I have alway enjoyed turning trash into treasure when I was a kid. Something about the apocalyptic experience that was the whole world in a pandemic caused me to become hyper focused on saving all the things I would normally trash/recycle: Plastic grocery bags, empty butter containers, glass jars, tin cans, etc. I got creative with all of them too. I wrapped the tin cans in colored tape, painted the glass jars, and used a butter container to make a little stage for a potato. More on that at another time.
For this piece of art below, I used an old canvas that had a painting on it that I didn’t like, plastic grocery bags, half of a mushroom container, some half cut pipe cleaners, and piece of scrap card stock.
When I started this however, my plan was NOT a hot air balloon. I want to make a rainbow. No matter how much I twisted, turned, and arched the bags, I couldn’t get them to look like I wanted. They looked rainbowISH, but never just right.
I stepped away from it for a moment to think my idea through, and when I came back, the bags had rested like this in their natural state. Immediately I saw the hot air balloon. Within a few moments, I added the basket (half a mushroom container) and the little rider made out of scrap card stock. It is all held together with some floral wire through the back.
It is proudly hanging on the wall in my home office. Every time I see it I am reminded that I, like this trash turned treasure, can and should rise above the mess. There is so much to get bogged down into these days. And while some haters would look at me and wish me to the dumpster, I, just like this whimsy little gem, am worthy of beauty and love. Thus… Up, up, and away I will go.