Potential!

   Most folks probably look at me as a hoarder.  I keep anything with potential!  Whereas others view things as trash and immediately toss them in the garbage bin, my brain says "You can make something with those!"  I usually do.  I keep a "well-stocked" craft room full of everything imaginable just because of that supposed potential.  My "clutter" is basically ideas that have not come to fruition yet....but that potential is there so the clutter stays.

  Just recently, I found some glass bottles that had floated in on a hurricane tidal surge.  While cleaning the debris line, the bottles were tossed aside.  Later, any that were chipped were promptly discarded but the aforementioned potential kept me from tossing any that were in tact.  When I came across the stash of bottles, I knew immediately what I wanted to try!  Shipping boxes had supplied me with plenty of wrinkled brown paper so...it was a no-brainer...combine the two!  Grabbing the two plus some white glue and leftover tidbits from other projects, I set to work.

  What would have wound up in the dump now sits on a shelf receiving compliments from visitors. I am pretty pleased with the outcome and intend on pulling more bottles from the stash.  Those may not be decorated in the same way but something will come to mind...and there is always that potential!

Trashy Treasure?

  Living on the water gives us no end of items that have either been lost or tossed by hapless people.  All sorts of things wash up to the pier or into the marsh.  While I try to "fish" out most of the things simply to keep the shoreline clear, it is a never-ending process.  It is understandable during stormy weather as the tidal surge wreaks havoc on the opposite shore causing our side to be the recipient of whatever has fallen to the wrath but the everyday stuff is a tad confusing.  Just outside of my reach is (or was, at one time) a perfectly good tarpaulin.  (Yes, I am still one of those folks that use the proper name for the covers.  Most call them "tarps".)  It washed into the marsh and has since been ripped to pieces.  On the other side of the pier, someone obviously lost their shirt.  A white T-shirt wafts proudly like a flag on a clump of marsh.  Hopefully, both of these items will either rot away quickly or shift to be within my reach so I can fetch them as they are now useless...not that either one would have much more than garbage.  Still, it would be nice to get both out of the marsh.

  The other day, however, Mark was able to retrieve something of use!  As we ambled down the pier before he headed out in the little skiff for a morning of fishing, I spied something bright red hung up in the marsh. "Please, please go get whatever that is before you head out to fish!" I begged him.  He did and was pleasantly surprised to find a brand new gas can!  This thing still had tags attached and had never been used!  He carted it to the pier and I lugged it up the hillside to be cleaned for future use.  Score!!!

  Before I left the pier, however, I noticed that the nozzle on the can sure looked like some sort of odd critter...perhaps some quirky pup or maybe a strange duck complete with a monocle and a bright green hat!  Yep, that overactive imagination was at work here but, in all fairness, if I have to lug other folk's castaways up the hill, I might as well make light of it!  I wonder if anyone else has noticed the odd noggin on this gas can???  Nope?  Oh, well...

The Black Rose of Creativity!

  Back before Christmas, I started a project that was new territory for me.  The more I age, the more my kids keep after me to "learn something new"...so I thought to give this a whirl.  With the internet and a computer generated photograph as inspiration, I attempted to create a rose.  Since I am not very up on computer things, my rose was to be crafted from tin cans.  It seems a shame that so many cold drink cans just get tossed in the trash so I snagged a few and went from there.  Did I have a plan?  Did I know what I was doing?  Did it seem daunting?  Nope...nope and yep.  With an old pair of scissors and three cold drink cans, I started.  I am one of these people who sort of wing things and do not use a pattern. I just started whacking away at those cans.  Once I cut a goodly number of petals and leaves, I was left with an unsightly mess of tin pieces.  Paint and then 6 coats of polyurethane brought up my spirits and made me feel that I could do this!  (Whatever it was I was doing.)

  The project got put the wayside over the holidays and through a bout of illness.  Finally, I was inspired to tackle it again.  The rose was finished and showcased in an altered frame/shadowbox.  (I had to add depth to the frame so I added to the back of it.)  I was pleased with my finished product so it became a "gift" for me.  

