Showing posts with label Botanical. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Botanical. Show all posts

31 January, 2011

Drab to Fab...Gorgeous Office Pinboard*

The finished 'Fab-ric Pinboard' - no more boring drab here!

I recently purchased an over sized cork board/ pin board for our [home] office....when looking to hang it on one of our office walls it looked terribly boring & plain. So I decided to spruce it up with some colourful bird & foliage printed fabric and black / white ribbon that I had in my fabric stash, and also made some coordinating floor cushions [for my little girl Isabelle to play when she's in the office] too!  I have just a few finishing touches on our accompanying personalised desk chair cushions to do - so will post pics shortly once I finish a little applique!
So take a look at this little afternoon project - all in the name of colour & design!
Choose colourful printed fabric in stripes, checks, geometric, paisley or a botanical design from your local fabric store [Spotlight or Ikea in Australia are great places to visit] with an inexpensive ready made cork/ pin board from your local variety or craft store [such as the Reject Store, or Hot Dollar discount stores in Australia].
May be you'd like to spruce up a boring old pin board into something gorgeous?
Enjoy,

1. Choosing fabrics, layout & ribbon combinations....playing with your
fabric & trims is important so that you can work out & feel good
about your colour combination choice.

2. Use polyester wadding to create a soft layer between the cork side/ pin board
 & the fabric, this also acts as a stabiliser and creates a better cushion for
 the pins when putting something up. Cut the wadding a little larger than the
board size - this will allow you to fold & stretch back around
 the board with fabric

3. Apply craft glue or adhesive spray onto the cork side - and lay the wadding on top
of this glue and press lightly down so wadding is attached

4. Cut fabric to the same size as your wadding.  I have used an over locker to finish
 & trim my fabric edges to keep it a bit neater as I go.Check that if you are using a
print and it is not multi directional  that the 'direction' is going the correct way.
You don't want to look at your pin board print upside down or across ways!

5. Layer fabric on top of wadding - matching up the cut sides - now staple!

6. Using a heavy duty staple gun, or a cordless staple gun - take the longest sides first
and stretch to pull over and secure the first 2 sides with a couple of staples. then stretch
to pull the two bottom ends and staple to secure. Once this is done you can go
 back over the 'gaps' on all four sides ensuring to stretch taut as you go to
staple the fabric edges. If you want cover the back of the pin board with some
black or white card - to cover the edges.

7. Using a combination of black & white ribbon I staple the
ribbon ends to the back of the board and begin a lattice effect  - with
 equidistant space between each one - with weaving alternate ribbons under
 & over. this will allow me to also place notes and cards onto the
 pin board without tacking them on.

Nearly finished weaving - worth the effort - it gives
the fabric another graphic dimension and is functional!
Once done I pin pearl pins into the centre of each 'X'

Coordinating floor cushions make for a fun, colourful & softer play area
 in the office space for my baby Isabelle.

I just love this print & the coordinating hot candy pink stripe I used.
Definitely my new favourite cushions.

New favourite colour print & stripe combination!

One things is for sure I never like to be 'under cushioned' my office
 & home are always filled with cushion that suit the room or the seasons!


25 October, 2010

On Show...Beauitful Botanical Artwork.

There's several fantastic exhibitions coming up that you might want to check out...here's one I'd love to see. These botanical art works by Jenny Phillips are devine and highly collectible. Read on... Enjoy x

Jenny Phillips | Magnolia grandiflora with seedpod 2004 watercolour on paper | Collection of the artist

Beautiful Botanical Artwork, the works of renowned Melbourne [Victoria] botanical artists, Jenny Phillips will be on show November 12 at the Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery, Dunns Rd, Morington, Victoria.

