DIY mixed drink - matte spray-painted neon-macrame light-bulb planter!

Yes, I went off the deep end and mushed together as many Pinterest trends as I could...

Spray painting things matte black
Neon
Macrame
Light Bulb vases
Hanging Plants!

What you'll need...
1. an old lightglobe - if you're planning on spray painting it like me it can be frosted or clear, but just beware that Australian frosted globes don't seem to just "wash clean" like US ones seem to.
2. spray paint - choose something that will match your string
3. fine sandpaper - you can skip this if you're planning on being extra gentle with your globe for the rest of eternity
4. masking tape or painters tape
5. a small plant, or a cutting. or flowers if you're planning on a vase instead.
6. potting mix
7. everything that the other tutorials I'll link to say that you need, like SAFETY GOGGLES. BE SAFE.


And here's what I did...

1. I cleaned my bulb out of all it's bits as this tutorial told me to

2. I got a stick to act as a handle for spray painting, and after lightly sanding my globe by hand, I used the masking tape to tape off the base of the globe. Not taping anything could be cool too, or just half the bulb, or a faux paint-dip look diagonal, or whatever your sweet little head can come up with!

3. I used that spray paint OUTSIDE to lightly and evenly cover the bulb.

4. I made a super-simple macrame (some would say cheats' macrame, but I say it is knotting string, so it's macrame, so there!) hanger from brickies string using this tutorial. My three strings were 70cm long, and had a knot at 6cm (handle), my first "couples tie" 29cm after that, my second "split the couples" 5cm after that, 4cm was my "couples back together" tie, and all my strings were knotted back together after another 5cm.

Experiment with different lengths between knots, a different amount of start strings (I chose the minimal three as I though the mash-up was quite busy enough already), different amounts of knots (just keep splitting up and putting together the couples - pretend you're a writer of Home and Away episodes, HA.) And of course with different string types - twine is a classic, as is yarn, but all manner of builders and boat supplies are being used at the moment on "the pins" so just use what ever takes your fancy! I like the idea of threading wooden beads in-between knots like in 70's style macrame, but perhaps with a simpler vessel.

5. I squished some potting mix into the bulb, be careful of the broken glass edge! You're welcome to just make a hanging vase of course, but I'm lazy when it comes to refreshing vases so I needed something for my succulent to root into. If you're using a plant that has roots already, its better to only half fill the bulb, rinse the dirt off the plant so the roots can fit through the top of the bulb, then fill over the roots with more soil. Give it a good water in, and then slip the bulb into your hanger!

Then of course its a task of finding a place with enough light to hang your plant - research how much sun your new baby likes, and give it to them!

:) Have fun, Lauren.

EDIT: The wonderful postcard print is by local dude Sean Morris www.illsean.com

Fathers Day is Delicious

had to quickly snap these toffees and brittle before i took them to my dads for gifties!

made from the recipes in frankie magazine's sold out sweet treats book

(which they have recently released a crapple app for which is in turn

 making me hopeful that they'll release e-versions for the sold out mags too)

Hopeless Lingerie - Hip Hip Hooray

One of my favorite and one of the most inspiring Australian handmade labels turned three today, and so I thought I'd give you all a quick look at whats currently floating my boat from Gaby's collection. Her photo shoots are sometimes spooky, sometimes sad, sometimes wistful, but always awesome.

Have seriously been considering getting these for roller-derby. All the girls would be SO LELLOUS. :)

See what I mean about styling? And that bow - the talented lass also has an accessories range, but she might have discontinued it because I cant find it right at this moment, although I did do a feature on it back here.

The gorgeous photoshoots are often the brainchildren of the photographers Gaby employs to present her handmade wonderfuls in the best light possible - I'd love to have a label that not only promoted myself, but others in the independent creative scene too! Love the cut-away details of this piece - a regular feature of Hopeless designs.

The colour palettes she chooses for her collections are always unusual - but they work so well, you almost dont notice them unless you pay attention.

This is what I mean about the spooky.

These would also get some use as outer wear at rollerderby practice methinks... that triangle panel on the side is actually see-through mesh! Awesome...

Further Info:

Website

Flickr (for perving on more of the stunning photography)

Tumblr (for more vintage/retro/nostalgia inspiration images than you can poke a stick at)

the Blog (for inspirational pin-boards, photoshoot-behind-the-scenes, plus debuts of her new works)

Facebook (her updates are always awesome)

Twitter (for whatever thats for :P )

and of course the Etsy and bigcartel stores for buying.

Yay! Hearts & Kisses for the 14th!

Hugs and kisses to everyone, I'm one of those people who like Valentines Day (hugs and kisses to those who don't like it too! Just pretend they're for a diffeent reason), but perhaps would prefer if someone made her dinner rather than buy her Tiffanys - those little blue boxes give me the heeby-jeebys.

