We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Cydnee Pedler a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Cydnee thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
I was contacted buy I previous customer of mine that had purchased something from my Etsy Page. She asked if it was possible to send me a special bottle she had been keeping for some time. She asked if I was able to cut it as well as seal it for her, so she could use it as a vase in her family’s home.
“Of course, I would be honored to!” I said.
Little did I know that bottle was more than just a bottle. It was a wine bottle had been there for very special moments in a family’s life. The bottle was the last wine shared at a family dinner between a father and his children, sadly soon after their father had passed away. It was his favorite wine, and his daughter couldn’t bring herself to throw it away. So, she had kept it tucked away for years.
I will admit I wasn’t aware of the story until it was back in her hands thousands of miles away from me.
She was so thankful she was able to find someone to help her breathe new life into peace she had been holding onto for so long. The lady was going to surprise her brother when he came out to see her around their father’s birthday.
Being an artist being able to do something like that for someone brought me so much joy and I was so touched she trusted me to breathe new life into this beautiful bottle. Now it can forever bring smiles to her and her family.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
To me, upcycling is taking something that has been discarded and giving it a new reason to shine. My upcycling item of choice is glass bottles, specifically wine and liquor bottles.
It all started with a single moment in time when I had stopped to shop for a bottle of wine one evening. After picking up this beautiful red wine the shape of the bottle caught my eye. Along with its beautifully designed label and unique colored glass. It then occurred to me that soon I would be throwing it away without a second thought. It was a shame that something so pretty would be discarded.t
Then I thought how can I make others see the same beauty that I see beneath this beautiful bottle of wine? There began my upcycling journey as I know it today, did you know that around 36 BILLION bottles of wine are consumed each year? That’s also 36 BILLION corks that are made as well! We also can’t forget about the 113 BILLION bottles of beer that are also made every year.
It’s crazy to think only a fraction of those bottles is able to be recycled each year. With so many glass bottles that are being discarded, I decided to take on a personal challenge years ago! I want to make those bottles reusable in different ways so that we can re-incorporate them into our everyday life.
So instead of making more, we reuse the glass, therefore, cutting down on adding items into the already full landfills.
I have found that glass and resin can go really well together. I have learned to use EVERY part of the bottle all the way down to the label.
I want to create a new way to breathe life back into the glass. The possibilities are absolutely endless! That aspect is very important to me reusing the glass in such a way it now becomes something you use and rely on every day.
I’m also diving into the back story of each brand on my YouTube channel and Tik Tok Page with a series called “Bottle History”. Where I do a deep dive into how each brand came up with their liquor of choice, bottle design, and the history behind it all.
After learning what I have about some of the most popular brands I have really come to appreciate all the different bottles.
My brand is all about taking that bottle you love and turning it into something you can treasure for a lifetime in a new way.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
My goal is to create my art in such a way that not only am I putting a little bit of myself into it but a few of my clients in it as well. All the clients I have worked with have always had amazing ideas and I do my best to meet those expectations. It’s important to bring those ideas to light for them.
I enjoy making things that touch others’ hearts and make them smile. My motto will always be Happiness is Handmade.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
It makes me proud when people learn about what I do and how I do it then they start looking at bottles in a whole new way. They don’t just buy the bottle drink it and toss it away they step back out of the bubble they were once in to see how a bottle can truly be after it has been emptied. That to me makes me so proud so not only are they appreciating the liquid inside they appreciate the glass itself.
Bringing smiles to people around me or even on the opposite side of the work brings me so much joy,
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/CreationsByCydnee
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetreasuredbottle/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thetreasuredbottle
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTKG8NTnIJop8Ra4ms2yXqA/public
- Other: Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cyds_life?lang=en