RAIN RAIN.... you can stay ;)

I know that the typical rhyme goes a little differently but I was just sitting here listening to the rain thinking how soothing the sound is when you're trying to sleep.

SO

Rain, rain you don't have to go away.

At least not until morning comes.

Since you may not have the luxury of listening to rain outside of your window right now, here is ten minutes of rain of the recorded variety... and a few photos that I have deemed worthy enough to share ;)

nofearofchic

wikipedia

five-zeronine

ladyilonwick

wunderground

forum

Now all I need is some thunder and lightning...

~~*** DOILY DIY ***~~ They're not just for you grandmother's table...

Hello All.

Today I have deemed to be a lazy day so of course I have been on my computer browsing different DIY projects...

and I came across sooo many cool things that you can do with lace and doilies!

I have always enjoyed nostalgic things so, to some, doilies make them think "thats something my grandmother would like... 

not for me." 

but I tend to think... "If my grandmother would have liked it, 

I almost definitely will too :)"

please click on all of the links for instructions :)

The first amazing idea is from the blog The Post Social (links below pics) and is for a 

DOILY LAMP

(thepostsocial)

This is such a neat idea for any space! 

Unfortunately we don't have the appropriate light fixtures to try this now.

BUT

Our next house will likely be an older one, so hopefully then I can still remember to give this a try.

Its also a great idea for a cottage!!! 

(Another future potential use :)

The next DIY project that I found and am DEFINITELY doing is for a 

DOILY TABLE RUNNER

(ashleyannphotography)

The table that I currently have is... well... rustic.

Meaning that it is sort of in rough shape.

BUT

We like it and its a good size and shape for our dinning area.

SO

I love this idea to add some coverage and interest at the same time!

This idea I found on Pinterest but couldn't find the original source.

DOILY CANDLE HOLDER

"This simple project is made by soaking cloth doilies in sugar starch and then forming it around a balloon. One the starch dries, pop the balloon and you have a romantic tea light holder that can be used as part of your tablescape."

Next up a 

DOILY WREATH

from marthastewart. 

The result is sooooo pretty and delicate looking!

I'm thinking this is another MUST TRY.

Another great find (that I wish I had found prior to planning my wedding) is

DOILY ENVELOPES

from welovelaughkiss

Time consuming? Probably.

Worth it? Likely.

Another great idea that I will likely try 

(maybe to put in our backyard?) 

because I not only have a love of doilies and lace but also mason jars is

DOILY LUMINARIES

The DYI instructions are from craftsbyamanda

but I also found this pic (below) on pinterest that looks like you could use lace and twine as well.

Not to sound obsessed... but you can even use doilies for baking!!!

Check these two ideas out.

DOILY COOKIES!

from blissinimages

These look so cute AND delicious. 

All it involves is rolling the doily into the dough to give the impression.

yum.

(check out the link for the recipe too)

CAKE DECORATIONS!

You can even use a paper doily as a simple and fantastic way to decorate a cake with icing sugar!

(realsimple)

I could go on people.

There is a plethora of ideas using doilies and lace out there.

garland

shirts

mobiles

lamp shades....

Unfortunately I don't have the time to feature them all.

BUT

Please just google it or search the idea on pinterest and you will find

many

many

more.

~~*BRUCE MUNRO*~~ Field of Light.

I was recently browsing the internet for some 

Art Installation Inspiration

(say that 10 times fast)

...and I stumbled onto the works of

BRUCE MUNRO

and his FIELD OF LIGHT series...

Soooooo I am totally in awe of him and his incredibly whimsical body of work!

Please click on his name to view his website because it is worth checking out his whole portfolio.

This what he has to say on the concept of the field of lights...

"It was originally conceived fifteen years ago during a trip through central Australia. The red desert had an incredible feeling of energy; ideas seemed to radiate from it along with the heat. The field of light installation was one idea that landed in my sketch book and kept on nagging at me... it just had to be done.  By placing an alien installation in the midst of nature, the enormous contrast created allows one to literally see the wood from the trees.  Under the shadow of an ancient hill in southwest England, in a field of clover bisected by a public footpath, the field of light shimmered through seasons and presented a myriad of opportunities for passersby to catch glimpses of natures guises."

Here are some more pics from his different field of light installations:

EDEN PROJECT

HOLBURNE MUSEUM

LONG KNOLL

 HARVEY NICOLS

If I had the means to do something like this, on this big of a scale, I totally would.

