Tag Archives: Art

Ways To Make Summer Special: Part 3

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Part 3 of our ‘Make Summer Special’ series is MAKE and what little D.I.Y project are we suggesting to brighten up your Summer experience?

CREATIVE FLORAL DISPLAYS!

Spring time welcomes back floral decoration from all directions. Our gardens are sprouting, store windows are being adorned with them and often we find it nice to have some sort of bunch residing somewhere in our homes, be it self picked or store bought (or bought by someone else if your lucky!)

But instead of just arranging your Summer time blossoms in any old vase, why not check out a few of these adorable D.I.Y ideas for floral arrangement.

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Recycling AND making you home prettier. Using old light bulbs, simply remove the top part of the bulb base. Poke holes in either side of the left over tin and bend a piece of wire over the base and hook it at both sides to the bulb. Fill with water, add your favorite flower and hang from a fixture inside or outside your home.

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This display is definitely the easiest of the bunch. All you need is an old mason jar! Tint the jar first if you like by tipping some watered down paint inside and rolling it around till you achieve your desired colour. Wait for it to dry then add water. Screw the lid on and poke a few decent sized holes in it. Insert your flowers into the holes and there you have it!

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When I found this Image on Cross Hatchling I could believe how easy this was to do! Simply add 1.5 cups of buttermilk, a few handfuls of moss and one teaspoon of sugar into a blender then wizz it up. Paint on your outdoor garden wall and mist daily until it grows.

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I actually got this one off of a wedding craft blog as an idea for a table decoration but decided it would look great around the home as well! Add some stones to the bottom of a vase and top with water. Pick a few flowers, leave a little stem on them and insert them into the water making sure you dig the stem of the base flower into the stones so they don’t just all float to the top. Now float a tea light candle on top of the water and light on special occasions.

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Now for my favorite of them all, Terrariums! I got the original D.I.Y lesson for these self sufficient indoor gardens from Free People’s Blog, you can find the full guide herebut here’s the basic version.

Simply choose between succulents or moisture loving plants as they require two different environments to grow in. For the point of this exercise, we’re going to go with succulents as they grow in dry environments so need very little watering. Then you just need your planting materials, rocks, charcoal and soil as well as the terrarium you would like to grow your plants in.

Start with your base level, which can be either rocks, gravel or sand. Add on top a small layer of activated charcoal. Next spread an even layer of soil. Dig little holes in the soil and add your plants. Finish off the look with little stones, ornaments or whatever you like and there you have it! Water lightly here and there and make sure it gets plenty of sun.

Keeping with the theme, my favorite way to display flowers this Summer is going to be on my clothing! Check out some of the pretty little numbers I’m loving at the moment on SurfStitch.

1. Tallow Tukie Flower Full Suit- $139.95

2. Palma Flower Pant- $175.99

3. MinkPink Photo Finish Short- $59.99

4. MinkPink Feeling Blue Frock- $89.99

5. MinkPink Honolulu Dress- $84.99

6. Wrangler Hydrangea Dress- $89.95

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D.I.Y Project: Embellished Skull

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Yesterday I embarked on a little crafternoon session. I saw a picture on a blog of a skull covered in diamonds and pearls and instantly though of the Outliving Skull Money Bank on SurfStitch that I had had my eye on for a while. This is the perfect way to make a piece of decor, that’s already pretty special, just that little bit more so.

The project is a little fiddly but believe me, if I can do it, anyone can! And the materials cost me no more than $20. Here’s how it’s done.

I began with the Outliving Skull Money Bank which also comes in Black.

I purchased a small paint brush, a gemstone glue, diamonties, pearls, beads and sequins from my local craft store. A small paint brush is a good idea if you don’t want to get glue all over your hands.

In order to make the skull look a little more rustic I dissolved some instant coffee in a little warm water to a pasty kind of consistency and dabbed it all over the skull with a tea bag.

Once dry I buffered the whole surface with a piece of paper towel just so the water drops weren’t so obvious.

I started with gluing the large pearl in the center of the left eye. To save time and to get a nice layered effect, I then just dabbed glue all through the bottom of the inner eye and sprinkled jewels, beads, pearls and sequins at random and waited for them to stick. I then glued the rest of the embellishments on alternating between the top of the eye and the bottom as it makes it easier once the previously glued items have dried a bit to build on top of them.

And there you have it! A unique piece of decor to sit on your desk at work or on display in your home and it doubles as a money box!

What do you think? Is this a D.I.Y you’d be willing to try?

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O’Neill X Monsterchildren Artmash.

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Cool little short vid into the O’Neill X Monster Children Artmash that took place in Bali a few weeks back.

The exhibition, a tribute to Jack O’Neill and 60 years since the creation of the first wetsuit saw over 500 guests mingle amongst a collection of O’Neill’s heritage and memorabilia including wetsuits, advertising & artwork.

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Tobacco & Leather x Somedays Lovin. Q&A With Blogger Abbey Watkins.

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Somedays Lovin seem to have done it again with their Winter 12 Collection. Last year we saw Oracle Fox, and this year it’s the uber talented blogger/artist, Abbey Watkins from Tobacco and Leather. Her gorgeous illustrations are haunting, mesmerising and unique.

So take a peek below at this weeks Q&A with Abbey Watkins.

When did you realise you wanted to lead the life of a creative?

I had always been creative, but it was after I had left Art College and started to apply to universities when I really realised I wanted to work towards making a living from it.


From illustration to blogging to collaborating with designers, how would you describe your day/job/life?!

My days are so varied. It’s really difficult to find a harmonious balance between blogging, drawing, commissions and everyday life. Some days get swallowed up by just one of these things. I’d have to describe my everyday life as varied and spontaneous. Although it’s mainly just me sat at a table with a laptop and a sketchbook!

