Mission Statement

What is a Resourceress?

Artist Statement

Press

Care and Feeding of Bottlecap Jewelry

Pain into art. Junk into art. Love and faith into art. Ruby The Resourceress recycles her life experiences into projects that replenish the soul.

Mission Statement

Secondhand Saints recycled art business responds to the desire of customers to make a difference with their dollars. Each item begins with recycled materials, with new materials used as necessary for consistency and quality.

Junk into Art, the business motto, refers to the founder’s philosophy toward people as well as objects. Our ultimate goal is to be a vehicle for social change in every possible way, from where materials are acquired to the disbursement of profits to the eventual form the business takes. This last model combines Ruby’s dreams in a patchwork of idealism, love, and practicality by expanding to include classes for groups such as battered and disabled women, who will receive training to start their own businesses.

When you buy a Secondhand Saints product, you can be sure that the materials are as ecological as possible and that everyone involved in its making has been treated with the utmost respect. You are supporting artists, women, the disabled, and those recovering from abuse and addiction. From the bottom (and top and middle) of our hearts, we thank you.

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What is a Resourceress?

A resourceress follows the four basic rules of refuse, reduce, reuse, and recycle. She thinks of the earth as a friend she wants to treat with love and care. And a resourceress does more than care for the resources of the earth. She cares for the resources of her soul.

Any woman who has had to gather herself up and say NO (refusing to be treated like refuse) is a resourceress. Any woman who is disabled, practicing involuntary simplicity, has an alternative love relationship, or has escaped a bad relationship is a resourceress. Every mother is a resourceress.

A resourceress does not “should” on herself or anyone else, except by mistake, and then she apologizes. She doesn’t berate herself for mistakes, knowing most mistakes are simply learning opportunities and unexpected results.

A resourceress is shameless; that is, she shames less. Less shame all around makes the world a better place.

A resourceress can be a male too. The first step is to be willing to have a feminine suffix. A resourceress strives to walk in the shoes of others.

A resourceress may not be familiar yet with the term internalized oppression, yet she instinctively strives to sidestep and interrupt the ways women can undermine and backstab each other.

A resourceress does not leave her friends behind when she finds success. Neither does she deplete her own resources to take care of slackers, except as material for future comedy writing.

A resourceress turns humiliation into humility and then humor.

A resourceress can kick ass in a pink dress.

A resourceress does not suffer in silence or isolation. Neither does she trash others behind their backs. If a resourceress finds herself gossiping or backstabbing a so-called friend, she stops and takes her problem to the person who can do something about it—the one about whom she is complaining.

A resourceress knows how to fall and how to get up again. And her balance gets better all the time.

A resourceress faces herself. She strives to heal the patterns that cause her to hurt herself and others.

When a resourceress is done being burned at the latest stake, peeling back the next layer of change, and landing the ark on the nearest shore, she turns around to see if she can help make it better for the next person. This is probably a complete stranger, as a resourceress will be sure her family and friends are in front of her where she can keep them safe.

A resourceress uses her inner resources to make magic and art. She turns junk into art, love into art, pain into art.

Finding joy in a difficult life is an art.

Making a trashy situation into a success is art.

Lemons into lemonade, move over. The resourceresses are coming.  

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Artist Statement

Ruby the Resourceress has been making recycled art since she was tall enough to peer over the edge of trash bins. Secondhand Saints Junk into Art business emerged after Ruby volunteered at M.E.C.C.A. (Materials Exchange Center for Community Arts) and became hooked on junk art.

Many of the images Ruby chooses reflect heroines she imagined from the books she read as a girl. Back then, few stories were available starring girls as adventurous characters. Ruby had to dream herself into male roles as she read of sailors, pirates, and spies. She wants her work to give women and girls models of those exciting characters, both naughty and nice, in female form.

Ruby’s bottlecap jewelry is available at many locations in the Northwest U.S. as well as at Eugene’s Saturday Market. Look for her website up soon at secondhandsaints.com.

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Press

Seattle Sun Newspaper—Vol. 7, Issue 12, December 2003
Copyright 2003 Seattle Sun. Please feel free to use the article below in your research. Be sure to cite the Seattle Sun as your source.

Winter Fest to Showcase Local Artists, Crafts Persons
By JAMES BUSH

Fremont artist Ruby Colette is a lifelong collector who has finally found a way to share her collections with everyone.