  Since completing this project, several people have questioned my thoughts in the creation.  Why make something using nasty old cans?  Why make something that is just more clutter?  Why a black rose?  To answer all of those...why not??  It made me happy!

  The completion of the rose has the crafting urge in full swing.  After working through one lousy illness four years ago, a "pandemic", two hurricanes and a full-blown attack of termites, I am tired.  It is my goal to get back to creating, having fun and being myself again.  Perhaps the black rose...which is said to represent power, mystery and eternal love...is my key of kicking it back into gear.  Here is to creating...to happiness...to self love! I am ready!  I have said it before and I will say it again..Life is good only if we choose to make it that way. Now is the time!

  

Everyone Needs A Broken Chandelier!

   I have finally had a chance to start thinking what I shall create with the broken lamp pieces that my brother gave me for Christmas.  Yes, he and I exchange odd things but to us they are treasures!  We understand each other so all is well.  As I was digging through the box of "lamp" parts, it became apparent that these are actually from an old chandelier. Well, that changes things.  My creation will most likely now have to be a hanging object instead of something mounted.  Still the treasure trove in intriguing and my brain is whirring with ideas but, first, these things need to be cleaned.

  When my brother found the chandelier, it had been dropped down inside of a large, plastic bin.  Over time, the bin was filled with water so the parts had become quite gunky.  So...what does one do with gunky parts?  Well, according to my brother who is a mechanic by trade, you soak the parts in gasoline.  Hmmm?  Something tells me that bronze should not be soaked in gas.  The parts were (ahem) cleaned...sort of...maybe...or maybe not.  I got to work this morning since it was very foggy and, at 4am, still too dark to go to the pier.  A soft wire brush, some wax polish and shoe buffer worked nicely for the restoration.  The process is time-consuming and I have a few scratched knuckles but the pieces are looking so much better!  I have about a fourth of the pieces buffed...and a lot more to do.

  The next few mornings will find me buffing the chandelier components and then the fun shall begin!  Another oddity will come to be and the Little Bayou House will be all the more beautiful because of it.  THIS, I look forward to doing.  Finally, there will be something beside chores filling my day.  Son has assured me that his foot has healed enough for him to take over cutting the firewood for the remainder of the winter so, perhaps now, my mental state can improve.  Being creative can do that!

Battered and Tattered, Life goes on...

   My brain is tired.  I am tired.  Yet, I still cannot find the time to rest or, perhaps, the need to be active is more pressing than the need to relax.  Folks, that is a sad way to be.  It wears on the body, mind and soul.  Life on the Bayou used to be laid-back and slow-paced.  Now it seems as if the world is encroaching, not only development-wise but also mentally.  Even though I have, more or less, been isolated here since March, stress has a way of pushing itself in where it is not needed.  Health problems (both mine and family members), hurricanes and isolation...all have been playing a huge role in my attitude!  It needed adjusting right quick!

  This afternoon after gathering firewood in the drizzly rain, I called it quits about 2pm.  There was plenty of indoor chores that needed doing but, by that time, the mood had dissolved into a heap of mush.  "This is not like me." I thought to myself.  Something has to give.  Well, evidently Son knew that his mom was about fried!  I heard some pretty strange noises happening in the living room and went to investigate.  The handmade wooden Christmas Tree was leaning against the french doors.  Hmm, that is a weird place to put decorations!  Then I realized what he was doing.  Son had pulled the wooden Christmas Tree from upstairs and was making a few minor repairs.  The tree was showing a bit or wear and tear so he was making sure it was ready to brighten another Christmas. Afterward, the tree was installed in its usual spot of the wall by the stairs. Watching him work brought back a flood of memories about this tree.  He actually made the tree years ago from wood scraps.  The entire tree was made from stuff I had pulled from the debris piles after Hurricane Katrina! 

 When his installation was complete, he put his arm around my shoulders and said "Merry Christmas, Mom.  The tree is up and things are going to be better from this point onward."  You know what?  I believe him.   It has to be.  It just has to be.

The Makeover!