What inspired you to start blogging and how has blogging benefitted your career?

It was compulsory as part of my degree to have a blog so that’s where it started, but I had been following blogs for about 6 months before that. It’s unquestionable that blogging has benefitted my career. Nearly all my commissions have been through the publicity my blog has given me. It’s an amazing way to bring brands and artists together.

What kind of things influence your illustrations?

Almost anything. Mythology is something I always go back to, it’s such a rich source of visual imagery and really enjoyable to rework into your own creative visions. I also watch a lot of films from the 1960’s and 70’s, I love everything about those eras. Tattoos are steadily becoming a huge obsession of mine too, I can spend hours and hours looking through pictures and watching documentaries about them, they have such an interesting history of geographical symbolism.



What made you lend your illustrations to the Somedays Lovin’ collection and what inspired your pieces?

I was thrilled when I was approached by Somedays Lovin’ to collaborate. I was already aware of the brand and loved the vibe I got from browsing the website. The pieces where somewhat inspired by mythology, more towards that of a pagan/witchcraft theme. I like to think there’s an undercurrent of a universal awareness from imagery such as third eyes and moons; a vibe I picked up from a free spirited feel to Somedays Lovin.

The best thing about what you do?

There are quite a few pro’s in my line of work. I’d say one of the biggest pros is that my hobbies and interests are what I get paid for. There’s no mundane 9 to 5 battle, which I am ever thankful for. It’s also great to keep your own time, if there’s a gig I want to see on a Sunday night, I don’t have to worry about Monday morning.

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A Valentine’s Day Love Affair.

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Sometimes on the weekend I get a little arty, so when I stumbled across an American artist, Jennifer Contini, who creates stunning heart installations and paintings using a myriad of “mixed media including acrylics, metals, resins, plastics, marbles, maps and signs” I semi freaked. Her work encompasses her unbound love affair with New York City and what better day to feature some of her inspirational work than Valentine’s Day! Take a peek.

And because we love you, we’ve organised a special little Valentine’s Day treat! Get 10% off SurfStitch for today only! Enter promo code LOVE in your shopping cart and be our Valentine! Click here to shop now!

source.

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Our Stories: Macbeth Footwear Photo Exhibition

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Our friends over at Macbeth Footwear are presenting “Our Stories”, a new rock and roll photo exhibition opening this weekend at the 1000 Pound Bend Gallery in Melbourne. Featuring works by Adam Elmakias (USA), Jon Weiner (USA) and Kane Hibberd (AUS), the exhibition focuses on such artists as The Bronx, Gyroscope, Dillinger Escape Plan, Escape The Fate, Gallows, Trash Talk, I Killed The Prom Queen, Magic Dirt, New Found Glory, NOFX, Paramore, Taking Back Sunday and Parkway Drive. It’s on now and ends 25 July so come down and check it out.

Click here for more details.

For the latest epic gear shop Macbeth Footwear at SurfStitch.com.

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Insight teams up with KnittaPlease for their 2011 global campaign

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If you’re interested in garage art check out the latest installment from Insight (available at SurfStitch.com). Their 2011 global campaign, ‘Untitled’, explores the creative freedom of various artists from around the world. The campaign was devised in Bali by Insight ‘Garage Artists’, such as Steve Gorrow, Fraser Anderson, Madsaki, Magda Sayeg and more.

Our personal favourite, Magda Sayeg, founder of KnittaPlease, began in 2005 by taking knitting, a previously traditional art form, out onto the streets! Her goal was to add a human quality to an otherwise dull concrete urban environment. This grandma friendly version of graffiti revolutionised this age-old pastime and inspired a new generation of knitters.

So check out this cool vid and pics from the campaign!

UNTITLED – by KnittaPlease (1) from Insight Clothing on Vimeo.

For a piece of garage art that you can wear, check out the latest Insight products from the ‘Untitled’ Campaign.

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You must OBEY

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If you’re something of a graffiti art aficionado, or just enjoyed Exit Through the Gift Shop, you’ll be stoked to know that OBEY, the fashion project of street artist Shepard Fairey, has just arrived at SurfStitch.

Although Fairey isn’t exactly a household name, you’d have to have been living under a rock not to recognise some of his eye-catching pieces. Best-known for his depiction of Andre the Giant (which also features in OBEY logos), Fairey’s work includes movie posters, album covers and even political posters in the form of the infamous Barack Obama HOPE poster, surely the most enduring image of the last US presidential election campaign.

Barack Obama 'HOPE' poster, 'Walk the Line' poster, Led Zeppelin 'Mothership' album cover

We love this vid of the OBEY crew at the 2010 Miami Art Basel fair – a snapshot of where the street art/street fashion worlds collide!

OBEY AT MIAMI ART BASEL from OBEY on Vimeo.

For a piece of Fairey that’s a bit more accessible though, check out OBEY at SurfStitch, with lots more on the way later this month!

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Exit Through the Gift Shop

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Once upon a time, the term ‘graffiti art’ would have been an oxymoron, a contradiction in terms. Fast forward to 2010 and that’s no longer the case.  If any single person is responsible for that, it’s British street artist Banksy.

Notoriously enigmatic and prolific, Banksy has been stencilling his subversive and striking works on buildings, objects and even animals in major cities across the world.

Outlaw or artist? We’ll let you decide.

Pictures via MyModernMet

Exit Through the Gift Shop, the acclaimed Banksy documentary, was released at Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews. It’s out now on DVD. For a taste, check out the trailer.

If you love Banksy, then check out fellow street artist Shepard Fairey’s label OBEY – new to SurfStitch in March 2011!!

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