Designing a flaming piece of art.

The idea was brought up again months ago. We were at a Hutt Zone meeting for scouts and a suggestion was made to arrange an activity that would link Venturers (Youth aged 14-18) and Rovers (Youth aged 18-30). The idea that popped into my mind was the creation of a fire sculpture at the Petone Carnival 2015. 

Many local bands get a chance to perform on a range of entertainment
stages. Seen here is Man!/Woman! performing in 2012

The annual Polar Plunge happens
the morning of the carnival







I've been to several Petone Carnivals and they are a great day, the whole day is a brilliant chance to showcase the best things that the Hutt Valley has to offer; be it music, performances, crafts, metalwork, the annual polar plunge, and heaps more. One of my favourite parts of the day has always been admiring the fire sculptures. In previous years Shellie and I have taken a stroll down the beach to be away from the crowds lining the street, and whilst doing so, admired and contributed to the construction work taking place on the beach.

The first year Shellie and I contributed to a fire sculpture.

Two of the sculptures from previous years,
a drum kit and a phoenix like creature.

We have helped but never taken on the whole challenge on by ourselves. This year I thought, why not? and from then on my interest had been sparked, Through many an email to different organizers I was finally told that I needed to submit a design for a sculpture that met a bunch of specifications and had inspiration from the theme "A Midwinter's Night Dream".

http://www.coveralia.com/caratulas/Loreena-Mckennitt-A-Midwinter-Night-s-Dream-Frontal.php

At this point I switched into full on brainstorm mode, I needed help to come up with a sculpture design that would be sufficient enough to make the final cut, this year there would only be four sculptures created. A quick google search of a 'a mid-winters night dream' came back with this album cover, a similar concept to what I envisaged for my design. I thought of animals, trees, snow, and I also wanted to relate it back to scouting movement.



I made a lot of sketches, the ideas of my own and others onto paper, and figuring out the practicalities of building something that looked like the drawing.



The final concept was based on the circular appearance of a tree, with the presence of typical New Zealand winter woodland animals, as well as some symbolic relation to scouting. One thing we knew from the start was that it was going to feature a deer of sorts; representative of our Rover mascot 'Alan'.


The silhouettes that would inspire my sculpture design.

I needed to find a strong image of a deer to atop the sculpture. This image of a stag is clean and powerful.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/42293105@N05/4039153557

 I searched the internet for the best images of animal silhouettes I could find; using these as the basis of my Winter inspired sculpture I made a model of my intended sculpture.

This is the final Model I submitted to be considered.

The final model takes the cylindrical shape of the tree and the organic nature of hanging ropes whilst featuring the relevant silhouettes of animals and scouting symbols suspended by the ropes.
The centre piece is the stag symbolic of Alan atop the tower. Making the model was no easy task, I had to use my knowledge of craft, The process tested my skills.

After submission I had to wait while it was considered. A couple of days later I was told I had been chosen to lead the construction of one of four sculptures at the Petone Carnival for 2015. I was stoked. Now the real prep work begins.

http://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2014/petone-winter-carnival/lower-hutt

This Saturday Starting at 9.00AM a group of Rovers and Venturer scouts, led by myself, will be turning this design into a reality. The five and a half metre structure will be built, well braced, and shown off to the public, before being set alight in the darkness after 6.00PM. We will admire the temporal beauty of a structure made to burn and to look its best whilst on fire.

I welcome you all to attend, to come onto the beach and say hello, and offer some help. There will be fire, fireworks, and a whole carnival of sights and scenes to experience. See you there.

Buy from the producer - Market shopping

First of all. I'm sorry its late, this week has been a week of illness and stress and I am only beginning to put the rest of it in order.

Pressing on.

Wellington is a great place to live because on both Saturday and Sunday every week there are veggie markets. I often use the Victoria Street market on a Sunday which is run out of trucks in a car-park block. Another brilliant veggie market is the Hutt City Riverside Car-park market, held every Saturday, this market is similar, but also includes some fast food stalls and other junk stores, and some other types of goods.. Generally they are open all morning until the steady stream of customers dissolve in the early afternoon

http://www.huttvalleynz.com/Events/Riverbank-Market/

The best thing about shopping regularly at the veggie market is that it is cheaper. I won't start crunching numbers here, but your $20 on veggies will make you a lot more stir fry if you spend it at the market than at some super-brand-company that will sell you food that is sub-par for the price you pay. The best thing is saving money, but it isn't the only thing.

