Greeny Crafter - Rude Record

I'm so sorry that this post is late. It usually goes up early Monday but I was having problems logging into my blog. It's now okay but I suspect it's something to do with my computer being upgraded to the Windows 8 platform. Well, it really hasn't been helpful these past few days - grrrr!

This week's Greeny Crafter is Karen Ellis of Rude Record. I "met" her through social media when she invited me to join her Facebook group, Bowerbirds Journal. Through her posts, I discovered that she dumpster dives, or rather skip scavenges, on a regular basis, something that I don't think is common in Singapore. Read more about her skip scavenging below!


Tell us a little bit about yourself.  
Thank you for inviting me to be a guest on your blog Agatha.  My name is Karen Ellis and I am from Melbourne, Australia.  I am a retired from the workforce and enjoy Revamping secondhand clothes.  The skirt in the photo was a dowdy length so I chopped it off and added a fun pom pom trim sought from a child’s dress.  From the leftover fabric I made an infinity scarf

Infinity scarf

I worked in professional roles and undertook post graduate studies.  I was always busy working or studying and did not come to sewing until later in life.  My mother sewed but was not a trained seamstress.  As a child I watched her and that’s why I suppose it was easy to teach myself to sew my own clothes.  I started doing this to save money and thereby meet financial requirements of private school fees and a home mortgage.  I also started to refashion clothes for myself from charity shops at this time as well.

I also handcraft items made from recycled felted woollen garments and blankets.  I source the woollen items secondhand from charity shops and do the felting process at home.  I make wool trivets, buntings, garlands, laptop pouches, mobile phone and camera pockets.

Top: Bunting
Bottom: Wool laptop pouch

Top (L to R): Seam trivet, mobile phone / camera pocket
Bottom (L to R): Pink garland, pom pom skirt

Crafting is something that I have started to explore since my retirement from the workforce.  I am a homebody and like to spend time alone or with Danny just pottering about the house and garden, reading, cooking and crafting.  

I have always enjoyed networking, and social media is a useful tool for communicating with like-minded souls.  I have a blog title Rude Record at http://ruderecord.wordpress.com this is where my husband Danny and I share our joys about  living frugally.  I attempt to post at least once a month but would ideally like to post more often.  The blog will evolve over time and it chronicles our thrifty and blessed lifestyle.

I find that my four Facebook groups and four Facebook pages keep me very busy at the computer.  Bowerbirds Journal Facebook group is all about reduce, reuse and recycle, mend and make new, environmental issues and sustainability.  It has a small following, you included Agatha.  I strive to keep it a small and relevant group, sort of like as close to you can get to meeting face to face but on-line.  To make this group intimate it requires the commitment of members to share their stories and projects on a regular basis.  My job as administrator is to encourage sharing by walking the talk, and making sure I contribute articles for comment, photos and videos of my own projects.  As well as liking and posting comments  on other members’ questions and projects.

What is Dumpster Diving? 
Dumpster Diving if you Google it, is all about scavenging in skips for food.  There are plenty of websites and also one Facebook page that I know of that are devoted to the topic.  The food is mostly thrown out by the big supermarkets and according to dumpster divers is oftentimes suitable to eat.

My husband Danny and I do not dumpster dive for food.  From time to time we do what we call Skip Scavenge.  I have attached a video to show your followers what is involved.  Unlike Singapore this activity is not illegal, and all one has to do to get around any potential ‘grey’ legal areas is to ask permission to look in the skip and take any of the items you want.  

Do you ever get negative comments? 
No, never.  Maybe some shocked or surprised looks but mostly praise such as ‘good on you both’ for saving materials and items from landfill.  I think a lot more Australians are becoming more environmentally aware and whilst they may not skip scavenge they will acknowledge that these materials are better reused or upcycled.  Some people comment that they wish that they had the gumption to skip scavenge but feel embarrassed.  Danny and I have what Australians term ‘more front than Myers’ and have no shame associated with this activity.  Myers is a large and iconic department store.  We feel quite smug because we are doing our bit for the planet and saving money.  Sometimes we make money from what we find, but not often.  

Are you warned by authorities?  
No, never.  We are lucky to see a police officer these days as most are too busy solving other more pressing matters or bogged down in their offices with endless paperwork.

Any tips on Skip Scavenging?  
If in doubt always ask permission and as a courtesy give a reason why.  Most people will see the logic in doing it and thank you for making more room in the skip so that more stuff can go in it later on.  Make sure you wear protective clothes, gloves and covered in shoes.  Take a big cloth bag or two for your finds.

Can you show a photo of a great find or two?  
Yes.  A spoke tool for a Harley Davidson motorcycle.  

Spoke tool

Most things we find in skips are useful bits and pieces that we immediately reuse at home.  For example, a good quality wire basket that I use in the bottom of my freezer and this Pullman vacuum cleaner (youtube video below).  Mostly Danny finds building materials such as wood and metal sheeting from building sites for small household projects.  Once we asked a builder if we could take one small sheet of metal from the bin, and he offered us more from his factory for free.  His son ended up delivering it to our home the same day, and we built a small shed enclosure from it!  

Do we need good DIY skills to repair any finds? 
Yes, No and maybe.  This is not an easy question with a simple straight answer.  Our philosophy is that you get the stuff for free and it’s broken, then what the heck, have a go at repairing it.  Of course you must be careful with anything electrical but most other things you can find out how to do anything on Youtube.  There are people on Youtube that are anti planned obsolescence so are more than willing to show the world how to fix something.  Your Singapore Makers Group may also have ‘experts’ who like to share their knowledge.  Most of the time what you need is good cleaning skills.  One tip is look past the dirt, grease and grime and imagine the potential of the object itself.  When you bring it home give it a good clean and it oftentimes looks like new again.