  Living on the Bayou, I have little opportunity to dress to the nines.  I have always said that I am more a jeans and flannel shirt type girl and can see no use in "putting on airs" just to please anyone.  Don't get me wrong, if the need arises, I clean up pretty good.  Otherwise, I feel that the alligators and otters don't give a flying flip if I am wearing moccasins or high heels and, just so you will know, moccasins are a whole lot more comfortable!  But, even though some would probably argue that it is highly needed, this makeover was not for me.

  Last month, I was running short on time and inspiration for the Fourth Annual Clue Hunt on the Bayou.  I needed a treasure chest and I needed it fast!  The brain was clicking furiously but no idea was developing.  What could I use?  I sat in my rocking chair pondering this fact.  My feet were propped up on an old crate that once held cast iron skillets.  Since the box was sturdy and a good size, I kept it to use just as I was now...as a foot rest.  I looked at the box.  Size...good.  Condition...good.  Aesthetics...terrible!  I did not need "Wentzell's Cast Iron Ware" on the side of my treasure chest and that logo was burned into the wood, albeit, crookedly done.  That had to go!

  Sanding the box was easy.  This got rid of most of the logo.  A good coat of paint and antiquing did a fine job of covering the mess.  Now for those decorations.  I did not want to put too much time and effort into the box since I was running behind schedule as it was.  So....a few metal "trinkets" that had been salvaged from hurricane debris so came into play.  Those, a hasp and some rhinestones was all it took to give me the look I wanted.  My treasure box was complete and ready to be filled.  Of course, a padlock was needed to guard the treasures and make the chest a part of the hunt!

  This whole makeover just goes to show that sometimes what we think is just an ugly old rock can be a jewel in disguise.  My shabby crate turned into something a bit more elaborate and a lot more interesting with just a little "polish".  It sort of pays to not to overlook something...or someone...just because of a few flaws.  Those dents and dings tell a story but given a chance that rock can shine and sparkle.  

You Are Trash!!!

  Some folks would much rather toss things in the garbage than to spend a bit of time and effort to revive, reuse or repurpose it.  The thought of "making do" is out of the realm of many folks. The "toss it and buy a new" mentality has filled the landfills beyond capacity and have literally made dumps of so much of our beautiful Earth.  This makes me sad. Personally, I have a tendency to use things even beyond their durability stage.  I save things to the point that my kids worry about my "hoarding problem".  I figure it is not really hoarding if you actually use the items.  It is more like commonsense.

  This "Don't toss it" thought must be something that was drilled into my head as a kid.  I can remember Granddad telling me to "Put that up.  You may need it some day."  He was right.  So it is easy to see why my brothers fall right in that almost hoarding group as well.  My oldest brother was doing yard work for an elderly lady when he noticed that her neighbor put a potted plant in the trash.  Granted, the begonia was past its prime and looked sort of sad.  He felt bad for the poor plant and snagged it off the trash heap.  After a bit of loving care, he brought the plant down to me.  "Here.  I got you this out of the trash."  Sweet!  My brother obviously thinks very highly of me if he brings me trash....hmmmm.  Anyway, he handed me the plant, gave strict instructions on how to care for it and said he had beans cooking back at his house.   With that, I became the proud owner of a begonia. 

  Since the plant came to reside here, it has bloomed profusely and is now making seed pods.  The thing has doubled in size with my following his detailed care instructions.  The man sure can make things grow.  But just think.  This plant was doomed.  Tossed aside as trash by the previous owners.  How sad.   What a waste.

Is It A Treasure?

  I am one that finds a lot of treasure in other people's trash.  People have a tendency to toss things in the trash instead of trying to repurpose or recycle them.  Don't get me wrong. I do not go digging through trash cans nor visit the dump to confiscate items to reuse. More oft than not, things are dumped on...errr...given to me or I merely find them.  The given items are usually some off the wall items that folks know I will find useful for the annual clue hunts while the found items are things that should never have been tossed in the first place...probably.

