Green Walls

A store I like (Anthropologie) recently opened a new store in London and installed a three story green wall made of vertically grown plants in a patented modular, 14,000 to be exact. It is watered with rain water from the roof using a hydroponic-fed system and the lighting is partially artificial. The article listed some of the plants contained within the wall including ferns, lillies, spider plants, and also flowers. It was designed by BioTecture (short for Biological Architecture), a company used by alternative builders that construct these green walls, also known as biomembranes. One of the company's concepts is finding "more sustainable methods of creating buildings with lower or zero carbon footprints." Vertical walls were first created by Patrick Leblanc. The green wall is a wonderful invention for our future. Not only does it serve for decoration purposes, but as BioTecture's website also mentions "A healthy, stable building that tends towards self-regulation can also have a positive psychological effect on its inhabitants." (Their website features their project portfolio.) BioTecture

Their ashes, your diamonds

Another interesting way to adorn jewelry is to turn your pet's ashes into wearable gems created using the carbon taken from their remains using the same process that creates naturally occurring diamonds. As noted on ecouterre.com several companies are offering previous pet owners this opportunity, including DNA2Diamonds. You can even have a piece created from a single strand of hair (possibly to celebrate an anniversary, engagement, or wedding. This trend for preserving a pet's memory is said to be gaining popularity in Japan and is 'environmentally responsible.' The pieces are made in a lab and start at about $3000. If I had the money, I would definitely consider this. If they weren't so expensive, I think the U.S. might begin transforming their pet's ashes too.

Human teeth: as jewelry

The teeth shown in the left photo are sterilized and then hand-set in sterling silver by Australian silversmith Polly van der Glas. Some that are used are canine teeth. I don't believe I'd adorn myself with foreign teeth, or my own for that matter, but the general concept of recycled jewelry is interesting. I visited her website, but no pricing for her items was listed. To be honest, I find this particular display of teeth as jewelry somewhat dull. I did some searching and found another similar approach to human jewelry. Some people in China are saving their children's teeth and encasing them in glass charms for necklaces. I found it interesting that these pieces were being created by Chinese dental clinics. These pieces I find a lot more of an attractive approach to the concept. I might actually wear something like this.

Solar powered fashion

I just read this article on ecouterre.com on solar powered hats and matching gloves. Surprisingly their fashion appeal is not as hideous as I would have expected. And the idea is simple, but intelligent; especially for someone like myself who is always cold and hates winter. Called endless warm, the extra thin solar panels are shaped like snowflakes and convert solar energy into heat. German creator Yiran Qian was a finalist in Designboom's Green Life contest with his concept. I tried to do some research to find out when and for how much these accessories would be released, but had no luck. I'm assuming the idea is still fresh and
is awaiting marketing. However, these articles of clothing are not the only solar powered concept out there. A recent article on treehugger.com announced that soon a solar powered bikini will be available. Another clothing item that is already available for purchase with its solar abilities is the SCOTTeVEST, a coat with a solar panel that connects to a power source in one of its thirty pockets. It can then power any device capable of being charged using a USB. Direct sunlight is not a requirement and the item currently runs for $534.98 on pre-order...yikes!

Bangarang remix to 'Hook'

A friend of mine recently posted this video on his Facebook page. Typically I don't watch these sorts of things, however because it was about Steven Spielberg's 1991 film Hook, one of my childhood favorites, I decided I'd give this remix a shot. Anyone who was familiar with this movie as a child surely appreciates this video. I can't begin to describe how happy it made me and how much it made me miss being young. Every minute of the video is wonderful and exciting. As a student studying audio and visual production, it was also inspiring for me. The creator, with youtube username Fagottron is extremely talented at remixing popular tunes from classics (for ecample Disney's Alice In Wonderland or Mary Poppins) and syncing them with original film clips. The Austrailian took actual sounds from the original movie, included a sine wave bass and cymbals, and arranged them in his own way to create his video 'Bangarang'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65PiKsNhCsc

Biodegradable table?

I discovered this design on inhabitat.com. Called a conversation table, this is made from recycled corrugated cardboard that's stacked on top of each other and shaped like a speech bubble. Between the layers of cardboard are plywood spacers. It is supposedly lightweight, sturdy, and there's even some space to store a few things. Designed by Leo Kempf, there's also a matching curved wall shelf. Now that I'm aware that cardboard furniture is a possibility I think with the right modern decorative furniture and color combinations, this table would be a great piece for a room. The design is simple as well as the functionality, but the best part is that it is constructed from recycled materials. The only negative part about the article was that it lacked information on when the item would be available and at what cost.

Jewelry from junk

As noted, a post referring to the great things you can make from garbage persay. Here's an idea for the creative women out there: make your own jewelry from your junk. To me this sounds like a fabulous idea, but unfortunately I don't have the time. Thankfully there are artists who do however, like those at etsy.com. Artists here hand-make all sorts of things; some recycle waste of some sort into hand-crafted jewelry like Audrey Rogers. All of her proceeds go towards medical expenses for her mother, recently diagnosed with lymphoma. Thinking about it, the general idea is relatively cheap. The labor isn't too extensive, and best of all you make a profit doing something you enjoy. This design is also eco-friendly so you could think of it as doing your small part in some way. Skimming through the jewelry on etsy.com I found a myriad of pieces I'd like to own and I saw so much creativity that it inspired me to once again make my own jewelry...maybe over winter break. For now, maybe I'll just get my friends some unique gifts for the holidays.