What's Old is New (and Charming, Too!)



WRITER CREDIT: 
PHOTOGRAPHER CREDIT: 
What's Old is New (and Charming, Too!) | Chaos To Art’s re-imagined antique treasures find new life as wedding party surcees, DIY décor, and more

Scroll through Chaos To Art’s offerings on Etsy and you’ll see that, indeed, one person’s cast-off can be another’s treasure … at least with a little TLC. Since 2005, Oklahoma native turned Charleston's Jessie Maynard has been transforming well-loved antiques into gifts and décor that are ripe for the wedding world. Our favorites? The embroidered linens and colorful quilts she transforms into precious lavender sachets (how smart for a lingerie shower favor?) and heart-shaped patches (hello, escort card idea!). 

 

After stumbling upon more vintage treasures than she could find time to repurpose, Jessie—a homeschooling mom who crafts on the side—launched a second shop, Chaos Supplies, in 2007. There, she sells old-school lettered tiles, fabric scraps, and more to fellow makers, like DIY brides. Here, she shares how she can make your wedding a standout.

 

Charleston Weddings: How did you get into recycled crafting?
Jessie Maynard: I’ve always been a crafter, so take one lazy college summer spent in a small town in Minnesota (they have the best estate sales), add inspiration from Internet crafting forums, and bam! It’s been 11 years and I can’t stop. 

 
CW: Where do you find your materials?
JM: Everywhere—thrift stores (I frequent the local Habitat for Humanity ReStores), garage sales, estate sales, eBay, and friends’ and family members’ attics. I choose objects that have lost their usefulness (colored slides, for instance), items that are broken or outdated (board games or hardcover books), and linens that have holes or tears but still have beautiful sections.
 
CW: How do your creations fit in with weddings?
JM: I’ve filled custom orders for lavender sachets with embroidery colors matching the bride’s wedding or shower colors, and can work with a customer’s own materials to make sachets and ring bearer pillows. I’ve made mini-notebooks for favors, and book journals for guest books. Many items in my supply shop can also be used for DIY décor, such as patchwork quilt hearts and 35mm slides.
 
The Lowdown on Chaos
Homebase: West Ashley
Offerings: Chaos To Art sachets (start at $5.50 for three), journals ($7.50 and up), coasters ($15 for four); Chaos Supplies' vintage greeting cards ($2.50 and up), photo slide frames ($3.50 for 25), quilt heart cutouts ($7 for 10); wooden lettered tiles ($18)
Custom Order Turnaround Time: Three days to two weeks
Daytime Gig: Homeschooling her daughter
 
Photograph courtesy of Jessie Maynard

 

The Wedding Row

September 18 2019
It’s hump day, and to help you get through the rest of the week—you. can. do. it.—we’re bringing you all the pretty (and then some) from Brynne and Alex’s Big Day at The Gibbes Museum of Art. Though...

September 16 2019

September 10 2019
We had a brief hurricane hiatus (ugh, Dorian), but we’re back in full action and bringing you the backyard summer soirée of your dreams. So, grab your drink and kick up your heels for this A-plus...

September 4 2019
Cue the “awwws” because we’ve got an endearing engagement shoot filled with love, nose boops, and … potatoes. Yep, that’s what Keely was seasoning one random Friday evening when Poole got down on one...

September 2 2019
We’re kicking off this four-day week with an ever-so glamorous wedding filled with southern hospitality, sequins, and more florals than a girl could ever dream of. Seriously. Erin and Andrew met one...

August 30 2019
Alrighty everyone, we’re kicking off this Friday on a fabulous note. There is so much goodness wrapped up in this waterside wedding and you will be amazed at every last detail. We certainly were....

August 28 2019
The day that Lee, Andrew, and their adorable son, Camon, all became one was for sure a day to remember. Check out the elegantly rustic greenery hanging above the space at The Cedar Room that the very...

August 27 2019
My, oh my. This Charleston engagement shoot has our wedding-loving hearts bursting at the seams. Historic downtown buildings, two elegantly blue-hued wardrobes, the breezy Folly Beach air, AND two...