Gaga Blah Blah

We are asking for your help.  We have worked so hard to make the inside of the store look wonderful (and it really does!), but we are not getting the traffic through the shop like we need.  So now we need to become more street visible.  We are asking our friends and supporters to come spend the afternoon with us Saturday to paint signs, decorate the fence and basically make it impossible for anyone driving down South 1st Street to miss GAGA.  (How dare they drive by without so much as a glance!)

Bring your creative ideas, paint brushes, items to attach to the fence, boards, sticks…whatever you feel would make an impact.  Of course you know it must be something that is being repurposed (yes, I am still going on about THAT.)

One of the projects I have envisioned and would love to see happen is a Garbage Garden by the sidewalk.  I think old toilet brushes dipped in paint would make awesome flowers, and fly swatters would make leaves.  Now that I have given away my TOP SECRET ideas, you think of some.   Bring something for the garden.

We will have fun!  It won’t feel like work at all.  And we will reward you with greasy, unhealthy slices of pizza for your efforts.

Hope to see you Saturday!  (Oh, and please park across the street toward Oltorf in the parking lot by the big red building.)

The GAGA Gals:  Lisa, Molly, Shelly, Baru, Kat.

Hey y’all.

Don’t forget about Swap & Chop this Sunday.  I have started to accumulate some clothes that can be used in your repurposing projects, too, so please, please come and go through those ($2/ea.)  We have some cool trims, too, $2/yd.

We have two working machines for this week (I just have not had time to pick up the other two from Maurice!)  We also have a serger available for use, so if you already know how to use one, feel free.  We have some threads, but not a large variety of colors.  You may need to bring your own threads until we can stock up.

I also want to start a program called “Copy Cats” where we can make patterns from your favorite clothes.  Half the battle of clothes shopping is just finding the right fit.  So if we can copy the style, you can make it over and over in different fabrics.  One of these days I am going to put together a duct-tape dress form class and you can make an exact  duplicate of your torso.  Then you can build clothes directly onto *you*; this would greatly enhance the fit of your clothes.  If someone would like to work with me on creating that class, please contact me at lisa@austingaga.com

I think it would be a good time to start thinking about Christmas projects, too.  Molly and I were organizing at the shop today (the never ending story!) and I had a bunch of string leftovers from the dollmaking workshops.  (Yes, I know those are ultimately bio-degradable, but if I am going to be an eco-advocate, I’m the one who has to take it to extremes.)  I rolled them around in my hand and thought:  Christmas ornaments.  I’m not sure what to mix the strings with to get them to hold a shape, but I’m sure something will emerge.  I was also just thinking that they could be used to stuff a clear vinyl, then wrapped on the sides with ribbon, string…whatever.

Yes, steal this idea!  Send me pictures, too.

I’d like for Sundays to start being hang-out days at GAGA, too, where like-minded folks can talk about art, eco-issues, possible solutions (and NOTHING is too crazy or out there, trust me.   We have some pretty wild ideas about setting global health in motion, so we are very open to hearing other ideas.)  We are getting backed into a corner, folks, so it is time to get creative.  And I am really not about crying over *spilt* milk at this point.  Yes, we know what the major contributor is:  the use of fossil fuels (and this includes–do not forget:  PLASTIC.)  I am working on a plastics essay now, but if I can ask you to do one thing toward global health it would be to limit your purchases and single-time use of plastics.  Please.  I have heard that we use in excess of 30 million plastic bottle per day in this country.  30 million!  Which equals 10,950,000,000.  Hmmm….I’m no scholar, but if we are producing 10 billion plastic bottles worth of waste annually, that also translates to a fraction of that amount in a crude oil product to create those bottles.  And something tells me it is not an insignificant amount, either.

And what happens when we recycle those bottles?  How is that done?  Crushing, melting…just the process of recycling is harsh. 

Okay, there’s my soapbox.  I am not going to go on and on ad nauseum about this.  What I am going to go on and on about is finding solutions.  We need to work together to find workable, reasonable (at least in the transition), do-able solutions.  If the majority of us adopt less invasive measures, we can begin to see–if not a visible result–a non-visible result that will have an effect on the health of the planet in future generations.  We probably can’t get it done in our time, but we can at least put some solutions into process now that will give them a fighting chance.  Because that is what we are talking about here:  the inhabitability of the planet in 100, 200 and 500 years.  And frankly, if reincarnation is  a reality…well, what do I want to come back to?

Grrrr.  I did not mean to get “heavy”.  I’m not about that.  Like I said, let’s talk about solutions.  Do the most we can individually, then work  together to get some more global solutions.

Don’t forget about tomorrow at the Farmer’s Market downtown.  We’ll be there from 9-1.  I have dollmaking materials, and Molly is bringing bottle caps and coat hangers, so we should be having BIG FUN!

Lisa

Saturday, July 5th, the second annual Green 4th of July will happen at the Farmer’s Market at Republic Square.  GAGA will be hosting dollmaking and junk art workshops, and there will be a host of other activities.  Bring the kids out, or come alone, but please come and hear the Austin leaders in eco-advocacy speak and discuss local issues, possible solutions and what is already underway to create a greener, cleaner Austin area…and beyond.

If you have not checked out this Saturday Farmer’s Market, you will be pleasantly surprised.  If you want to eat food that actually remembers where it came from, this is the place.  Every time we buy locally, we are supporting global healing (less fossil fuels to get the product here, and locally grown/organic products are good for you!)  And don’t forget to take your reusable shopping bags with you, too!  (You knew I had to say it.)

See you Saturday!

A little routine maintenance turned out to be a complete erasure of our blog, so now it is time to totally start over from scratch.  I know it is time for a website, so that is going to be the next big step in our process.

The store is undergoing some changes, and with summer here, we are going to operate on more limited hours (no need to run the a/c all day for someone to sit here!)  We do have volunteers shop-sitting during the week, and I will be here in the evenings, but for the most part we will be open Tuesday night through Sunday as follows:

Store hours:

Tuesday:  6-8 for open sewing or scheduled classes

Wednesday:  12-8

Thursdsay:  12-8; 6-8 Open Sewing/Classes

Friday:  12-6

Saturday:  12-6

Sunday:  2-6 for Swap & Chop sewing event

As always, call for an appointment or for directions, 373-4242.  GAGA is located at 2214 South 1st Street, between Live Oak and Oltorf.

Hope to see you soon!