political statements either.

Don't forget to include an email address or Etsy shop where you can be reached if you're the winner.

The winning entry will become the property of The Recycled Jeans Company and may be used in future products and/or advertising. No further compensation will be paid.

Boo-ti-ful Halloween Treats!

Hot off the sewing machine... Rummaging through my stash I found several super-cool Halloween prints that got my creative juices flowing. Combining these with a few new cottons, I created what I think you'll agree is a whacky, wonderful line of Halloween goodies. I've just listed several trick or treat bags, which are actually my travel pillowcases done up in spooktacular style. They'll make great loot bags now and can be used as pillowcases or laundry bags later. I also have drink cozies, and a scrappy little mini tote, so hop on over to my store to check them out.

BTW, if you're a fan of the kitty cat fabric, I have more drink cozies and mini wallets coming soon in that pattern, and I have lots more of the Flintstones fabric if you have any special requests.

Etsy Treasury

For those unfamiliar with Etsy, members are allowed to curate a collection of 12 photographs of fellow Etsians' work. Each list is added to the treasury for 2 or 3 days. Many of the lists are stunning pieces of art in and of themselves. Here are my latest efforts.

Milkshakes - To Drink or Not to Drink

BLATANT ADVERTISEMENT! Ya’ know what… it’s not PC to drink milkshakes anymore, especially when you’ve got an ass like mine. I know I need to lose a few pounds, but I shouldn’t feel like I’m going to get arrested for having a little dairy treat every now and then, know what I mean! With the current climate of hyper-health consciousness, I feel slightly guilty every time I walk away from the Baskin Robbins counter. So I’ve hit upon the perfect solution! I cover up my occasional snack with a coffee cozy from The Recycled Jeans Company, fooling the masses into believing I’m having a frappuccino. And that’s great because coffee is totally cool – even the blended frozen ones you suck through a straw – which, I mean, come on – really aren’t that different from a milkshake now are they?


So, if you too have a milkshake habit you can’t kick, don’t fight it. Just get yourself a full-sized drink cozy from The Recycled Jeans Company. As an added bonus, the cozy keeps your hands warm without melting your shake. When you think about it, you have nothing to lose, and everything to gain – including a couple of pounds. But that’s YOUR business.