Installing Heirloom Fruits and Vegetables at the Garfield Park Conservatory!

I went back today to finish installing Heirloom Fruits and Vegetables and they look wonderful hanging in the Sugar from the Sun room (this is where they have fruit trees like bananas, papayas, and oranges growing) at the Garfield Park Conservatory!  

I dug 9 pieces of rebar into the ground that my Dad and I bent at the top and tied the plushies from them.  The Make the Daughter-In-Law Potato was the first to be tied.

The Purple Cape Cauliflower.

The enormous Moon and Stars Watermelon was a tough one to hang since I am a tad bit short...

...so was the Jarrahdale Pumpkin!  

Come out to the Opening Reception for Chicago's Twelve at Garfield Park Conservatory this Wednesday, 6-8pm! 

Heirloom Vegetables and Fruits Complete!

I have finished all 7 plushie heirloom fruits and veggies for Chicago's Twelve at Garfield Park Conservatory.  I can't wait to see them hanging among the plants.

From left to right: Purple Cape Cauliflower, Ruby Red Chard, Blue Hopi Corn, Make the Daugher-In-Law Cry Potato, Parisian Carrot, Zapotec Pleated Tomato and in the back is the Moon and Star Watermelon. 

If I have time, I am tempted to include an heirloom squash as well...

To make the chard I built a wire cage and sewed green fabric around it.  Then I covered it up with red fabric and sewed in the stem.  I then cut around the sewn stem.

Plushie corn has become my specialty as you can see here.  I cut each kernel out and sewed each one on.  Then I sewed the two sides together, turned them inside out and stuffed it.

Now I am going to start sculpting the 8 GMO Monsanto seeds for my other piece that will be at the Garfield Park Conservatory.

5 Plushies Down, 2 to Go!

I have finished 5 out of the 7 heirloom plushies for Chicago's 12 at the Garfield Park Conservatory.  The Ruby Red Chard and Blue Hopi Corn are almost done as well.  The plushies are a Zapotec Pleated Tomato, Moon and Stars Watermelon, Purple Cape Cauliflower, Make the Daughter-In-Law Cry Potato and a Parisian Carrot!

Now on to the next piece!  I have bought all the scrap wood I could need and tomorrow I will start building with help from my Dad.  

Special thanks to Andy for giving me this base that he found in the alley a while back!

I made Arugula Pesto with Summer Squash!  Super yummy and raw!  All the veggies are from my CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) work share.  I work on Nick and Becky's Farm, Midnight Sun Farm, every other Friday and in return I get a 1/2 share of fresh, organic veggies each Sunday!