A bit about Jenny  & the exhibition - running 12 November 2010 - 6 February 2011 | Jenny Phillips: The hidden meaning of plants .
'An MPRG exhibition - Jenny Phillips, deservedly, has an international reputation as an important botanical artist. As founder, director and teacher at The Botanical Art School in Melbourne she has also been largely responsible for the contemporary renaissance of botanical art, both here and abroad.
The life of Jenny Phillips has been consumed by a passion for hunting down and painting plants and flowers. This exhibition, the first major retrospective of her work, examines the way in which Jenny Phillips' botanical art goes beyond scientific observation, where plants are used as a motif to demonstrate artistic skills and scientific knowledge, to one where plants are invested with symbolic meaning to express the artist’s emotional states and relationships with family and friends.
Featuring rarely seen watercolours and drawings sourced from private collections throughout Australia, the exhibition includes works from her well-known Magnolia, Strelitzia and Waterlily series along with examples of Australian natives, exotics and fruit and vegetable studies.' 

Magnolia Grandiflora

Flaming Tulip

Rococo Tulip

Protea

Pineapple

For more info on Jenny Phillips visit her Web site HERE or visit an  great article written in 2008 in the SMH [Sydney Morning Herald HERE] in an interview with the artist discussing her work.




07 October, 2010

Botanical Inspiration...

Whilst 'breathing in' my new Australian House & Garden [Nov '10] issue I came across my very creative & talented textile artist friend Pip's, of PipWilly, beautiful bespoke hand-printed hemp cushions, that can be found at Planet [Furniture] or for other pieces through PipWilly's online store here.I knew they were Pip's the moment I saw them - she has a truly lovely signature drawing style that is unmissable. Styled with Pip's pieces is another talented fave of Palatial Living's - Pony Rider, with their stunning 'Flowerbomb' and 'Sneakers by Chris Searl' Wall dots...I also love their 'Ribbons' cushions especially in red. All teamed with the Kiku armchairs in sumptuous Zimmer+Rhode Portico fabric from Jardan [I dream of a very deep armchair & lounge from Jardan - a lounge wishlist] and 'new love' natural wall colour - 'Rock Quarry' from Endure range Taubmans. Well done Pip - PipWilly & the team from Pony Rider on some gorgeous pieces featured in H&G this month!



Styling by Marie Nichols | Photography by John Paul Urizar

06 April, 2009

Botanical Eggs... An Easter Inspiration

Top. An enchanting rustic botanical Easter vignette.
Centre Image - Fresh, fragrant, bright Easter table setting - A simple brown paper lunch bag cut into the shape of a basket , then the Jonquils are set in a small vase inside the bag - allowing them to stay fresh and be held up.

With Easter fast approaching at the end of this week - two very significant religious dates on the Christian calendar - Good Friday & Easter Sunday. We are reminded - particularly through Easter Sunday - with the symbolics of life, newness and re-birth. Easter for us [my husband & I] is a time of some sadness, gratefulness, forgiveness, happiness and love - shared best with our families & our dearest [inner sanctum] of friends. Easter colour -wise is traditionally of bright sunny colours filtered with pastels some would say reminiscent of the Easter Parade movie with Judy Garland & Fred Astaire floating about - made perfectly in the technicolour of 1948 making the colours even more saturated, some of the corsages & millinery even Patricia Field of STC [a very fave show of mine] would love for Carrie! Easter - a parade - with bonnets, the Easter egg hunt, more chocolate eggs, rabbits, baby chicks, seafood, sharing your table & meals with loved ones... What does it mean for you?
This week I am inspired by beautiful [and fun] decorating ideas for our home and guests... Here I found these gorgeous Botanical inspired decoupage eggs that I had to share with you - here using different sized eggs from chickens (mostly medium size), ducks (larger size), and quails or pheasants for the more petite end! I particularly love the top image - a little botanical rustic Easter vignette - where printed paper images of the butterflies have been used and only partially stuck down on their bodies allowing their wings to be 'floating' free - giving the illusions that they have - in that very Milli-second - rested on the curve of the egg... quite enchanting.
Why you try to decorate some blown eggs this week with your favourite wrapping paper. For more super great tips on craft & decorating projects be sure to visit Martha Stewart Living. Enjoy x



Images from Martha Stewart Living

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