Steve: Moses Lake, WA

Steve and I went to high school together--Upper Columbia Academy, yahoo!  We even attended one of the Christmas banquets together.  I couldn't find that picture, but I found a couple others.   Like the one of Steve in Borneo Malaysia, with a giant bug in his hand--he tried to get me to eat it.  He has greatly threatened me by saying he'd post this one really embarrassing video of me from highschool if I put anything too funny of him up here--I know exactly what movie it is that he is talking about, and so I'm being careful! Steve joined the Marines after high-school, traveled around the world, and now is helping run his grandpa's insurance agency in Moses Lake.  Meet Steve.


"Take empty toilet paper or paper towel rolls and stuff them with dryer lint. Extremely flammable so even you could make a fire:) They are perfect emergency kit additions."

Mom-mom: Spokane, WA

This is my grandma Wilkens, and we've called her Mom-mom, which maybe you think sounds like a double mother, or...I don't know.  Well, she's my sweet grandma.  She re-purposes in her house left and right and out in her garden too.   She is very well read little lady, and helped me edit my 20 page draft for writing school.  Meet my Mom-mom.

"I re-purpose the dog poop by putting it down the gopher holes!"

Pastor Chelsea: Spangle, WA

Chelsea is a pastor, actually.   Pastor Chelsea.  :)  She's also a good friend of mine, and a wise, thoughtful girl--and with the combo of those two qualities, I love talking to her.  She is also very fun, if you can't tell from the photos.  :)  She may have a crush on the guy in the last picture...but we will get to him in just a bit.  For now, meet Pastor Chelsea:

"When I go to the grocery store, I try to ask for paper bags instead of plastic bags. Then I use the paper bags as wrapping paper for gifts. I cut them up and use the plain side, adding a colorful ribbon or tag which makes it look really cool!"

David: Yakima, WA

I told you we would get to him!  David is a law student up at Seattle University, but we took these pictures at his house in Yakima.  I'm telling you, Yakima is vineyard country and if I wouldn't have been a third-wheel on this photo-shoot, I might have felt romantic out there in the fields!  There are so many pictures of David I want to post--and probably, I just will.  Haha, meet David.  He was feeling romantic since Chelsea was there, and he worked the camera like a 12 hour shift.  Oh, and if you ever are around David, you should have him play the guitar--he might hum and haw, but keep asking, it will be worth your while!

"I use dirty t-shirts as tissues when I have a cold.  And then I wash them.  It saves trees."

Chelsey: Auburn, WA

Chels is another of my best friends!   Chesley surprises me all the time--the way she'll be up at 5 a.m. some morning and begging at your door for you to come bike riding with her, or the way she'll up and go to Peru for 5 months wit ha week of planning.   She's a smart, thoughtful friend with good advice and she will sleep outside whenever someone wants to.   Meet my friend, Chelsey.

"I like to reuse seeds from fruit and vegetables and try to get them to grow."

Tara: Seatlle, WA

Tara is someone who I just am not sure where to start with a description.   She's just been a best friend to me--and it's a funny story how we became friends, if you (reader) and I are in a small group sometime, I'll tell it to you. She is working at World Vision up in Seattle and you want to know a couple of things I love about Tara?   She's glue for a group, feeds me all meals when I visit Seattle, communicates and articulates well, she's got this wild and beautiful hair that if you ask her to back-comb it, she might, and you WILL be impressed.  I love her so much.  Meet Tara.

"I took all of my yarn scraps from other projects and crocheted them into a laptop case."

Laura: Portland, OR

Laura is my dear, sweet, awesome, creative sister (in-law)!   She and my brother both spent time in Ethiopia; Laura working at an orphanage and Fletcher at a hospital, so they really get this idea of re-purposing.  They got married about 4 months ago and live in Portland, OR where she is finishing up nursing school this year.   Meet Laura.

"I took an old painting I had, put some burlap strips on it, put nails in the frame and now use it to hang jewelry off of."

Jordan: Boise, ID

Jordan is a bit of a cool mystery to me--I mean, he's studying to be a doctor, but if you watch any movies Jordan has been in, you'll think he should act.  Or write scripts.  Or edit and direct films--he's super creative. Jordan is finishing college this year, applying to med-school and wants to be a family practitioner.   Meet Jordan.

"I use containers from peanut butter, nuts, tomato sauce, etc. and use them to store bulk food like rice, popcorn, and various seeds and nuts."

Dan: Bothell, WA

I met Dan a couple of years ago when I worked at the Walla Walla Clinic.   He's been working up near Seattle for some time, taking pictures of people--he's a Rad Tech.   Dan loves the outdoors and when I saw him last, he shared these pictures with me, and I couldn't help but share one with you!   Meet Dan. And the Enchantments where he back-packed.

" I like to re-use plastic grocery sacks as garbage bags for my car and work van. Additionally, when I get Gatorade (or something similar) I will keep the bottle and use it for water. All my junk mail goes towards fire starting fuel for the fireplace. When I worked at a vet clinic, we used our shredded paper (and donated) to fill cat litter boxes for post-surgical recovery cats."

Erik: Abbotsford, B.C.

Erik is an engineer and a Canadian.   I've heard rumors about Erik's group of friends--the way they trek around the mountains and streams, and paddle with the sharks on the OR coast.   I found this picture of he and his buddies from a New Year's part about a year ago.  A crazy bunch!  Meet Erik.

"I repurpose old coffee cans to store stuff, like pens and change."

Audrey: Troutdale, OR

Susan Windham, my symphony conductor's (Verne) wife, told both Audrey and I that we needed to meet!  Haha, Audrey is a student at Whitworth who spent time in Tanzania.  We just spent the morning sipping tea and coffee at Pleasant Blends Coffee House, and it's been a long time since I've met a stranger who I could talk to so easily with!  She loves theatre, grew up in OR, and is a political science major.  I didn't give Audrey any warning that upon our first meeting, I'd be photographing her....haha, but here she is.  Meet Audrey!

"When i was little my family didn't have a ton of money so we used the lids of glass jars, decorated them and used them as christmas ornaments for the tree!"

Ashley and Nolan: LL, CA and Walla Walla, WA

These are some of my best friends Nolan and Ashley, and they are getting married next June!  Ashley is in nursing school in Loma Linda and Nolan will be heading down to med-school next year.   Though Ashley is from Southern California, the northwest has claimed her--we have claimed them, and after Nolan is done with medical school, we want them back!  Love you both and so excited for June to come!  Meet Ashley and Nolan.

Nolan:  "I re-purpose smiles by passing them on."   (He was having a hard time thinking of something!)
Ashley: "I re-purpose old toothbrushes for cleaning house."

Tina: Rathrdum, ID

This is Tina, a best friend and girl up for anything.  One time, we painted our whole bodies, ran and hit a wall, leaving a body print!   Tina has spent so much time in India living there and visiting the people she loves--she gravitates towards things that are simple, living that is meaningful, and she inspires me all the time.  She is going to be a teacher when she grows up. :)   Meet Tina.

"I re-purpose a lot of things that probably shouldn't be re-purposed.  Haha, like plastic water bottles, toothbrushes, brown paper bags, zip lock bags, homework papers, mascara brushes, peanut butter jars, and gum....!"  


(I DO NOT WANT TO KNOW HOW YOU RE-PURPOSE SOME OF THOSE TIHNGS.  DARN PROUD OF YOU TINA! -EM)