The First First Monday
You know I am constantly amazed and in awe of the women out here in Blogland... women who create beautiful things, women who pour their hearts and souls into mindful motherhood and artful homemaking, women who stand up for what they believe in, women who are holding down the fort, women who are making their way despite the odds.
I tell ya, whenever I sink into worrying about what the world is coming to, I take solace in the fact that there are so many women out there working each and every day to make the world a better place, one child, one clothesline, one reusable grocery bag, one kind word at a time.
It reminds me of a story I read years ago, that has stuck with me. The book, The Prize Winner of Defiance Ohio is the true story of a woman who, through sheer grit, determination, and a heaping helping of creativity, managed to keep her family of 12 afloat by entering contests of skill. She wrote jingles and composed essays between diapering and ironing and in so doing taught her 10 children that anything is possible. Read an excerpt here (It seems that there was a movie made about the book, but I haven't seen it, so I don't know if it's good or not.)
In honor of "the Prize Winner", and all the many many moms out there, doing their best with what they have, (and because it's just a lot of fun) I've decided to host a monthly contest of skill, here at Blue Yonder.
Tune in on the first Monday of each month for a new contest, with a new topic, and a new batch of prize goodies to give away. And while I know that today is not actually the first Monday of April, I just couldn't wait to get started! So here we go...
April's Blue Yonder First Monday Contest is:
Tell me your most creative repurpose. Maybe you've woven plastic bags into bathmats or sewn all your grandpa's old handkerchiefs into a quilt. Perhaps you saved up your yogurt containers to use as candle molds or you've turned an old clawfooted bathtub into a strawberry planter. Tell me how you've taken something old and given it new life with a new purpose.
Enter by telling me about your repurpose here in the comments section, or by commenting with a link to a photo or blog entry about your repurpose.
You can enter as many times as you like between now and midnight CST, April 30th. On May 1st, I will announce this month's winner, along with the details of May's contest.
Your entry can be an idea that strikes you this month, or something you did two years ago, so long as it is your own creation.
The winner will be chosen by me (and perhaps a committee of cohorts that may or may not include my mom, husband, neighbor, children and the check out girl at Wal-Mart).
The most creative/useful entry will receive:
Your very own copy of "The Prize Winner of Defiance Ohio"
A biggo bar of my all time favorite soap, Pre de Provence's Linden.
A few boxes of the best ever Japanese Curry Packets (Japan's boil in bag version of fast food)
The lovely thrifted red doile in the photo above, a package of genuine Texas Bluebonnet seeds, a jar of Miss Ruby's Ya Ya Peppers (snack food of the gods), an official Junk Gypsy Tape Measure (because every girl needs one!) and whatever other little bits and pieces of Blue Yonderness that find their way into your prize package!
So let 'er rip, gals. How have you given new life to old junk?
Oh gosh. Now I have to go back and look at everything. What a fun contest! And I can vouch for the yumminess of those curry packets. I had one for lunch yesterday. mmmm.....
Posted by:Sarah Jackson | March 30, 2008 at 09:15 PM
What a wonderful idea, and one that will likely draw all of those creative people out of the woodwork.
Sadly, I have not a creative bone in my body in that respect. I think the closest I have come to breathing new life into something is taking all the past experiences from my life that were upsetting or traumatic and using that energy in my writing. It occasionally shines through in my own blog.
Not what you are looking for, and that's fine. I'm so looking forward to seeing what entries you get this month, not to mention the topics for the future.
You rock!
Posted by:MadWoman Meg | March 30, 2008 at 09:46 PM
What a fun idea... Can't wait to enjoy all of the creative entries!
Posted by:Beth | March 30, 2008 at 10:53 PM
He, he...you have no idea how fun this will be! Great! Can't wait to see what everyone comes up with!!!
Posted by:Eren | March 31, 2008 at 04:01 AM
this is going to be fun!
Posted by:erin | March 31, 2008 at 05:22 AM
What a FANTASTIC idea.
I am going to check my library right now to see if they have that book.
BTW,I just adore the picture of your babe in the tent below,great capture.
cheerio
Posted by:natasha s | March 31, 2008 at 05:53 AM
came here via Vintage Chica...great place you've got. Love this contest idea!!
Posted by:Susana | March 31, 2008 at 06:52 AM
how fun! (i've seen the movie - it is awesome - i blogged about it once, i think!)
Posted by:kirsten | March 31, 2008 at 06:56 AM
Great idea. Must think. Hmm...
Posted by:Julie @ Letter9 | March 31, 2008 at 07:09 AM
I love your BLOG! Have been voyeuristicly reading for quite some time now, but recently started blogging myself and today i'm feeling brave enough to leave a comment. I think I am still a little too timid to actually ENTER your contest, but I thought you should know that I absolutely think YOU are one of those amazing women and that you are inspiring a lot of people out here... including me!
Posted by:Elissa | March 31, 2008 at 07:36 AM
Okay. Love this. I'm up for it, but haven't time to offer anything new for the contest. Instead, I'll enter my repurposed book cover. The link to the post is here:
http://mollyirwin.typepad.com/mollysjournal/2008/01/one-thing-leads.html
Totally enjoyable getting inside your head in your posts, as always. Thank you so much for the continued inspiration!
Posted by:Molly | March 31, 2008 at 07:45 AM
This has got me thinking...
Also I read this book 2 years ago. I give it to my friends to read whenever they are feeling stressed and down. I love it, it's one of my favorite books!
