High Tea - Chandelier

This jaw-dropping chandelier brings new meaning to high tea!

via La Petite Nymphea

via Nice Things

Makes me want to hop right on the plane and head to Valencia in Spain where this boutique is located, just to stand with head tilted upwards, staring at these stunning beauties. And I am SO trying to figure out how everything is connected to create such wonderful whimsy. I understand the stacked teacup arms, but how are the plates attached?

And now I'm thinking of this teacup chandelier that I posted on Facebook back in April. How can one forget such a spectacular creation?

via Magpie

Seriously. It's time. Time for high tea. Time to try one of these!

Until next time...

Mike

Magic { Recycled } Garden

I was walking through the virtual garden of Etsy today and found quite a few things I'd like to see in my magic {recycled} garden this summer.

There's only one small problem in my plan...the garden only exists in my imagination. For now. My garden looks more like a jungle, a result of 40 years of roots-secured-in-the-ground growth of bushes, non-descript plants, and weeds.

But these little glories are available on Etsy if you want to hop over and find some garden jewels for yourself.

Magic Garden Etsy Treasury

Until next time...

Mike

I'm Having a Social Media Breakdown

Yes, I admit. There are days when I feel like I'm having a social media breakdown.

I open Facebook thinking I'll just take a quick scan and reply to comments.
"5 minutes max," I say to myself. Must create. Must blog. Must...must...must...
"Oooh, there's a comment from someone new."
I hop over to their FB page to learn more about them.
And because I'm a visual person I click to photos, especially for blogs or a business.
One picture of a project leads to a website.
I make the hop.
"Oooh, nice page design," I say to myself.
I wonder who's behind the blog.
I wonder if they've created something with recycled or repurposed materials.
I look for DIY projects on their site.
Oh, that's cool. Gotta pin that on Pinterest.
Wait, it's from another site.
I make the hop to the new link.
Oooh, my FB friends would love to see that.
I share the project and link on FB.
Thank goodness that's an auto link straight to Twitter.
I pin the photo on Pinterest.
Sometimes I pin it to Pinspire, too.
Hmm....that project would be a great collection theme to put together for my blog.
Open Blogspot and copy the link to a post draft for later reference.
That reminds me, I have to contact X to see if they want to be interviewed for Artizen Magazine.
I think to myself, "Should I be using Google+ ?"
Hmm...what's that site that X has linked on their page?
Oooh, another home DIY site. Should I be posting projects over here, too?
Ugh...I don't have enough time for another site. I'm losing ground.
How does everyone do it?
I can't keep up.
And now it's 3 hours later.
I need to finish replying to my FB comments.
How will I ever be able to start selling my creations?
I don't have enough time to create.
Etc.
Etc.


And yesterday I got a visual picture that made me stop dead in my tracks.

via Business Insider

Besides the obvious omission of Pinterest (a mistake, I'm sure), this is a great visual showing the main social media software and apps by category. Imagine, this is only a sampling in many of the categories.

No wonder I'm on overload.
How will I ever keep up with 'what's new'?
How will I ever keep up with anything?
I'm having a social media breakdown.
How about you?


Until next time...
Mike

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

How to Recycle Plastic Silverware

I love colored plastic silverware..the good thick kind. And I don't just use it once - it gets washed and returned to the cabinet for the next BBQ with friends and family. But after looking around today to find a day's worth of inspiration to show how to recycle plastic silverware, I might have to retire some pieces into something more inspiring. Here's 14 of the best ideas I found out there.

A group of students saved their knives from countless lunch meetings and turned them into this glorious recycled knives lampshade - via Inhabitat

That same group of students created these recycled plastic silverware lamps as well - via Inhabitat

Recycle your plastic spoons for a porcelain-looking flower to adorn your creations - via Cut out and Keep

I love the X-ray transparancy of this recycled plastic silverware lamp when the light is on - via behance

How about a recycled plastic fork wig for bad hair days? - via Indulgy

It's bright and would be easy to make with recycled spoons - via Country Living

Love the colors, now to make it recycled! - via Addicted 2 Decorating

Recycle your plastic spoons for a special decorative touch for your DIY projects - via Shabby Beach Nest

You've seen silverware rings...this one is from a recycled plastic fork - via Flickr

Recycled spoons make great puppets for the kids - via Creative Jewish Mom

As long as they've been washed, plastic spoons can be used over and over like on this party tree - via Jellyfish Jelly

I like the colors used on this recycled spoon chandelier - via Tchochkes

 

And when all else fails...build yourself a recycled plastic spoon pyramid! - via Technogad

Until next time...

Mike