Bluebird for Happiness

Aqua flocked organdy, fiber collage
for my granddaughters.

Welcoming the New Year

Kids Killer Klothes

"Ask your legislator to support the Toxic-Free Kids Act! The Toxic-Free Kids Act will be introduced in January, but we need to get the word out now. Why? Because we don’t want cancer-causing flame retardants in our children’s products and we need companies to stop replacing one toxic chemical with another in products made for kids.

The Toxic-Free Kids Act will get cancer-causing Tris Flame Retardants out of baby products and encourage companies to switch to safer chemicals that won't harm health, the environment, or their bottom line. Tris flame retardants are especially concerning because they can cause cancer. One was even removed from kids pajamas in the 70s because of health concerns but now it’s back, and we need to get it out of our homes and away from our kids."

This is a message from Washington Toxics Coalition, in the hope that we as a people will start taking back our responsibility for the well being of life on this little planet, we call home.

I am for a "Sanity Act" as there is no rational excuse I can find to not freak at what our "leaders" have allowed. In the name of commerce we as a species have been duped into a suicidal trance of sugars, fats and seductive virtual worlds.

The manmade processed, patented, promoted for profits reality lost it's human purpose. What have we become and why is it so much less than our true possibility.?

possibility

the chicken stopped to ponder possibilities before crossing the road.
Ballard metal art on 57th and 14th

When faced with an opposition, ask yourself or others what might be another possibility? It is so easy to see the "is" that we fail to realize that it is only an appearance of one of many possible alternatives. What may look to be anger may be pain. What is a rule may have a good way around it. What was useful once, may no longer be applicable.

Broken

digitally enhanced re-used envelope
collage/marker illustration

"The U.S. chemical regulatory system is broken and fails to protect people, wildlife and the environment from toxic chemical exposures." (Washington Toxics Coalition)

Flame retardants (PBDEs) in clothing and household furnishings, carpet padding, televisions -the list is long make your haven a hazardous site.

"PBDEs are a family of chemicals used as flame retardants in our everyday lives. They accumulate and are long lasting, and we are concerned about them because they have been known interfere with proper thyroid function in laboratory animals, cause problems with brain development, and disrupt learning, memory and behavior.

When there is a fire, seconds are precious and flame retardants can save lives. However, many alternatives are available which are safer. Governments which have passed PBDE bans recognize those alternatives and are choosing to protect fire fighters, children and all citizens from harmful toxic chemicals by encouraging safe alternatives." Safer States

Fashion? Where?

Illustration with marker, re-purposed envelopes
on paper. 2011 djb

I am out of love with fashion.

I have been wondering if it was just me and my jaded vision or if there was more to it. There is more.

Designers are being killed They are dying in the process of business over art, function and aesthetics When business dominates art, it ruins the best of it. Like the goose who laid the golden eggs, when designers are pushed to produce too much, too fast, there is burn out and whole, fully developed, lifecycle potentials are squashed. This is sad all around.

Fashion got boring because sales glut, trend pushing, fast fashion laws of profit have fouled the scene. Chanel designed for lifestyle changes. She created clothing for bobbed, indie women. The clothing followed the cultural changes.

Now designs are made for corporate bottom lines. That speaks to another cultural change. This change destroys more than it needs and gives back as little as possible. It wants volume and is always hungry. This is against the law of nature and is therefore very dangerous.

The antidote is to buy from local independent designers, exchange and swap and/or re-fashion and re-style clothing yourself or hire a pro refashionist. All of this will better support your local economy and that is a good thing.

Occupy is about the abuse. Creating the alternative economies that enhance creativity, diversity and healthy well being can start with your next purchase. Be mindful and we will get through this and into the new dawning.

be well.