Posted by:collins | March 31, 2008 at 07:59 AM
My most creative repurpose that I can think of offhand was using an old window screen as a magnetic surface to hold my pattern instructions. Let me explain.
In my sewing area I have a smallish table that holds my sewing machine and containers to hold tools like scissors, pens, pencils, etc. I was always losing or dropping my pattern instructions and because my walls are plaster, I couldn't really thumbtack them to the wall, nor would I want to. One day out at my favorite flea market/antique mall, I stumbled across a very cool, shabby old window screen with the wooden frame still attached in all its paint chippy glory. I instantly thought it would be a great way to create a magnetic board to hold my pattern instructions. I bought it (I think it was maybe $10), brought it home and hung it on the wall, right over my table and sewing machine. I use some plain old magnets to hold my pattern instructions at eye level so I can read them as I'm sewing and not have to take them down each time I need to check something. One of these days I'll do a blogpost about it. I've just been too busy sewing!
Posted by:Tara | March 31, 2008 at 08:06 AM
Go Stefani! I love this idea. My personal challenge at the moment is to see how many things I can make from 4 thrifted sheets I bought recently. So far I've managed lounge pants, a soft toy and an art quilt...more ideas are in the works including summer clothes for my little girl, bags and some more quilty goodness. Thanks for the book recommendation - have to hunt this down in the library.
Lina x
Posted by:lina | March 31, 2008 at 08:28 AM
What a great idea! I don't have a blog, but I'll tell you the story here!
Three years ago, my kids and I planted our first strawberries. We had just a few plants. That first summer, not expecting much, my kids tended to those plants with all their heart, delighted when it began to grow it's first fruit. Each day we'd check. Not ripe yet. Maybe tommorrow. And so on.
Only to come out one morning to find it eaten by some animal. We were crushed.
The next summer, same thing, only worse, with plants more abundant with fruit. I had tried that strawberry netting with no luck. They still someone managed to get in there.
Last summer, someone was giving away a broken guinea pig cage. The metal was intact, but the plastic part on the bottom was cracked badly. Did anyone have a use for it?
ME! ME! ME! I snagged it, removed the bottom plastic tray and caged in my strawberries with the protection they deserved! That summer, we finally were able to eat our carefully tended strawberries!
Now I just need to find another one as the patch is expanding!
Posted by:Golden | March 31, 2008 at 10:11 AM
What a great idea! I had never heard about "The Prizewinner of Defiance Ohio" until the movie but I thought it was great! A little sad but a good movie.
Posted by:Jennifer | March 31, 2008 at 11:06 AM
Ironic that you should have this contest as I have just re purposed some carrier bags and easter egg foil to make a bracelet and some of the ladies in my yahoo group are now making along too. Hope this counts! Great blog, good read.
Posted by:Carol T | March 31, 2008 at 12:15 PM
I love this idea! I have to tell you how much I enjoy your blog, which I found quite by accident. I saw pictures of bluebonnets and thought you must be a Texas gal like me. Then I saw you have a link to Backyard Farming just like I do, and I KNEW you were a Texas gal like me! I look forward to visiting your spot often.
Posted by:Natalie | March 31, 2008 at 12:38 PM
Not a very craft entry, but my daughter LOVES to stack things. For about a year and a half we saved every yogurt container we emptied and they were her absolute favorite toy. At 18 months, she could get so engrossed she would spend 45 stacking and unstacking those things. Cheapest toy we ever had, and her favorite!
Posted by:Mary | March 31, 2008 at 01:07 PM
ok that sounds like an excellent prize package. here's my repurpose...i take thrifted suitcases and cover them w/images from thrifted kid's books :)
Posted by:meg | March 31, 2008 at 01:14 PM
I just found your blog and I'm so excited about this idea! My 4-year-old is begging to 'put bugs in peanut butter' after sharing your post with him (don't worry, i'll set him straight on the real process), so I'll be back to comment on repurposing later... love those colored peeps too!
Posted by:melissa s. | March 31, 2008 at 03:12 PM
oh this is good! I love this idea...I can't think of ANYTHING at the moment, but I'm going to put some thought into it. Although I can think of some other people who have great ideas and should definitely enter.
eek! you are too fun!
Posted by:molly | March 31, 2008 at 06:20 PM
Similar to the repurposed sheets: I found the coolest pink/orange/red bedspread with pink dangly puffy balls at the goodwill and turned it into as many things I could. I'm now working on bedspread #2--green chenille with dangly threads. (Pick of some of these things over here on my flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/marymademe/2343565321/)
Posted by:Mary | March 31, 2008 at 09:39 PM
Excellent! So... this is our household entry. We don't have a Weber. But we love to grill some chickens or kebabs. What to do? The summer is so short that there's not much point in investing in a BBQ we will only use three times a year. The junk yard solved our problem. Lucian brought home a brake drum and cleaned it up (mostly) and voila, grill! His dad made himself one, too. Once when we were over there he couldn't get the coals to go so he brought out his shop-vac (excellent re-purposing of the shop-vac...) and put it on an extension cord to reach outdoors and got the grill REALLY going...
Posted by:Diane | April 01, 2008 at 05:46 AM
Sounds great. For easter we did not want to buy anything new or any junk so we made all the stuff for our son's basket. Including of course a bunny. I needed a quick and easy idea that would not require shopping. I looked up several ideas and created my own bunny in one hour using an old sock. Check out my site.
great idea and blog.
Posted by:Pecos Blue | April 01, 2008 at 07:32 AM