because i'm spray paint happy

i love spray painting. i love upcycling everyday regular household items. including an old polaroid camera that i bought for my daughter 6 years ago. because it was a Barbie® polaroid camera, she clearly grew out of it. so what to do? i tried selling it on eBay, only to have it go unsold for over a month. so i tried something else, i spray painted it yellow. well, after that, i became hooked! once i saw how cool it looked, sitting on my stack of IKEA shelves, i knew this was my "calling."

after that, i scoured the local goodwill stores and eco thrifts, looking for anything i could get my hands on and spray paint. i have even spray painted bronze candlesticks, bust statues and old retro sports trophies. then, an idea came over me. why not try to sell these upcycled products in my Etsy shop. what did i have to lose? the "overhead" cost was hardly anything since i was purchasing the original, unpainted products from secondhand stores, so it was a win-win situation.

although i haven't struck it rich (yet), i enjoy doing it. the downside is keeping these items stocked away somewhere in my home. i don't have a garage, but only a 4th bedroom that my husband uses for his computer—and our foosball table recently purchased at our local eco thrift. so for now, they're tucked underneath the unplayed foosball table in dusty old milk crates.

i have personally displayed a lot of these objects throughout my home, but have decided to sell most of them (to not junk it all up), but now i have a new hobby to collect and spray paint which keeps me busy (and keeps me away from my addiction of my favorite video game). my favorite? i love old bust statues. i take an old traditional bust statue (such as mozart, beethoven, et al) and paint them bright lime green, red, yellow or any color that suits me at that moment, and display them proudly. it really does create such an eclectic display comingled with any sort of decor. additionally, you're able to feel like you've become a part of the recycling/upcycling movement. 

so why not? you should try it. go out and scour the thrift shops and see what you can find and spray paint yourself. almost anything can work if you put your imagination to use. maybe try to sell it. either way, it's kind of fun. 

for me, the hard part is deciding what color to use.

purple and black swimming and bowling trophies

pink and blue softball and swimming trophies

black, silver, pink, green sports trophies

teal, yellow and brown sports trophies

chartreuse candlestick

red, blue, teal and silver candlesticks

orange fruit bowl

orange and chartreuse candlesticks

pink candlestick

purple bowl

green bust with red lips

red bust

Check Out My Etsy Shop

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she's a pinball wizard...

it's official—i bought my first pinball machine. i've been looking for over 2 years for that perfect machine to grace my home. i was picky, i admit, but i knew what i was looking for and i was determined to find it—even if it took me a few years, i was relentless.

what made my search even that much more difficult was the era and the price range i was wanting. i knew i wanted a pinball machine from the 1960's-70's era and of course, i needed it to be in the $300-500 price range. that was a challenge. as i perused craigslist, i knew given in the small town where i live that my options would be limited.

but i kept searching.

obviously, given the size and weight, i couldn't go much farther than an hour away from our home, knowing it'd be a risky drive back. at the time, i had no idea that transporting a pinball machine was a lot easier than i had envisioned. this made my quest that much easier. however, living in a loft with close quarters always presented a new challenge with my desire to own a pinball machine.

ya, i know, i'm crazy.

just like my endless search for those perfect gym lockers, i finally found the size/price that would be perfect—after a year and a half, craigslist had come through—as always. i found lockers that were in a shed of a farm sitting outdoors collecting dust and weathered all kinds of outdoor changes, only adding to the patina of the lockers. all for a low price of $60. needless to say, i was elated.

i had hoped to find a similar deal for my daunting quest of a pinball machine. 

until i found it! it was perfect. it was exactly what i was looking for. the seller advertised $500 but brought it down to $450. hey, $50 is $50—i'll take what i can get.

it was originally made in 1973 by the well known pinball machine designer/maker, gottlieb. although i had hoped and wanted to find that perfect design in addition to my price range and desired era, it was absolutely perfect. i knew once i would look at it, i would immediately fall in love and want it!

oh boy did i want it.

my husband had hoped deep down that i wouldn't want it for whatever reason, but boy was he wrong. i gave the seller $100 to hold it and i picked it up with a borrowed truck the following week. 

i admit, carrying it upstairs presented a whole new challenge, but it was worth it. 

1973 gottlieb Hot Shot pinball machine

thankfully, my search came back with this perfect vintage pinball machine. it's what i've been looking for and wanting for so long. i'm glad i didn't give up my search and i remained patient, because i knew, in the long run, my patience would pay off.

and this time, it did.

good things come to those who wait.