  Today while dusting, I came across one of those "found" items.  Years ago while driving the kids home from school, my oldest son shouted "Stop!".  This meant one of two things.  He either forgot something important at school or he spied something on the side of the road that was interesting.  (I trained him well!)  Usually, his finds were pieces of furniture that could be refurbished.  He was great about refinishing old pieces and making them usable once again.  This time, however, it was not a chair or table but a picture frame. I stopped the car, he snatched the frame out of the ditch and we were on our merry way down the road.  When he looked at the "frame" it was not empty.  Inside was a framed Valentine.  Hmmm?   We got home, Darling Daughter cleaned the picture and hung it near the front door.  She was always my interior designer even at a young age!

  Before today, I never paid much attention to the thing other than to dust it.  The Valentine has been hanging in the same place for some twenty years now.  It was there and nothing more. Today, however, I pulled the thing from the wall and inspected it.  On the back is the name Pizitz in Huntsville, Alabama.  So I did a bit of research and found that places with this name have been around for over a hundred years.   The Valentine inside sure looked like it could be that old but the framing looks newer.  I pondered if the gallery maybe did custom framing and found that they occasionally did.  Well, now the question...do I rip the paper dust cover off of the back of the frame and examine the Valentine? Or do I just leave well enough alone and rehang the framed piece near the front door?  Ponder, ponder.  Why would anyone toss this if it was Great-grandmother's Valentine? Perhaps it was lost during a move?  Or is it just some cheap decorative piece created to look like an antique? Who knows?  Maybe I will think about this a bit more before tearing into the frame.  It would be nice to know and maybe return the piece to its rightful owner if it indeed is an old Valentine.  Oh, the Little Bayou House holds so many treasures....even if some are just junk!

Treasure Hunt!

  Son is pet sitting for Darling Daughter and her husband while they are out of town visiting his folks.  It is not often that I have the opportunity to "clean" his room (and we all know how moms think rooms are not clean unless they do them!) so I am taking full advantage of this!  I have decided to "deep clean" the entire house starting with his room. Hopefully, I will finish with his territory before he returns tomorrow. Anyway, while I was tackling the usual clutter that amasses atop dressers, I had to sit back for a few minutes and ponder things.  Hanging on the wall over his chest of drawers is a door panel.  Yep, a door panel...or at least I assume that is what the thing is.  

  Years ago when he headed off to college, I did a similar deep clean of his room.  It was a lot easier then since he took most everything with him.  I was assured of the fact that whatever I tossed was not needed. Now, I am not so certain.  But during that other purging of the attic room, I had a wild hair to redecorate (not this time!).  Since his room was painted a deep grey and he loved black and red, that set the theme.  He also had a penchant for Asian art ever since my aunt gave him a water-color painting that she had gotten on a long-ago trip to China.  That started this whole thing!  I hung that piece of art and things went from there.  This was right after Hurricane Katrina and it just so happened that I "rescued" a few items from the debris mounds that filled the property.  One was the aforementioned door panel.  This item was special. Well, maybe not to too many folks but I deemed it worth keeping. The panel was black lacquer with mother of pearl inlay and was just far too pretty to toss aside in the trash heap.  So, I kept it and it soon was hung in his room.  From trash to treasure perfectly describes the piece! A few other items, such as his sword collection and an oriental screen polished off the look.  

  I figure that Son must have been pleased with his room as he did not change a thing when he moved back home.  Oh....other than bringing back a ton of stuff.  It is that stuff and years of added stuff that needed purging today.  Old school books, an accumulated mound of tools and some older clothes all found their way downstairs and either in the trash or out to the shed.  The room looks so much better already!  

  I must say that the door panel and the other nifty things will stay and, at least for a little while, the room will resemble something from a magazine page!  

Literally.....Trash to Treasure!

  Leave it to me to scrounge about and find the ultimate treasure.  Just because I have no idea what it is or how I am going to use it, makes it no less a treasure.  This find is fabulous!  The back story had been filed away as we were caught up in a whirlwind of the birth of our new grandson but, now that I am back on the Bayou, I can start to think once again.  

