I’ve mentioned on more than one occasion that my upcycling leads to some wonderful conversations. Lately, these moments have also been right-place-right-time encounters. For example, during the Maker Faire, I met two kindred spirits, who were as interested in talking about the act of upcycling as they were in looking at my upcycled creations.

My first new friend was looking for inexpensive and interesting gifts she could give to a group of friends she gathers with monthly. She ended up ordering 15 sets of upcycled gift tags – each tag as unique as its recipient, but the gift itself an equal gesture for each friend. I love making them and love keeping the beautiful card fronts they’re made out of out of the landfill. At $2 for a set of 8, they’re a steal, and, since she’ll give them to her friends before Christmas, they can be used and appreciated, without adding another “thing” to anyone’s household. Quite possibly, the perfect gift (if I do say so myself).

My other kindred spirit was looking for items she could use for her son’s Candy Land themed birthday party. I had just upcycled some cards from an incomplete game of Candy Land, turning them into mini note pads (using leftover jump rings to hold them together, plain old copy paper for the pages and the cardboard from an old spiral notebook for the backs). She was thrilled with such gender-neutral, wallet-friendly items (just $1/each) and asked if I could produce 10 note pads in time for the party. I threw in the four plastic game pieces, to use as cake toppers, and brainstormed a few party games she might use. What a fun project!

Custom orders are a pleasure on so many levels:

1. knowing what I’m making is wanted and seen as useful by someone else;

2. pushing me out of a rut or giving me the momentum I need to keep making something of it; and

3. connecting my work with kindred spirits, which will help me connect with other like-minded folks, possibly leading to more wonderful conversations (see above) . . . and the cycle continues.