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Circa 1950’s Oak Dresser restoration project
Back in the restoration saddle, we’ve managed to turn another piece of furniture from drab and functional into a stylish statement piece. Like most of ‘our’ furniture this dresser is older than I am,...
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DESIGNER INSPIRATION – My soul is fed by needle and thread – anon
Trend Hunter – Embroidered Art Not your ordinary sewing project will do for this post. I wanted to focus the spotlight on the trend in Art known as embroidered Art that has been around for a year or...
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❤️ Tiny Heart Terrarium ❤️
“I do not understand how anyone can live without one small place of enchantment to turn to.” – Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Yesterday whilst loitering around the op shops I found a little ❤️heart-shaped❤️...
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Refresh tired unloved fabrics with a cheap and cheerful dye job!
We’ve been so busy cleaning out the cupboards and rooms and making space for our pending bundle. On one of these clean outs I found an old coverlet in the back of the linen cupboard. […]
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je suis un sachet de lavande
I have another issue that needs solving. Last winter we discovered my truck had a leak, which hubby promptly fixed, but alas the carpet was soaked, it smelt musty and gross. I’ve laboured with...
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Designer Inspiration – Amazing materials in product and design
I wanted to share with you all some amazing and inspiring developments in new and not so new materials for product and design. Some very clever cookies have been hard at work developing and...
View ArticleJoin the circus– C.1940’s upcycled cardboard luggage–part 1 of 3
Apologies, I forgot to take some ‘before photo’s’ . I picked this cardboard case up from an op-shop for $2. It was in it’s original shades of blue and brown, and beaten out of shape. It is cardboard...
View ArticleJoin the circus– C.1940’s upcycled cardboard luggage–part 2 of 3
This is where we left the last post – click pic to return to the previous post. This post looks at the completion of the outer shell I filled in the lettering with white enamel and a SZ000 paint brush....
View ArticleResplendent Recycling
Originally posted on ECLECTIC LIVING HOME: Although now a Fort Wayne, Indiana resident, Sayaka Ganz was born in Japan and grew up living in Hong Kong and Brazil. Japanese Shinto beliefs, that all...
View ArticleHigh tea style cake stands, anyone for crust less cucumber sammies, or scones...
I have extensive collections of well lets be honest….. Everything. I mean – really, who knows when the creative urge will overcome me, and I NEED all this crap to make stuff….. right? and I need cake...
View ArticlePAINTING UP A SMALL STORM
(Kristal, you will be reading this – I painted it about a month ago and have kept it hush hush – UNTIL TODAY, hope you like it) Full shot Perspective shot to show size………… + Husby putting his...
View ArticleDay One of the Art Deco Twin Armoire refurbish
Big, big busy day……… Here’s how day one went. Step one involved removing the trim and giving in a good sand to remove the age old varnish and staining. I used 80 grit and sanded most of my finger...
View ArticleART DECO ARMOIRE–Day 2 to Day 5 *COMPLETED*
Hello again, so we have finally finished this project and I hope to fill it with my clothes this afternoon when the final sealer coat is dry. I am so excited!! Here’s what happened over the last few...
View ArticleTrash to Treasure–Art Deco Lamp conversion & Spruce up
Fully restored with a little industrial charm. Lamp height 16″ by width 5″ (40.5cm H x 12.5cmW) Lamp and bulb included in these measurements. This weekend’s project is a small art deco dancing nude...
View ArticleA quick catch-up on all things to do with recycling plastic…
Hi Everyone, I have had a lot of interest on my Plarn posts recently and a few requests for an update post. For those who have not encountered Plarn – it is a yarn made entirely from plastic grocery...
View ArticleYarn Bombing
Originally posted on Knit It Out: *all photos were taken from Google, and God knows where they were from!!! And here I am, completely unaware of the most amazing form of art: Yarn bombing! For yarn,...
View ArticleSaturday Project–Chair re-do
Quick project to pass the time….. I had an old chair that I used for my sewing chair. This old chair had been around for years and was a very useful chair. Today was the day it was going to have a...
View ArticleDESIGNER INSPIRATION – eco furniture of the future
Hi Everyone, This is a super quick post full of inspirational designers that need major kudos for their amazing eco-friendly designs! I hope you find them as awe-inspiring as I do! Click on any of the...
View ArticleI’ve been sniffing the coffee bean/burlap fumes again…………
You may have seen my previous post on recovering my art chair in burlap. But, did you know about this? Burlapcrete? click on the image below to open article in a new window. Burlap is so versatile and...
