Confessions of a Crafty Hoarder

I've always been a lover of the arts and crafts. Even my year 1 school books documented that:

'when I grow up, I want to be an artist or a scientist".

This theme continued throughout my primary school books and then was forgotten about once I entered high school. I must say, it blew my mind a bit to discover these childish yearnings after I had completed my Bachelor of Science in Environmental Biology.

Who'd've thought it? Destiny perhaps?

More often than not though, I kick myself for not having the strength of mind to go the other way and pursue a career in the arts.

Of course I'm not too old - perhaps I'll become both!

The problem with having an interest in arts and crafts though? - the monumental scale of hoarding that is involved!

I've a fantastic collection of paints and pencils, pastels and clays.

There are papers and boards, ribbons and inks.

There's glues and tapes, staples and strings.

Little bits and pieces that might be useful for something one day, as decorations, kids crafty bits, or the finishing touch on a special project perhaps.

There are frames and canvases and brushes of all sizes.

I have cottons and threads and buttons and zips.

As well as elastics and needles, thimbles and pins.

I've got fabrics reclaimed and fashions waiting to be remade.

So much stuff can be viewed with potential. I tend to have a repeated dialogue with myself that goes something like this:

"That's been sitting around for ages, I should throw it out"

"Oh but I could do something with it, turn it into something else"

"I'm never going to have the time, It's just going to be taking up space, I should just chuck it"

"But I could use it. I'll find the time, It'll be great"

"OK then, I'll just put it in here until I'm ready to do something with it".

I now have recycled kitchen cupboards full of the stuff. It took me a whole day to sort it all out and locate it from various hiding spots throughout the house. Then just when I thought I'd finished I found another 3 bags full!

I even have a dedicated collection of wool, complete with knitting needles and crochet hooks.

Will I ever accept that I can't knit, or will I always have the crafty enthusiasm that tells me that I can do anything...

so long as I find the time?

350.org is an international movement which aims to promote global action on climate change.
They are "dedicated to building a movement to unite the world around solutions to the climate crisis--the solutions that science and justice demand." (www.350.org). With a mission to "inspire the world to rise to the challenge of the climate crisis" (www.350.org), they are focusing on the number 350 which scientists are saying is the safe upper limit in parts per million (ppm), for carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. With a current level of 389ppm, 350ppm is looked at as a practical and achievable target.

Next Saturday is 350.orgs Global Day of Climate Action, where they are

"calling on people around the world to organize an action on October 24 incorporating the number 350 at an iconic place in their community, and then upload a photo of their event to 350.org website." (www.350.org)

In the Illawarra, people can join in by going along to Futureworld and attending their Futureworld eco-technology centre open day and brainstorm banner.

The University of Wollongong is also planning to showcase photographs of people performing simple sustainable activities, in an image of the word 350.

Lot's of different activities are being held around the globe. To find one near you, check out this interactive map.

Unfortunately, we'll be camping on Saturday, so we'll miss out. I'm very much looking forward to camping though. It's been a while since we've had the time to do this. I believe that it will be Miss Noodles first time. Miss Chookie and Mr Little Dude were both only a couple of months old for their first camping adventures. We'll be going with a whole bunch of other families, so with plenty of children on hand, we might just have to build a 350 sandcastle and host our own unofficial action day event.

Blog Action Day 2009: Climate Change

When I first heard about Blog Action Day and saw that this years topic was Climate Change, I thought to myself "I should do that... sounds easy enough". So I signed myself up.

Then I got to thinking and I realised that I really don't know that much about climate change. The pressure was on.

What to write about?

It should be good... Informative... Knowledgeable... Well researched.

What had I gotten myself into?

Finally I decided that I'd just write about why I thought it was a good idea to write about Climate Change in the beginning.

Basically I think it all just comes down to climate change being about the environment and the environment is something that interests me. I know... I know, it's terrible that I'm not really all that interested in climate change in itself, but there you go, that seems to be the way it is. Now don't get me wrong, I'm by no means a sceptic. I believe the climate is changing, I'm just not completely sure of what that means for us. I know a bit about global warming and how the ice caps are melting and the glaciers are receding at a rapid pace. I understand that this is leading to flooding of coastal areas. I realize that Earth is really just one big ecosystem, so everything is interconnected. Changes in the atmosphere and oceans will lead to all sorts of crazy changes in the weather. I've also heard about global dimming which just complicates matters more. Now we have to consider that some pollutants actually have a bit of a slow down effect on global warming. Then there's the doomsday notion of a point of no return which we may be rapidly approaching. In this case, we'll soon be spiralling down a non-reversible route of catastrophic destruction!

Some may fear that the end is near and therefore bold action must be taken. I figure if the end is near then I'll either be wiped out with everyone else or I'll try to find a way to keep existing as best I can in whatever the circumstances may be.

So why bother with trying to be more sustainable?

Because I should.

Because we all should.

It all comes back to that great big ecosystem we call Earth.

There's no denying that humans have done a grand job of stuffing up Earth on a monumental scale. Of course we'll experience repercussions from that. So of course we should be doing our best to change our ways and be more sustainable... more accountable... more aware. Nature is wonderful. Apart from all the life giving qualities it provides us with, it's beautiful.

The trees... the birds and animals and insects... the waterways... the colours and smells and sounds... the people's cultures and rituals and beliefs.

Somehow we've lost touch with that. Somehow we think it's more important to have more. Somehow we've forgotten how to think much beyond the self.

It's time we remembered how to share.

With nature and with each other.

So for climate change action day, I urge you to slow down.

Sit under a tree... lie on the grass and make shapes out of the clouds... take a dip in the ocean... close your eyes and listen to the bees... smile at a stranger... laugh with a child...

Remember what it is that's really important to you.

Is it having more?

Or is it laughing?

loving?

living?

Bulk Baking Frenzy.

I'm trying to do more baking these days. I'm a bit of a last minute cook though and therefore tend not to plan ahead well enough. Waiting for yeast action to happen generally takes a good couple of hours longer than my last minute rush to get some food out on the table. This doesn't bother me though. In a recent attempt to be more productive with my time, I drew up a meal planner and a daily events planner and after giving it my best for a couple of weeks I concluded that I prefer to do it my way. Unorganised chaos though it may be, I enjoy cooking a 'what's in the fridge/garden/pantry' meal much more than one that is pre-thought and prepared for. That said, I really do want to do more baking.

For energy efficiency and making the most of that spontaneous burst of baking creativity, bulk baking is definitely the way to go.

Here's my first effort...

fancy bread

pita


cupcakes

water crackers

and a plaited loaf.

The pita is a hit with the husband and the kids love the crackers. Of course they love the cupcakes too but we try to keep them as a treat.

Now I just have to source some bulk wholemeal flour to ensure that I keep the bulk baking frenzy as a regular occurrence.

Blog Action Day - October 15th 2009.

Blog Action Day is an annual event that unites the world's bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day on their own blogs with the aim of sparking discussion around an issue of global importance. Blog Action Day 2009 will be the largest-ever social change event on the web. One day. One issue. Thousands of voices. [http://www.blogactionday.org/]


Take a single day out of your usual blogging schedule and focus it on an important issue - CLIMATE CHANGE.

You can register your blog here.