Category: recycled
By All the Planets! x
What a treat the Sunday Times Home supplement had this week – and whole article on this amazing story – Club Jupiter – the tale of three talented friends pulling together to create something special over lockdown that will change the way you think of static caravans forever. So much of this spoke to my heart – taking something forgotten and breathing new life, stripping away the plastic and replacing it with everything natural and considered, three women with a special bond, three women with fantastic eyes for colour and pattern; it’s a dream made in heaven – or rather Margate, because this little beauty is now up for renting – so not only brilliant but financially brilliant as well – I doff my feathered cap you incredible girls.
For more details and to book, click here – Club Jupiter
A little slice of heaven.
Laters, Kate x
Julie Pelipas x
Julie Pelipas: Street style star, Vogue Ukraine fashion director and up cycled vintage fashion label owner – a one woman, stop at nothing powerhouse. She says,
‘When it comes to creating clothes, we can do better, we can create beautiful things ethically and thoughtfully, that is the challenge and the magic.’
I love her take on masculine tailoring – an obsession since her school days when she started adapting her Grandfather’s suits. Loose, lounge-able and louche; I want.
(All pics Pinterest)
Laters, Kate x
Summer Project x
Every summer needs a project. Something that requires learning a skill, but nothing so taxing the chances of success always remain a once wished dream. I also believe tools and ingredients matter – low cost, simple and preferably eco friendly; I think this one gets A stars in all the right boxes – a crocheted rag rug.
The best instructions and most of these pics come from this brilliant website – My Poppet, and this youtube channel has easy crochet instructions. But the necessary bits are easy to gather – you need a good supply a jute string (you can you wool, I just believe the jute gives it a unifying look as well as being strong and sturdy), a crochet hook and lots of unwanted clothes and material scraps.
The idea of cutting up unwanted clothes, particularly the things the children have grown out of really appeals. It’s that feeling of history and memories and life continuing on. The aim is to cut the cloth into one inch strips, then roll them into useable balls. There’s different ideas about how to attach different strips together, some people like to sew the strips together, others just overlap the strips and crochet them together as and when.
The crochet required to make the rug is literally the most basic stitch you’ll ever need – this isn’t about doing anything complicated, but more about time and care and working in slow time.
The size you go is totally up to you. The one tip I’ve read over and over again, is when it starts getting big, crochet on a flat surface to keep the rug flat.
(pics from My Poppet and instructions here)
Circles of life.
Love it.
Laters, Kate x
Windows x
Ebay is not a safe place for me at the best of times, but now with an official project – let me write that again with capital, authoritative letters – Official Project – as my cover, it is very dangerous; our kitchen is beginning to look like a reclamation yard. But oh, the pleasure! These are the stained glass panels I have snaffled – genuine Victorian, everything between £50 – £60 (which I think is good value, though they do need work). I have visions of them over the doors, at the back of the pod, even in the apex space between the roof. Who knows where their final resting place/places will be, but I am loving the colours – the pale pinks, the greens and then the contrast of the strong blues and reds. I can imagine sitting on something comfy with a cup of tea, looking at the garden, with the late afternoon light sliding through making patterns on the floor. The real bonus was finding painted centres as well – look! A duck!!
(little cough..I have three of these…all slightly different. All insanely gorgeous)
This is possibly my favourite – a caterpillar! Such a great metaphor for life, the universe and everything…
Little glowing bits of handmade, re-cycled, re-loved heaven.
Now for the lights…..hehe
Laters, Kate x
Blooming Marvellous x
I never like this time of year; the glitter and sparkle of Christmas has been packed away, the weather is cold, grey, rain, the garden is sleeping, the shops are full of unwanted crap, and Netflix has been over eaten to the point of explosion. But there is a little silver lining, a sliver of what’s to come, the turning of the tide: Indoor bulbs. Now is the time to raid charity shops, find big bowls and fill with your hearts delight.
(All pics Pinterest)
The second wave of wonder is, once they’re over, they can be planted in the garden. And the bowls are ready for giant summer salads…
Laters, Kate x
Sashiko x
I love this; a functional marriage between the fragility of these crocheted leaves and the darning of these jumpers. The message being that old things can be treasured, worn things aren’t bad and that imagination is precious. These are all examples of Sashiko, a form of decorative reinforcement stitching from Japan, (though it also reminds me of Indian Kantha quilts). Every piece has been given some much needed love, transformed and given new life.
(All pics Pinterest)
It’s the sort of message I like for the start of a decade.
Laters, Kate x
Mind the gap x
A fan of the quirky and like a genuine re-cycle? For present inspiration, look no further than the London Transport Museum shop. and their vintage shop.
There’s a whole section dedicated to first edition posters at unframed, present friendly prices.
As well as refurbished luggage racks, large and small. And for the real aficionados…push plates…
And even a jubilee line telephone….
(All pics London Transport Museum)
Choices, Choices.
Laters, Kate x
Madness with love x
A fusion made in heaven: Tall candlesticks – already an object of desire because of their perfect balance of functionality with beauty – now upgraded to lust level with whimsy, madness and imagination. Apparently these lovelies were originally from Anthropologie, and – apologies – are both unavailable and required deep pockets (I saw them priced at $395 each). But their joy is the love they continue to radiate in inspiration, because when should price stop anyone?
I particularly love this pic, and can only doff my hat to the skillful drilling it must’ve entailed. Muchus Kudos.
Quite a few examples have used glass: I have no idea what kind of glue they used, or how long the bonds would last, but how appealing for a Christmas table…
(All pics Pinterest)
And then there’s this little beauty, a hybrid of many things, including a brutal yet fanciful version of Japanese Kinsugi, the art of finding strength in the broken.
Come to Mama.
Laters, Kate x
Stone Faced x
It took me a while to understand the appeal and connection that I felt to these little pieces of art from the moment I first saw them. I think it’s to do with the every day made beautiful, the worship of nature, a celebration of simplicity and a special sense of appreciating there’s something in the act of giving over time to create something that has honour but no practical purpose except it’s own sense of wonder.
(All pics Pinterest)
I also think, on a subliminal level, they remind me of the sea urchins we go diving for in Greece.
For objects so small, their voice is big.
Laters, Kate x
Totes amazing..
No metaphor represents the end of summer more than abandoned, once loved inflatables, lying discarded like an unwanted skins by over flowing bins, waiting to be hauled off to landfill. A couple of weeks pleasure in return for environmental chaos. But one man’s poison is another man’s pleasure – for Georgia Wyatt-Lovell and her husband, Steve Lovell this is the perfect raw material for their bags at Wyatt and Jack. From deckchairs in the big smoke, bouncy castles in the suburbs and lilos from the beaches, all are gathered together and given new life and new purpose.
(Particularly love this one, designed for bikers and doubles as a pannier. Genius.)
(All pics Wyatt and Jack, and Pinterest)
This is the sweet spot where design, practicality and awareness coincide.
And what a rich place that is.
Laters, Kate x
Maison Bentley Style 