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the big city

even though i haven't had the luxury of traveling the world, creating these pop art cityskapes definitely gives me that opportunity to "think" i am. i realize it's not the real thing, but it pleases me to give a visual account of what i'd like to see with each city that i desire to visit. although london and new york city are the only cities i've been lucky enough to see, i still include them since they're a few of my favorite regardless.

creating pop art has been a personal past time of mine for a few years now. i've even been lucky enough to sell them online, as well as create personal custom pop art designs for prospective clients. with the cityskapes that i have recently created, i only hope it will add a new dimension with a unique perspective to my work and my designs.

i'm very pleased with the final outcome of these designs and hope that i'll be able to sell them in hopes of producing more. different cities throughout the world that have become well known for their culture, size and of course, large population.

by incorporating a variation of color combintations, it gives me an aesthetic view of what i would interpret of these cities—the vibrance and culture that permeates throughout their alive energy. historical accounts of what transpired centuries prior. an architectural account of impressive magnitude.

enjoy!

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vintage or bust

if you've been following my blog, you will know that i love vintage/pre-own objects—because i love what they encompass and their history; knowing there's a story there. although i may not know the history involved in these objects, it pleases me nonetheless. it's a part of the cycle of life as we continue with the future ahead of us. a desire that ensures our peace of mind. in lieu of buying new (for most objects, of course), we decide to continue with our search of that one single vintage piece in hopes of changing it to what pleases you the most.

as i fill my home mixing new with old, i always add a bright color which only transforms my surroundings. although color won't solve how i may feel at that moment, it makes me happy regardless. something about color encompassing my home gives me a sense of peace. whether it's short-lived or a part of who i am, i know that bright colors filling my life and my home will brighten my day. even if it's only temporary.

my latest obsession has become the busts of small statues. whether or not they're of famous people such as Beethoven, et al, i find the retro creation of a design aesthetic spray painted with my chosen color(s), describes my personality in a way that cannot be explained verbally, but visually instead. maybe in a therapeutic sort of way, it explains for that moment in time, how i feel and how i may look. a funky outlook of something unique that permeates my soul.

as i walked through my local Goodwill, i found these busts sitting lonely on the shelves for a low cost waiting to be loved. since the colors were of a dull patina, i couldn't wait to take them home and give them new life. with spray cans of bright colors sitting on the shelf inside my locker, i couldn't wait to get started on a new project i have been craving for some time now. i knew once i added color, it would bring them a look that may have been unacceptable during its time.

although i still rummage through local eco and second hand shops, i was pleased with the final outcome overall. as i continue my search for vintage busts—or anything of interest, for that matter—i realize that these searches can be beneficial for me, especially allowing me to recycle and create new life to such an old piece, or pieces. a feeling of satisfaction as i salvage another composition of an aesthetic work of 'art.'

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my inner "tree"

ok, you're really gonna think i'm nuts here, but to be honest, i don't care. i need something unique and extremely different in my life, and what better way to do that is an innovative and imaginative christmas 'tree.' a ladder in lieu of a tree. let's just say, this past christmas was a challenging one. suffice it to say, i want to start fresh; start anew with the upcoming holiday.


although i am jewish, i have always incorporated a christmas tree in our home, but lighting a menorah has also become an annual ritual for my daughter and myself as well—she loves it, and loves to hold the shamash candle as she lights the candles each night. since my husband isn't jewish, every year since we have been married, we've also added a christmas tree to our home to constitute this tradition as well.


growing up, my father was catholic, so we all grew up celebrating both 'holidays' as a way to incorporate family time that will last a lifetime. it's something that was very dear to me, not because of the double round of gifts, but because it meant so much to my family to gather around and spend quality time with each other. i loved it, and i love it even more with my husband and my daughter.


because this past holiday season was a stressful one, i have decided to move forward with this holiday tradition and try something different. since i have been married, i left my menorah where it sits year-round—above the kitchen cabinets. 


until last year.


trust me, you will think i'm a lunatic with this new idea, but again, it's something i need to do within my heart and my soul in order to start fresh—a way to enjoy our family time together without the stress of money and instead, pure enjoyment, because let's face it, christmas trees have become extremely expensive over the years and what i have always believed, why bother? why would anyone spend so much money on a tree that will only be discarded 3 weeks later? i never understood this concept, especially since it's imperative that we buy a real one and not an artificial tree. while growing up, we always had an artificial one, and i always hated it.


yuck!


i do, however, love the "twinkly" lights that permeate throughout my home, even decorated on our fireplace that typically aren't removed until february, or sometimes as long as march. i love them, and i love the bright glow that spread through the small square footage of our loft. it's what we've always done and most likely will always do.


that is one tradition that will never disappear.


in lieu of a traditional tree that has been in homes for decades, if not centuries, i give you, the christmas ladder! yes, i knew you'd think this idea was proposterus, but once you see the unique decor and the eclectic mix of lights and modern taste, i think you will approve. i assume if you're reading my blog, you will know that my taste is quite untraditional. 

so, what do you think? unique right? ok ok, i know you're laughing and i know you think i'm "out there," but like i said, i need to start fresh, and for me, this is the perfect start. i've discussed it (and showed pictures) with my family and thankfully they approve!

so here we go.

come december however, let's see if i still feel the same way, but i imagine i will still have the anticipation that i will be excited to execute—even my daughter tells me, "it's cool."

but i promise you this, once i decide to do it and decorate our home with lots and lots of "twinkly" lights, i will post pics here. at least so you can also think my christmas ladder will be 'cool.'

