Pallet Crafter Interview #3: Joan Stricker

Pallet Crafter Interview #3: Joan Stricker

Pallet Crafter Interview #3: Joan Stricker

www.1001pallets.com/2015/06/pallet-crafter-interview-3-jo…

We proceed our series of interview, this time with Joan Stricker from the blog site Scavenger Chic, she is also one particular of our greatest contributors on 1001Pallets and she’s generating incredibly original creations out of repurposed wooden pallets. If you feel you ought to have to be showcased in the following interview, make sure you, fall us an e-mail.

Convey to us a small additional about you? Who you are? Where by are you from?

My title is Joan Stricker and I dwell in Maryland. Fortunately married to my partner of 31 decades. I am the mom of a few boys, 2 of whom are married and the 3rd in higher school. Twice a 7 days you can discover me running a blog at Scavenger Chic with any sort of job that takes place to capture my eye.

Why do you craft?

I you should not keep in mind a time when I failed to craft. I watched my mom as a child do her initiatives, sewing, quilting, gardening… she could do it all. My dad commenced his possess enterprise, but he cherished woodworking. When he wished a ping pong desk, he constructed one, when he wanted a chair to match one particular he experienced purchased, he built one. With this affect, it just appeared like the issue to do, and I get so a lot satisfaction out of it. I guess it truly is in my blood!!
When I initially began to make my individual property, my mom and I went to auctions and thrift stores and refinished and reupholstered to fill my property with furniture at a portion of the value you could purchase new furnishings. If anybody experienced thought about utilizing pallets then, I am positive my property would be loaded with pallet furniture. I would like I experienced identified then that chippy painted home furniture was heading to appear into design and style, it would have saved me a large amount of paint stripping.


How did you learn?

Like I claimed, my moms and dads have been both of those huge do it yourselfers. I remember as a teenager, if I needed to noticed a piece of wooden, I would just go downstairs and fireplace up the table noticed. I can proudly say, I nonetheless have all my fingers. Aside from that, I also minored in artwork in school. Doing work with a ton of mediums led me to think there was very little I couldn’t try out. One of my lessons even employed the arc welder, though I have not employed it considering the fact that, that would be excellent to blend iron with pallets…

Given that when are you working with pallets?

I have been operating with pallets due to the fact 2012, when I concluded my to start with pallet wall. I haven’t shared that a person with 1001 pallets nonetheless, you can expect to just have to hold out. To date, I’ve in all probability used above 100 pallets that ended up destined for the trash.


What are your can’t-live-with no essentials?

In phrases of electric equipment, I totally have to have a drill, palm sander and circular saw. But never consider to take absent my miter saw. nail gun or jigsaw or another person could get hurt.

How would you describe your design and style? Are there any crafters/artists/designers that you particularly look up to?

I would have to explain my design as rustic or shabby stylish. That is why pallets are fantastic for me, they presently have constructed in character. If you have to have excellent wooden, then pallets are not for you. I adore other crafters that are into upcycling and recycling, these as Donna at Funky Junk Interiors or Becky at Over and above the Picket Fence and Angie at Knick of Time. I’m guaranteed there are hundreds much more, but these girls are often applying some thing previous, which is rusty and crusty and producing it into anything new and one of a kind.


How is your workspace, how do you make it inspiring?

I have a wonderful workshop in the corner of my basement which I really don’t head getting filthy. In January I gave my workshop a makeover, cleansing, organizing, and portray. You can see a little bit of it below. ( scavengerchic.com/2015/01/29/heap-of-alter-obstacle-wor… )It does not have a window however, so if I am going to be portray or need to have extra gentle, I’ll carry the job up into the kitchen area. What is great about obtaining a dedicated get the job done room is that I can generally shut the doorway to avert the relaxation of the home from accumulating a layer of dust.

What kinds of factors are inspiring you ideal now? Exactly where do you look for inspiration?

Appropriate now I have been on a “vintage” signal kick. Pallet wood is the fantastic backdrop to get that vintage experience with no employing real old wooden. I just concluded a phone sign painted on pallet wood final week.
Even though Pinterest is a terrific location to be encouraged, I will usually be encouraged by an item…what can I make out of this? That was the situation with the pallet wood and bedsprings gentle…it all started off with the bedsprings. Or I am going to be inspired by a unique will need, this kind of as when my daughter-in-law asked me to make centerpieces for her wedding or the rolling storage bin…I had a total great deal of bits and pieces and nowhere to put them.

We live in these a mass-made, obtain-it-now culture. Why should really people today go on to make matters by hand?

Besides becoming in a position to say, I developed that. There are so many factors to be a do it you-er. It can save a ton of cash, specifically if you happen to be making use of absolutely free pallet wooden. The pallet wood bench, cost-free, the valentine’s heart, cost-free, the indication post, cost-free. Things produced by hand can also be customized and they are usually created much better than their shop purchased counterparts.

What is your most loved medium to operate in?

Pallet wooden has got to be my preferred but I enjoy locating outdated rusty iron parts and recreating them into one thing handy.

What are your guidelines for individuals who’d like to get started crafting?

Start compact and get relaxed with just one tool at a time. Never be scared of resources, they are there to make your lifetime much easier. Start out with what you experience snug with. If you take pleasure in portray, decide up a paintbrush, if you love sewing commence there…but include something new into your undertaking that is a extend.

What is your responsible enjoyment?

Other than chocolate, can I say my nail gun. The cause that it is my guilty pleasure is that it is not actually mine, I gave it to my spouse for his birthday a single year. No person gets extra enjoyment out of employing it than me.

What is your beloved issue to do (other than crafting)?

I adore a pleasant hike in the woods, I appreciate genealogy, gardening, journey and expending time with my family members.


What do you advocate that most men and women do in phrases of cleaning pallets and prepping them to turn out to be some thing else?

I constantly tear my pallets apart so I have a pile of pallet wooden ready for my upcoming job. I’ve found the best way to do this, for me anyway, is to just take a circular noticed down together with both equally aspect rails on the two sides of the pallet. Instantly you have lessened the range of nails by two thirds. If the pallet arrives apart easily, then I will just just take a crowbar and hammer to it. If it places up a fantastic fight, like most pallets, then the reciprocating observed arrives out to chop off the remaining nails.

To finish, we’ve noticed that you have an lively blog site. Considering the fact that how several times are you blogging? Is that a comprehensive time job or just a hobby to share your particular creations?

I do have an energetic blog with only about a quarter of my projects making use of pallet wooden or other reclaimed wooden. I wouldn’t mind my site becoming a whole time career but since it would not generate significantly money, we are going to just simply call it a hobby ideal now. I really like to encourage other people today with quick to abide by tutorials, for the reason that if I can do it, I’m certain you can too.

To see all posts by Joan:
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Posted by irecyclart on 2015-06-12 20:03:47

Tagged: , Crafter , Interview , Pallet

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