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

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the xmas ladder

if you may remember, i mentioned a while back about an idea that i wanted to create a xmas ladder in lieu of a traditional xmas tree. this is what i have come up with as a result of that idea.

since i've been desiring something different and unique during the past xmas holidays, i found this idea while perusing the internet and immediately fell in love. imagine my surprise when i came across it. i knew this would be my next xmas project. it was something cool, colorful, and of course, something different than the traditional xmas tree that fills most homes during this festive time of year. once i added lights, it brightened the look and feel of this "tree" even more.

i mentioned the idea to my family about 6 months ago and thought they'd look at me like i was completely crazy—maybe i am to a certain extent, but wanted to test it out and see their reaction. they loved the idea and insisted i go further with it once the holidays approached. 

before i decorated the ladder with ornaments and lights, i wanted to be certain that this is what my family still wanted to ensure they were still on board. they protested that this was something i needed to do, if only for my psyche, but their enjoyment as well. they couldn't wait to see the final outcome. 

even i was excited myself.

although the pictures don't give this creation justice, i'm happy with the end result nonetheless. 

athough there currently aren't any presents under the "tree" as of yet, we're excited to add another dimension to what appears to be a new upcoming festive holiday tradition for hopefully years to come.

if you're tired of the same common traditional xmas, and want to add some excitement and flair, why not try many new approaches in lieu of a xmas "tree" instead. your own artistic and imaginative conception will satisfy you, if not in a traditional sort of way.

here are some more xmas "tree" ideas from other creative persons.

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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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color in a beige world

i love color. i truly do. so it only seems appropriate for me to not just discuss how color makes us feel, but how it makes everything look and how it can brighten any room or decor!

i have always incorporated color into my home some way or another. and as i got older, i added more and more within my surroundings. it made me happy. it filled my world with bright, beautiful vibrant colors all around me. i have always believed that color can affect a person's mood or their overall personality when they're surrounded by it daily. color isn't just a visual mood, it's an emotional one, as well.

what we don't understand is, bright colors in the home aren't just for a childs room, but it can be ideal for the entire home as well. do you ever notice when you go into a home that is filled with beige walls and taupe upholstery, how it doesn't project the same feeling that it does when you walk into a colorful child's room? there's a reason for that. not just because there are toys strewn about, but because of the array of bright colors permeating throughout. it's a feeling that i cannot explain, but always like to convey visually.

you just know.

i admit, since i studied color theory in college, i am a bit biased on the subject, but i truly believe if everybody assimilated some splash of color into their home or office environment, not only would their frame of mind feel transformed, but their overall attitude would as well.

the use of color in your personal habitat can definitely bring a sense of sublime, and not just on an emotional level. as an artist, i have always been a firm believer in creating the type of surroundings that not only make you feel at home and at ease, but comfort.

which leaves me to ask—why don't the majority of people add more color to their interior environment? is it the fear that it could be too bold or a fear of being too overwhelming? or simply put, they don't know how? regardless of what the reasons are, give it a try—if not splashes of color here and there with maybe a colored vase, a colorful chair or ottoman, a small area rug—regardless of what you choose to add that little bit of bright to your life, color that you might not normally appreciate, can make a huge difference to your beige decor. even if white is your decorative hue of choice, adding a splash of color can brighten any room from afar.

so please, add some color into your life. you'll be happy you did.

pantone rubik's cube - color matching for nerds

fusion by wet water basin