Bill sets out healthy foods on display to begin making butterfly food art

The end result: Beautiful and nutritious butterfly snacks!

I had the chance to chat up Bill and Claire Wurtzel on the phone recently and discovered a whole new world of happy as we discussed how to add healthy food choices to your child’s classroom menu, how to make fun food art, and the great love story of Bill and Claire!  All you need:

• Imagination
• An array of healthy foods set out on display
• A willingness to teach and do
• An Open-Heart and Mind

The Love Story:

It turns out, love can be duplicated at breakfast!

Congratulations to Bill and Claire for celebrating their recent 5oth anniversary!  They are a warm and kind couple with a good cause that they want to share with the world.  Funny Food originated in the kitchen at their home in Manhattan, N.Y.C.  On Sunday mornings, Bill would make breakfast for Claire then create art couture from toast, fruits, eggs, and nuts all in hopes of getting a good laugh out of his wife.  About five years ago Claire prompted Bill to take pictures and the New York Times published them on March 2nd, 2011.  From love story to food story, Bill and Claire now have an up-coming Funny Food Book which will become available April 2012.

Healthy Food Workshops:

School Workshops 10-4

Bill and Claire have a message that they hope reach First Lady Michelle Obama in their quest for combating childhood diabetes and obesity as as getting children to eat a well-balanced breakfast.  Together they have visited New York City schools that have high rates of childhood obesity promoting interactive, hands on learning for kids.  They hold workshops in which they display nutritious breakfast from the different foods groups.  Claire, an educator, speaks up about nutrition while Bill models breakfast in his quirky, funny food way.  I was so inspired by my talk with them that I hope to transpire their ideas to Pinellas County Schools in Florida.  Want to make a difference?  Download copies and print copies to pass out at your next PTA meeting.

Bill Wurtzel's Anthroplum created for Green Halloween!

Let kids get creative by setting out a tray of pre-cut nutritious food shapes for art creation!

Take a pita and crack a smile! Who says you can't play with your food?

Take a pita, crack a smile, throw some eggs on top of her head for a funny hairstyle!

Take eggs and yolk and a lot of imagination to make a peggquin scene!

Make sure your toast is gluten-free or whole-wheat for a healthy alternative

Bill’s Background:

Bill Wurtzel is a renowned guitarist and art director.  He improvises breakfast like a jazz solo!  Check out his musical abilities at Bill Wurtzel.

Bill places his love of jazz in this musically inclined Bosc Player!

Panjo

Granddaughter Daniela:

The proud grandparents mentioned their little granddaughter Daniela a few times and since she lives right next door, its the perfect time for Bebop to make her breakfast too!  She gets in on the breakfast action by creating her own works of art.  Check it out and then prep your counter for foodie fun with your own kids!

Bebop Bill made this for Granddaughter Daniela for a healthy dessert

4 year old Granddaughter Daniela Weis making her own art!

4 year old Daniela's fruity doll art!

Yummy, healthy food art kids just love to design

You do the cutting, let your kids create the art!

Daniela made this scary face for Green Halloween! Good job!

This Cantaloupe Skeleton was made especially for Green Halloween by Bill!

Look for Bill Wurtzel as we feature him in up-coming posts on Green Halloween!

Blogger Laurali Star can be found on her blog, Charming Laurali Star, and on her site, The Damsel in the Attic, where she sells handmade and vintage clothing and accessories.  Another fab way to help reduce, reuse, and recycle!  Check it out!

Green Halloween® is a nationwide non-profit initiative started by mother-daughter team Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Colwell. In 2010, Green Halloween became a program of EcoMom® Alliance and has events in cities across the U.S.

When I think Earth, I think blessed!

In the month of November, its common to want to count our blessings in honor of Thanksgiving.  When you think about Earth, what comes to mind?  As a nature and green enthusiast, I think about how lucky we are that someone spoke up for the rights of the animals, our oceans, our parks, and the solidity of our way of life.  More than a decade ago, people weren’t aware and took for granted what beauty we possess on this beautiful planet.  We took for granted what we consumed and fed our children and we took for granted that the swamps, oceans, lakes, and parks would always stay pristine.  I propose that this Thanksgiving, you introduce your love of the planet into your feast!  This is a great way to pass down the wisdom of the ages to your children.  It’s easy!  All you have to do is write it down, mention it aloud, or simply invite changes into your meal for everyone to notice.  You can do this by using a free-range turkey, composting your scraps, or by using your green bags to buy your Thanksgiving meal this year.  You lead by example and trust me, your kids and other family members will take notice! Stay tuned for up coming tips on how to go green for Thanksgiving but for now, just be grateful to have gone green and look up the cheap skip bins, they are a great way to start recycling,  Skip Bins Brisbane and their system will then give you the best price for one of our skip bins in your area from one of our many trusted and reliable suppliers.  Your awareness reduces your carbon footprint on the planet.  Now that’s something to be grateful for!

