Speaking of the environment, I just found this on Etsy. Check out this very unique recycled bird feeder at http://www.etsy.com/listing/34748542/bird-feeder-recycled-street-lights-2

The Environment

I just got home from volunteering at the annual "Fishnic" fund raiser for our local Environmental Studies Center. This is a yearly event with food, music, auction, raffles, and tons of activities for the kids. The money raised (and it is substantial thank goodness) goes to pay the salary of a teacher at the Center and to help with the expenses of maintaining the facility.
The Environmental Studies Center is part of the county school system and is open all year with numerous activities, classes and field trips for students of all ages. They maintain several animal habitats and have a number of nature exhibits on display. Summer camp there is a "must". It is a wonderful facility and is open to the public when school is not in session. It isn't at all unusual to find two or three generations in a family who have attended the ESC.
This is my fourth year of volunteering and I am honored to do so.

My daughter posted this to her FB page and I thought it was so appropriate that I decided to pass it on.
"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children." ~Native American Proverb.....HAPPY EARTH DAY! :-)

Gourd Masks

It has been awhile since I have posted anything. Only excuse I have is that I have been visiting family out of town, planning a birthday celebration for my husband and trying to get some structure back in my life. Anyway, as I was going through old photographs on the computer, I found these of some gourd masks I made a number of years ago in pre-fused glass days. They are made from dried gourd pieces, recycled and found objects and fiber work. Fun, funky but not forgotten.

Gourd Masks

 

Gourd Masks

 

Gourd Masks

 

I have been toying with the idea of starting a jewelry line using recycled items. I have so many odds and ends around the studio and I need to do something with them. I am also feeling the need to do something a bit different with my fused glass work. This brooch was my first effort combining recycled items with a fused glass cabochon. I rather like the combination of the flat metal look with the bright dichroic glass. I made two more brooches like this only on one I used an old turquoise earring of my mother's and on the other one an antique button. I wore the turquoise one to the gallery today when I was making a delivery and a lady saw it and asked where she could buy one. I took it off and said right here and made a sale. Wow! that made my day.