  If you recall, while in Georgia for "Baby Watch", Mark and I took a hike to a small pond behind our son's house.  A number of geese were there for the winter and seeing them brought me a little piece of the Bayou. To get to this pond, we had to hike through a thicket rich with thorny vines and scrappy shrubbery.  All of this is separated from our son's yard by a six foot tall privacy fence.  One would never know what was back there if a hike was not initiated.  Well, as usual, I cannot leave well enough alone.  I had to explore a bit.  I dodged under brambles, skirted huge ant mounds and climbed over rotted logs.  It is just good thing that it is winter as I probably would have met with a dire fate if the weather was warmer.  There is just no telling how many snakes, spiders and other biting critters would have been lurking in my path.  Mark has learned just to hold back and let me have my fun.  Way in the back of the thicket, I found a trash pile.  (I told you this is a trash to treasure tale!)  Mounds of broken flower pots, dismantled  patio furniture and other refuse littered the small clearing.  Someone was not being so discriminate about where they threw their garbage!  (I can honestly say this was NOT my son!  He and sweet Joanna are adamant about keeping the world as clean as possible.)  Anyway, none of this interested me.  I was turning to make my way back to Mark (who was probably growing a tad antsy about my disappearance at this point) when I literally stumbled upon the treasure piece!  Half buried in the soft, leaf mulch was a thing of beauty!  (Well, I  must admit that some folks would not see what I see but that is ok!)  I had found an iron box! Each side is about seven inches long and tall.  The iron is embossed with lovely scrollwork of grapes and leaves.  Bingo!  Treasure!

  As I said, I am not sure just how I am going to use this fine piece but it will come to me in time.  Perhaps, it can become a clue hunt prop or maybe be used in the garden but all I know is that this piece is truly a TREASURE!.....yeah, I know...it was someone's trash.   BUT look at it!  Its amazing!

Calamity leads to treasures!

  Today was not good.  It was not particularly bad but it was just not good.  It started off at the break of day.  I got out of bed full of vim and vigor.  I was ready to tackle the world but that came a screeching halt.  I turned on the faucet to fill the coffee pot and nothing happened.  No water came gushing from that spigot!  Nothing...not even a dribble.  Uh, oh.  This is never a good thing especially when you have a well. Anything from busted pipes, well gone dry or burned up pump could be a reality and that reality was not on my agenda for the day.  I called Son.

  "Hop to it, Michael!  We don't have any water and without water there shall be no coffee!" I yelled up the stairs.  Never uttering a word, he came stumbling down the stairs.  "No water?" he queried.  "Nope...no water."  He headed out the door to the pump shed.  "Wow." was all I heard.  I peeked into the shed.  Wow, indeed.  Water was everywhere as was everything else that had been stored in the shed!  It looked like a mini-hurricane had attacked our pump shed!  Geez!  This was not good. Some very large critter had decided to rearrange everything.  After turning off the electricity to the pump, we decided it would be prudent to clear out the jumbled up clutter before he tackled the pump, itself. Once we pulled out the thousand or so tools, old furniture and other odds and ends, he discovered that whatever critter was in the shed all night, had broken the pipe that led to the house.  Obviously, the pump had been running for quite some time.  Stuff was not only knocked around, it was soaked! I cleaned while he did plumbing work.That, my friends, was when I discovered where some fantastic treasures have been hiding for the past decades! 

 One of my favorite "treasures" of the day is an old paint sprayer.  Yeah, I realize that this is probably more trash than treasure but it means something to me.  This was Pop's old sprayer.  I very rarely remember him using it since he always painted everything with a brush but, still, it was his and that is important!  I set the paint sprayer aside to be cleaned and moved inside the house.  It is a good thing that the Little Bayou House is more like a museum of oddities than a prim and proper house!  Things like this fill shelves and all of the nooks and crannies of the house.  To me, they are treasures.  To everyone else, they are junk...dust-collecting, space-consuming junk.  TREASURES!! TREASURES!!

The Upside Down Gate!