Buy your Thanksgiving meal with a nifty green bag!

Consider alternative fuels to reduce your carbon footprint

Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle bottles, newspapers, plastic bags, and more!

If you keep plants or plant a tree, expect clean air for years to come

Earth is really in the palm of your hands!

Be thankful that you decided to Go Green!

Blogger Laurali Star can be found on her blog, Charming Laurali Star, and on her site, The Damsel in the Attic, where she sells handmade and vintage clothing and accessories.  Another fab way to help reduce, reuse, and recycle!  Check it out!

Green Halloween® is a nationwide non-profit initiative started by mother-daughter team Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Colwell. In 2010, Green Halloween became a program of EcoMom® Alliance and has events in cities across the U.S.

Meet the girls of Trash Mash-Up!  Bridget and Jessica McCracken are the brains behind this eco-friendly operation.  They reduce waste by taking refuse and transforming it into art and they love working with the community hands-on by creating theatrical productions that are based in the San Francisco area.  I had the opportunity to ask them a few questions recently and here is what they had to say about Trash Mash-Up, working together, and how they celebrate a Green Halloween every year!

How did the Trash Mash-Up idea and name come to be?

Both Jessie and I have been interested in theater and puppets since we were kids growing up in Michigan.  Our parents have always supported our creativity and encouraged us to give back to our community.  When Jessie moved to San Francisco in 2004 (I had been here since 2001), we wanted to establish a community based art project that built creative connections in neighborhood of need.  We saw a need for public space and parks to be fostered for children and families in the Western Addition.  Jessie and I both wanted to work with trash to discuss issues of consumption and environmental justice but in a way that was fun, creative and not didactic.  Trash Mash-Up brings all of these aspects together in a collaborative community art project.

The McCracken sisters: Bridget and Jesse

How do you like working together?

It is amazing to collaborate with my sister.  TMU is a family affair.  Our youngest sister, Kate and our parents, Bill and Louise are on our advisory board.  But it is Jessie and myself who are the teaching artists and Managing and Artistic Directors.  Being sisters we are able to communicate ideas easily and come for a similar art background, both having studied and worked for The Dell’Arte Company.  Although we share similar training, we each bring our own style and ideas to the table.

This little girl is all dressed up and ready for the show!

What is your favorite aspect of the business?

My favorite aspect is leading the workshops.  Theater and art improves students’ self-confidence, communication skills and builds empathy for others.  They transform the learning process. It is amazing the dramatic changes and positive effects of students collaborating in creative ways.  I am always surprised by their solutions and their ability to describe their process.

Recycle and Reuse seems to be the Trash Mash Up theme and we love seeing it turn into art!

What is Your future vision of the Trash Mash-Up idea?

We are hoping to bring Trash Mash-Up to communities across the United States and world.  We are working on revising our study guide in order to better assist the spread of creative reuse.  TMU has had the opportunity to mash it up in Costa Rica, New York, Portland, and even our hometown of Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.  Jessie and I look forward to additional community partnerships from around the world.

Great costumes made from recycled materials to put on a show for diverse communities in the San Francisco area.

How do you plan on celebrating a Green Halloween this year?

Trash Mash-Up is thrilled to be apart of the Yerba Buena Garden Festival’s Halloween Hoopla : Dance & Parade for Kids. This is the 11th annual YBGF Halloween program and will featuring interactive performances and games for kids. The Unique Derique hosts, The Venezuelan Music Project plays live music, Preston folds origami and Trash Mash-Up will be creating masks, eco-warrior medallions, noise makers and a Trash Monster for the costume parade. Just before the hoopla ends, children under ten accompanied by adults are invited to parade in their Halloween finery!

Empowering the community through the arts!

Get in on the fun of Trash Mash-Up!  Here are the best ways to contact Bridget and Jesse:

Email: trashmashup@gmail.com

Website: http://www.trashmashup.org

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/trashmashup

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/TrashMashUp

Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/trashmashup/

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/trashmashup

Laurali Star can be found on The Damsel in the Attic!