She uses found objects to create collage items, including meticulously decorated bottle cap jewelry, light switch plates, and decorated matchboxes. Each item is unique and just might include a rhinestone from a piece of costume jewelry she bought at a long-ago yard sale, a button from her grandma's collection, or tiny drawings and bits of colorful foil and mirrors.

Colette is one of 17 North Seattle artists and crafts persons who will bring their wares to the Winter Festival Crafts Fair on Saturday, Dec. 6 and Sunday, Dec. 7. The Phinney Neighborhood Association's biggest annual fundraising event, the festival will feature 115 booths offering art, crafts, toys, hats, jewelry, ceramics, and items of all descriptions. Also included are two entertainment stages, with performers ranging from fiddlers to bagpipers to Middle Eastern dancers. The spotlight performer is folk singer Ginny Reilly, of the popular folk duo Reilly and Maloney (Dec. 6 at 3:30 p.m. on the festival main stage).

This event is the PNA's major fundraiser and benefits programs including the Ballard Family Center, the tool lending library, the art gallery, and child care programs. Admission to the festival is $4/$2 for PNA members, plus a can of food for the local food bank. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.

Colette says that the inspiration for her recycled art business, Secondhand Saints, came this summer while she and other artists were running a make-your-own-art booth at a Fourth of July Fair in Eugene, Ore. Creating collages on bottlecaps, juice lids, and discarded pin-on buttons, Colette was having the time of her life. “It was the greatest thing in the world to stand there in the sun all day and make art and have people come up and make it with you,” she says.

When she relocated to Seattle a few weeks later, Colette decided to keep working in this collage style. “I could never think of anything I could make in quantity that would still be fun,” she says. With her recycled art pieces, “every single one is different and fun, so I never get bored with it.”

Colette wasted no time in becoming a part of the Fremont neighborhood. She works at Marketime Foods on Fremont Avenue N. and has enlisted the help of bartenders at the nearby Buckaroo Tavern and The Dubliner Irish pub in saving bottle caps to be used in her work. She's even managed to get permission to use the image of the Fremont Troll in a few pieces, perhaps on future charm bracelets also featuring other wonders of the world such as the Taj Mahal and the Pyramids.

Besides the decorations, her bottle cap jewelry usually includes a single word. “The thing I love most is that I still get to use words in my work,” says Colette, an award-winning essayist, who has worked as a writer and editor. Her earrings and charm bracelets allow her to combine words that work well together, such as a pair of earrings with “music” and “dancing,” or a charm bracelet featuring pin-up girls and the “fresh,” “flirt,” “best pal,” “vibrant,” and “beauty.”

There are rules to the game, Colette notes. “I always use positive words and words that I think will be uplifting.” Although she does admit, the sayings on her decorated matchboxes can get downright sarcastic.

Eugene Weekly
December 16, 2004
Fast, Cheap & Easy
A guide to good last minute gifts.
By Alexandra Arch

It's always the same song and dance — you do it every year. You are acutely aware that Christmas is rolling around, but you haven't sprung into action yet to actually purchase gifts for friends and loved ones. If you need some inspiration on where to find presents that say something big without breaking the bank, read on, last-minute shoppers.

Women

The Secondhand Saints, found at the Holiday Market, make belts, magnets, jewelry, ornaments, and book marks out of bottle caps donated by local businesses. The bracelets and magnets are especially attractive, featuring vintage photos and colorful images. The force behind the Saints, artist Ruby Colette, often portrays people who are her personal role models in her bottle cap art including the Virgin Mary, pirate women and historical figures such as Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Frida and Oscar Wilde. There are a plethora of "naughty" and "nice" images. Bracelets are on sale for $10 and magnets are $6.

Candee Cole and Michelle Chaves, founders of Two Cheeky Monkeys (also at the Holiday Market), have created recycled purses made from old records and game boxes. The purses feature bands such as Fleetwood Mac and the Village People. Games include Candyland, Clue and more. Many of the bags sell for $30 or more, but some are on sale for $15-$20.

The Two Cheeky Monkeys also make cute purses out of Capri Sun juice containers that are $15 and up. Also available at this stand are journals made from old board games and children's books by Dr. Seuss as well as classics like The Pokey Little Puppy for under $20 (the books are even included in the back of the journal).