Large scale light installations are just so incredibly fascinating to me!

Unfortunately they require a great deal of 

money 

and 

know-how...

both of which I don't currently have.

DISNEY REMIXES by POGO

I came across these Disney-based remixes and 

I couldn't resist posting about them...

They are made using only sound clips from the movie.  

I can't believe how well-done they are!

Read more about POGO a.k.a Nick Bertke below.

See more here.

Just plain special.

Colourful CHICKS!

I don't know when or where I came across this picture...

but it puzzles me...

I'm not sure whether to smile or question how they got 

these chicks to be these bright colours....

Manic Panic? (haha) 

Food Colouring?

Either way I hope that these cute little things didn't 

go through any harm in their transformation,

Because it really would be quite the sight 

to see these gems running around like this!

Crazy Water Fountain in Japan

cows & cows & cows

I couldn't resist.

Creative Advertising.

Gas X.  Relieves embarrassment.

Saatchi & Saatchi, Toronto, Canada

adsoftheworld.

My Little PONY.

Horses are BEAUTIFUL.  Period.

Electric Pony

Colourful Ponies

Sayaka Ganz Reclaimed Objects Sculpture Ponies

David Crawford Bronze Sculpture Pony

It's a POLKA DOT world.

Polka Dot Room

Another Polka Dot Room

Missoni Showroom

By Artist: Yayoi Kasuma

Heidelberg Project  Photo Taken by John Cruz

Ascension of polkadots on the trees by yayoi-kusama

JACK-O-LANTERNS.

Jack O Lantern

I loooooooooooooove Halloween.

I always have.

Almost as much as Christmas.

I don't think I'll ever grow out of it.

JACK-O-LANTERNS

I wonder who thought "Hey, lets carve a face into a vegetable and then light it up!"? 

But to whoever did, you are pretty cool.

I have very fond memories of carving pumpkins as a child.

Put a whole punch of them together and it looks pretty incredible.

It kind of reminds me of the catacombs I saw in Rome.

But instead of human skulls, they are pumpkins.

DAY OF THE DEAD (Día de los Muertos)

Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de los Muertos) is a holiday celebrated by many in Mexico and by some Mexican Americans living in the United States and Canada. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. The celebration occurs on November 2 in connection with the Catholic holidays of All Saints' Day (November 1) and All Souls' Day (November 2). Traditions connected with the holiday include building private altars honoring the deceased using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed and visiting graves with these as gifts. Due to occurring shortly after Halloween, the Day of the Dead is sometimes thought to be a similar holiday, although the two actually have little in common. The Day of the Dead is a time of celebration, where partying and eating is common.

-Wikipedia

Catrina

For Halloween this year I am being a 

Day of the Dead Skeleton or a "Calavera Catrina"

La Calavera Catrina ('The Elegant Skull') is a 1913 zinc etching by Mexican printmaker José Guadalupe Posada. The image has since become a staple of Mexican imagery, and often is incorporated into artistic manifestations of the Day of the Dead in November, such as altars and calavera costumes. The etching was part of his series of calaveras, which were humorous images of contemporary figures depicted as skeletons, which often were accompanied by a poem. The word catrina is the feminine form of the word catrín, which means "elegant". The figure, depicted in an ornate hat fashionable at the time, is intended to show that the rich and fashionable, despite their pretensions to importance, are just as susceptible to death as anyone else.

-Wikipedia

See more at Big Picture

Day of the Dead is an interesting tradition that honours dead loved ones by making alters for them often containing  favorite foods and beverages as well as photos and memorabilia of the departed.  The idea is to encourage visits from their souls so that they may directly hear their families'/friends' prayer to them.  The tone of the day is that of celebration not mourning and people often visit and decorate grave sights as well.  

The specifics of how to celebrate Day of the Dead differ from place to place in Mexico but the idea is the same and that is to celebrate the lives of those who have been loved and lost.

Sugar Skulls

Grave sight Alters

Dia De Los Muertos at Hollywood Forever Cemetery

Photos by Becket Logan

All the different elements of the Day of the Dead celebrations; the sugar skulls, the marigolds, the skeletons, the bright colours...

All if this together makes for a surprisingly stunning aesthetic!

Its a beautiful combination of whimsy and CREEPY.... but in a good way...

a really good way :)