Fantastic Wedding Favour!

Is wedding season really ever over? Summer's out but it doesn't mean you have to stop thinking of the great outdoors. I came across this sweet idea on the Manitoba Forestry Association website and it reminded that someone told me about this the cool idea for wedding favours.

Photos courtesy of MFA

Actually, I think my wife told me about it at a wedding we attended. The MFA offers White Spruce which will grow in diverse conditions and climate that Canada offers. 

Eco Friendly Wedding Favour.

MFA offers a number of options from individual packages where the guest will plant their gifted tree at their chosen location, to tree planting in which the tree offered to each guest will be planted on behalf of the MFA.

Trees for Centre Pieces.

If you know of anyone or if you are interested in this stellar idea for wedding favours, check out the Manitoba Forestry Association website for pricing and options!

Rethink. Reclaim. Reuse. - Ray

A land full of wonder, mystery, and danger! Some say to survive it: You need to be mad as a hatter!

The path to the wonderful world of the Children's Garden.

Like a page right out of Alice in Wonderland, the new Assinibione Park Playground will inspire and encourage the creativity of all kids and adults! Although the new park's August grand opening has been set back to Spring of 2011 due to weather, the Assiniboine Park Conservancy held a media preview on September 7th with overwhelmingly positive responses!

Checker board garden with floral snakes enclosed with reclaimed cedar garden bed frame.

We were excited to be given the opportunity to help create much of the art pieces and sculptures but we really had no idea how they were going to translate in their proposed environment.

Large nest with Robin's Eggs. Eggs surrounded by reclaimed Manitoba Oak.

 Upon walking into the new entrance located West of the parks pavilion, you are presented with a grand green coloured gate with a tiny door that leads into the Childrens Garden. It almost makes you wonder if there should be a sign stating "no adult minded people allowed" or "kids only".

Musical frogs beautifully pruned to life by the Assiniboine Park Gardening Crew!

Although the park is only half finished, it really puts you in to a dream like state! There is nothing like this in Winnipeg and I have yet to come across anything even remotely similar in any other city park.

Walking ladders...watch out!

We were happy to hear that the Assiniboine Park Conservancy decided to reclaim and utilize much of the felled MB Oak trees that were in the park. All the Oak trees were debarked from our guys this summer. The guys did a fantastic job debarking the 50 + trees!

The art piece below was built from one our shop crew. I saw the day by day progression of this and I'll tell you that when I walked in the playground area I was like..."holy c**p!". This thing is a monstrosity that seems like it's gonna eat you! The snake was constructed with a steel frame where oak branches have been meticulously screwed into place.

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Pssssssst!

Kind of makes you wish you were a kid again! I'm gonna take my nieces and nephews there as my excuse to go there to act like a kid again!

Rethink. Reclaim. Reuse. - Ray

Do Smurfs use Bluwood to build their homes?

Photo: www.bluwood.com

BluWood. What is BluWood? Is this what the smurfs used as the frame work in the Smurf Village?
Probably not. I was browsing the www today and I came across this intriguing article. The headline read,
"Homebuilders' New Perspective on Sustainability".  As stated in the recent Reuters article...

"EcoBlu Products, Inc. is a manufacturer of proprietary wood products coated with an eco-friendly chemistry that protects against mold, fungus, rot-decay, wood ingesting insects, termites and fire with EcoBlu's FRC(TM) technology (Fire Retardant Coating. EcoBlu products utilizing BLUWOOD(TM) and FRC(TM) technology is the ultimate in wood protection, preservation, and fire safety to building components constructed of wood; from joists, beams and paneling, to floors and ceilings."

It seems that BluWood has been around for a number of years now but this is the first time I have ever come across this technology. Utilizing a two-part coating technology process, the first part is an Infusion-Film that forms a water-resistant semi vapor permeable film which interlocks with the wood fibers.  This provides controlled topical and subsurface moisture absorption. The film is also formulated to resist mold growth on the cured surface of the film. Perfect Barrier DOT Wood Preservative is the second part . A proven fungicide and insecticide that provides protection from c and wood ingesting insects, including termites.

This technology could help push the limits towards greater sustainability standards newly built homes. And I'm sure that this would be a welcomed specification for new home buyers. My friends bathroom could have been saved from the termites. Sorry Pete! For additional information on BluWood click here...the perfect barrier

Rethink. Reclaim. Reuse. - Ray