Triumphant triangles...

   Tantalizing triplets shape this month. Put you're protractor away and look at these with a new angle.  Gorgeous geometric patterns have already been strongly featured in some recent past posts, so to get this kaleidoscopic obsession from my mind here's a grand selection of some great triangles in Art & Design.

 Gaurav Nanda,

Bend

 Aaron Moran

 Artist

Ross Didier

Geode Sofa

Future & Found

Trio Cushion

Nomilktoday

Jewellery

Sebastian Jansson

Habitus Stool

Market Day...

    Well, I may have slept in this morning, at a friends, the other side of town, meaning I didn't quite make it to the market per se BUT I did pop in to buy flowers on my trudge home through today's sleet. Ranuculus to be exact, my absolute #1 choice of flora. However, pictured, are a few pieces I picked up about a month ago.

   The lace top was a brand new Topshop, with tags intact. One I had actually nearly bought brand new a few weeks previously. And only a few stalls down I picked up the glass beaded necklace, I think they work a treat together. Grey, pale greens and creams spiked by the luminous orange. LUSH.
   Lastly the plate, which I adore. One day I will bake a great big fat cream cake and plomp it on this.

Top -  £5

Necklace - £6

Plate - £1

Ranunkulus - £6 for tray of 10 

Oarah Gah Mee...

   Claire & Arnuad are the dynamic duo behind Origami Jewellery. The seemingly simple Japanese folding practice has influenced this pair in creating beautiful miniature charms.

Ooh arr Cap'in Patchwark...

   What with all this thriftyness and rivivalling of homemade shindigs, lets dig out the old W.I in all of us and pick up a needle and thread. My contribution to this is the attendance to an old school "Stitch & Bitch" at the local, so here's a wee bit of inspiration for us all, bring on the gin and gossip.

 Kelly Swallow

 Cassandra Ellis

 Bokja

 

Anthropologie

Market Day...

   Tuesday is market day! I thought I'd better start showing you some of the thrifty treasures I buy. It was a ridickadonculousley early this morning about 8.30 when I got to the market (for us unemployed folk, that's damn early!) and very cold and wet so its was a bit of quiet one this morning, even the  fruit n' veg lads weren't there.
 
  Still managed to pick up some absolute gems, firstly this awesome black leather handbag. Straps all still intact not too worn, only a little bit of oxidizing on the rivets, inside a wee bit shmelly but febreeze (or spray deodorant) will fix this!

And Secondly this scrumptousley thick, dark purple, fringed aztecy/geometric scarf. What a beaut.

Black bag....£3

Scarf.....£2

BOOM

Beauty Spot...

   Not sure when this one cropped up and have no idea where it is. But if I did know. I would be an alcoholic. Because I dont think. I could ever leave. Sit and stare. Wallpaper. Hours and hours and hours and hours and hours and hours....

Happy new dragon year!...

   Lets welcome in the Chinese new year with this stunning artwork from Zhou Fan.  His beautiful images are based on recurring dreams of falling jellyfish he had as a child and the safeness that these memories provide him are a blissful escape from the harshness of today's reality.

You & Your Pen...

   Daren Newman your line is exquisite, your mind enigmatic and your hand drawn illustrations perfectly intricate.

Darren Newman, Me & My Pen

Green on her fingers, bells on her toes...

   Spring is around the corner, it'll be frolicking like a young gun up your road in no time. So lets fling open the front door and welcome the greenery!

House plants no longer have to have the fuddy duddy association of the preened to perfection rose,  half dead bonsai tree and the failed waterings of a fern. With the help of some of these ingenious designs they can provide quirky and quality spaces for plants to grow.

So your home is fresh as a daisy, plants look cool and contemporary, there's potential for providing your own herbs, fruit and veg, and a cleaner air quality. Bring on the compost.

Topsy turvey growing steez with Sky Planter

Not On The High Street

Plants don't have to be all fancy pants and exotic, good ol' moss does the job just fine and can even achieve arty farty featurness on your wall.

Moss Terrarium Bottle, Uncommon Goods

No need for old hosiery!

Ceramic Cressheads, Culturelabel

Hhmm dodecahedron terrarium...

and other beautiful glass planters from 

Old Faithful Shop

This looks like a cat with a facefull O' fruit. But it aint!

"...decoration, storage and cultivation for the kitchen window."

Cocoon designed by Mans Salomosen

This is smart.
A floating modern Eco island.
Benjamin Graindoarge

   As much as I appreciate all the clean lines and whiteness and glass and moderness  and all  its pretty pretty and clevery scientificness. I like the jars too...

Stunning Stanislav...

Stanislav Ginzburg.

Blog

Queue & Aay with Rebecca Crosbie...

   I had the greatest pleasure in having a chat with this little firecracker about her closely guarded work. Rebecca Crosbie enjoys the quiet, still, post lived spaces of abandoned buildings and captures the fragile remains of space in hundreds of photographs. Whether it be a decaying manor house or witnessing the crumbling demise of demolition Crosbies' images piece together lives that once lived.

Q. When did this attraction to abandonment begin and how did it evolve?

A. I think I was about fourteen, there was an abandoned house near my parents farm which I explored with my sister. It was the starting point to a very much involved and passionate fascination. Since then I've shot over 60 locations ranging from cinemas to asylums, ships and leisure centers.

Q. Tell us about the process of finding and shooting?

A.  I do a lot of driving around and make a note of passing places. Keeping a keen eye out on the internet is also helpful. When I've found a place you can generally get a feel of whether it'll be a good interesting place to go. I never force entry and accessibility is usually fairly easy, these places have been left for years and more often than not I have not been the first visitor.

     A tripod is a must but I try to keep equipment to a minimum there has been a fair amount of climbing and falling through floors in some places.

Q. And the photographs?

A. Even though I've studied arts these images where not intended for a particular project. It was something for me. It was a personal interest, not for some brief set for a module on a course. I capture the final time and place but also research the history to these buildings, what happened to the people, business and families.

Crosbie is also helping craft a very exciting new a photography collective venture known as

The North London Darkroom launching on February 14th, please find more info in this newsletter.

Beauty Spot...

I don't want to say anything that would ruin this photograph. Enough said.

The key...

   to simplicity is that simplicity is key. A scrumptious colour pallet and geometric shapes from graphic designer and dab hand painter Gary Andrew Clarke. I'm a fan of the biscuit liking man. Canvases and prints both available for exchange with the mohonies.

Graphic Nothing

Jewellery Jealousies...

   Oh my! Kirsty Kirkpatrick I like your style, amazing handmade, recycled body adornments. From chunky necklaces and bracelets to art deco earrings and Aztec cuff links Uncommonly Beautiful Recycled Accessories is a real gem.
   I'm a particularly fond of the recycled wooden necklaces oh what I would give! for now I'll just admire their higgledy piggledy chain linked 80's disco tech eccentricity from afar *sigh*...