By shopping at the market you as a buyer are saying no to the overpriced veg, no to the imported veg, and no to the veg that has been frozen six months ago, only to be defrosted and put on shelves when it is no longer grown, that is given to you from supermarkets. There is no need to purchase fruit and vegetables that are individually wrapped in plastic. When you shop at the market you show your power as a buyer by negating the advertising and signposting of corporate super chains, and choosing for yourself instead, good locally produced food. Simple. You 'Take the power' and 'share the power'. Choosing your own destination for your hard earned coin.

                                      

 

https://www.change.org/p/countdown-supermarkets-progressive-enterprises-stop-wrapping-vegetables-and-fruit-in-plastic-wrap-and-styrofoam

By clicking on the above link and signing your name, you will be helping to rid supermarkets of excess plastic as seen in the image above.

 

Market shopping is good for the soul.
The setup is only present one morning per week and therefore a lot of people rush to one place to buy their vegetables. You will be pushing, squeezing, and excusing your way past many complete strangers, and that is good. You learn skills of interaction not only with them, but also with the tellers.
You are outside, rather than in a warehouse prison that the media has hypnotized you into spending much of your life in. You will experience the weather, you will breathe fresh clean air, and you will have to avoid mess on the ground that no one will cleanup. Market shopping will keep you active, and fill you with your daily dose of fresh air.

http://websta.me/p/671121070847395062_16532272

Market shopping at first can be an overwhelming experience, but when you have learnt to move with the crowds and handle your goods it becomes a fun experience. You will get to know your food better by moving around it and exploring good and less good qualities of food. You will have opportunities to eat and taste your food, One of the best marketplace snacks is vegetarian dumplings. Often times the market will have a busker or two, making music for the people to enjoy, some people love buskers and give them a few spare coins, others despise their attempts to screech out well known lyrics; regardless, buskers add to the environment of humanity found at the market. There are people. Lots of people, you might see a friend you know.

http://blandforddailyphoto.blogspot.co.nz/2014/06/2609-market-busker.html

Holding on to many bags of food as well as operate the mechanism of a wallet and the correct coins can be tricky, but in a fast paced market environment you will learn how to make a transaction fast. Some tips:
1. Take a friend. They can help you hold stuff, while you take on wallet responsibilities.
2. Prepare your money before approaching the teller, and move off to the side once the transaction is complete. This is an efficient way of market shopping that saves you time, and allows those waiting in line behind you to get on with their transaction.

http://peacechild.org/21-easy-ways-to-help-the-environment/

 

 

Market shopping works perfectly with re-useable bags, just weigh and pay for your produce and then put it in your own bag. A decent big bag will save on awkward carrying, and lessen the impact of your consumerism on the environment.
Recently I have even purchased free range eggs from the market, these are at similar prices to your normal Farmer Brown caged eggs from Countdown Eggs. Now that leaves your conscience feeling clean.

Clean your fruit and veg

 Speaking of clean, you must be vigilant at the market to choose produce that isn't spoiled. Check for clean fruit and veg before you buy. A cheaper price at the market means a product with less life, the cheapest bananas will be ripened black in a couple of days so you will have to use them quickly.  Clean your veg when you get home. Some people suggest cleaning produce before you eat it, I suggest cleaning it before you put it away; by doing this you ensure that the produce is not rotten, you can maximize spacial efficiency by cutting up certain produce and throwing out (composting) the waste;
Capsicums are a great example. Cheap to buy in bulk; when I get home with them I chop them up, chop the top, the bottom, cut out the seeds and core, and cut the stem off the top piece, you will be left with the top, the bottom, and a large round. Rinse these in water, shake off any excess water, and then put them in the  fridge in a container, ready to use when you need them.

A whole capsicum chopped, cleaned, and ready to eat.

By buying from the market and looking after your food before you eat it, you will be eating the best healthiest food there is on offer. If you run into me at the market, come and say hi!

Storage - Shelves/Containers

Have you ever seen those television shows about people who seem to hoard lots of things who have the inability to be able throw anything away?
I reckon a lot of people are like them only different. I will admit I hoard things, useful things, and maybe some useless things. Pens. String. Ribbon. Broken cellphones. The only difference between myself and these hoarders is I know how to store my stuff without it looking like I live in filth.

http://thecorp.org/blog/2014/04/a-hoarders-guide-to-spring-cleaning-2/

When I buy music I am a sucker for a physical compact disc. I love opening the case, admiring the artwork, and then displaying the CD for all to see. For this reason I use CD racks, eclectic shaped, yet, densely packed CD racks. They don't look like mess, they look like furniture. (More frequently CD cases are being made from paper rather than the classic smashable plastic case).

