WILDLIFE GARDENING

Your local green space or own back garden can provide a wonderful opportunity to connect with nature on a regular basis. Wildlife can be found in almost any patch of ground and there are plenty of things you can do to give nature (biodiversity) a helping hand and do your bit – e.g.

• Find out what plants and animals are already in your green space;
• Plant nectar rich flowers, native trees and shrubs to support wildlife (especially bees and butterflies);
• Create habitats for wildlife (e.g. wildflower meadows, wetland areas, bat and bird boxes, nooks and crannies for insects to shelter and breed);
• Create a feeding and drinking station for birds
• Start your own compost heap;
• Cut out harmful chemicals and manage pests by encouraging natural predators;
• Explore environmental issues such as growing your own food and supporting local produce

Resource Guide:Wildlife Gardening PDF

Original wall art that you could create

Repurposed vintage maps are used to create a beautiful one of a kind unique decor piece from ElizabethSt

The looping waves of paper create a flower-like piece of wall art. Perfect for the quirky collector, the travel enthusiast, the lover of unique art. Don't you just love the colour and the design? I also adore how it has upcycled the old maps.

I have seen something similar made by children out of cardboard rolls and thought this was a great idea for children to experiment with.

Keep your love of nature

 Keep your love of nature, for that is the true way to understand art more and more.     
Vincent Willem van Gogh (1853 - 1890)

 

PAINTING: Cornfield with Cypress. 1888.

Ultimate guide to greening your home

Click Here!

Making handmade paper

Set of 10 handmade paper sheets created from a combination of recycled paper, coffee and green tea at Todo Papel.
These were created using the ancient oriental technique for paper making traced back to China in about 105 CE when a sheet of paper using mulberry, fishnets, old rags and hemp was created.

Have you ever made paper? Paper can be created from any old paper: computer paper, newspaper, magazines, egg cartons, old cards, paper bags, tissue paper, wrapping paper, paper napkins.

Want to make your own paper?:

• Go Make Something » Easy Papermaking
• How to Make Paper - An Illustrated Step-by-Step Guide
• Making Handmade Paper in 10 Easy Steps
• You can also make tree free paper, which is even more eco friendly, out of fibre crops and wild plants, such as bamboo, hemp, jute, plant husks, straw and flax.
• Purchase Paper Making Kits at Paper-Go-Round – manufacturers of seeded paper also known as seed embedded paper, seed paper, plantable paper, handmade paper.

If you don't want to make your own you can purchase from Todo Papel or Euraba Paper Company aboriginal handmade papers made from fibres from the river and land.

Wordless Wednesday

Linked up with wordless wednesday at Angry Julie Monday,  Project Alicia, Better in Bulk, Crazy About My Baybah,

Good for baby, good for environment

When its time to start introducing solids to your baby, what is good for your baby is also good for the environment.  Most fruit and vegetables are easy for baby to digest.

Researchers at 3 universities in England discovered that babies who were given home-cooked fruit and vegetables were eating higher amounts of fruit and vegetables at the age of seven than those given home-cooked meals less often.

• Use fresh local in season fruit and vegetables.
• Store food you prepare in reusable containers.
• Reduce the use of packaging as much as possible: some fruits come in their own packaging like bananas, which are a great first food and full of potassium.
• If you buy prepared food, look for organic baby food that is sold in glass jars that you can re-use.
• Use wet face washers to clean baby's face and hands, instead of baby wipes.
• When out take a wet washer in a container to use for cleaning up baby.

Suggestions for first foods:
pumpkin, sweet potato, avocado, carrots, banana, pear.

Recycle my heart

A society is defined not only by what it creates,

but by what it refuses to destroy.

John Sawhill

Yesterday my grandson and I took advantage of the beautiful summer Sydney day and walked the calm waters of Kurnell beach. We found lots of white sun bleached shells and a small amount of sea glass. My grandson had not seen this before and at first thought it was dangerous but I showed him how the sea water and sand had swirled it smooth. We found clear glass and brown and my personal favourite - bright green - which seems rarer. I am hoping to create something with this glass soon.
Glass can take up to 1000 years to breakdown which is why it is wonderful to reuse it.
The simple yet elegant Transparent Heart in the photo has been cut from the side of a Newcastle Brown Ale bottle.
We loved wandering on the sand and feeling the breeze blowing on our skin and finding small treasures and will return again soon.