A second 'reason to be'

Glass jars are a perfect alternative to fancy or ‘designed’ vases. 

They re-enforce the concept and philosophy of an active recycled/upcycled thinking, with an ever-pleasing aesthetic thrown in as a wonderful bi-product. 

The way light refracts through the water that fills these jars is as beautiful as the flowers that the jars hold.  

Sometimes there is pressed or embossed type which adds to the backstory and visual interest of the old industrial jars.

 
Sadly the slightly disturbing trend of designing and producing vases that mimic industrial jars has emerged with the intent to cash in on to the whole upcycling fashion. 

This defeats the entire point of recycling or developing a second 'reason to be'. 

The point is not to create any more stuff...it is to use what already exists. 

Stores such as Seasonal Concepts in Redfern, Ici e La in Surry Hills and others spend their time hunting down these beautiful old industrial jars 

to ensure that they find new homes and have a second chance.

The simple things in life

Buying a new scrubbing brush or some bright steel or copper wool always delights me.

The stiff new bristles guaranteeing the job at hand will be completed quickly and thoroughly.  

The pots and pans shining bright is always a beautiful thing!

Celebrate the little things that bring you joy...remember JoyDay on the 25th November.

Feb's Wallism_Waiting

This month’s Wallism was found in Wynn Lane, Brisbane, Australia. I have no idea who is the creator of this wonderful piece of Wallism (a shame).
It made me want to say something about hanging around and sometimes having one’s time wasted waiting for 

people who are horribly late or for the bus that never seems to comes. 

So I found this little poem. It appealed to me. Not sure if it is entirely apt but it is amusing.

Standing is stupid,

crawling's a curse,

skipping is silly,

walking is worse.

hopping is hopeless,

jumping's a chore,

sitting is senseless,

leaning's a bore.

running's ridiculous,

jogging's insane...

Guess I'll go upstairs and

lie down again.”   

Shel Silverstein, A Light in the Attic

Urban Street Knitting_Delightful Strangeness

This kind of incredible urban knitting (or Yarn Bombing) has been appearing around the inner city areas of

Surry Hills, Darlinghurst, Redfern and Waterloo for the past couple of years.  

It is engaging and delightful to see, but who has time to find out where it comes from. 

Who generates these beautiful creative installations? 

After a bit of research Shiftazine found this site: srchtag.com/ex/Isr2r28jgga5of6.html 

please go have a look at it, as it is a wonderful trove of information about urban knitting and the knitters behind the installations.

Shiftazine thanks all Yarn Bombers for their energy, their time and the beautiful end results that go to making our areas so much better.

Like attracts like

This two storey tall portrait of Australian journalist Peter Greste appeared on a wall in Redfern about mid December and served the purpose of reminding us of the plight of this unjustly imprisoned man. 

Last week, at 1:00am (AUS EST) Peter walked through the doors of Brisbane International Airport to the loving arms of his family and friends who did every positive thing they could to restore his freedom, 

which had been ripped from him and his colleagues 400 days prior. 

They never gave up hope. 

Positive thought can change the world if like-minded people can have a single focus on a specific outcome. 

The notion that we are helpless in adversity is not altogether correct. 

See the outcome, believe in the outcome, focus on the outcome. 

Live life as if the outcome is inevitable. 

Peter Greste is living proof of just that type of thinking.

Welcome home Peter.