Friday, April 22, 2016

It's bEARTHday


Today is Earth Day and also the day of my birth.  I'm so pleased you have joined me for this celebration and my final tribute to recycling.

It was time to give a used spoon a second life,

along with one of those ugly plastic eggs I keep trying to get rid of recycle.


I actually found this beat up tablespoon in the street near my driveway.  Apparently someone threw it out a car window and it landed where I was able to put it to good use.

I covered the egg with scraps of vintage sheet music.

I never throw any sheet music away, no matter how small the scraps.

The spoon's bowl became the nest for the egg.
I keep all my threads I cut when I make fabric art, unless I purposely keep the threads long on an item (like my scrappy journal pages) for effect.

I use those threads in my art, specifically nests that I love to make.  The only thing not recycled is the moss I used for the base of the bowl.  Everything else in the nest was ready for the trash or recycle bin.

For my final entry, I recycled a spoon I found near my driveway, a plastic egg, along with scraps of vintage sheet music, threads, and trash from my craft room floor or table.

As a final wrap-up, here is my bEARTHday tribute to the month of April leading up to Earth Day.  It is everything I repurposed, reworked, recycled, or reused this month.  I made this mosaic, as usual, at Big Huge Labs.

Please enlarge to get the full effect.

As  you probably remember, if you've been following my art this month, some of these projects turned out OK, some turned out great, and a couple should have gone to the recycle bin.  As I said at the beginning of the month, each year the task gets harder because there are limited new things I can come up with to create.  So next year, I may be calling on a few of my artistic friends to help me out, like I did Chris this year.

Also, if you recall at the beginning of the month, I promised to share ideas about how to rethink, reduce, reuse, recycle, re-invent, recover, restore, rebuild, revamp, or repurpose something in order to save it from the trash, and ultimately to save our planet.  Which of course, leads to respect: respect for our planet, respect for trash as art, and respect for what you as an artist can achieve.  

Thank you beyond belief for sticking with me through these 22 days leading up to bEARTHday.  BTW, I hope your Earth Day is as glorious as mine. And please be kind to the earth.  It's the only one we have.


21 thoughtful remarks:

Valerie-Jael said...

Happy, Happy Bearthday Elizabeth. You have done really well these past weeks showing all your recycling and re-purposing ideas, and have really worked hard to show that you care about the planet. Today would have been my wedding anniversary and also the anniversary of the day my husband died, so mixed feelings for me today. Have a great day, take care, hugs, Valerie

Helen said...

Happy Birthday bEARTHday Elizabeth - your spoon nest is a triumph. Hope you have a fabulous day. Well done on your month of recycling and repurposing.

Valerie-Jael said...

Forgot to say that your altered egg and spoon is wonderful!!

froebelsternchen said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELIZABETH!!
Have a wonderful day and all the best for you!!!!

What a wonderful spoon!!It turned out fantastic!!

Super done with the month of recycling ! I enjoyed every project so far!

( My leaf tendril on today's spread is just handdrawn.. this is very, very simple ... really.)

oxo ♥♥♥♥♥
Susi
Happy weekend!!!

pearshapedcrafting said...

Happy bEARTHday dear Elizabeth! This really is saving the best till last, I loVe this gorgeous, creative way to use your abandoned spoon! Surely another link to F and F? Looking over all the fabulous projects you have made this month I think your crown as Queen of recycling still sits firmly on your head! Wishing you a lovely day, big hugs, Chrisxx

kaybee said...

Wishing you lots of happiness on your birthday! Loved all your recycling posts, can't really pick a favourite as they are all unique and so creative.

My name is Erika. said...

That spoon makes a wonderful nest. I really like this a lot. You could sell these I think. Maybe some more spoon will land out in the street again...ha-ha! No seriously, I do really like this and it is a wonderful way to reuse their plastic eggs.How do you come up with these good ideas? Hope its a fantastic birthday! Hugs-Erika

Anonymous said...

Happy, happy, happy, happy. Going to brag sme bags to the beach walk and pick up trash this morning. Celebrating your birthday today I hope???? Lunch with Sally? Hope something fn....xox

froebelsternchen said...

Hello dear Elizabeth again!
The black dots from today's spread are made with a part of a shoe sole used as rubber stamp and black acrylic paint. It is used as a very last layer to give depth - that's often my secret weapon to bring a spread to life that would otherwise be a bit boring!

oxo Susi

Nan G said...

Happy bEARTHday, Elizabeth! Love the spoon nest. Have a wonderful day. Hugs

Denise Price said...

Happy bEARTHday!!! I like the festive vibe of your upcycled soon & egg.

Halle said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! As usual I didn't get even a card out in the mail to you. Such a bad friend. I'll make it up to you dear. Heading out of town with Mini-me today for the weekend. Catch up with you next week...

Divers and Sundry said...

Happy, happy day! Your egg is destined to be a songbird, I see ;)

Jeanie said...

It's been fun following your projects and I have to say of all, I especially like these spoons. I may well have to remember these for next spring! Happy Earth Day!

Jo Murray said...

Have a particularly happy day Elizabeth! Love your spoon...it has inspired me to find more ways to recycle.

Linda Kunsman said...

Happy, happy birthday to you dear Elizabeth!!! And a happy Earth day too. What really super ways you have shared throughout this month in honor of it! I really love your recycled spoon project today-and I too hate to part with any bit of music paper:) Wishing you a lasting celebration for your bearthday! XO

Meggymay said...

Hope you are having a wonderful Birthday Elizabeth.
My eldest son had his birthday today as well.
You have shown us some amazing recycling this month and this post is fabulous. The spoon looks as if the bowl is a nest for the egg a great idea and also a beautiful keepsake piece.
Yvonne xx

Karla B said...

Happy bEARTHday dear Elizabeth!Have a wonderful day, my friend!And receive Mother Earth's blessings!
Much love
Karla:)
Hope you can see this:

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ionabunny said...

Happy Birthday Elizabeth. I wasn't here yesterday cos I was celebrating my own!! Oh my, we have the same birthday. What fun. Hope you had a funtastic day. Hugz

~*~Patty S said...

Since I was unplugged from blogland while we were in France I know I missed quite alot for your birthday month!
I thought of you and thought I sent your card in plenty of time.
The card I mailed to my sister that lives here in VA on the same day arrived a week before your birthday card reached you...hmmm. Guess we're lucky it arrived at all.
It has been fun this morning to try and catch up with you and your boundless creativity a little bit anyway.
There is so much I should be doing to try and get settled back in to 'real' life but my thoughts keep floating back to France.
Happy rest of your birthday month dear E.
Hope those storms blow over and leave you safe and sound.
oxo

~*~Patty S said...

AND what a great spoon to find AND how you gave it a fun new life....
you know I am a big fan of altered cutlery :-)
It turned out beautifully!
oxo