ECO FRIENDLY DIGEST

A Tie, An Apron and A Fish

This is my article for the Eco Friendly Digest:

"Everything around us was created for a purpose - to be used. But what happens when it stops having a purpose? It becomes unwanted, it becomes trash, it becomes creativity.

Ever since I was a child, my mind has been set on one thing - fuzzy animals. It has shaped everything I do and everything I think about. After being laid off from my job, it gave the chance to explore my creative side. I found a freedom that I had never had before. Sewing instantly took over my life. Since the household income had dropped dramatically, it led me towards reusing everyday items. My mind swarmed with ideas and the thrift store sent my mind into color overload. Suddenly the everyday item had hundreds of purposes. A tie was no longer an accessory for important invents, it became a fish belly. Golf pants exemplified cats and sweaters became a monster.

Without hesitation I will admit to dreaming about my creations, I see each stitch in my mind. Reusing the unwanted allows me to add so much character and spark in each of my designs. But after the whole process it still lacked the true Eco feel. My final push for being green was to use recycled plastic bags. Another everyday item that fills our dumps and blows around in our streets instead is used as stuffing.

When you create, look past the bolts, and see what your thrift store holds. It may just be the spark you are looking for.

To see more of my creations, you can visit my website at http://www.ArtTales.etsy.com or view a selection of my plush in the July 2010 issue of Stuffed Magazine.


Bio:
Mary Casher lives in the burbs with her Husband and two fuzzy cats. This self-taught Eco artist creates and designs handmade plush from her home. You can follow along with her everyday projects on her blog http://ArtTales-LEFTZ.blogspot.com/ or on Facebook: keyword LEFTZ"


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The Eco Friendly Digest hopes to give you tips that will help you live an eco-friendly lifestyle and subtly convert the non-environmentalists around you. So much of what can be done does not require a huge change in lifestyle.

Awareness of the effect your lifestyle has on the environment is a big part of creating a strong wind. Knowing what little changes you can incorporate into your life each day makes progress possible.