Centre: Cast iron, cactus shaped CD holder.

You've seen the shelves I made from old timber, Storage using shelves is a space-wise way to not only hold things, but also to have easy access to them. Without good shelves everything would be stacked up and the things at the bottom would be lost and forgotten about. Or scooped into a heap and thrown away.

Seen above is a picture of some more shelves that we use in our small house. It may look somewhat messy but you can see some organization amongst the chaos, from bottom to top we have shoes and tramping packs, my toolbox, craft materials, clothing, bags, linen, kitchen appliances, non perishable food and drink, outdoors gear, hats etc.
Every little section is sorted into an efficent storage space, for example, here is how I keep my shoes ordered in an old beer crate.

I have found whilst living with stuff it is easier to sort your stuff than to not. Using containers to store your belongings is a practical way to contain your stuff that means easy access to it whenever you need it. I use a range of containers to achieve organized cleanliness, many of which are recycled junk. We use lolly tins for hair ties, bobby pins, and earrings. We use plastic moisturizer tubs for scout woggles, old cards and ribbons.

A Wooden box to house lose cords and headphones,

A decent metal toolbox is a useful container in a number of ways, it can lock so the tools stay safe from people who know not how to use them, and keeps potentially dangerous tools away from accident prone people. It is waterproof, inside and out, and it can be carried anywhere I need using the side handles. But as a toolbox is intended I can throw my tools into it and close the lid.

A thing of near-retro beauty that I do not want to part with is my old apple I-mac Computer. But it takes up a lot of table space. Using scraps of wood from around the property my partner Shellie knocked together a shelf that holds the moniter up and allows the keyboard and mouse space to slide underneath.

By using old old and recycled materials you can become more efficient with the space you have available. Organize your stuff and your life will become less cluttered. By keeping and organizing objects instead of throwing them away you begin to accumulate resources that will one day when needed be given a second life instead of merely being thrown out, you don't have to buy the material when you need it brand new.

Avoiding Useless Waste - Canvas Bags

It's easy. It's simple. It's plain reckless not to do it. Taking your own re-useable bags to your local countdown, new world, pak n' save or wherever else you buy groceries. I'd like to say this has become the norm. It hasn't. The majority of people still turn up to the supermarket once a week without their own bags and in turn put another 20 plastic bags into our local landfill weekly. 

The energy to create a re-usable bag is estimated to be equivalent to the energy to create 28 plastic bags. Therefore to have any environmental impact you need to use your re-usable bag 28 times, is that right? Wrong. If you can use your own old fabric to create shopping bags out of, then each time you use your bag you are stopping another plastic bag from being used. Fantastic. Making you own bags is easy. Use some old fabric, sew a couple of seams up, and voila you have a bag that you can use and use and use again.

Wine in a homemade bag, made from an old couch throw.

A lot of people seem to think that bringing their own bag is a hassle and not worth the effort. The reality is, If everyone used their own bags instead of plastic we would be producing far less waste than we currently do. Leave your bags in the car, and use them again each time you shop.

If I just sound like a random blogger whining about plastic bags, watch the video below and then see if you are swayed.

As Tim Minchin says "Do something drastic to rid the world of plastic". On a side note, I'd also like to discourage the purchase of fruit and veg that is wrapped in styro-foam and plastic. Is there anything more unnatural that we could do to disguise the things we consume?

http://www.radionz.co.nz/assets/news/41893/eight_col_1M1A4336.jpg?1435123100

I know that sometimes it is hard to refuse a plastic bag, and sometimes your things are bagged before you have a chance to refuse; in situations like these, it isn't worth the hassle to make a scene and draw unwanted attention to yourself. Instead, take the bag, but use it. Make sure its life is one of use.

Don't just bin it, there are heaps of things plastic bags can be used for, it can store your loose belongings, like jigsaw pieces, or lego. It can be used to store fruit, or used as a means of battering your potatoes and other veg in tasty herbs and spices. And of course, it can house other pieces of rubbish, I admit it, I still bin things, what else do I do with all of that belly-button fluff? An old plastic bag can still do good if it contains other objects that are inevitably headed toward the landfill.

Plastic bag as a rubbish liner, to contain all other waste.

If you  have read my manifesto you'll know that I am an advocate for buying good stuff. Believe it or not plastic can be good stuff. Using lunchbox quality plastics can be more beneficial to the environment than using cheap plastics that will crack, shatter, and be thrown away.