  Every now and again, questionable things seem to turn out well.  With the Second Annual Clue Hunt on the Bayou in full swing, I have been looking back at some of the props that Michael, Elizabeth and I created. Several are quite ingenious while others are almost comical.  Then there are those that are downright improbable.  Part of the hunt takes the "detectives" outside into the garden.  Since during this time of year the garden does not look its best, we decided that it needed a little camouflage...a bit of dressing up, so to speak.  Things were moved around a bit.  A good bit of trimming and weeding helped some but the garden still looked like the "last rose of summer".   Something was needed to add mystery to the garden!

  Back months ago, Elizabeth and I were scavenging the thrift stores in search of any items that might be used as props.  We have this bizarre knack for turning other folks' trash into veritable treasures...or so we think. One of our finds was a metal wall hanging.  Normally, we would have passed this by as too humdrum for our tastes but it somehow struck a chord with the two of us.  We had no idea just what we were going to do with this thing but we just knew it belonged to the clue hunt! She and I toted the huge thing home and showed Michael.  "Here!  We bought this!"   He looked at us as if we were crazy and just nodded.  We tried to convince him that the wall hanging was perfectly logical to use in the hunt.  "Its perfect!", we exclaimed even though we were still not convinced ourselves.  "I suppose." was all he answered.  

  Well!  Ha!  Our trash was turned to treasure!  Michael created a special gate for the garden!  He took the wall hanging and mounted it on boards and replaced our lovely wooden gate with this one. As a bit of whimsy, he hung the thing upside down. He wanted to see if anyone noticed.  I did.  It did not matter.  It stayed upside down!   It is only a temporary use for the wall hanging but it is perfect!  The "iron" gate adds an infinite amount of charm to the garden.  It draws attention away from the waning summer plants and brightens up the space.  After the clue hunt, my "gate" will find a home inside the greenhouse.  There it will serve as a "backsplash" to the old kitchen sink that is to be installed as a potting sink.  Our fantastic find will be useful for a long time.  I do believe it is almost time for Elizabeth and I to rummage around the thrift stores again!  We NEED more treasures!

  (No, Ms. Ez, the Bayou Dog, was not banned from the garden.  She happened to be out running while I was taking the picture and decided to become part of the fun. She likes this gate as it gives her a wide view of whatever is on the opposite side!)

Finding History!

Today was one of those days that called for some sort of laid-back project.  Something that would not require major amounts of activity.  Having been "under the weather" a bit as of late, I did not want to overdo with any strenuous work.  Pondering just what I could do, I wandered about the Little Bayou House.  In the corner of the living room, I spied an antique wardrobe steamer trunk.  This is one of the old upright things that have a series of drawers on one side and a place to hang clothes on the other.  The trunk has been at my house since my mother passed away years and years ago.  Inside..things are exactly as she had left them.   The funny thing is..none of the stuff inside ever was used by her!  This trunk and the contents were given to Pop way back when I was a wee tot.  Besides being a farmer, he was a small engine mechanic and the town handyman.  All of this was to make ends meet when the farming was poor.  He had a wife and five kids to support so needed the extra work.  Pop was one hard working man!  Anyway, sometimes folks did not have a lot of money to pay for his work efforts.  They would offer him items in lieu of cash.  Being the kindhearted man he was, he never refused their offers.  As a result, we came in possession of some mighty odd items.  Mom and Pop never complained even when they received something such as their ninth set of fire pokers or another odd dining chair.  They just counted their blessings that the bills stayed paid and the kids stayed fed.  This trunk, though, contained a veritable treasure trove of goodies if I remembered rightly.  There was my busy work for the day!  I would investigate the trunk!  I called for my son, Michael, to come pull the thing out from the wall and open it up for me!  That was when the "fun" began!

We found newspapers from as far back as the 1800's, bunches of letters, a number of property deeds and some great old pictures. There were old purses, mirrors, beadwork, curling irons (pre-electric!) and shoes!  I knew most of this was in there but had forgotten exactly what the items were.  Two of the more interesting things were books.  One is an album of photographs from the Philippine Islands. These pictures had to be taken way, way back in the day!  The ladies wore the most beautiful dresses! I only wish that I knew who these lovely people were!  There is probably fifty or so photographs in the album with captions such as "Such a lovely picnic!"  or "A jolly party..Mariveles".  Wouldn't it be great fun to know what went on at these parties?

