In the early days of 2nd Story Goods, it took time to build trust. We were all on new ground, trying to forge our way into creating things we’d never seen before, using materials that didn’t really make sense. We spent hours walking through the piles of discarded items out in the salt flats of Jubilee, knowing there were treasures to be found.

We made earrings out of bottle caps, recycled glass and shells. We shaped angels from chipped plates and ceramic mugs sold for pennies in the street market. We picked up branches and created wind chimes out of all of it too. Each piece was beautiful to me because all of it shouted to the universe,

We still have value! We are not a waste! 

The value of a piece of blue glass tossed into the garbage pile with all the other things is changed completely when it is picked up and used by the maker artist.

The Artist sees.

Add to that the many parts of our lives that seem broken and cast aside. That relationship that didn’t work, the job that ended, the months of wandering in the desert, so to speak. We speak over that

Not Wasted,

as well.

We believe our lives are our great ART.

We believe nothing is wasted.

We believe with the divine grace of Heaven, we can make something beautiful of all of it. 

Even the making of our Not Wasted t-shirts is beautiful! We buy these shirts from local vendors in Haiti, and they are printed by our local screen-printer, Josias. Even the design for the shirt was locally done! 

Enjoy!