At chinese fast-food outlets the plastic that your chow mein comes in is rubbish. One use and it is bust; but lunchbox plastics bought at any supermarket could last more than a decade with the right care.

Good re-useable lunchbox, containing porridge for breakfast.

I have recently been suggested the idea that instead of using plastics from a chinese fast food store, or even the plastic at supermarket pick n mix, I should instead take my own containers and keep on re-using those.

A decent plastic container can be used for many things. I use them to hold my lunch, to store foods, and objects around the house, and recently for even more sustainable food shopping. Of course they are only a great tool so long as they do not break; a lot of love must go into all items, even plastics to ensure that they survive a long time.

As my birthday is approaching in less than a month I have naturally thought of a few gift ideas. One of the items on my wish list is a guitar pick cutter which cuts old credit-cards into guitar picks. Brilliant way to give a piece of plastic some new life. Especially seeing as I am always losing picks. This nifty item will save on pick costs, enable some creative license when deciding on my pick colouring, and breathe new life into the many expired credit cards which nowadays people chow through.

http://www.pickmaster.co.uk/

Lastly this week I am to talk about something somewhat disappointing to a Wellingtonian like myself. The Wellington Hurricanes were favourites to beat the Otago Highlanders in the Rugby Super 15 final. As I am not the gambling man the  extent of my wager was that the winning team decided the beer that would fill my next crate. The bottles that make up a crate are a brilliant example of re-use that is not only environmentally sustainable, but also economically friendly. The first time you buy a crate of beer you pay an extra 5 dollars for your crate and bottles, every other time after that you are saving money by swapping the bottles in. These bottles in turn just get sterilized and then refilled with beer. As my team lost my next refill will be a southerners drink. Speights.

Make your empties go another round.

Recycle materials - DIY shelf.

When things are no longer needed it is easy to throw them away. Send them to someone else to deal with. Get them stuck in the ground where they will live for thousands of years. Out of sight out of mind.

What is harder to do is to put those things to a new use. Harder, but not too hard. Re-use of things is environmentally sustainable. Instead of sending things to the tip the minute they become unusable, you can either fix them or put them to a new use.

In my household there was no longer use for a large bathroom shelf, it was old, it had been painted a few times to give it a sense of new life, but after years of using it it was decided that it was taking up too much room.

I claimed it as my own before it was chopped up and used as firewood; and with it I reshaped the timber so it would fit into a new space; I measured the space and the lengths of wood and cut them appropriately. Next using a belt sander I stripped back some of the colour creating a marbled colour effect and discovering the shelf's previous colour history. Bare, Red, Blue, and now marbled. Next, using some leftover screws I screwed the timber back together, replacing the old rusted nails and staples that were previously holding the shelf together.



There, my finished shelf; smaller, more practical and it didn't cost me a cent.

D.I.Y. in this sense is useful in a number of ways, environmental sustainability is just one of the benefits. Obviously the price is attractive; paying nothing for a shelf is incredible value and definitely beneficial for your financial state of being.

Another benefit is upskilling. By following your nose (in a safe manner) you will discover a range of skills and techniques that you will use throughout your D.I.Y. work. These skills can range from the use of power tools, to the designing of furniture, to cleaning up after yourself. Skills that improve ones character, and also skills that can be applicable for employment.

Another important aspect of Reusing items and D.I.Y. is the physical doing. Actually using your own initiative to take on a project, physically do it, seeing it through to the end, and using the completed piece is incredibly rewarding. There is a sense of achievement that is earned in doing. A sense of pride in telling other people 'Yeah, I did that'. In addition, this sense of achievement can be increased when the project has been undertaken as a collaboration, with friends, family or colleagues. Doing D.I.Y. encourages cultures of making and in turn more D.I.Y projects.

Sometimes when items such as clothing are on their way out towards the scrapheap they can be reused in the most creative of ways. For a white trailer trash party I created a costume out of two pairs of old ripped jeans, I sewed them up crudely and reshaped them as hillbilly dungarees. They looked atrocious. Needless to say, I fit right in.

Reuse of old things in such occasions as dress up party's when needed is a cheap alternative to buying more stuff that of course will end up in the trash,

What a party! The dungarees were made to last the night and they barely did that. So where does a worn denim monstrosity go? Into the bin and to the tip? Of course not. I tied them to a pole and used them as a torch for a bon-fire. Giving the denim one last good use before never seeing it again.