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lego my....sculpture?

i realize it's been a long time since i posted in my blog, but i wanted to start out with a lego bang!


recently, i have gone through some changes in my life. unfortunately, these changes prevented me from getting my creative juices flowing, thus causing me to not work on my art. it's been a struggle, i wish i could even explain, but i can't. just trust that in the past 1.5 years, i haven't really created anything worthy of mention.


however, in the last month or so, i can feel my creative juices flowing again. flowing rapidly in my head and they're ready to come out—once again! i had hoped and wished that this day would come again, and i truly believe it has.


i have ideas in my head, so many that i'm ready to burst so i can execute them—put them to use; put them down for the world to see.


but where to start?


a long time ago, i saw this picture of a lego-designed bar and i immediately thought to myself, how cool and how imaginative! i've always loved legos and even bought tons of them for my daughter when she was a little girl, but being the active person that she is, they just didn't provide the interest for her that i had hoped. she was too busy running around the soccer field.


it's ok. i don't expect her to be like her mom and want to color the world! but instead, i wanted to create something along those lines like this bar. it was the coolest thing i had ever seen. luckily, upon searching the internet, i found a pic of this exact bar created with nothing but legos.

as you can see, the color and dimensions that legos adds to this kitchen is beyond incredible. it would definitely make me want to sit down and have a drink—or two, or three.....you get the point. it creates an environment that no other kitchen bar could provide. at least in my opinion.

when i found this picture online, unfortunately the website was no longer active, therefore i cannot give proper credit to the artist/photographer of this amazing masterpiece. so please accept my apologies in advance. i only wanted to show it on my blog as a way to convey my thoughts and ideas.

today i woke up and decided i was going to do some more research. more research in the land of legos. not just legos as a toy, per se, but something that will allow me to take those little tiny colored plastic pieces which will enable me to turn into a masterpiece. something i can incorporate into my home (like the above kitchen bar) and enjoy it every single day. i love color and i love adding many dimensions of color within my home, so it's only natural that i would want to incorporate something similar to this lego sculpture within my home as well.

upon further research, i found a website with the most incredible lego idea—a lego built conference table. 

after finding all of these fun and innovative lego designs, i've come to the conclusion that although i have no idea what i will do with my lego creation that i have running around inside of my head, but the point is, i WILL find something to create and i will display it proudly here in my blog, just like i have with these pieces.

you can find the full story here: http://inhabitat.com/amazing-lego-table-would-make-even-the-most-boring-meeting-fun/

if you want to see more lego sculptures, just google "lego sculptures" and you will find so many amazing works of art that you'll be shocked. 

enjoy!

take those dusty trophies out of storage & display them proudly

recently i discovered while going through my storage unit, hidden in a plastic tupperware tub, were my old tennis trophies that i earned from the 90s. since in my opinion, trophies are hideously aesthetic, after every win, i just tucked them away and knew in my mind that i had won. never displayed them and never looked at them again.

what a waste, right?

until recently i thought, wow wouldn't it be cool to display those trophies again but this time, not with pride, but with fun colors? after seeing the soccer trophies my daughter was winning, and how she displayed them, although fun and inviting, they were still that brass color that i hated—still the same old trophies lined on every athlete's shelf, still would not look good decorated in my loft.

yeah, i'm that picky.

with my idea in tow, i headed to the nearest hardware store and purchased five bright colors of spray paint—chartreuse, fuschia pink, orange, sun yellow and of course, purple. i couldn't wait to get home and start my new project.

i was surprised at how well the paint stuck! i envisioned lots of drips and many coats of spray paint later, only to see how wrong i was. no dripping, and only two coats of paint. they turned out fabulous!

take a look!

Unfortunately, the pics don't do the bright colors justice.

black and white color

what, black and white color??? what does that mean? what it means is, i love creating black and white photos and then adding splashes of color here and there to 'spice' up the image. 


sometimes, having a black and white photo may seem dull, but with splashes of color juxtaposed with the black and white composition, it can really add life to any photograph.


i recently started experimenting with a few photos of my own so here they are. hope you like them!

i came across this cool 'sculpture' in front of an unidentified building in london

jubilee bridge in london

apple store in london 

i had the pleasure of seeing one of these retro double-decker buses in london, and 

since they have recently been 'retired,' it was a rare find

doubles champions - 2010

a loft and a pug

my kitchen

simple photo of lady bugs