Becky Striepe
Gillian Grant is an American artist living in Paris. A painter, crafter, and a mom, Gillian runs Mon Ami Vie where she sells her lovely upcycled accessories and is working on a self-published book on green crafting.
[Birdie Bon Bon]
Her Crafts
Right now, she’s focusing on making Birdie Bon Bons and also her new Fat Bottoms. She makes the Bon Bons with 100% biodegradable jute cloth and raffia and fills them with birdseed and dried fruit. Birds can snag the snacks inside or take the bits of fabric scraps for nest-building.
A crafter from way back, Gillian was drawn to green crafts after she had her two children. Her Fat Bottoms, an accessory “upcycled from the bottom of a plastic bottle and decorated with decoupaged magazines and vintage buttons,” are super versatile! The design allows you to use them as a necklace, a purse accessory, or even to fancy up a pair of pumps!
[Vintage pumps dressed up with some Fat Bottoms.]
Her Upcoming Book
The Handmade Revolution: Accessorize!, her self-published book, should be available at Amazon.com in late February. She describes the book on upcycled accessories as, “a little humorous, but also informative regarding waste and over-consumption.” She chose to self-publish rather than to seek out a conventional publisher to help reduce waste. Amazon prints on demand, so no paper is wasted in printing unwanted copies. If The Handmade Revolution is a hit, she’s already planning her next book project: one on upcycled housewares!
[Image Credit: photos courtesy of Gillian Grant]
Great Shoe clips!!
I love Gillian’s green creations. Her store is brimming with innovative and clever merchandise. Check out her handbags and jewelry made from vintage fabrics. The birds in my backyard are big fans of the birdie bon-bons, and I fully anticipate seeing nests made from the fabric scraps this spring.