Homage to Chihuly

I realize this is a very long post, but I want to update you on Lovey.   After I gave her an injection yesterday evening, she got up, shook, jumped down off the bed, meowed loudly to be let out of the bedroom, headed to her food dish, went to her sandbox, then caught sight of Lilly who she hadn't seen in two days, and chased her through the office to the kitchen.  She seems to be fine, and I feel bad that Sally has cut her vacation short and will be back tomorrow (the 18th).  I was so relieved I was able to come home and create this post.  When I went back last night to give her another IV drip (which was just a couple of hours ago), she was playful, full of energy, and acted like nothing had happened to make her sick.  I wonder if she got some bad fluids, because I know I got them in her.  Regardless, she seems happy, healthy, and ready to take on the day.

I also wanted to reach out to all my friends who live in France, or who have visited Notre-Dame.  I had no idea this had occurred and was thrilled to read so much of the artwork and valuables had been saved, as well as the main portion of the Cathedral.  My heart goes out to the French today.  I plan to make a very small contribution to the restoration fund, too, as soon as I find out where to send it.

My art friend Helen has an art blog called Stamping by H.  Feel free to visit her blog if you haven't in awhile.  However, she has a second blog Photos by H.  It's  a blog where she shares her awesome photos, many of them taken at Kew Gardens, also known as the Royal Botanic Gardens located just outside London.  Recently, Kew invited Dale Chihuly to share his art.  See a preview here.  If you can't make it to Kew from now until October 27, you can travel there each week (or so) by visiting Helen's photo blog.  Yes, I stalk her blog, and I love every photo, although I love some more than others.

This past week, Helen shared a sculpture that reminded me of the flowers I saw at Wichita Art Museum's Chihuly Bridge. 

You can walk on this bridge if you remove your shoes.

This is what it looks like from underneath on the main/ground floor.

Standing directly underneath and looking straight up, this is the side, along with Helen's recent photos, that inspired today's post.

Let's begin with a bit of a quiz to get you in the mood.

Do you know about the different plastics you bring into your home each week?  Do you know how to read the numbers?  This is Number 6 plastic

and can be used in place of the pricey shrink plastic you buy in sheets.  This is free after you wash it.

It is quite thin and fits easily in your punches.

Once punched, you can heat it until it shrinks.  To my knowledge, using a heat tool is the only way to shrink it.

Look how thick it gets once heated and shrunk.

The top circle is the one I had just shrunk and the bottom one was the one I was about to shrink.

I used this in the altered book called Kings and Queens I made for my art friend Kathy.

This is Number 1 plastic.  It is much thicker and will not shrink.

You cannot use "normal" scissors on this plastic.  It is far too thick.  You need heavy duty shears to cut this stuff.  I had planned to cut the lips off these in order to use my punch to make identical circles.

My circle punch (seen above with the shrink plastic) laughed at me, and I ended up cutting all these using these shears.   On a side note, the Number 6 plastic is usually found holding baked products, while Number 1 plastic is primarily found holding salads, leafy veggies, and fruit.

I forgot to photograph a step, because I was running back and forth to Sally's.  The step I forgot was I used Sharpies to color these circles.  Then I forgot to show that I heated the plastic and molded it.  The first one, shown here, was fine and I shaped it nicely.   The next one I burned my hand molding.  That's when I decided I needed to use the foil to shape the flowers.

I admit they don't look like much when they are laying on my craft sheet.  They turn white if you overheat them.  I got to the point where I actually liked the white effect I got.

Once they were on a recycled piece of cardboard box that had been covered with a portion of a map,

they started to look more like Chihuly flowers. 

Of course, it all depended on the angle.

Although I'll probably leave the flower making to Chihuly, I enjoyed the process and the outcome.

I'm not sure this could be classified as an art journal page, or an assemblage, but I'm joining Wendy from Wendy's Art and Craft Journal, our host at Art Journal Journey this month with her theme Having Fun. 

For Day 17 of 22 leading up to bEARTHday, I recycled three containers of Number 1 plastic and turned them into Chihuly inspired flowers.  I assembled them on one of the cardboard boxes I covered with a map earlier this month.  My adhesive of choice was E6000.

Thank you beyond belief for joining me as I recycle products we normally send to the recycle bin or trash can.  I am so grateful for your support of my art and recycling efforts.  You make me thrilled when you visit, even if you just stop by to see what I've made.  Please also join me at Art Journal Journey.