Drawing inspiration from the way that Indigenous people used the natural materials available to them on their landscape to make jewelry and other crafts, I also source a majority of materials from the world around us. Our modern landscape looks a whole lot different than it did so long ago, so in addition to utilizing natural materials, I also highlight the use of reclaimed, recycled, and cast-off trash materials to continue to give them new life. Sea glass, copper wire, and even industrial trash have value here.

One of the oldest and most utilitarian nature crafts around, basketry is the language in which nature speaks to me, and I continue to learn to speak back. Basket-making is a holistic activity that requires equal parts plant identification, environmental education, stewardship, patience, creativity, focus, and sheer will. Crafting these vessels is one of my favorite ways to meditate on all things nature and my place within it. Harvesting materials by hand creates a more dynamic process which opens my eyes to all possibilities!

There are countless ways to integrate natural and recycled materials into your own craft life, and this gallery shows some of my own process Finding new uses for old things, preserving beautiful things, and the entire process of transforming one thing to another is what life is all about for me. It is also a wonderful way to make sure that you are always surrounded by nature, even when you are indoors. From pressed plants, to processing natural pigments, from harvesting materials, to stripping wire, here’s how it’s done!