Colleen and Devona are passionate about conservation and creativity. They enthusiastically want to share this lifestyle with others, hence, the Clever Nesting website was developed in early 2009. At Clever Nesting you’ll find posts about crafting techniques, full craft tutorials, and links to other great crafting resources. There are design ideas for the home and techniques for the garden, many of which reuse and repurpose items often thrown away. Plus, read artist interviews who also share the Clever Nesting vision…a world where people do more with less.
Off the web Clever Nesting is active in the Greater Akron, Ohio community spreading the creative and repurposing spirit by hosting local events and teaching craft classes and demonstrations.
Colleen has crafted with her mom since she was little and remembers them crafting & selling (totally ’80’s) neck bandanas with fringe & pony beads! Throughout college Colleen continued crafting & having dorm craft nights, and after college worked two years as a Craft Designer & Coordinator at an Ohio-based craft chain (taught classes, did craft & product demonstrations, made store samples). Colleen still occasionally teaches craft classes in Akron, Ohio. Last year she got three of her stamped greeting cards published in 1,000 Handmade Greetings. She especially enjoys making beaded jewelry, greeting cards, knitted or crocheted items, plus anything else she discovers to decorate her home. She makes weekly visits to the thrift store or garage sales and enjoys the challenge of re-purposing & recycling items. You’ll frequently find her making gifts for others or teaching people how to make things themselves. One of Colleen’s favorite quotes is, ”Art is everywhere, except it has to pass through a creative mind.” -Louise Nevelson
Devona has been blogging for 5 years and finds it to be a satisfying outlet for sharing her ideas with people. She has been crafting since childhood and her grandmother taught her to sew when she was eleven. In high school, Devona became more interested in pursuing a creative career and applied to fashion colleges, though she didn’t end up following that path. As an adult, Devona began crafting and sewing again using mostly secondhand and re-purposed materials both to save money and to lessen her negative impact on the world. In 2008, Devona’s work was featured in the Akron Beacon Journal and on Channel 3 News with Eric Mansfield. She loves to share projects, teach techniques, and collaborate with other artists. She looks forward to being a contributing member to the art and craft community, both on the Web and in Akron, Ohio.