Green Halloween® is a nationwide non-profit initiative started by mother-daughter team Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Colwell. In 2010, Green Halloween became a program of EcoMom® Alliance and has events in cities across the U.S.

How to Make a Fairy Broom

Feeling crafty?  Gather the troops together to create your very own witches broom decoration for your home or porch!  Who knows, maybe there’s a little magic in the broom after all (wink, wink).

The how-to’s:

More than just your ordinary sticks and twigs create this magic broom!

Choose your sticks wisely then bind together with waxed linen over and over.

Lavender at the head of the broom adds the finishing touch!

For more about brooms, please check out Fairegarden!

Check out blogger Laurali Star at The Damsel in the Attic!

Green Halloween® is a nationwide non-profit initiative started by mother-daughter team Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Colwell. In 2010, Green Halloween became a program of EcoMom® Alliance and has events in cities across the U.S.

Last week, we created a post on how not to get your hands dirty while decorating your pumpkin.  This week, were going to cover five fun and creative pumpkin carving ideas that you can share with your neighbors and family.

Pumpkin Got  A Boo-Boo:

This pumpkin needs a band-aid and a kiss!

Materials

• 1 large pumpkin
• Carving tools

• Scissors
• White reflective tape

Instructions

1. Carve a pumpkin with a mouth resembling stitches.
2. Cut white reflective tape into thin strips of varying lengths.
3. Place the strips on the pumpkin as shown.

Vampire Pumpkins:

The adults can do the carving while the kids put in a new set of fangs!

Vampire Tools and Materials

Thumbtack or pin
Small white pumpkin (For a big bite, choose a small pumpkin so the plastic vampire teeth seem huge)
Miniature saw
Plastic vampire teeth
Small red map tacks
Mouth template

Vampire Pumpkin How-To

1. Print mouth template. Lay template on pumpkin, and poke thumbtack through, all along outline, to transfer design. Cut out with saw; remove excess flesh.
2. Wedge teeth into hole.
3. For eyes, pin map tacks onto pumpkin.
4. Fangs, partycity.com. Map pins, 1/8 inch, in Red; latitudesmapstore.net.

Zombie Pumpkins:

Easy white pumpkins with googly eyes and a crooked smile....too cute!

Tools and Materials

Miniature saw
Small pumpkin (For a petrifying pale complexion, look for a white pumpkin)
Plastic eyeballs
Thumbtack or pin

1. For the eyes, hold sharpened chain saw at an angle and cut 2 cone-shaped holes into the pumpkin. The diameter of the holes should be slightly smaller than the eyeballs’ diameter.
2. Print mouth template. Lay template on pumpkin, and poke tack through, all along outline, to transfer design. Cut along that outline with saw, and remove excess flesh.
3. Wedge eyeballs into holes.

Fishy Food Chain Jack O’ Lantern:

Carve a pumpkin top into a fish and bind it together with toothpicks!

Materials

• 1 large pumpkin
• 2 small pumpkins
• Carving tools

• Toothpicks
• 1 small gourd

 

Instructions

1. Carve the pumpkins as shown, cutting the mouths from the tops of the pumpkins. Break off the stems.
2. Cut a small piece from the large fish’s tail fin and secure it to the head with toothpicks.
3. Use toothpicks to attach the tail fins to the bottoms of the pumpkins.
4. Secure a gourd in the large fish’s eye socket with toothpicks.

Shish-Ka-Boo Jack O’ Lantern:

Feed this hungry pumpkin!

Materials

• 1 large pumpkin
• 3 mini pumpkins
• Carving tools
• Used work glove
• Old shirt

• Leaves
• Wire hanger
• Rock
• Skewer
• Black permanent marker

Instructions

1. Carve a pumpkin with an extra-large mouth.
2. Stuff a work glove and one sleeve of an old shirt with leaves.
3. Bend a support for the arm and hand from a wire hanger. Fit one end into the glove and feed the opposite end through the sleeve.
4. Sit the pumpkin on the shirt. Brace the arm from behind with a rock and cover the rest of the shirt with leaves.
5. Push a skewer through three mini pumpkins. Draw a face on each with black permanent marker, then set the skewer in place.

Blogger Laurali Star can be found on The Damsel in the Attic!

Green Halloween® is a nationwide non-profit initiative started by mother-daughter team Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Colwell. In 2010, Green Halloween became a program of EcoMom® Alliance and has events in cities across the U.S.