too cool for school

I picked up this set of 7 vintage pull down school maps, rack included, at Hunt & Gather last month and am dying to find that perfect place in our house for them. I can't decide if I should keep them together or to separate them.

They are in great condition and have awesome details, like these metal pull tabs. I know, normally I am using maps to cover tables, trays and chairs, but these guys are perfect just as they are.

Vintage school items are big in the design world. Check out these inspiring ways to use maps as wall art. And with this being back to school week for many...it brings out the student in all of us.

better homes and garden
fiklechik
shelterrific
urban outfitters

kayaking the Wisconsin river

Despite a little rain and clouds, Nate's birthday trip down the Wisconsin river via kayaks, was fantastic. When looking for a route, I stopped into Rutabaga, where we got the boats, and talked to one of their many seasoned paddler staff to ask their advice. Woody, was kind enough to share his favorite overnight paddle, including places to put in, where to camp and where to pick up. A paddling concierge or sorts. Local mom and pop stores are invaluable when it comes to their passion and knowledge for what they do. It was a great route.

After a drizzly start near Sauk City, we got in a few hours of paddling downriver and found this perfect little sandbar island that would be our home for the night. Going mid week had some huge perks. Supposedly this section of the river can get pretty crowded. Although too shallow for most fishing boats, kayaks and canoes are able to glide across the water and sneak into inlets and coves.
After a nice dinner we laid on the sand watching the stars and listening to nothing but a serenade of bullfrogs and crickets. Peaceful, natural bliss.

We were celebrating of course, so I snuck in a few tea lights in my pack for some ambiance. Quite magical looking buried in the sand. Nate also noted that tea lights are great for starting fires. Just light one and place under your kindling pile. Provides a constant flame to get those harder woods going. Don't forget to pack the empty tins...leave no trace. I love my nature boy.

After an early foggy morning spent exploring our island, enjoying some french press java and some oatmeal fuel, we got back in to boats and the skies cleared up.

It was still early enough in that we got to see many animals starting their day. Sand cranes searching for buried feasts, herons gliding just above the water, and sweet little turtles sunning themselves all in a row.

Towards the end of the journey, we peeled off and took a little side river.

Although we needed to portage now and then, we soon realized that we entered a mollusk garden.

Hundreds of these clam like guys were just below the clear running water and their tracks look like groovy crop circles.

After a few more miles we hit our exit spot near Spring Green and said goodbye to the lovely Wisconsin river. We will be overnight kayaking again very soon. The easy of navigating, the views of nature from the water and the overall peacefulness of traveling in a non-motorized vehicle with no real agenda was the best medicine for a clear head and a full soul.

To learn more about paddle sports and other beautiful Wisconsin waterways, check out Rutabaga or go visit their very helpful staff.

birds of a feather

While putting up a few of my projects on my Etsy site, I realized that although I had mentioned a re-do containing a birdcage, a light and a peacock I had never revealed it all to you. So here she is in all her glory....

I started with a birdcage my mom picked up at a yard sale years ago with plans of doing something fun with it. The years went by and when she got tired of moving it around in the garage she gave it to me.

Mostly cosmetic work was done on this project. I knew I wanted it to be a light, but since it is quite heavy, suspending it from a hook like a pendant would require a lot more engineering than I was up for. Instead, I choose to make it a table lamp. By removing the square gate at the base, I had a perfect opening for a small lamp, which I picked up at the Dig and Save for less than a buck.

I added a faceted globe and a small nightlight bulb in the base. The light can illuminate, from the top, the bottom or both.

After painting it a bright chartreuse and lining the inside of the cage with laser cut turquoise paper, this birdcage is now more reminiscent of a Moroccan lantern than a dumpster bound birdcage. The shadows it produces are magnificent.

The peacock, picked up at a flea in Chicago is attached to the OUTSIDE of the cage. How could I have put such a lovely feathered friend INSIDE a cage? Beside the fact her tail feathers would have gotten all scrunched of course.

