A resource for those seeking information on organizing and transforming spaces.

Interviews Ben Soreff Interviews Ben Soreff

Interview - Campus Quilt Company

Our clients are always asking us what to do with their vast number of old t-shirts, so we asked Megan with the Campus Quilt Co. for some solutions.  

Our clients are always asking us what to do with their vast number of old t-shirts, so we asked Megan with the Campus Quilt Co. for some solutions.  

Campus Quilt Company

For busy homeowners, how would you explain Campus Quilt?

Campus Quilt takes all of those sentimental items that are just taking up space in a closet and transforms them into something homeowners can use every day, a custom t shirt quilt! We understand the difficulty of parting with so many special t shirts, which is why we love transforming them into something brand new that holds all of those wonderful memories in one place. 

What is the process, how do people get you the T-shirts?

To start the process, you can go on-line to www.campusquilt.com or call us at 502-968-2850 to place the order. We will take a $100 deposit per quilt and email you a design kit. We will charge the remaining balance when your quilt is complete. The kit will include an order form, some instruction sheets, and an optional layout guide. The customer is then responsible for printing off the order form and shipping the shirts to us. We ship via UPS, but customers can use whatever mailing service they prefer. However, free return shipping is included with the final payment of the quilt. 

Is there a limit, any concerns about cleanliness or stains?

Not at all! Some customers prefer that we cut out stains so they are not included in the quilt, while others love the shirt because of the stain, and ask that we ensure it is included. We do ask that customers wash the shirts before sending them, but we can certainly work with shirts that have stains. For older shirts that are particularly thin, we can always add backing material (usually extra t shirt material) to ensure that the shirt is strong enough to endure the quilting process. 

Campus Quilt Company Pillows

Are there other products available in addition to quilts?

In addition to quilts, we also offer t-shirt tote bags (using 1-2 shirts), small pillows (1-2 shirts), and large pillows (4-8 shirts). 

Can people use items other than t-shirts?

We are certainly able to use a variety of materials! Essentially, we can use any material that we can get a needle through! 

You must see a ton of either ugly or amazing t-shirts, any projects that stand out?

I may be a little biased, but I love every quilt we complete! Some of my favorites are the ones made from baby clothes! 

Campus Quilt Baby Blanket
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Interview - Nicholas Guitars

Since we deal with "stuff" all day we try and focus on keeping items of quality that will last a long time. We spoke with Nick of Norwalk’s own Nicholas Guitars to get a sense of the custom process for well made "stuff" that rocks.

Since we deal with "stuff" all day we try and focus on keeping items of quality that will last a long time. We spoke with Nick of Norwalk’s own Nicholas Guitars to get a sense of the custom process for well made "stuff" that rocks.

What’s your background?

I have been around music since my early teens in Liverpool. I played in band's pretty much right up until I moved to the US in 1996. In the early 90's I had a number of guitars built by an outstanding English luthier and we became good friends. Spending time with him in his "shop" gave me my first taste of guitar building and over the next 20+years it slowly grew from modifying finished guitars to building kits to full scratch builds.

How do you work?

Nicholas Guitars

All my builds are done with hand tools, I have a table saw and band saw for roughing out, but I shape with chisels, scrapers and gouges, there's no CNC cutting or design software. 

How long does it take to make a guitar?

On average about 4 months. That's from picking out a couple of raw blocks of wood to plugging an instrument into an amplifier.

How does input from the costumer work?

I want to build the instrument a customer has in his or her head (within reason). Outside of the fixed requirements like scale length and fret position, pretty much everything else is open to interpretation. So it may be as simple as a customer showing me a picture of a guitar they saw in a magazine, a color they like or it may take sitting down with a pencil and a piece of paper and sketching out a complete guitar.

I know it is hard to choose, do you have a favorite guitar you created?

Right now it would be one of the tricone "resonator" guitars. There's 100+ hours in the building of them and because of their acoustic nature, there's no electronics or amplifiers to hide behind, they either work or they don't. Thankfully they work!

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Interview - Greg Stones

As long time visitors to the SONO Arts Festival, we have also been longtime fans of artist Greg Stones. If you are looking for something original to turn your home into a museum check him out.

As long time visitors to the SONO Arts Festival, we have also been longtime fans of artist Greg Stones. If you are looking for something original to turn your home into a art museum check him out.

What’s your background?

The most important pieces of my creative evolution that inform my work at the moment: I saw Star Wars in theaters in 1977, my parents bought me Crayola crayons at some point, I graduated from Bates College in 1996, I got picked up by Chronicle Books in 2011 because zombies were a thing, and then in 2016 my editor Steve Mockus Jedi mind-tricked Lucasfilm and Disney into letting me write and illustrate a Star Wars book. So there you have it.

How do you work?

