playing

after a not so fun day, I've decided to play tonight.  Not at anything blatantly for school, but at whatever takes my fancy, I'm just frustrated with feeling so utterly stupid (even though I'm certain I'm not).  I'm going to do something I'm good at instead. MAKING A MESS!!!   (the photo is of a previous mess, not of a current mess, but I'm not sure if my room is any better now).

My Garbage, Your Garbage

Garbage, we sure make a lot of it, and I'm not an exception AT ALL. I'm working on something relating to waste, and I think I really need to LIVE my project, so I'm going to (as of Monday), be cutting out anything that cannot be recycled or composted... I've taken an internal audit (sounds so official, for really just looking in my fridge and cupboard), and I've identified my major hurdles, and most of it is packaging, more specifically plastic film (bags, wrappings, cellophane). I don't throw out anything useful, everyone who knows me knows how much of a pack-rat I really am, and a messy one to boot (right mom???). So far the things I figure I have to cut out are mostly prepared foods (bread, cookies...) and meat (the stupid trays can't be recycled). I wonder if there is a butcher anywhere near, and I could bring my own container to bring it home. I'm going to have to do a lot of sourcing, so part of this mini garbage diary will be my sources for food, and other things. So for my to do list this weekend I've decided to make myself a lunch bag (as waterproof as I can, as my Spinach Lentil Soup always leaks), as well as a more convenient grocery bag to keep in my hand bag. I'll see what I can do in terms of creating a sub-blog, and keep everyone updated on my Garbage related ups and downs. I'm sure I'll slip up, but I'm sure going to try. (PS - the garbage in the picture isn't mine, its a picture I took while wandering home one night).

book report time!

I think the book review might become a somewhat regular feature, depending on how often I read a whole book. Anyhow this week I read 'Green is the New Black' by Tamsin Blanchard. It was a pretty good book, the tone was not so great, it read like a London tabloid magazine (basically assumed little to no intelligence from the audience, and sounded very gossipy). The information that it held was great, but only if you live in London. It might have been more aptly named - Green Fashion for the High Fashion Twits of London. Some of the wording and referencing wouldn't make sense to anyone who doesn't live in the UK, I wouldn't have had a clue 3 months ago what half the book was talking about, or who. Maybe there needs to be a follow-up that is less Londoncentric, and deals with the issue as a whole, and gives global sources. I haven't checked out Tasmin Blanchard's blog yet, maybe that's going on over there... I guess I would have to be compelled to find it first, and I'm not really all that compelled. The resource list in the back is fantastic if you live in London or are visiting. All in all I wouldn't really recommend it, unless you are looking for a book on finding environmental fashion in London.

Looking for the source

I'm really feeling this one lately...  And I was also hoping some random person (ok, I admit it, my only reader - thanks Em!) would know where this illustration came from.  I have it in my sketchbook from a long time ago (about this time last year is my best guess), and I love it, so I want to credit it properly for being so awesome (no one in England says awesome, and when I do people giggle, who knew...)

At the Tate

So I went to the Tate recently (both the Modern and British, but on different days). I was thinking about the crack... you know the one that goes down the turbine hall. I should really find out what its called, and the artist... one second... It's called Shibboleth, and its by Doris Salcedo. I was thinking about it, and I came to the conclusion that the most interesting part about the crack is how stupid people act around it, putting their face near it to get a picture, jumping from side to side. Quite funny how a crack in a floor will make people act.

I made more envelopes!

So, I decided I loved my envelope that I sent away for my soapnuts... So I decided I would make some more and see if anyone else would like them on etsy... Check them out here....

Love of Green Resources

So I've noticed that there isn't any good resource for green design... its kind of hit and miss on resources, so I think I'm going to try to put together my own little green guide... I'm not sure what or how I'm going to do this - whether it should be a wikki, or if it should be a pdf type file, or if it should be more or a webpage type thing. I've pretty much ruled out a blog... too much searching. Let me know in the comments what you would think would be the best method... I'm going to start compiling.