bottlebroke is the unlikely spawn of broke-as inner city living and the reduce-reuse-remix ethic. 1/2 of the proceeds from each item goes to good causes in north-east india and the south pacific.
[bottlebroke] are lamps made from broken wine and liquor bottles. while i like to keep the jagged edges, they are sanded down so they don’t cut. all rescued from neighbourhood recycle-bins, bottlebroke were the first ‘crafts’ i attempted, and the shop is named in their honour. the look is completed by garden twine wound around the bottle and glued down to make sure it doesn’t come loose. Around NZ$45 each, depending on materials used (plugs, wire etc.)
[mit thla] are photo+poem pieces in cardboard frames. literally translated, ‘mit thla’ is mizo for ‘eye image’, and has the same connotations as the english ‘mind’s eye’. these festered a long time in my head before i managed to give them form. the discovery that cardboard made a perfect framing material for my needs was the clincher, and ‘mit thla’ was born. Dimensions roughly 34cmX29cmX6cm. NZ$21 each.
[toenga] ‘toenga’ is a māori word for leftovers or scraps. these are found items on hemp string. this term also appealed because of its similarity to ‘taonga’, which is used for something prized, and often for jewellery. Hemp braided to neck size at no extra cost. NZ$9 each.
each piece is individually handmade to order in auckland, and i use NZ Post to send it out. postage costs will depend on size and weight of the item, and where it needs to be sent. pick up/hand-delivery in auckland CBD or around onehunga library at no charge.
the price of each item=cost of materials+2x(time taken@minimum wage). i keep one part of the wage, the other goes to supporting good causes in north-east india (where i am from) and the south pacific (where i live). if you join the facebook page, you’ll get reports on each of these organisations that you are helping support.
to order/ask questions, write to barukATfeddabonnDOTcom; leave a comment here; or comment on the bottlebroke facebook page.