Another photo album in the trunk was a complimentary album from the company "T. J. Rosell Manufacturing Co."  The inside cover states that this company made "all sorts of building materials".  The book is a pictorial of old Biloxi.  Photographs from long ago of the houses and businesses of the area.  Thomas Jefferson Rosell was quite the important businessman in Biloxi at the time and even served as mayor during the early 1900's.  This book, in itself, is absolutely priceless as far as being a guide to old Biloxi and the architecture of the time.  The houses were exquisite masterpieces!  There was also a great picture of the Biloxi Lighthouse!

I am happy that I spent the day perusing through this collection of history.  I am not sure just what to do with it all but I know that since Mom kept it as treasure, so will I.  This is something that perhaps will be passed down to my kids.  Some rainy afternoon in the future, they can open the old steamer trunk and be amazed at what junk their mom kept.  Someday, when I am ready to part with the stuff, perhaps I should contact some historical society and let them take a gander at the stuff.  I have reservations of doing this simply because of the reaction I received once before when I tried this. My intention was to donate some of the items to the Biloxi Historical Society.  The offer was met with a bit of disdain saying the stuff was "junk" and probably all replicas of the time.  Hmmm?  It should be an easy task for a true historian to authenticate a dated paper.  On second thought, perhaps I shall wait.  When the time comes, I shall know.  If not..then my kids will be stuck with some fantastic treasures!

Helping or Harming...Hmmmmm?

What some folks see as simply trash, I see as future art pieces. I suppose this is due a lot to my upbringing since on the farm, art supplies were deemed as a luxury. Money was not spent on any such items as it was far more needed for necessities. Therefore, either I was to allow my creativity to be squelched before it ever got started or I had to be frugal! I was recycling before it was the "cool" thing to do! Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and most adults passed on the knowledge of how to use things for a multiple of purposes. You never threw anything in the trash! That was most wasteful and there was always the old standby quote "Put that up, you may need it some day!" So...I save things..everything! Most of these things, I do eventually use and those that I finally do toss....I most definitely then find that I need it the very next day! Today's trash to treasure material?...plastic drink bottles!

Son drinks a lot of the flavored water, Propel, and occasionally a ginger ale. The Propels come in a pale blue bottle and of course the ginger ale is in a lovely green bottle. I must admit that if I saved every one of these plastic bottles, we would be blocked from our home in just a matter of months! So...I have always begrudgingly discarded a lot of them (but only because until recently, I had not found an craft project worthy of the effort!) Now, that has all changed! Maybe......

I say "maybe" because even though I now can use plastic bottles in a crafty way, I have no idea just what to do with what I create! If you remove all labels from the bottle and cut it into shapes, the plastic can be melted to make faux-glass flowers! The plastic can be "colored" with permanent markers to enable a wide variety of buds to be made. Shaping them while the plastic is still warm adds to that variety as well! The melting done over a candle and is best done outside to assure that asphyxiation from some deadly fumes does not take place! Tweezers are a huge help in keeping the fingers from becoming scorched little digits!

The crafty project made me feel quite warm and fuzzy about recycling and saving the Earth. (Or was that the fumes that were clouding the brain?) This good feeling lasted just long enough for me to realize that perhaps releasing probable toxic gases into the atmosphere was not helping the green situation one bit. I was pondering the possibility of a no-fume melting process which seems highly impossible at a home level. So I guess it is back to the drawing board on finding a use for all the plastic bottles that clog the landfills! Hmmm...the mind turns to gardening. Maybe..just maybe I can somehow use all of these water and drink bottles as some sort of gardening aid! I will keep you posted on the saga of recycling plastic bottles as soon as I figure out just where I am heading with this one! The flowers are pretty, though....ponder, ponder.