Appreciate or Emulate - Celebrate

Continuing on from this weeks Finding Everywhere theme, Stripes and Flowers, how to celebrate with this pattern perfect match.

I am in love with the stripes and floral combo for a party - bold and bright and festive.
Add a bit of gold or silver tableware bling and it's a classic soirée setting.

Image Source: hellomay.com.au

Image Source: greenweddingshoes.com

Image Source: Two Delighted

Image Source: Miss Brache Etsy Store

Image Source: southerweddings.com.au

Appreciate or Emulate - Decorate

In last weeks Finding Everywhere I showed just some of the graphic and pretty stripey meets floral items I am noticing all about town for spring/summer.

I am a huge fan of a pattern mix, especially a bold one and this has to be a favourite of mine. 

Here are five of my favourite examples of how to decorate with this look. 

Do you think I need a black and white striped rug?

Stripes and Floral

Image Source: Au fil des Couleurs

Image: Pinterest - Original Source: Mixr 

Image Source: Lonny

Image Source: A Beautiful Mess

Image Source: The Glitter Guide

Finding Everywhere

I'm getting the band back together!

Well not really but I am back, from an absence of no small amount of time. I can attribute my absence to the presence and addition of a new and wonderful small human in my life and my home - more on him later.

In the meantime here is what I have been finding everywhere and you will find it everywhere too this summer - the stripey and floral, the graphic and pretty have arrived! Some of my picks

1. Decorative Cushion Cover by Habitation Boheme on Etsy
2. Also via Etsy iPhone case from Another Case
3. You know I love Etsy right? Love these Lacey stripey, floral nickers - pretty and graphic!
4. Valentino dress - vintage and groovy elegance
5. Marni Edition shopping tote
6. Wishing I had the body and confidence to pull these off Giejo Bikini
7. My size please - Stella McCartney Kids Rosie striped knit dress
8. Two vintage floral combined with stripes queen pillowcases
9. Stripped Cabbage Rose shower curtain from Urban Outfitters. They also did a rug but sadly it's sold out
10. Last, but by no means least, a great upcycled dress combining an 80's graphic dress and a vintage print scarf by Janavi on Etsy

There is so much more to this trend so an Appreciate or Emulate will be coming soon.

Found Friday

Found Friday (on a Sunday of course)


It seems my little techno holiday had an impact on my technical abilities as I typed this post Friday and it disappeared. Oh well!


I have enjoyed my break - time to rebalance my virtual and physical lives - something I hope to continue. I have tried to invest the time in my little people one outside and one breaking out soon. 
Today's FF is all about finding space - the metaphorical space I found by having a self imposed social media break of 3 weeks and an actual physical one.


We recently started off our reno in a most unglamorous but necessary way by replacing the leaking asbestos roof on our garage. Hum drum as it was it gave us an opportunity to do what we fully intended on moving in 18 moths ago - setting up the garage as 1/2 storage 1/2 create space. It never happened then as the boxes and furniture, and my finds if I'm really honest, just kept piling in. Now we have reorganized, consolidated and shuffled to have a 2/3 storage 1/3 create space scenario - better than nothing!


There is now a corner of the new 'create space' which is the new home of Find and Dandy - still very much in unpack and organize mode itself but now my finds can have a temporary home, other than my desk or dining room table, as they await their permanent home or their Dandy do over. 


I can't wait to set it up properly and get creative. It will also double as an extra space for rainy day craft projects and generally getting little people out of the house - perfect new space much needed in out tiny - soon to become teeny - little home.

Here is the still to be dandy-ied "find parking station".

Unplugging

I love blogging, it's my favourite thing to do each week, I'm addicted to Pinterest in a crazy way, I have reconnected and stayed in touch with with long lost far away friends via Facebook, I often find out the most interesting things through Twitter and I have recently 'met' the most amazingly talented, supportive and encouraging community through Instagram BUT...... I am currently


























Sometimes in this world of social media, devices and connectedness our own, actual lives, and not our virtual ones need a little more attention than we are giving them - that is me right now. So I am listening to my non-virtual world and unplugging for a bit. A little techno holiday if you like, just for a few weeks or so. I know I will be back and I know I will love every minute of my virtual connections once more - like the feeling of returning home after living out of a suitcase for too long. So 'see' you soon.

Appreciate or Emulate - Gingham

I am still checking out all things gingham and here are my picks for how you can check in.

Sweet and simple, bold and bright, graphic and minimal - decorate with gingham

 

 

 

It's a wrap, a party, a picnic - celebrate with gingham

Country, cute, creative and classy gingham is a classic

There is no-one more able to get you to join in than Martha - here are two of my favourite 'gingham' DIY'S that I found both from The Crafts Dept via marthastewart.com

Oilcloth lunchbag tutorial

Drawstring bags tutorial

The good news is I found my sewing machine in the garage the other day and we in the midst of creating a bit of space in there for us each to have a 'create' corner - or for me a 'dandy' corner. The bad news is the skills can't be downloaded matrix style - better get my learn on so I can fully check in to the gingham trend as well.

Found Friday

As you may have seen this week I have put a little spotlight on gingham - a favourite of mine and as I mentioned I am seeing it everywhere.

Here is a photo I took a little while ago when sorting through my linens - a small sample (I am not kidding) of my own gingham finding goodness - napkins, potholders and aprons.

