About Sunken Moon Studios

Hi! I'm Shelley! Yes, that's a real bird (juvenile African Crow)

I LOVE thrifting and finding upcycled gems. I do my best to find gently-used, minor wear and tear, and unique pieces of clothing so it has the best chance of having a second life outside of a thrift store. A little trick I like to share is that some shirts actually have stains on them, but you'd never know! I either print over the stain so you'd never know it was there or it's a shirt I can bleach-tye-die and the stain is gone! I love the idea of "fostering" my thrift finds until they find the perfect forever home with you. I hope you can find something as unique and wonderful as yourself in one of my creations.

If you want to read about my block printing origin story, check out my Substack for more details. You can also read about my tattoo apprenticeship journey.

Each piece is hand-selected by yours truly

I create one-of-a-kind statement pieces for your or as a gift for someone you care about

Thank you for supporting my small business and fueling my thrifting habit

What is "up-cycled"?

The term up-cycled can be used in a range items, mostly used items that are found in thrift stores, consignment stores, flea markets, yard sales, estate sales, and more. You "up-cycle" these items by modifying them to create a better or upgraded product. Sometimes it can be as simple as a gift someone gave you or something that was handed down to you. The idea behind it is to give new life to a product that still has use.

How do you block print?

Block printing is a process in which you carve away at a block (typically wood, linoleum, or rubber) to create a pattern, text, or images which are then stamped on paper, textiles, clothes, and more. Block printing by hand can be a long and dangerous process. Typically, first you draft the image on paper, then transfer it (mirrored or reverse of the image you'll be carving) onto the block of your choice. Then, it takes many tiny carvings to create even a small image on a block, and the tools are very sharp and can easily cut your skin. However, once finished, the carving can be reprinted over and over if the block is carefully cared for and cleaned thoroughly, which can be highly rewarding when printing on multiple surfaces and different ink colors.