Or maybe even some love themed handmade jewellery...




I'll be spending the day being shop-queen at Montage, the pop-up shop me and my handmade and vintage stuffs + 11 other awesome people have been running for a week now! Come drop by and give me a hug - I'll be on my rollerskates being an over-excited kid rolling about the shop, wearing the first prototype of this brooch (I always keep the first one! Perks of being the designer *smiles*).

xxo Lauren

I Made This 7.1.11

Custom chain length Penny Farthing Necklace in Mustard Print for Tricia. xx

pssst... get yours here. Or email me for a private sale :)

If I had Money

I've been hopelessly in love with hopeless for a while now...

Handmade in Melbourne, with an appropriate but out of my league price tag. So beautifully tailored, each collection SUPER well designed... gah. Plus her blog is SO inspiring ALL THE TIME.

Links;

Etsy Store
Blog

Day 5 : Slip Sliding Away

Really not much to say except

"You must go to White Water World and go on every single ride, especially the hydrocoaster... it works cause of magnets! Its like a rollercoaster made love to a slippery dip in a pool!"

And that my handmade bikini bottoms went swell. Thanks Frankie issue from way back in 2005.

Handmade Things in a Warm Pub

Oh yes. Sounds like paradise doesn't it?

Well I'm in paradise tomorrow (Saturday) with my OSIER stuffs and will also be helping out at the Made on the Left Promo table on the Sunday morning, I really do hope to see you there.




Plus I have some great new things to show you as well, including this little gem which I am going to name after the person who buys the first ever one made. How exciting!


Hope to see you there! xx Lauren

Hayley is Lovely.

This is a fairly internal post. I don't really do "internal" on this blog, or anywhere really, so if you're interested in light and fluffy, perhaps come back tomorrow, I completely understand if you don't need a lecture today :) xx

Yes, I'm going all femme-love this week. Admiring strong, independent, Australian women is one of my favourite things.

Hayley is someone who I really, truly admire. One of those people you see doing things that you love, and living their life with principles that you aspire to.

Read her blog, it's a thing of great beauty. Motherhood, consumption, green-living, ethical living, creativity, (previously) handmade business.

Before I give you the link, I want to say that although I really admire her principles and practicalities, I also admire the fact that she admits when she doesnt do things the way she planned, and that its ok to say youre not ready to take the plunge of complete ethical living. This struggle is one I have internally within myself all the time. Sometimes I'll be proud of the way I live my life, and other times I'll be berating myself for buying things on sale from Big W, or picking up a headband from Diva, and contributing to the consumption machine by making my osier things, and how dare I consider justifying this by comparing myself to others that dont make the effort I do, just so I dont have to feel like I have to do more.

It's ok to take small steps. It's ok to make mistakes. There is no point in guilt whatsoever.

http://remade.com.au

xx

Awesome People that Like my Stuffs

...and no, they are not awesome because they like my stuff, their awesomeness title comes from the fact that the things they do themselves are very special!

Like Kersey, who very kindly featured me on her pretty blog; who has cleverly mastered the art of book binding, something which I am still yet to try (I'm rather too intimidated by it to tell the truth)


And the very talented Amanda who writes a beautiful looking blog called Calico & Co. (runs off the tongue nicely doesnt it!) Head over there to have a gander, and look at the other lovely people she featured alongside my Twenty Kisses Brooch.


xx Lauren

Etsy Front Page! Yes!

The first feature on the front page of one of my Pip and Emily range! I hope it will be the first of many... but we'll see!

If you see something you like, head over to Craft Cult for the Links :)

xx

I am a Really Lazy Blogger.

So lazy, in fact, that I havn't posted these photos from out 2009 December WA Etsy Sellers Meetup...

Apologies for the cleavage there *blushes*

Niina and I ended up in matching candy red&white striped tops... I must say hers was cuter though!


So here they are. The usual obscenley excessive amounts of food, fun conversation, and the added bonus of Lucky Dip xmas pressies! (Mine was a super cute button bouquet from Liza, she makes them all herself, take a look at her business blog - Lillybuds) Brides go crazy for them!

It really is amasing how just because we have creating in common, we seem to be compatible as friends, even though we come from different cultural, religious, financial, and professional backgrounds, not to mention our wide age range! (18 - 50+!) No one rubs others the wrong way, and people are more than happy to accept when people have a difference of opinion. Maybe the whole world should take up being an indie creative, I'm sure it would prevent a lot of mischeif.

Creative Output = Global Peace. Who'd have thought?

Treasure, me Hearties! Volume 5

Yay! Listing and renewing and posting new items works.

