Grapple Coat Rack

I love love love this grapple coat rack that I found on NotCot . I might make my own. I think they could add a really cool feel to the overall ambiance of the store. They don't look too difficult to make...rope, grapple hooks, something to hold the pieces of rope together...I love DIY projects!

Recycled Light Bulb Hanging Vases

I was reading Design Sprout today and found this really cool idea for recycling old light bulbs. All you need is a fine metal tooth saw, a hand held drill and some wire to make these cool hanging vases. I think I'm going to make some for the store.

For instructions to make your own light bulb flower vases visit Design Sprout's website.

Do you like these recycled vases? Let me know in the comments section.

The Beginnings of Green Sleeves

My dad is a real entrepreneur. For the past few years he has been spouting out ideas for businesses he wants to start. When the US economy started to dip he gave up on his own ideas but began to encourage mine. None of them have come to fruition, except this one. Green Sleeves: An Eco-Friendly Clothing Exchange.

Dad and Me: High School Graduation 2006

I first came up with the idea in November of 2007. My dad had looking for business opportunities for me. He searched through a broker to find startup businesses that were being sold. After a few days of searching he discovered a consignment shop in Salt Lake City that was for sale and told me to go take a look. Unfortunately it wasn't my thing. The store was cramped and cluttered. It was packed from floor to ceiling with vintage furniture and house wares, things I didn't have a clue about. Even though I wasn't interested in the shop the trip was not a waste. The idea of taking used goods and reselling them as a gems stuck with me.

Instead of furniture I settled on fashion and felt I had enough savvy to open a business selling just that. For several years I have been an advocate for "going green". The nature of a resale/exchange clothing business was in itself good for the environment, but I didn't want it to end there. I wanted to create a business that encompassed the "green" idea in all ways. From using soy based inks for printing to painting with environmentally friendly paint, I chose for my store to be green. Green Sleeves was born.

At the age of 19, with my dad as a financial backer, I set out on a journey to set up my own business in the heart of Salt Lake City. This blog is my story, and the story of trying to make the world a better place, one green idea at a time.