Monday Brain Works

It's Monday! Time to get the brain churning to get us through the week.

And what does that take? I heard mind puzzles are good. And coffee.

Know what else works?

A dose of "What's That ?!"

So off  we go. Can you guess what this fun and funky kitchen backsplash is made from in the very first photo?

No? Okay, I'll give you another picture to help boost the brain power. I understand, the week is young.

Are you like me, stopping and looking at the individual tile images for clues? I tried...but couldn't find any.

And when I saw a close-up photo of the tiles...still didn't register for me. How about you?

What? Really?

How can you go from this....

...to this!

Art of Board

With a whole lot of creativity and a wide awake brain, that's how!

Hmmm...my brain is a bit slower, and this is the only option I've got in my garage...tucked in behind the mower that I put to good use yesterday.

And I remember that K painted the backside to cover a very boring basic brown - so I flipped it over to have a look. Not bad color choice...I wonder if he'd know it's missing.

I mean I love him and all, but I've never seen him practice enough to try this...

...and he's young, so I definitely don't want to see this!

But I could definitely think about something like this.

via Green Parenthood

Or even this.

via broodr

And this is just TOO COOL!

via Wave Avenue

But alas, I've only got this to work with.

Anyone want to meet me at the skateboard park?

Until next time...

Mike

What's That ?!

Are you ready for this edition of "What's That ?!" Take a minute to get yourself a cup of coffee, kick up your feet, and settle in to the blue velvet chair. This time we're paying a visit to Borneo-born Hong Yi, a young architect by day, artist in the after hours.

Inspired by one of his songs, Hong Yi pays homage to Taiwanese singer Jay Chou with his portrait. Can you see what she 'painted' it with?

How exciting to be this young and talented.

Like many, Hong Yi begins her day with a warm cup of coffee. It's what she does with it afterwards that is genius.

Most people find it annoying when the coffee spills over onto the saucer, making a mess. Not so with Hong Yi. She's creating!

By now I don't have to tell you that this portrait was made with coffee cup stains. Did you see it in the first photo?

Relax for 2 more minutes and watch the video as she creates this beautiful portrait.

Not finished with your own coffee yet? Why not watch as she paints basketball star Yao Ming - using a basketball as her paintbrush!


Go on...you know you want to. Get out some paper and start creating with coffee in hand.

Until next time...
Mike

What's That ?! - Recycled

Do you ever look at something and find yourself fixated for a few seconds longer than normal as you think to yourself, "What's That ?!" This week's project comes to us from Afroditi Krassa, a talented designer that is really making a name for herself. It was published in ReMake It in 2010.

Can you see it right away? Can you see what these business card holders and photo holders are made from?

That's right...they are made from recycled yellow pages!

Which reminds me of the bag that I just posted on Facebook a few days back which was made from recycled telephone book pages.

I can't say that I've seen too many projects with recycled telephone books, have you? If you have, share them with us in the comments below or on the Blue Velvet Chair Facebook page.

Until next time...
Mike



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What's That ?!

Today's edition of What's That ?! spins me right round baby right round like a .......

Do you see it right away? What these wall posing people are made of?

Here's a closer look.

Did you guess it was made from this?

This isn't exactly a DIY unless you happen to have a CNC router at home to cut out the identical figures. This fun piece of LP art took shape over a couple of months on the wall behind the counter at Renga Arts. The LP people are cut by CNC, then heated and hand shaped into these 'performance' poses.

There are lots more funky junk creations to be found on the Renga Arts Facebook page. Hope over and tell them we say 'hi' from Blue Velvet Chair.

Until next time...

Mike

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What's That ?! - Recycled

It's time for another edition of "What's That?!" Have a look at these lovely pieces of art below from Marang Studios.

If you've been working with these materials, you might already recognize them given the colorations of the art pieces. Any guesses?

It's one of my favorite things to work with right now. Rolled magazine pages. I absolutely adore the color possibilities!

I've actually started another project with magazines. This time I'm not rolling...I'm folding...kind of. Fingers crossed I can make it work and share it with you. Otherwise it will most certainly end up in my 'epic fail' file. That would actually be a good one to share with you one day as well. I guess I'm not alone with my list of failed projects?

Until next time...

Mike

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What's That ?! - Repurposed

This week's "What's That?!" is bursting with color, but exactly what are these art pieces made of?

A closer look and now its becoming...

...crystal clear. Clothespins!

Check out the folks at We Make Carpets (Dutch) temporary contemporary carpets  and enjoy their little bursts of creativity.

Until next time...
Mike

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What's That ?! - Recycled

It's time for another What's That ?! to take us into the weekend.  Any guesses for the material used for this brightly colored wall art?

Here's a closer look.

Would you believe me if I told you it was...

...the insides of spray paint cans?

The folks at Canlove even use the bottoms and tops of the paint cans for art.

If you caught the "50 Ways to DIY Your Valentine - Recycled and Repurposed" post last weekend, you'll recognize their work from one of the fabulous hearts I featured.

Make sure to hop over to their site and learn how you can get involved by donating cans, time, money or space. Help support their 'No Can Left Behind' campaign to clean up the environment and create new and beautiful art.

Until next time...

Mike

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What's That ?!

What's that? Well, whatever it is, it's oversized and I like it!

Let's take a closer look. Hmmm...it's becoming clearer to me.

Knives! Lots of them. Stuck directly in the wall.

The material might be deadly, but the message is divine.

Iranian artist Farhad Moshiri's latest installation titled 'Life is Beautiful', was created using hundreds of knives stabbed directly into a gallery wall. 

I'm not sure if I'd try it at home...but I can admire it from afar!

Until next time...
Mike


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What's That ?! - Repurposed

Okay. This has never happened before. I'm posting a "What's That ?!" series two days in a row. But after Amy over at The Salvage Collection pointed me to this artist for her fabulous button art, I saw these other works of hers and just had to share with you. Uh, excuse me one moment. Note to self...must practice patience in this new year.

So, can you guess what these whimsically twisted horses are made of?

No? Want another look? And don't miss the fabulous recycled jeans flag on the wall!

They are made from...drumroll please...

...COCONUT HUSKS! 

What I absolutely adore about Ann Carrington's creations is that she works with a variety of materials. Recycled and repurposed materials. My favorites are the plush fur rug, the tree made from tires and innertubes, and of course the button stamp art.

Do you also keep a mental list of people you'd like to have in the same room one day? Mine just keeps on growing. 

Until next time...

Mike

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What's That ?!

It's 2012 and time for a new year of "What's That?!".

What is "What's That?!" you ask? It's a series of posts that showcase unbelievable creations that make you take a second look and ask yourself, "What's That?!"

Here we go. Can you guess what these art pieces are made from?

How about if we take a closer look.

That's right...buttons! Nevermind the obvious question of where Augusto Esquivel gets all of his buttons. Just look at the thousands of strings it must take for some of his art pieces.

Now that you've seen the work up close, imagine what it took to create these pieces.

And how in the world does he transport them? 

I'm just at a loss of words when I see creations like this. So I'll let Augusto's words speak for themselves.

"I realize how insignificant and small a simple sewing button can be as it lays in my grandmother’s sewing box, but at the same time how unique and precious it can become as part of a work of art. Like an atom in a molecule, each button serves and shapes the whole. I hold the button to my ear and it whispers to me, “I want to be…..”

Until next time...

Mike

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