the world's trash ...

... is no one's treasure

this is some of the plastic I collected on a beach on the eastern shore of Kaua'i:

beach plastic washes ashore after swirling through the ocean currents for several years

Hawaii's beach plastic washes in from the Pacific Gyre

where does it all come from?

let's just say it can't blamed on cruise ships or cargo ships

it's where all the world's litter ends up - in the ocean - honest to God

so I sit in the comfort of my kitchen with clean water for my flowers and clean water for my tea

I wonder:

what will change our course or change our minds?

and then I make art that tells my children and their children's children the story of it

if the subject of ocean plastic interests you, here are some good links to follow:

Judith and Richard Lang's art made from beach plastic

NOAA's web page about marine debris

Greenpeace Intl's page on the world's oceans 

recent news about plastic pollution in the Great Lakes

recent news about plastic pollution in Antarctica

And from you:
Amelia's link to artist Steve McPherson (marine plastic art)

Gayle's link to youTube video by Chris Jordan: Message from the Gyre (this made me cry)

this is NOT walmart

let me explain:

while chasing down some credit card fraud in my name

I found on my credit report that I'm employed at WalMart as a manager,

I enjoy shopping at Bloomingdale's,

and I was hoping to rack up some major American Airline miles with my new platinum Visa card

yikes!

I'm getting it ironed out

but

yikes!

in the meantime,

while NOT working at WalMArt

(thank God)

I get to do other things

for instance:

the wind chime in collaboration with the 4/5/6 class for their art auction

it turned out great and the kids are proud

... so much better than my other fictitious life ...

windchime

today I had time to work on something that has been a bit of a monkey on my back

do have those? I know you do :)

the school is having an auction to raise $$

and my daughter's class brought from home all kinds of recyclable/reusables to make a

garden art/windchime/suncatcher sort of thing

but, as it turns out, 

there is very little the kids can do by of participation except to bring in the materials

(with the wire, pliers, awl, etc. it's just too many sharp objects and opportunities for owies)

but I'm liking the can lids and think I'll add more

the kids can sign their names on the lids

and call it a day

right?

in my spare time

 hah!

is there such a thing?

in my not so spare time

I've been

.... making matchboxes 

the idea is to see how much treasure can fit in a little matchbox

it's fun!

(here's a fun flickr photo pool: matchbox stuffing)

these 3 matchbox treasures have been added to my etsy shop

3 more are on my desk

***

do you do the oscars?

our family fills out ballots 

the middle brainy child decided spend a week memorizing the picks as previewed on indiewire.com

talk about spare time

this is NOT how I would spend it

but if you're 13 - that's another story

(she got 16 right - me? I got 11 - pretty good for guessing eh?)

here's her list: