Posted by Spending a few days in Brighton is always an easy way to get the creative juices flowing. There is art everywhere you look.
From graffiti to Choccywoccydoodah’s chocolate egg delights; and secret cinema rooms hidden under cafes to the wonderful Before I Die public art installation, which is part of the equally brilliant Sick! Festival, the creativity in Brighton seeps out of every wall and shows itself as much in local’s outfits and hairstyles as it does in less transient art forms.
I also have the joy of seeing Leilartlove when I visit Brighton: one of my key Forest of Thoughts collaborators, who’s previously helped us craft utopia and create fairytale peg dolls and felt butterflies; drawn beautiful posters; and created glittering signage for the Garden of Love at last year’s Latitude Festival (among many other things).
I’ve become entranced by daffodils recently and the more I’ve looked, the more I’ve seen a crafting project in waiting: egg box daffodils.
I mentioned the idea to Leilartlove and she had the required egg boxes and enthusiasm to make my daffodil dreams come true. With the addition of paint, (recycled) paper, tissue and glue, along with some green bamboo gardening canes, a few hours of crafting gave us, if not a host, a pair of golden daffodils.
Mine is a case of enthusiasm over skill, with a daffodil resemblance but somewhat childlike aptitude. My art partner’s, however, was closer to a botanical replica. I’ll be working on my skills to create botanically-correct flowers for future installations…
If you raid the recycling box, you’ll be surprised by what you can find to add to your crafting stash. Painted egg boxes and cereal packets can become daffodils; water bottles can become terrariums or chandeliers; ready meal packs can become miniature gardens. And that’s before you even get into the gardening scope offered by disposable coffee cups and yoghurt pots, bottles and jars.
Don’t see your recycling as rubbish: see it as free crafting supplies. And if you make your own egg box daffodils, please share the pics with me @Groweatgift.
groweatgift 