Greg Stones Art Penguin

I have two ways of working. If I am creating art for galleries and art festivals, I start paintings with no plan whatsoever, and whatever happens happens. It is very improvisational and fun and surprising. If I am working on a book, I lock down a theme and a character that I would like to explore, then sketch pages and pages of ideas that may or may not lead to something worthwhile.

Why did you choose to work in the medium you use?

I like gouache because it is a very flexible and direct medium. It is also super portable, so when I am in the middle of some crazy book deadline, I can bring my work with me to art festivals and hotels and get stuff done.

Your work is what I consider family friendly with a twist, how would you describe it?

I have to say that much of the family-friendliness of my work is thanks to my editor at Chronicle Books, who realized early on that kids really enjoy my books. Left to my own devices, there is a lot more nudity and death by chainsaw in my work, as anyone who has seen my paintings in galleries or at art festivals can attest.

Did working on a Star Wars book make your childhood dreams come true?

Star Wars 99 Stormtroopers join the empire

To be honest, it never even occurred to me that working on a Star Wars project would be a possibility, so I never really thought about it. I did start to think about it once I got picked up by Chronicle Books, however, because they published four of Jeffrey Brown’s humorous Star Wars books (Darth Vader and Son, Vader’s Little Princess, etc.), which are the books that paved the way for funny Star Wars books everywhere.  It was definitely a crazy and fun and scary and exciting process, though. And how cool is it that I got to use all my action figures from the 80’s for work??  Cray cray.

Of your many character creations or Star Wars what do you love working on the most?

At the end of the day, I love painting penguins more than any other character. Don’t get me wrong, working within the Star Wars universe was an amazing thing, but penguins are just so darn awkward and goofy and fun. Plus, they don’t wear stormtrooper helmets, which are the hardest things to paint EVER!!!

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Interviews Ben Soreff Interviews Ben Soreff

Interview - ShelfGenie

Kitchens and closets represent spaces of concern for most of our clients. We spoke with Alex from ShelfGenie to offer possible solutions.

Kitchens and closets represent spaces of concern for most of our clients. We spoke with Alex from ShelfGenie to offer possible solutions.

What are benefits of Shelf Genie as oppose to a full kitchen remodel?

Shelf Genie Pantry

We are a great alternative for someone who is happy with the layout of their kitchen, but frustrated with the functionality. We provide a cost effective instant solution that will create more storage and better access usually with a one day installation. We are also a great option for clients that are thinking of selling their home in the next few years. We improve the look and functionality of the space at a fraction of the cost of a full demolition giving them a much better return on their investment. We also have relationships with door manufactures and wood renewal companies that address the outside of the cabinets.

How does the design process work, does the client have any input?

Shelf Genie Pull Out Corner

Our consultations are free and are a collaborative process. Client input is required to create the most fulfilling solution. When you call and schedule an appointment, our appointments are fun and we ask you lots of questions concerning how you use your space and what items are you trying to store. What’s driving you crazy? Are you a Costco or BJ’s client? Are you organic or do you have lots of can goods. Do you cook a lot or have cast iron pans. These are all important questions to better know what solutions to create. Once we figure out these elements, we design and price out the solution on sight. No waiting. Once approved, we produce the pullouts in our factory and will complete the project within six weeks. Our installations are usually done in one day.

You mentioned many of your clients are older adults, why do you think that is?

Usually it’s because the kids are out of college and they are starting to focus on their own needs and want to make the space easier to function. Some clients have mobility issues such as bad backs or knees. Pullouts are a very high impact solution for these clients. It allows you to age in place and remain independent.

I associate pull out systems with kitchens do you have solutions for other rooms?

Shelf Genie Office Desk

Absolutely, we are not restricted to the kitchen. We work in bathrooms, garages, home offices and entertainment units. Pretty much anywhere pullout shelving systems can be of help. Since our installers are finish carpenters, we can create functional spaces under staircases or convert closets into double pantry areas. We even have put in our pullout shelving in furniture to hold TV’s, DVD’s and CD’s.

What are some of the most interesting or creative projects you have completed?

There a few that come to mind, one was the conversion of a garbage compactor into a functional garbage cabinet. We removed the compactor, built the cabinet with toe kick, put in 2 pullouts (1 for garbage and recycling, the other above it for the garbage bags), ordered a matching door and installed it. When we finished, it looked like it had always been that way.

Another interesting project we did was for a client that had done a renovation of the kitchen space including changing the access to the upstairs. Unfortunately, they had to keep the old staircase as is because underneath was the staircase to the basement.  We created a 4 pullout pantry. Since we are all custom, we could make the depth of the pullout as deep as necessary. So, the bottom pullout was 19” deep, the one above it was 25”, above that one 36” and the top one was 5 feet deep. It became an incredibly useful storage space.

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