Here is the proof:

A beautifully curated treasury featuring my Twenty Kisses Brooch from Mooshoopork, who I have actually admired previous to this, but now love her even more:

And another pretty treasury featuring my Owl&Stag Brooch by Sweetie Pie.

Here are some of her vintage delights!

So all you creatives out there; list, relist and dont forget to thank the lovely people when they do feature you.

I'll post another made by a Perthie when I get up :) but technically I cant say tomorrow seeing as its 3.20... gosh I love being a night owl and on holidays!

xx

$4.99 Op-Shopping

All items via The Salvation Army.

Join the Once-A-Month-Sew-And-Tell Club!

This is for all those who have said they would or might like to join...

The Once-A-Month-Sew-And-Tell Club!

As a New Years Resolution, those of the Club will try to Sew at least one item of clothing/an accessory a month, and Tell their progress somehow on the internet through a photo.

This is not nessessary to join, but I thought a flickr group could be a cool idea. If you still want to be a part of it, but dont want to post to flickr, thats cool, you can just send me your image or post a link in my monthly blog post to a picture on the internets somewhere (facebook, picasa, flickr, blog, website, etc) If you want to blog about it too thats awesome! The more the merrier I say!

And if you want to post the badge on your blog too, thats awesome, just use the one I did in my right menu bar/list thing, and perhaps link to the flickr group page; http://www.flickr.com/groups/oamsat/

Can you guys think of anything else that the club needs?

xo

BurdaStyle's Best of 2009

I really enjoy sewing, and unfortunately dont get to do as much of it as I'd like, so I tend to live vicariously (or, at least sew vicariously) through the projects of members of sites like craftster and BurdaStyle. They've released their "best of 2009" since I was there last, and I loved this so much had to share... she did it with no pattern! Amasing!


EDIT:

Just thought of something. New Year's Resolution.

I resolve in 2010 to sew at least 1 accessory or item of clothing per month, and to post my progress here on my blog.

Anyone want to join me in the "once-a-month-sew-and-tell"?

xoxo enjoy your New Year's celebrations tonight, and dont forget to stay safe!

See you next year! (I swear, that never gets old!)

Yesterday was Grand!

Hi All,

Had great fun at Unwrapped, got sunburnt on my arms and on the end of my nose, so I'm Christmas themed, just like Rudolf!

Got a couple of features yesterday too, which is always appreciated SO much, thankyou from the bottom of my heart!

Front Page on Etsy!

Plus the lovely (and well dressed!) Emma from Dropstitch did a little write up on Unwrapped and included some photos of me and my 'Ingrid Pattern Portrait' necklaces, click the banner below to read it, and make sure you read her blog from now on :)



xo to you all, and I hope you're Holiday shopping is going well/finished!

Lauren

The Not-as-big-a-jerk-as-you-could-have-been Award

Can anyone tell me what anime show that is quoted from? If you can you are a superstar cool person.

As part of my night-before-a-market preparation (read "procrastination") I was looking at Perth's local DVD zine; Cut&Paste, as I hadn't seen my Popsicle interview as yet, so yeah, looked, and there it was! Apart from the stupid open-mouth-thing I have going on before the video starts, and the fatty-neck, I think I did ok! And I didn't say "um" or "yeah" a rediculous amount of times either... which is always nice.

My little bro said I dont really sound like me, and I think hes right... I've put on my "posh voice" haha.





Stupid thing didn't want to embed. Oh well. :)

New Button Creations

The number of things that inspire me is rediculous at times, and I tend to flit to and fro and onto new ideas quicker than I can create. But one of the things I will ALWAYS be inspired by is the materials I work with, and in particular vintage buttons. Their history, charm, and colour always makes me smile, and I can sit for hours just looking, matching colours, and sorting a pile of buttons.

No really, I can! I picked up two jars when I went shopping on Monday, from my local Vinnies, and this is what I've done so far, we'll se how they go at Made On The Left this Saturday...

What do you think? A bit weird? It's a necklace and a brooch, just in case you can't tell :)

Pre-Market Chaos

This is what my studio looks like at the moment, its an improvement on the usual mess before a market, so I am feeling less stressed about OSIER than usual, and more stressed about organising! As part of my MOTL team duties, I have co-organised our "Sneak Preview" tent at Darlington Arts Festival (tomorrow and Sunday, come along!), and it was a tight finish but we finally have everything organised. Phew!

But yes, the studio (garage) is presently inhabited by piles of fabric, hoards of vintage goodies, unfinished jewellery everywhere, half finished cups of iced coffee, beads, findings, buttons, laser cut bits, unpriced pieces... aaaaaaaah!

Better get to it then instead of blogging about it! Haha!

xo