The Somerset Toiletry Company makes divine soaps, lotions, body wash and body butters. These fresh scents include Ginger-Lime, Apricot-Honey and Fig-Pear, and all products cost in the range of $10-$14. Pick them up at Uncommon Scents.

Sundance sells a calendar titled "Barbie's Dreamhouse and the Pink Poison Problem." This 2005 wall calendar, by Stella Marrs, features parody collages of Barbie with "over-the-top" home furnishings while providing information about environmental illness and dangers in consumer chemical products. This fascinating calendar sells for $11.95 at Sundance.

Men

Perhaps a fellow you know could use a Buck Knife. McKenzie Outfitters carries one of Buck's small stainless steel knives that also includes a bottle opener and can attach to a key chain. The locking blade is easily resharpened. Pick it up for $15.

Berg's Ski Shop has several techy gifts that won't empty the wallet. For your favorite outdoor adventurer/snowboarder/skier, there are several tools available: the Adventure Plus is seven tools in one including an LED flashlight, compass, digital thermometer, magnifier, safety mirror, whistle and a water-tight storage compartment, all for $20. Burton makes the Zip Tool which is an ultra light "toolbox" for repairs in the field. It includes different sizes of screwdrivers, a wrench and more for $10.

Berg's also carries a sizeable selection of beanies — Turtle Fur, Burton, North Face and more — many of which fall into the $20 and below price range. Scott goggles sell for only $19.95. Last, but not least, give him the gift of Warren Miller with his Bloopers, Blunders and Bailouts from past ski films for $14.99.

Face the Music highly recommends two CDs to round out your Christmas shopping for that special guy. Arcade Fire's Funeral gives off a retro '80s disco vibe. Heiruspecs' (pronounced "higher respects") A Tiger Dancing is a hip-hop CD featuring two MCs and a live band. Whenever either of these two CDs is playing in the shop, they go like hotcakes according to an employee. Both CDs are on sale at Face the Music for $14.99.

The DVD Chappelle's Show, Season One Uncensored, features comedian Dave Chappelle and his hilarious show on Comedy Central. Find out why everybody is quoting these episodes for $18.99 at Blockbuster.

Unisex

The Lane County Musicians Cooperative, found at the Holiday Market, offers a wide array of CDs of local bands. The music selection runs the gamut from folk to Celtic to blues. They offer children's music as well. For under $20, find a gift to suit any music lover's taste.

A Bijou gift certificate. Give someone you know and love a night, or several nights, out at the movies. Five movie pass books can be yours for $22.50.

Fleece socks are just $15-$17 at McKenzie Outfitters and will be glorious to wear this winter. If you can extend the gift budget, they also sell a Planetary images Mug Press for $28. This travel mug includes a French press for the on-the-go coffee connoisseur.

Support our local library with a new logo book bag that marks the 100 year anniversary of the Eugene Public Library. Use as a gift or a means to "wrap" a present. This bag is sold in the library's store for $12.

Outdoor River Sports sell plenty of items under $20 including all sorts of guidebooks — cooking, wildlife, rescue and more — as well as Nalgenes, dry boxes and dry bags for all river enthusiasts. Pick up the flat water guidebook Canoe and Kayak Routes of Northwest Oregon, by Phillip Jones or Paddling Oregon, a Falcon Guide to the Northwest's bountiful whitewater. For $25, you can give someone a gift certificate to rent a whitewater or recreational kayak, and all the gear, for the day.
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Care and Feeding of Bottlecap Jewelry

Small flecks and bubbles in the resin are, like you, perfectly normal. They add to the character and individuality of the work, much as you add to the beauty and uniqueness of this world.

Everyone will want to touch it! What is that clear stuff, they’ll wonder. Tell them it’s polymer epoxy resin. Or tell them it’s a secret. Make up a wild story about fairy dewdrops or mermaid tears. Wipe fingerprints off with a soft cloth. Resin can be scratched, so please don’t use sandpaper.

If exposed to liquid, the paper image on drilled pieces may become damaged. Please don’t wear any piece with a hole in it while scuba diving, bathing, or mud wrestling or during water balloon fights. And don’t wash the dishes; you look too fabulous to be doing dishes.

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