View Article50 Creative Ways to Repurpose, Reuse and Upcycle Old Things
Originally posted on TwistedSifter: If you’re like me, you probably have a lot of old stuff just lying around your house. It’s not doing anything but taking up space, but you’re either too busy (or...
View ArticleThrift Store Haul–The project cupboard is now full!!
Stay tuned for the next round of projects – STARTING SOON!!! Here’s a little info about this the haul! 1. C.1930’s short boy armoire in solid oak! We acquired the short boy armoire from a local thrift...
View ArticleThe first day of makeover for the Moroccan leather pouf
This is a follow up post to my thrift treasures post last week. Quick recap – I brought this leather pouf as an upcycle project for $2 from a thrift store……. here is the first day of the project. After...
View ArticleA look at anonymous paste Graffiti art
This is a post looking at the recent phenomenon of paste up and stencil art with a side ways nod to spray can graffiti. It’s a continuation of the theme of posts I’ve recently done investigating...
View ArticleThe alchemist art of metal clay–why is it a crafters must have?
What is Metal Clay? Metal Clay is an art/craft medium that was first developed and commercialized by Mitsubishi Materials Corporation (MMC) in 1990 Japan. The medium was created to enable crafts...
View ArticleA peek into the trend of over-painting
This is a peek into the phenomena over painting Thrift store paintings, photographs and naive art. A little of the – lost and found, old and new, innocent and humour-full Collecting and exhibiting...
View ArticleNew patience-testing project in the wings…….
For sometime now I’ve wanted some sort of furniture for the covered deck we have……… I love to lounge outside on a summers day reading a book and sipping ice tea – but I have only hanging hammocks to...
View ArticleUpcycle racket mirrors
This weekends project was a nice simple one that involved old sports rackets and custom sized mirrors. I got the idea from an earlier re-post I did of an article on twisted sifters site entitled: 50...
View ArticleART DECO small side board–C.1930’s
Hi Everyone, It’s been ages and for that I apologise. What have I been doing? Well I had a hospital stint and recovery has been BLAH – just sitting around reading books and sleeping mainly. However, I...
View ArticlePALLETS, pallets and more pallets
There is a pandemic sweeping the world and infecting women (and some men) to take intense interest in anything to do with Pallets… and I think it’s madness. This is a post especially for you pallet...
View ArticleReviving a tired old tea tray
I had an enamelled tin tea tray that I adored. It is of oriental design and made in England. At a guess I think it would be circa 1950’s…. Although I could be wrong. It was a thrifted treasure of a few...
View ArticleBirdcage shabby chic lamp from freecycled parts.
Here is my design concept. 🙂 I rescued this weird birdcage thing years ago, it is clad in twisted cords of paper string that had been antiqued in gesso, or something. I am pretty sure it’s a shade of...
View ArticleSuper sprouts I need you in my kitchen!
So, this is my last day of holidays and I will back at work tomorrow. It’s been fun to indulge my creative side for this very short while. Had some wins, had some losses. After the curtain experiment...
View ArticleNew day, new project – diy mirrors
Two DIY mirror projects Mirrors, mirrors on my wall, which is my favourite of you all? I love making mirrors and I’ve found that you can pretty much make them out of anything you want. I did a post...
View ArticleDIY shabby chic storage solutions.
This weekend I refurbished a thrifted little set of drawers that I picked up for $3. The drawers were sun damaged, marked with age and use, and well just gross….. Look at them, they really should be in...
View ArticleA statement piece for a bland hallway
I love a ghost shade as much as the next girl. I see them all over Pinterest and have a ton of them in a box somewhere in the garage, all awaiting to see the light of day sometime in the future. Far,...
View ArticleThe state of Art in 2019
What does the future of Visual Arts look like? you ask? Well, what does your magic 8-ball say? Mine says: The future is uncertain..and exciting. please note: all images contain links to source content...
View ArticleNZ lockdown – what to do about Easter
Easter is coming up so fast and we will still be in lockdown. I have it on good authority that people are still panic buying in the stores and there are none of the usual Easter treats are to be had....
View Article2020 has been a year of doom and gloom – banish it with some Christmas cheer!
We put up our Christmas tree today. A charity supporting tree with 100% thrifted decorations. This year we focused on sourcing beautiful vintage and quality decorations (forever pieces – a little bit...
View ArticleBusy making little gifts for little friends.
We are busy today making little Christmas crackers – without the bang – containing a small choc and a couple of stickers as a small token of appreciation for all the little friends my poppet has...
View ArticleMini holiday – mini project
Woohoo – I have a mini 1 week holiday, the first in a long time. After such a weird few years it was high-time I burnt off some steam with a little project. Let’s go!!! I went to our nearest recycling...
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