Sunday 30 September 2012

Found Friday

So here is Found Friday or as I like to call it today - Sourced Sunday - oops! Better late than never.

The first of this weeks finds could see me getting all studious but really my love of these has nothing at all to do with maths. I saw this beat up box and was immediately drawn but the graphics (as grubby as it looked)














The contents for me mean inspire never ending possibilities of graphic sculptural displays - line, form and shape, building block heaven.



















These books are to add to my growing collection of vintage books I have because I like the covers - why not! I love the way they go together in that perfect favourite colour combination way, red and green-blue - it makes you want to sail away to somewhere coastal - like, let's see? George Town! This mini tourist plate joins the collection featured in this July Found Friday - wall display coming soon.



















Lastly here are my two favourite Instagram finding shots this week





















I found this ribbon peeking out of a basket at my sisters place - material magic if you ask me - wicker and black and white stripes with a sideline of soft pink.





















I found this little house with red shutters on a walk around Stanmore yesterday trying (in vain) to get a little person to sleep in the pram. It immediately made me smile and think of the Miffy book Santa bought for the very same little person the year that he was born (1 week old in fact) "Mr and Mr's Bunny lived in a house with scarlet shutters on their own" ..... "if we could have a baby now how lovely it would be then I could shop and cook and sew for three". It is lovely too!

I hope that your weekend has been lovely and that you have had time to notice things peeking out at you as you have gone along.

Saturday 29 September 2012

Just Little Things - one for me

I have a daily subscription to this blog Just Little Things (soon to be a book apparently) it is a daily posting of little things we should or do appreciate. It is great to see in my inbox at the end of each day as a reminder that the smallest of things that can make a positive difference in your day - it makes me look for them a little harder sometimes.

Today's was just for me


I also want to apologise for my tardiness once again with Found Friday - I am hoping tomorrow might turn into "Sourced Sunday" so stay tuned.

Monday 24 September 2012

The red white and blues

In a few recent Found Friday's I mentioned I had found some great bargain clothes and that I was going to don them and give you a glimpse well here are a few recent insta snaps of them in action so to speak.

The red and white stripe top and the cap sleeve white cardi were both from a $2 rack in one of my fav op-shops on a day I that cleaned up. The blue and white stripe haram pants (or MC Hammer pants depending on what era you hark from) are oversized and a great fun addition to my spring wardrobe. Feeling all stripey and red, white and blue.




Friday 21 September 2012

Found Friday

Twinkle twinkle little vase - this weeks findings may be few and some small but they delight me none the less for their muted, textural and patterned beauty.

This crystal round vase is only about 15cm high but is perfect for a tea light or two and a pretty posy found and picked in the garden




This marble effect mini (so hot right now - more on that coming soon) vase is only 5cm, if that, but what a big personality in a little package.







































This frayed edge hand stitched beauty is all the nicer all crumpled up and yellowed by time



I am finding time this weekend and next week to hang with my nephews who are in town on a holiday with my mum - should be a great time. I hope you have a lovely weekend too.

Monday 17 September 2012

Made from trash

I have been busy this weekend doing the mad dash to get a class project over the line for presentation this morning. It went pretty well and I am quite happy with how it turned out.

The brief was to make a working light fixture from a found object or objects. I had already bought four wire bin baskets to turn into pendant lights which I found for $2 at a bargain warehouse hopefully to hang over a new kitchen bench in the coming months, but I hadn't thought too much about how I was going to do it. Then voila an opportunity.

In developing my concept it occurred to me that the wire is the perfect surface for stitching, knitting or crocheting. I remembered seeing these knitted Eames chair's by Akira Ishikawa that I absolutely love so I wanted to add to the lamp with some form of knitting or stitching.

As it turned out on one of my finding expeditions I came across a whole bag of neon coloured nylon crochet thread - you know the toilet dolly style. I had another project in mind for it, and still do I found so much, but it was perfect as my thread. Because I wanted four in total above a kitchen bench I decided to stitch in a message.

Here is my found object pendant Made From Trash the concept and the real thing.


My inspiration




The materials
The nylon thread, orange cord, as you know I'm mad about colour and it looks hot with the multi-coloured thread. I chose to use a much rounder bulb in the end because you can see right through the bin and the curves are lovely. I spray painted the bin grey, I love grey and orange together and the thread and message stand out more.


A rough sketch of the size of kitchen I fantasise about - oh and how the pendants might look in context. The message was going to read 'made' on one side and 'here' on the other as a little play on made in China or Taiwan but in making it I edited it down to 'made' as two words was going to be visually too much and it is much cleaner this way. I added some interlinked squares for more colour and interest.







































Last but not least the light itself






I selected light fittings that I liked the look of as an almost sculptural piece then I had to work out how to make them work safely. In this I was greatly aided by my partner and especially my father in-law who wired it up for me.

The stitching is certainly not text book but a method I worked out with trial and error, printing off a font I settled on at the right size tracing it on in crayon and stitching over it. I must say I loved this bit.

I love the shadow play with the text and the wire. I will have to see if the kitchen ends up big enough to accommodate the whole thing - it might end up being 'om' to promote peace and harmony in the kitchen (ha ha) - we will see. Either way I am really happy with how it turned out.

Friday 14 September 2012

Found Friday

As if I don't have enough unfinished projects of my own I have been collecting other peoples again and the accessories.




























And This 70's or 80's little rose serving plate - black forest cake anyone?


And last but not least this sweet vintage children's books which starts with the ABC's then numbers then nursery rhymes 




















What I'll be finding next is more time for finding - and as I mentioned earlier this week more time for making the finds I am not showing you - those projects 1 through 1005 - dandy!

What will you be finding this weekend? Or are you hoping for a surprise?

Monday 10 September 2012

Finding Dandy

Hi There - I have been a little quiet here of late so just an update - I know I skipped Found Friday last week and I am sorry - I had great finds just no time to snap them and get it all together.

No time - seems to be the status quo lately.

I would love to say I am off Finding Dandy because I have never before in my life been so brimming with ideas and so short on time to execute them. This is what I wish I was doing with my time right now. In reality I am doing assignments, have started a new job and we are nursing the household through (hopefully) the last of the winter lurgies.

I may not be here much for the next few weeks so apologies in advance.

I will still be doing the odd little snippet on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram so you may catch me there. I am going to try really hard to find the time to find that dandy which can only result in me having so much more to show you when I'm back. Let's hope the ideas keep coming in the night.