My entry for Etsy.com's Upcycling contest, which won 3rd place out of over 1000 entries. Etsy bought the outfit and it now resides at the Etsy Labs in Brooklyn

Skirt, bustier, and flower choker made from recycled FEMA-issue blue tarp which was found discarded on the streets of New Orleans last spring.

I was inspired to recreate something similar to what I made last year for a charity auction here in New Orleans that benefited the America's Wetlands organization.

The charity auction was a fashion show...the only rule was that all of the outfits had to be created using blue tarp as the primary material. The outfit I made for the auction ended up making the front page of the Living section in the local paper that week.

The story in the newspaper prompted a request from two friends for me to make a couple of simple dresses out of blue tarp for them to wear on Mardi Gras day. One of the friends had found a big pile of discarded FEMA-issue blue tarp on the side of the road. I made them two dresses and two small purses out of the blue tarp she brought me, and I still had a ton of it left over. I've been holding on to the leftovers ever since, trying to find things to make out of it.

The entire outfit is made out of blue tarp and also features red zig-zag contrast stitching, red functional buttons, lace-up ribbon closure on bustier, and a blue tarp fleur-de-lis applique.

Beautiful czech glass beads in translucent purple and clear luster comprise these pretty clusters. These measure ~1 3/4" from top of hook to bottom. Hooks are surgical stainless steel.

Red cotton knit tank top. It features a low-cut surplice style top and an empire waistline. The top is fairly fitted and falls just to hip level in length. This top is available in the following sizes: xs: bust 33-34/ waist 25-26/ hips 35-36 s: bust 35-36/ waist 27-28/ hips 37-38 m: bust 37-38/ waist 29-30/ hips 39-40 l: bust 39-40/ waist 31-32/ hips 41-42

Available at www.JuliaBristowJewelry.com

Beautiful czech glass beads in translucent pink and purple comprise these pretty clusters. These measure ~1 3/4" from top of hook to bottom. Hooks are surgical stainless steel.

Outfit made from blue tarp for a charity auction which took place during February 2006 to benefit the America's Wetlands organization, following Hurricane Katrina. The charity auction was a fashion show...the only rule was that all of the outfits had to be created using blue tarp as the primary material. The outfit I made for the auction ended up making the front page of the Living section in the local paper that week.

Beautiful czech glass beads in translucent pink and green comprise these pretty clusters. These measure ~1 3/4" from top of hook to bottom. Hooks are surgical stainless steel.

Go Green! Truly Unique and One of a Kind Scarf. I hand knit this scarf/wrap from upcycled wool sweaters that I had felted. It is very warm and Shabby Chic! It measures 68" long x 10" wide. This was a lot of fun to make and I would gladly make it again in any given color scheme. However, this was very labor intensive. This one took me about 2 months to make, so please allow that time frame for special orders.

Handcrafted Set of Key Ring and Handbag Charm.

This shirt has handknit sleeves made out of a very soft acrylic yarn which hold very well through washes. They are a little stretchy. The straps in the back are ajustable on 2 positions and removable. The strap on the collar is not removable but is adjustable as well. The body fabric is a soft cotton, a little stretchy, looking like very thin cord and a little velvety. The collar is lined with the same fabric as the straps and has decorative stitching. Sleeves: From shoulder: 66 cm - 25 in From armpit: 51 cm - 20 in Width: 11 cm - 4.3 in Body: Lenght: 62 cm - 24.4 in Width: From armpit to armpit: 45 cm - 17.7 in Bottom: 43 cm - 17 in

A stunning pair of clusters! These earrings are made from czech glass beads in colors of amber and green. They measure approximately 2" from top of hook to bottom of leaves. Ear hooks are surgical stainless steel.

Beautiful czech glass beads in translucent pink comprise these pretty clusters. These measure ~1 3/4" from top of hook to bottom. Hooks are surgical stainless steel.