When you want to turn it on and off, no need to lift up the entire cage, just open the little perch door and you can easily turn the lamp on a off.

Functional, beautiful and of course recycled. I still need to figure out shipping on this one before I add it to the shop, but if you are local....shipping is FREE.

OH.....Nate's birthday, kayaking trip was amazing. I'll share some pictures in my next post.

title 9 comes to Madison

Yippee !!!! The coolest women's apparel store is coming to Madison. Title Nine (named after the 1972 amendment that allows anyone, regardless of sex, the chance to participate in federally funded school activities) has everything for your cycling, running, yoga and casual apparel needs. My early fall catalog came yesterday and I could have ordered 12 things. Fuzzy hoodies in the yummiest colors, hip skirts in tech fabrics, and long sleeve graphic tees with nature inspired images. All cut in really flattering fits.

Opening this fall at the Hilldale center, this new shopping spot will be the perfect reward for me finishing the Wolfman Triathlon... which is now a month away. Eeeeek !

Speaking of, Nate and I are heading out today for our first overnight trip in the kayaks to help us train for the race (and to celebrate Nate's birthday). I will try to take some pictures, but we will see if I get brave enough to bring my NON waterproof camera.
Happy trails

hippie Christmas

Every year around this time the oddest thing happens on the University of Wisconsin's Madison campus. Thousands and thousands of students are displaced from their apartments for 24 hours as new tenant leases end and begin the next day.

'Move out Day' as it is called, gives landlords a day to clean, paint and re carpet rental units. Meanwhile the students cram all their belongings into moving trucks, leaving what doesn't fit or no longer wanted along the campus curbs.

Hippie Christmas, curbside shopping, dumpster diving.. call it what you will, but for many it is a time to score BIG. Compared to other roadside shopping this can turn up some fantastic finds. For the most part, college kids have some pretty eclectic taste and they often decorate with hand-me-downs and thrift store items to begin with, so for me, it is just cutting out the middle man. I came home with 2 chairs, 3 tables, 2 footstools, 1 bookshelf and a still in the wrapper Van Gogh print that will most likely be turned into drawer liners. JACKPOT !

The new recruits will be highlighted right here on a monthly basis until Christmas. Complete with before and afters, material & color choices and a few helpful restoration techniques, these projects are bound to inspire YOU to transform that curbside castoff of your own into a work of art.

Back in the USSR

The transformation is complete.

This project started with a light coat of primer. Especially when painting plastic, primer is a must. Then a few coats of a semi-gloss black and although the grains are still visible it now looks more like ebony wood

instead of that icky fake stuff.



The table had a natural bevel so inserting an image in it and pouring on some durable resin was in its stars.


My most popular item at the fair was this 2 tiered table I covered in maps.
It started like this...


and ended like this.



It sold early in the day, and luckily the buyer wanted to pick it up after the fair ended, so I got to get lots and lots of feedback on it in my booth. I could have sold that table 6 times.

Now, I have been covering things with maps for awhile and although I love their images, colors and general abilities to let you escape to anywhere.... as a new artist, trying to find my creative voice, I felt I needed to stay fresh and keep trying new things. BUT, the people have spoken and as they say in good business, give the people what they want.


I chose a 1967 National Geographic map of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic... space & missile test sites included.

Really a history lesson in its self. Your kids won't be finding this image in their geography textbooks.


Now, instead of hanging out in death row at that thrift store, this table is a functional, transportable, educational and stylish new home accessory.

It is not easy getting good photos with that glossy top, but I will try a few more to give it justice and you should see it in the shop early next week.

take 5

Communities have come a long way in recycling these days, making it easier and easier for us to dispose of our waste responsibly. I am fortunate to live in a very progressive city when it comes to recycling. It is practically fool proof. However, there are a few things, that although seem just like all the others, cannot be treated the same. Take number 5 plastics. Typically found in yogurt and dairy containers, these plastics are currently unable to be processed thru the normal channels in my area and many others.

