flight paths for paper birds

rainy days

For this rainy day, while I'm at home doing some work, I thought I'd take a break to post some photos of (some of) the things I've made in the last few months. 

If anyone happens to read, and wants to know how anything is made, I'm way too lazy (or busy? should be, anyway!) to write out instructions, but let me know, and I can give tips. would love to! 

This barrel was for the fundraising auction for my favourite eco non-profit, Reverse Garbage - and I was a bit terrified that no one would bid on it, but they did! and my lovely friend Ellie made the winning bid. 

I had some other stuff in the gift shop there too - all made from reclaimed or recycled materials, some cards:

And a striated pardalote recycled paper bird mobile - there were actually 5 birds, but these mobiles are really hard to photograph! 

and a whole lot of my older stuff - but I didn't take photos (I'm slack like that!)

RG is now moving on to bigger and better premises, which is very exciting! 

red birds flying in a circular path

I always have trouble photographing my mobiles- they look so much better in motion. Perhaps I should try to record them moving... 

Recycled paper birds and discs (covered in tissue paper, fabric, and varnished) scraps of chain, and sticks. 

and some birds of cool colours. 

I actually sold a few of these mobiles at the Top Floor disco ball a few months ago. In future they might have to be a special present or request mostly project, as they take quite a long time!

for the long hot summer

I've developed a new recycled paper item - lovely fans! I like making new things out of paper. It's been my favourite medium for over a year now. 

I 

These take a really long time to build up to a good solidity, but once they are, you can work up quite a breeze- nice and cooling! I'm still working on designs, this is the best so far. Unfortunately the lovely coffee coloured tissue paper I used was wrapping for my new togs, so I don't have any more. 

paper birds take flight!

hello and welcome to my new craft photo blog. 

I'm Anna, from Brisbane, in Australia. 

I am an environmental psychology PhD student, but I balance my science side with my other love, art and craft. Basically any creative technique you can think of, I am interested in it. Making things is almost an obsession to me. 

I try to use as few new materials as possible, and as much recycled, reclaimed and natural materials as I can. But I'm still working on replacing glue, varnish and earring pieces with sustainable materials. 

My main blog is my environmental action blog, http://www.onethingperweek.typepad.com but I struggle a little bit with fitting my thoughts into interesting reading, so I want to have this craft blog as mainly photos. 

so I'll get to it! 

Recycled Paper birds. - see also blog banner.

from printer paper to paper pulp to birds. 

Materials

recycled- printer paper (printed both sides)

tissue paper, some new, some collected

varnish- new

PVA glue- new.

metal earring drops (wire. what do you call these?)