FILM BIZ RECYCLING

FBR Buzz

A wonderfully written article that covers our mission, ethos and drive extremely well…thanks Film Journal International!

FBR Calendar: Margaret & Juliana

This past Friday, Margaret starred as FBR’s “50’s homemaker” in our third photoshoot for the FBR Calendar.  It was the perfect opportunity to showcase some of our incredible vintage kitchen appliances and wide selection of fake food.  The staff even used up some old wallpaper to complete the look.  You’d never know from the photos that the set was assembled in the Re-Gallery!

Margaret gets the full treatment from Aimee, Operations Coordinator.

The Re-Gallery is remodeled into a vintage kitchen for the afternoon.

Smoke break after the fact, lovely as ever.

For Juliana’s “spelling bee” shoot, the staff put together an amazing schoolroom set - in our kitchen!  Using materials sourced entirely from the FBR prop shop (including her costume!), we were able to recreate a school scene complete with class room maps, student desks and even a -fake- apple for the teacher.  We’re halfway done!  Only 6 more months to shoot!

The kitchen transforms!

FBR’s spelling bee.

Miss September’s got a bee in her bonnet!

FBR in Lucky Magazine

Check out this month’s issue of Lucky Magazine, because FBR’s got a featured spot!

Super Model Coco Roche mentions FBR in Lucky Magazine as a favorite place!

Take a tip from the stars… come and visit!

FBR Calendar: Kelley & Nicolette

Another great photoshoot for the FBR calendar!

Kelley spent her afternoon lounging in a tub out back.  Her bathing beauty shot is sure to inspire!

Nicolette posed as a saucy librarian for the month of June.  Thanks to Guvnor’s Vintage Thrift on 5th Ave for the incredible 40’s ensemble!

Check back for behind-the-scenes footage of our next shoot!

Lights! Camera! Auction! - Jessi Arrington

At FBR, we’re gearing up for our 2012 “Lights! Camera! Auction!” Benefit in November.  As a special treat, we’ve invited local celebrities to guest curate collections that reflect their personal tastes and unique vision.

Jessi Arrington - graphic designer extraordinaire, tastemaker, color-lover and all around great gal - stopped by FBR to curate her collection last week.  Jessi took to the clouds on our larger-than-life Pegasus, sporting a red glitter helmet.

Watch the video blow to see Jessi’s other curatorial selects:

Did you know…

Did you know…: a monthly post featuring the uncommon, unnoticed or altogether unusual talents and oddities of the FBR staff.  

Did you know that FBR’s Development Coordinator Nicolette Stosur-Bassett was once the Walgreens diaper baby?!  One year old Nicolette (then Lauren Nicole) was selected from babies across the U.S. to portray “Samantha” the female diaper baby.  Her family didn’t know she’d gotten the spot until relatives started seeing a familiar face in the infant care aisle.

…Now you know!

FBR talks trash with Juliana O’Byrne

At FBR, we never throw away useable furniture pieces, but this dowdy wooden cabinet was on its way out the door.  Until!  Juliana transformed this trash-to-be into an adorable, enviable accent table.  You too can turn curbside trash into a piece that you’ll treasure, just follow these simple steps:

Step 1: Taking stock.  The cabinet was looking a little rough: it was smelly, the hinges were loose and in general it was just falling apart.  ”Old and nasty” said Juliana.

Step 2: The base.  Juliana removed the wooden base of the cabinet.  It was too heavy and falling to pieces.  She scrounged up some old table legs that were lying around the FBR shop and cut them to size.  The brass hardware on the bottom of the legs was tarnished & needed a little polishing up.  Juliana worked her magic with a simple home-ec. tip: toothpaste!  First, clean the tarnished brass.  Next, scrub it down with a glob of toothpaste & some steel wool.

Huge improvement!  Notice the difference?

Step 3: Get ‘er ready!  Juliana sanded the entire piece down and then prepped it with a coat of primer.  She reinforced hinges and replaced old hardware where necessary.  Some regular old interior house paint, in a lovely salmon color, provides the accent on this accent piece.  Remember: 2 coats will make sure it’s even and smooth.

Step 4: Shell-ac!  Juliana selected some cute seashell wallpaper and covered the interiors of the cabinet, including this unique pull-out tray.  The entire piece was then finished with 2 coats of spray gloss.

Ta-Da!  It looks great - totally transformed!

Upcycled Antiques

What can you do with an defunct traveling trunk?  Upcycle it into a side table of course!

Searching around the prop shop, Michelle (FBR’s DIY/upcycle intern) found the top of an old traveling trunk that was missing its bottom.  She had the great idea to turn it into a living room side table.

Michelle turned the trunk upside-down and created an flat table surface.  She fastened some legs and collaged the table top with images of the Caribbean Sea.  You can see more images of Michelle’s work here or stop by FBR’s RE-Gallery and pick up this piece for yourself!

CAMBA: Donation Story

CAMBA, one of FBR’s ongoing partner charities, lucked out this week when we received a huge donation of yard and garden supplies.  Earlier in the month, we delivered a huge donation of mulch for CAMBA’s organic garden in GM’s Cadillac Escalade.  To complete the gardening experience, CAMBA received a donation which included a brand new self-propelled lawn mower (ticket price erngkjren!), 2 brand new wheelbarrows, a garden shed, gardening supplies and tools, 3 brooms, towels for clients and some hula hoops!

Another 2 wheelbarrows were donated to Grounded Knowledge, an organization that seeks to create systemic change in how we define, develop and implement educational systems.

A big thank you to our donors who make this materials redistribution possible!

A whole lotta wheel barrows!

 Faye Merolla, Project Manager for CAMBA’s Park Slope location, was happy to walk away with this brand new lawn mower.

Check out that price tag!

A handy utility shed to store all of CAMBA’s new garden supplies.

“My suitcase and guitar in hand”

Michelle Rickert, FBR’s current DIY/upcycle intern, has been creating incredible pieces from odds and ends found around the prop shop.  You can see Michelle’s photography work and prop fabrication here.  Check out this suitcase she fashioned from an old cello:

Michelle aged the face of the cello by sanding it down in certain areas.  Then, she added a hooking closure and suitcase handle.

The inside of the suitcase is lined with midnight blue velvet and decoupaged with old sheet music.