30 Days Wild: Day Ten – Go Wild for Crafting

Day ten of 30 Days Wild was largely spent indoors. My home has slowly become more and more filled with all manner of nature finds and needed a little tidying.

Luckily, the recycling bin had exactly what I needed to restore some order. Unnecessary croissant packaging, and more plastic packaging I found while litter picking, became ‘nature finds’ organisers.

So far, I have grasses drying, a small log, a lichen covered twig, pine cones of various types and sizes, a cork, half a blue pencil, 57 bottle caps (some still slightly soily from being dug out of the canal towpath, despite being soaked overnight and scrubbed), leaves and a drying bunch of wildflowers.

I also have several plastic bottles awaiting transformation into gardens, and seeds (from grasses I’ve collected and fruit I’ve eaten) to use as an eco alternative to glitter – or, more likely with my crafting, in addition to glitter: the below started off as a cardboard box and a handful of broken jewellery…

I love glitter – though I am very pleased biodegradable glitter has been invented, as standard glitter is plastic, which I avoid using as far as I can.

I am trying to convince all my festival-going friends to use biodegradable glitter too. Just imagine how much plastic we could save if every festival (and festival-goer) switched to biodegradable glitter…

I layered the flower petals I’ve collected in a spice jar (bought last year for jam) and love the way they look. I’m tempted to collect petals every colour of the rainbow, dry them and layer them in jars to create a floral rainbow.

I found a feather that would make a beautiful quill – though I suspect I need one with a thicker rachis (the ‘stem’ of the feather) to shape the nib.

I also filled a glass bowl with swam feathers to decorate my home.

I found one of the fairies I made out of laddered tights, and she seemed drawn to the drying wildflowers…

After a gentle day of sorting and organising, in the evening, I went to a friend’s birthday party  (wearing my favourite nature-inspired necklace.)

It turned into a long but lovely night (and gave me a chance to invite a few people to a wild cocktail party later in the month, so they can sample my foraged drinks.)

Day ten of 30 Days Wild ended with moon-gazing, and a dawn walk home along the canal with my partner, collecting flower petals on the way.

Random Acts of Wildness So Far…

1. Spread the word.
2. Start a weather/pain diary.
3. Look at the clouds.
4. Photograph wildflowers.
5. Look for urban nature.
6. ID a butterfly.
7. Find a fledgling.
8. Feed a swan.
9. Collect feathers.
10. Stake out a foraging site.
11. ID birdsong.
12. Tweet using the #30DaysWild hashtag.
13. Plant a virtual seed.
14. See new life growing.
15. Feed the ducks.
16. Protect an animal from a predator.
17. Reflect on nature.
18. Look closely at your lawn.
19. Make someone a nature hamper from recycled materials.
20. Share nature photos using #30DaysWild on Instagram (and help the hashtag trend).
21. Show your houseplants some love.
22. Tell friends about #30DaysWild.
23. Talk to a junior naturalist and encourage their creativity.
24. Photograph a favourite cuddly toy in nature.
25. Add a nature event to your diary.
26. Look closely at a friend’s garden.
27. Take photos for #Rainbowblooms.
28. Find a plant that looks like a bug.
29. Watch a bee.
30. Read a nature-based research paper.
31. Get overawed by nature
32. Watch the dawn.
33. Walk barefoot in dewy grass.
34. Try a nature meditation.
35. Raid and repurpose the recycling.
36. Go on a wild date.
37. Go litter picking.
38. Protect the soil.
39. Make nature art.
40. Watch the sunset
41. Turn your desk wild.
42. Water your plants.
43. Celebrate World Environment Day.
44. Take part in the plastic challenge.
45. Watch nature videos.
46. Tell people who run your favourite hashtag hour on Twitter about 30 Days Wild.
47. Tell a colleague about 30 Days Wild.
48. Take a closer look at foxgloves.
49. Share nature-themed recycled crafting ideas.
50. Have a natural aromatherapy bath.
51. Dress for the weather.
52. Connect with a local nature lover.
53. Look at a puddle closely.
54. Rescue a plant.
55. Make a mini meadow in a recycled container.
56. Photograph wet leaves.
57. Welcome new wildlife to the area.
58. Make a bottle garden.
59. Make a wild bouquet.
60. Collect flower petals for your nature crafting box.
61. Tend a garden.
62. Feel the wind in your hair.
63. Collect leaves for crafting.
64. Grow a tomato.
65. Create a 30 second wildlife habitat.
66. Admire an insect.
67. Photograph something blue.
68. Make a nature video.
69. Go on a flower pot hunt.
70. Wear nature-inspired fashion.
71. Vote for nature.
72. Plan a windowbox walk.
73. Celebrate World Oceans Day.
74. Go wild in a graveyard.
75. Love lichen.
76. Be amazed by moss.
77. Find fungi.
78. Stock up on wild supplies.
79. Bag a bargain to bring back to life.
80. Find something new in nature.
81. Grow your own food.
82. Reflect on nature and what it means to you.
83. Look closely at cuckoo spit.
84. Plant something pollinator friendly.
85. Plant a herb garden and share cuttings.
86. Look for bugs.
87. Let your garden go wild.
88. Read the weather.
89. Brighten a corner of your home with plants.
90. Use an eco friendly search engine.
91. Repurpose plastic packaging.
92. Use biodegradable glitter.
93. Collect flower petals.
94. Find the perfect feather to make a quill.
95. Add fairyland magic to your home with a fairy doll made from recycled materials.
96. Use feathers as home decor.
97. Wear nature-inspired jewellery.
98. Watch the moon.
99. Go for a dawn walk.
100. Invite people to a wild cocktail party.