Happy weekend all!

Gingham a GoGo - Finding Fashion

Need more gingham is going places proof?

As I have oft declared I am no great fashionista but the more I looked around the more I saw the presence of gingham everywhere and I just had to share. The collections of many designers this year have included gingham or gingham-esq celebrations - here are just a small selection

Kate Spade Spring 2013

Marc Jacobs Spring 2013

Osca de la Renta Resort 2013

Prada Fall 2013

There is so much more of gingham from 2013 fashion via Frills and Thrills

Will you be getting your gingham on?

Finding Everywhere

Gingham is an all time favourite pattern of mine. It has been around and come back into vogue again and again from the 17th century to now but once more, just of late, I am finding it everywhere.

A lot of people might see gingham too twee or too country cutesie to really inspire but not so these finds which I think have just the right amount of fresh and modern with enough of the recognisable graphic homespun charm still intact. Check these out - gingham goodness galore.

1. Orange and black makeup bag Lucy Blaire Handmade via Etsy

2. These blue gingham earrings by Anliz on Etsy sold in the time it took me to grab the pic and show you and I am not surprised as they were my most coveted find - I share them simply to inspire 

3. The best part about these booties is that they are reversible - the other side grey and white spots! I think they are meant to live at my place. Booties by Molipop on Etsy

4. Get your draw on in style with these gingham rainbow pencils The Paper Crown via Etsy

5. How Joyful supplies Washi tape in teal gingham

6. Blue Gingham Bistro Bowl from Peters of Kensington

7. Kiss Me Quick Hand Embroidered Hoop Art by Candykins Crafts from Down that Little Lane online store

8. Gingham Rope Knot Necklace by Homako

9. Red Gingham Boy's Bow Tie by Aruricards

10. I love this little appliquéd Navy Gingham Alligator Pillow Cover by Wren and Rumor. It is a travel cushion size but I think it would look great in a little boys room!

11. I am an accessory addict and this Blue Gingham Infinity Scarf by Forgotten Cotton would be a welcome addition to my growing collection

12. It's a picnic everyday anywhere with this Oilcloth Lunch Bag by Blue Tulip. Their store also has great shopping bags and makeup bags in many gingham shades

13. ASOS Lucy Gingham Bow Detail Ballet Flats

14. Yellow gingham dinner plate by Rose Fleur Designs via Zazzle

15. Orange Gingham Matrioshka Lingerie Fabric Bag, Coquelicot Bergamote via Etsy

16. Large Gingham Milk Jug, Ruby Rose Interiors from Down that Little Lane online store

17. My summer wish list has these at the top Kate Spade New York for Keds InActive

18. This Polar Bear is part of a whole bedroom collection by Bibelotte. I love their kids linen, especially the greys and blacks as they work for younger and older kids alike

19. A great demonstrator of the modern classic look that can be achieved with gingham is Fog Linen - these trays and other items are available in Australia through Dunlin

20. Red Gingham Medium Zipper Pouch Holly and Alder via Etsy

In the end this was a little bit of an Etsy window shopping spree - there are just so many great makers on there using gingham powers for good but expect to see a lot more in the mainstream shops soon as I am quite literally finding it everywhere!

Appreciate or Emulate - Part 4

I have awarded myself the unofficial record for the longest winded blog post of all time. It is extremely unofficial and it is an anti-award type of award - there will be no trophy or ceremony I'm afraid.

I started sharing my photo print Appreciate or Emulate ideas with you a month ago so for a post that normally comes to you in one hit I have managed to give it to you in 4 hits over 4 weeks - some achievement! I can blame things like pregnancy vagues, tonsilitis and a little foray into vignetting distractions which you can see via my facebook page here.

But finally I arrive at the bit where it's all about you. Participate!

There are so many great DIY's with photo's and photo print but here I share just a few that I found inspiring.

I must add a disclaimer here that I have yet to try these myself - it is a case of sharing with you to motivate me. I would also urge you if you are going to try any of these to use your own images, or one you have permission to use - so much more personal and not using someones else's hard snapped shot without their permission.

'Textural' storage boxes via Craft and Creativity. This DIY uses bought paper but you could easily take, print and use your own images depending on the size of the box you want to cover. Make sure you take your images on the largest size on a high pixel camera for the best quality possible. I though it would work well with close ups of your favourite foliage, stones or textured weathered timbers - for kids room storage you could photograph grouped toys such as block or toys - indicating what's inside.

A favourite blog of mine which often has great DIY's is Poppytalk. I first discovered them as Poppytalk Handmade which is as a monthly online curated marketplace showcasing the handmade goods of emerging designers. It is well worth a look. This cushion DIY, which even as a tentative novice sewer I was excited by, uses the services of another great online resource Spoonflower - somewhere you can design your own custom fabric, wallpaper, decals and even gift wrap. It is not as expensive as you may think and I am searching my image files for the perfect project right now!

This last one from Fellow Fellow is a little technical but wow what an impact. It actually uses fewer materials to make it than you might think and with the right image to use and a steady cutting hand it could be achieved more easily than at first it might appear. The best thing is you could photocopy and practice would make perfect without being too expensive. Imagine a row of these greeting guests at a themed event or making a xmas themed display like this. Magical!

Will you be trying any of these? I would love to see any results if you do - head along to my facebook page to share. I also hope to share some of my own in the not too distant future.