Earth Day Pizza Art

The pizza art was a success! The kids loved it. I saw so many different takes on it that I was amazed. Each class did theirs a little different and each child did too. I was surprised how quickly they got their ideas and were not afraid to try things or ask for help. I loved working the hot glue gun in my daughters grade 4 class the best. The kids were lined up and chatting and excited to get it glued and get back to do something else to their faces. My aunt who is an artist came with me and helped out. All in all I think it went well and hopefully we can do it again next year.

Warning: Lots of garbage was used in the making of these portraits.

I was waiting to get some photos but I know I said would post about the day so here is the one picture I took....

This is the portraits from the Grade 6's

I will try and get more photos and post them later. As for next year, I am already looking for more garbage to use. I think it helped me understand the amount of garbage we generate at home and at school and what we can do to try and cut that down. Right down to the tiniest thing in our packaging I really looked at and saw for sometimes the first time since I was looking for things I could use as "eyes and ears". It helped me look at things a bit differently for my own creativeness too. Kids are really into this and I hope that during this project, some of them realized how to monitor their own garbage use.

Thanks to all who helped me collect the garbage - I could not have done it without you!

Earth Day 2010

Another year has past since I talked about Earth Day on this blog. Much has changed. This Earth Day, I am helping to run an art project at my daughters school. The kids will be making self portraits on pizza boxes using their own garbage to make their faces. I am really excited about seeing what they can come up with. I have been busy collecting garbage from friends and family while planning the day itself. In addition to the art project, we are also collecting garbage from the school yard and introduced Boomerang lunches. Since joining the Green Team at school, we started to see that garbage is a problem at school. Why not let them pick it up, make something from it, and also work to not bring any garbage into the school in their lunches. If they do bring in garbage, they bring it home. The garbage cans were removed for the week. Next school year we are hoping to make everyday a Boomerang lunch. Very exciting to me. I will post some photos of what the kids create. Yeah Earth day!

February Purchases

Well, the end of February is here and gone and I didn't get many photos taken of my purchases. It is mainly because what I bought was gas for my car and food for our bellies. I am not an exciting shopper since 2 years ago I changed the way I shop. I did go through all my purchases and withdrawls from my account for last year and added up like items to see where my money has been going. Funny enough I like to eat out and withdraw money I have no idea where it goes. I have been trying to come up with a realistic budget for our family but it has been hard. I am a planner and I have not been planning my money well. Add this to my list of things I want to get better at this year.As for my getting into better shape, March 1st marked the end of my junk food and the start of exercise. We went crazy buying the yummiest crap in February so I hope that will be it for a while. Don't think I am going all extreme. I plan on adding exercise along with my one coke a day habit (yes - I still drink it even though I am not supposed to - silly me). I plan on walking more and trying some boxing. We are eating better now too.

I did make buy some small items to start and finish a few craft ideas I had. The price was minimal. The fun - lots.

This a picture of the handmade Valentines my daughter and I made from old magazines.

This is a new hand sanitizer that is supposed to be eco-friendly. It smells good and it helps to make my hands feel cleaner after I finish cleaning. I keep it in the car for after I finish work.

A New Year

It is 2010. I have no resolutions - just plans.

Plan #1:

I have decided, on a whim, to document for a month everything I buy. Let's face it, money is scarce for me these days so how I spend my money is going to be key.

I will take pictures and record the money I spend on everything. I find that if I am not made to be aware of what I spend and what I spend it on, my money goes very quickly and I end up buying things I do not really need or want. I think by documenting it I will be more aware. This is purely an experiment. I should also note that for the last 2 years I have been on a do not buy unless needed kick. I have been successful in some ways but in others I feel I have failed. There is always a desire to want things and sometimes I have given in.

Examples of what I buy that is good:

I try and buy clothing that is used or revamp what I already have.

I buy antiques or reuse items instead of new items for my house.

Food wise I do not buy processed food if I can help it.

Examples of what I buy that is bad:

Everyone wants new clothes. Sometimes I buy something new. I try and buy it if it is made in Canada or if it is organic.

My food is bought mainly at the grocery store and is not organic anymore. I have had financial reasons for why I stopped buying organic food that I hope will change soon. Buying organic is expensive.

Examples of the changes I wish to make:

Buy local veggies and meat.

Continue to buy used and vintage.

I want to walk more and take public transportation when I can.

Examples of things I do that is good for the environment:

I clean for a living now and I use only Eco products. I use Enjo products which use only water 99% of the time. If I have to I use dish soap for floors and baking soda for my drains.

I buy organic soaps and shampoos. Nothing goes down my drains that is not good.

I am conscious of my water use every day.

I make cookies and fresh dinners. Our lunches are always litter-less and fresh.

Plan #2

Make more eco-crafts. It makes me happy to be creative and I love making things by reusing. I love the challenge of it and I love the reactions I get from people. I plan on doing one or two shows this year. In doing these crafts/art, I have decided to take several courses to expand my skills in different areas. I can hardly wait. I will also enlist my friends and acquaintances into teaching me any skill they have as well.

