go GREEN this valentine's day!

Flower necklace made from recycled fabrics!  Go green!

Next up in the Angeleno Feature Series is Go Green Treasures, a lovely Etsy shop headed by LA resident Rebecca Leon.  Go Green has a great assortment of goodies with one very important thing in common: they're all green (and by green, we mean the eco movement, not the color).

Rebecca traces the foundations of her shop name to her time in college, learning about sustainable building practices.  "I was in college learning to build design and structures; we learned a lot about the wastefulness of building materials and the many new incentives to 'go green.'  In my designs I would always incorporate recycled hardwood or energy efficient electronics -- small things that add up to make a big difference. This practice stuck with me and the desire to help sustain our natural resources and not be wasteful. So I thought, why not do this with my art as well? I started asking friends if they had any broken jewelry or an earring that didn’t have a match or just stuff they never wore and would throw out. I grew a large collection of unwanted items and started designing from there. If I needed something particular I would go to garage sales and find hidden 'treasures' amongst the junk."

Super-cute custom wreaths from Go Green Treasures by Rebecca Leon on Etsy!

And there you have it!  A shop name is born.

Rebecca is further inspired by her education in the sense that she "went to school to study interior design and architecture. I think Frank Lloyd Wright probably had an impact in my design style: clean lines, modern style, taking an old traditional design and giving it a modern twist."

MY personal favorite from Rebecca's shop (and hers too!)

Los Angeles is definitely a great place to study and learn architecture and modern design, but maybe not the best for having an expansive studio space!  "I live in a tiny apartment in LA so my workspace is somewhat spread throughout my house," Rebecca told me.  "I turned my current shop items into art themselves in my house... I separate all of my knicknacks in cute little photoboxes and decorate my bookshelves with them. I work on my dining room table, but if you came and visited me you would have no idea."

Rebecca's personal favorite in her shop is a newbie and won't be sticking around for long: "It’s my custom color and design Valentine’s day wreath ... I like to make [custom] things for people, and knowing my customers are getting exactly what they want makes me happy!

I bugged Rebecca about some of the more personal components of her life as well:

Go Green earrings!

What is your most cherished possession?
I don’t know if this is a politically correct answer, but my three-month-old son! He’s not technically a possession, but he does belong to me!  I love him so much and it makes my heart happy to see him enjoying me making art!

If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would you like to see cast in the lead role as you?
For no particular reason but that I think she is such a doll, Jennifer Aniston.

What would I find in your refrigerator right now?
Not a whole lot! Amongst the random items, brown eggs, almond milk, acai juice, string cheese, oranges, chicken, and a huge box of chocolates -- yum!

Where would you like to be in five years? Ten years?
I want to be right when I am. I don't aspire to be a huge business women or live in some mansion. I love my hubby and my baby boy and I am fully content staying home with my little man, taking care of my family, making art, listening to music, and loving life.

Many thanks to Rebecca for sharing her shop and self with me!  Be sure to check out Go Green Treasures on Etsy for a Valentine's day gift that keeps on giving: recycled materials (plus felt flowers that won't perish!).

Go Green Treasures on Etsy