RUDE Girl is relating to the above quote by Hugh MacLeod. When I went to school the focus was on academic subjects. I had very little idea there was any form of creativity within me. I guess I determined this because I was not good at drawing!
It wasn’t until retirement six years ago that I realised it would be wise to get a hobby. But what sort of hobby? That’s when I started to ask for my crayons back. Much like I imagine, my new found friend, Susan Denyer [Sue] from Bacchus Marsh has done.
Sue approached me to be a guest on Rude Record, and RUDE are thrilled to feature her this week. As the blog title suggests, Sue is one very savvy money saving lady. She excels at recycling the things others abandon and discard. RUDE are good at recycling but Sue and her husband Michael are brilliant!
This is Savvy Sue’s Story
I love RUDE’s creativity and passion and their commitment to living a frugal life in harmony with the reduce, reuse, repair and recycle philosophy. I love reading RUDE Girl’s interesting and entertaining blog, and feeling part of an on-line community whose interests and recycling philosophy are similar to my own.
RUDE are a great example of what I call “radical recycling”. Buying from op shops is fairly mainsteam these days, whereas buying unloved items from TIP SHOPS is more extreme. I admire them for fixing up the less loved TIP SHOP items, and giving them a new home.
My husband, Michael and I retired two years ago, after a lifetime of living frugally. We now have more time to devote to our passions of art, music and working for the environment. We love to recycle. My husband has renovated our Victorian house using secondhand materials, and our house and garden [photos below] are filled with secondhand finds.
I endeavour to use secondhand materials in my art projects. I obtain these from op shops, garage sales, fetes, TIP SHOPS and friends. I have even found things lying on the ground which I have been able to use!
I am currently working on creating small mixed media works of art as part of the index card a day (ICAD) on-line art challenge. Basically, participants create a piece of mixed media art on index cards every day in June and July, and many people video their results.
Rather than using new index cards, I cut out rectangles from old cereal packets and work on these instead. When complete, I glue the “index cards” into my A3 art journals.
Secondhand art materials, on my desk in my studio, ready to create an art journal to showcase my trip to Paris
Every month, I attend an art class at our local Bunnings store in Melton. The students wipe their brushes on baby wipes and I save these, dry them and then use them in my art [photos below].
The completed index cards [photos below] with painted baby wipes’ background. The collaged words and images came from an Allure magazine obtained for free at the Melton TIP SHOP. The lace is an op shop find.
All the index cards have painted baby wipe backgrounds. The textile background on the art journal page is upholstery fabric, as I was recently given some gorgeous upholstery samples that were destined for landfill.
Index cards with painted baby wipe backgrounds
Index card with painted baby wipe background
I create art using recycled materials most days. This is mostly done for my own pleasure, but I also love to share my art journals with family and friends. I have also been involved in community art projects using secondhand materials. It is fun to see what other people create using natural and recycled materials.
Secondhand photo album, used as an art journal, with recycled table napkin on the cover
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Thank you Sue for sharing your story and photos. We are definitely like-minded souls. RUDE Girl, like Sue and her husband retired in my 50s, and RUDE boy went part-time over five years ago.
When Sue and RUDE Girl get together, we natter enthusiastically about reusing other people’s junk and rubbish. Time just disappears, and that’s a good indication that in our retirements, we are both doing what we enjoy.
And RUDE are really glad to know, that Sue saves all the baby wipes from her art class at the local Bunnings warehouse, to create beauty not blockage.
Like Savvy Sue and her husband Michael, Beat The Man by reusing and recycling what you can, to make beautiful art journals and garden vignettes.
At Home with Mend It Aussie 
Who’d have thought used baby wipes could be so eye catching. So original Sue, and they certainly add a splash of colour to the background of your index cards.
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Thank you Yvonne for your comment. I let Sue know that you had posted it. I knew someone who is an extreme recycler, like yourself, would appreciate the reuse of painted baby wipes!
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