Plan #3

Get into better shape. I would like to restart running in the spring. I am also planning on starting my own boxing/exercise class. Just me. I think it will be a great work out. I am also planning on walking everywhere. Weekends I will walk and take the family and see all the great trails we have around and enjoy each season.

Come with me on my new year of change. Some recycled plans and some new and improved.

I will post my purchases soon - I have not bought anything this month yet!

I'm Back

I guess I took the summer off from writing. What a fast and busy summer it was too. I am feeling very excited about sharing here all the things I discovered and learnt about this summer. I got some traveling in, some fun days with my daughter in, and also some major crafting done. Major stuff for me.

Yes, I was busy making things for the up coming Glen Ridge Artisan Show. It is on the 19th of September at Glen Ridge School here in St. Catharines. This alone is keeping me very busy as I prepare to make enough product for the show but also to make new things I think will be interesting. Some of what I am bringing with me is my pop tab bracelets and handmade paper boxes made from 1940's magazines. I have been getting a lot of feed back - all good - about them so I decided to try and sell them. I will be selling my handmade cards, paper banners, and felt hair pins too. I am working on a few other reusable crafts but my time is running out. I will bring what I have made so far and see if anyone likes them. I hope you stop by my booth if you are there and say hi.

Here are a few things I have made so far:

Paper banner for my booth

Felt hair pins

Handmade cards

Pop tab bracelet and handmade box

I tried felting old sweaters recently. I thought I could make some cool things from them. I bought 3 sweaters from the Sally Ann and washed the heck out of them several times with hot sudsy water. So far I have made some reusable bands for coffee cups with them but my hand sewing needs improvement - unless you like things looking crude. I would like to make iPod and phone holders too. More on that when I get them done. Right now they are in my head only.

I will keep my postings coming. I thank everyone for asking me to begin again. I like hearing from you.

Stapler Free Stapler

It is the end of school and as tradition goes, my daughter and I drive into Niagara on the Lake to a store called From Japan Inc to buy her teacher a staple free stapler. Usually it is one made in Japan and it looks like a cat or dog. This year our staple free stapler is made by Eco Staple Free Stapler and looks like a button. It can staple 4 pages together without using any metal. This year I bought myself one too. Ever since I read about staples and how much metal it takes to make them plus the large amount that end up being thrown out (and do not biodegrade), I have a sense of guilt every time I use my stapler. I love how intricately my pages are held together now and I wonder, how does it do that? Small things amuse me.

The City Chase Race

This weekend was the Mitsubishi City Chase race in Toronto. It is kind of like the Amazing Race. You are tested physically and mentally while finding and completing challenges along the way. The City Chase has races in cities all over the world each year ending with the winners for each country competing at an International race.

I had been planning to go into the race since January when my friend asked me to be her partner. I admit, I had great plans to train and use this as the excuse I needed to get into shape. I felt I let myself down by managing to only walk and play occasional tennis. I was letting this fact get me down about the race and I was not looking forward to it. I decided to go into it to have fun. I get so tired of trying to be/please other people that I have finally given up on that. In the race I was me. I found out that it was not only a relief to be me but it was also way more fun!

Knowing now that yes, I did need to be in better shape, I am hoping the burning in my legs will go away soon and I can start some kind of routine to get into shape without the pressure of a race.

The Race: I had so much fun. I loved hanging around Toronto the day before the race with my friend/race partner and having dinner with my cousin (Thanks to her for all her help from home for the race telling us where things were - our "phone a friend"). 

I loved the excitement I felt the morning of the race. The rain made me feel anxious at times at the beginning but we were glad to have it for a refreshing cool down during the day. I had fun sizing up the other teams and watching the crowds grow. I loved how I felt in my jersey and number with my knee socks and garbage bag rain coat (my dad would be so proud). 

The opening speech was inspiring and after welling up and hugging the racer beside me (the whole crowd hugging at this point not just me!) we got started. I felt such energy and excitement. We started the race having to do a scavenger hunt with another team in order to get our clue sheet. I loved meeting "James" and asking him to moon for us, digging through the garbage for a 2 day old paper, and running with all our required items back to the start.

Some of the challenges we did were: pulling a rickshaw while looking for letters to de-scramble, dancing the merengue, rock climbing, (fake) kyaking, boxing, and pole dancing.

I had street meat for lunch with a coke. Some athlete! I wonder how that looked as I ran in a race. I love my Coke way too much! I swear it was kept me going.

I must say that we came across some of the nicest people during the race. The people of Toronto were so helpful and excited for us. From the TTC street car drivers, the other racers, the race volunteers, and people on the street. Thank you for that. You really helped 2 girls who have limited knowledge of the city.

Today, I feel glad I did the race and happy I accomplished something that was not only hard and challenging for me, but also scary at times. You never know what you will have to face. I loved knowing I was not going to let myself (or my partner) down by quitting or by being afraid. I felt stronger for it.

Note to self: Next time - do not to eat a hot dog and coke and try to do sit ups, T push ups, skip rope and do burpees. New meaning to burpees for me.

I guess I know now that I can do anything I put my mind to. Good to know.