So what is an eco girl to do ? Besides reusing them for various household tasks, starting seedlings, paint cups for art projects, there is another option on what to do with these little buggers.


Whole Foods in partnership with Stonyfield and Organic Valley, offers #5 recycling at most of their locations. They call it Gimme 5. On top of my recycling center at home, I have a small area where I store them, and the next time I make a trip, I throw the clean #5's in my reusable bags and drop them off for them to take care of. These number 5's are broken down into pellets and turned into things like toothbrush handles, razors, etc. Very cool.

The key here is designating a spot or system for them, otherwise, they get mixed up with the other plastics or they just create clutter and you end up closing your eyes and tossing them in the trash. (tisk tisk)

Every city is different and they can often change too, so familiarize yourself with your cities policies and the best way for you to do your duty when it comes to recycling.

the potential of plastic

Wood is great. It is durable, classic, decomposable and often sustainable. Plastic on the other hand...just durable, like 'forever durable'. More and more I am finding the deep desire to make these landfill lingerers something that is truly unique, resembles nothing of its components and most importantly out of the trash.

I picked up this molded masterpiece on my road trip home from MN at a massive thrift store for $1.99. What I really love about this little retro number is that is both lightweight and is movable. Four wheels are hidden under the trim making it great for the occasional use.

I have already started the priming process and I should be able to present the 'after' by the end of the week. I guarantee you will not recognize it.

Junkmarket

Last week I drove 285 miles for a garage sale. Yep, you heard me 285, but it was not just any garage sale.

Sue Whitney founder of JunkMarket style, was opening up her doors for 3 days and selling a ton of her cool finds, supplies and items from various photo shots. A regular on the TODAY show, Sue was the one who first turned me on to transforming junk into jewels 5 years ago. Her new web site offers an inspirational forum for exchanging tips, showing off your own projects and getting ideas for new ones.

Her and her new partner Kim just came out with this fantastic new book. Page after page is a bounty of unique and stylish ways to use 'un-useable' objects. I got to her lakeside home pretty early on the first day, so I was able to chat with her about 'junk' and she was kind enough to sign a copy of her book for me....with a very thoughtful message too.

Besides the book, I came home with this 9 paned window/door that came from Kim's stash. I am already choosing the colors for its new glass. This one is going to be a real looker.

Although this trip to the Minneapolis area was inspired by the sale, I was also able to make a few wholesale contacts, scrounge through another cities thrift stores....and love on my sweet little nieces. A perfect summer road trip.

collections

Here fishy, fishy, fishy.

The other day I was looking for old bobbers. Not for fishing , but for display. I am not sure what inspired this desire, but I just wanted to find some. Being in Minneapolis last week, I knew of a place that might have them. Hunt and Gather. Not only did I find a big, wide mouthed jar of them, but I was inspired by all their other displays of unlikely collections. Sorry for the murky photos. Although the store is a treasure chest of cool stuff...it is not the best light for photos.

Swizzle sticks framed and mounted

a tank full of matchbooks

old rolls of gauze
tops to sports trophies

old address stampers

The oddest of items can take on a whole new design feel when displayed in mass. Spread out on a tray, filling a jar or heaping in a big bowl. Cheap and quirky seem to attract my eye the most, but as always... whatever makes you smile.

BBQ Man

Last week at the fair, I had taken an old tin serving tray and made it into a clock, using forks for time markers. I had at least a half a dozen people comment on how it reminded them of their childhood. Either an aunt or mom had it in their house.

A few also mentioned the BBQ man. Similar tray design, but with a guy in a checkered shirt, white hat and holding a big spatula. I had never heard of such a thing. Well wouldn't you know it I found him....without even looking.

I was in Minneapolis doing some work/ fun/ family visit, when I found it tucked behind some other trays at an antique store. Just as they all had described...checkered shirt and all. The tray is in great condition, so with a few extra thrift forks Mr BBQ man will soon become a cool clock.

Nostalgia meeting function...always a great pair.