Changes are coming to the Pretty. Useful. Stuff. world. Can't wait to share them with you! We are on a slight hiatus but will return before the end of the year with new products, funky shops for you to check out and all the pretty and useful stuff you can handle. Contact Emily at Emilyontheave@yahoo.com , Prettyusefulstuff@yahoo.com or on Twitter: www.Twitter.com/EmilyontheAve
See you soon! XOXOXO
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
Art-Full Life Friday: Upcycling
I love upcycling. I think it is brilliant to take something used and turn it into something art-full and beautiful. Here are some of my favorite Upcycled items from across the web:
Vespa turned Rocking Toy as seen on ohdeedoh
Man's Shirt Upcycled into a Dress as seen on Craft Gossip
Upcycled Furniture Set as seen on Adaptive ReUse
Vintage Lace Top Turned into a Necklace. Tutorial on Instructables
I have had this photo for a while. I don't know where it came from but I love it. If this is your upcyled design let me know!
Tires turned Belt seen on Sexy Upcycling
And finally.....
Circuit Board Boxers (!) as seen on Inhabitat
Follow me on Twitter: www.Twitter.com/EmilyontheAve
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
National-Barbie-in-a-Blender Day: Celebrating Free Speech and Fair Use
In 1999 a lawsuit was filed by Barbie manufacturer Mattel Corp against artist Tom Forsythe over his photograph of a Barbie in a Blender (as a comment on crass consumerism says the artist). Five years later on July 27, 2004 Mattel lost the suit and had to reimburse Forsythe $1.8 million in legal costs because the judge in the case ruled that it ran counter to the first amendment. In celebration of free speech and fair use, FreeCulture.org created National Barbie-in-a-Blender Day.
Photo courtesy of Ellisly
Here are some more artists following in Forsythe's footsteps and featuring Barbie in their eclectic artwork.
Barbie and Ken as American Gothic painting by Brad Goodell / Spring Creek Arts
Above is art created by Margaux Lange in high school (with artist's favorite - Carrot Barbie) seen on Midge's Mind. Below is some of Lange's more recent Barbie work-Body Part Jewelry.
Since body parts have to come from somewhere....
Wilde Moon's collection of Barbie Murders prints absolutely delights me.
If anyone wants to buy me a present, please make it this! I am in looove with artwerx by Tracy Webster's Altered Barbie Birdcage sculpture.
"I want to be Barbie - that bitch has everything."
You Can Have It All pendant by G Jarvis Jewelry, Etc.
And finally....
"Ride 'em Cowgirl" original Barbie art by artist LaVonne Sallee. Photo by Paul Chinn / The Chronicle as part of an annual Altered Barbie Art Show.
Follow me on Twitter: www.Twitter.com/EmilyontheAve
Labels:
Altered Art,
Art,
Art Doll,
Barbie,
Barbie-In-A-Blender,
Blog,
Doll,
Jewelry,
Mixed Media,
National Barbie in a Blender Day,
Photography,
Pretty.Useful.Stuff.,
Sculpture,
Tom Forsythe
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Mice on the Loose!
I am truly honored to have been a part of Truly Nolen's social media project on July 24, 2010- the Mousecar Parade.
We started the day driving down AIA in our Mousecars with our incredible drivers (including my driver Raphael who was not only a genius on insects but sang M.C. Hammer's You Can't Touch This) and headed to the Fort Lauderdale Museum of Discovery and Science. There I got to live out my lifelong dream of holding a tarantula. It was a fantastic experience!
Next we drove to Pizza Fusion for tasty organic pizza. Their organic Mediterranean pizza with Kalamata olives was to die for. I highly recommend it!
Next stop - Butterfly World in Coconut Creek. If you have never been to Butterfly World, take my advice - it is totally worth the entry cost to experience it at least once. It is like being in The Secret Garden or a fantasy world. I have expected a fairy to fly by.
You can sometimes touch the butterflies and occasionally they will land on you, but hundreds of them fly around you - some the size of little birds. BW's Barry the Bug Guy gave us an entomology lesson as well and I got to hold a hissing cockroach and a giant African millipede. My mom (who breeds exotic pets) would be so proud!
Back to our cars to cruise on home, all of us squeaking (sorry had to) about our day. The public's reaction to the parade was priceless - they were taking photos, tweeting about seeing the mousecars drive by and the media responded to talking about the event as well. All in all it was an extremely successful campaign for Truly Nolen and their PR team at Tilson PR in Boca. Congrats to all and thank you for such an incredible, unforgettable time!
To see more of the Truly Nolen Mousecar Parade event images, visit: http://bit.ly/derQCn
Follow me on Twitter: www.Twitter.com/EmilyontheAve
We started the day driving down AIA in our Mousecars with our incredible drivers (including my driver Raphael who was not only a genius on insects but sang M.C. Hammer's You Can't Touch This) and headed to the Fort Lauderdale Museum of Discovery and Science. There I got to live out my lifelong dream of holding a tarantula. It was a fantastic experience!
Next we drove to Pizza Fusion for tasty organic pizza. Their organic Mediterranean pizza with Kalamata olives was to die for. I highly recommend it!
Next stop - Butterfly World in Coconut Creek. If you have never been to Butterfly World, take my advice - it is totally worth the entry cost to experience it at least once. It is like being in The Secret Garden or a fantasy world. I have expected a fairy to fly by.
You can sometimes touch the butterflies and occasionally they will land on you, but hundreds of them fly around you - some the size of little birds. BW's Barry the Bug Guy gave us an entomology lesson as well and I got to hold a hissing cockroach and a giant African millipede. My mom (who breeds exotic pets) would be so proud!
Back to our cars to cruise on home, all of us squeaking (sorry had to) about our day. The public's reaction to the parade was priceless - they were taking photos, tweeting about seeing the mousecars drive by and the media responded to talking about the event as well. All in all it was an extremely successful campaign for Truly Nolen and their PR team at Tilson PR in Boca. Congrats to all and thank you for such an incredible, unforgettable time!
To see more of the Truly Nolen Mousecar Parade event images, visit: http://bit.ly/derQCn
Follow me on Twitter: www.Twitter.com/EmilyontheAve
Labels:
Blog,
Bugs,
Butterfly,
Butterfly World,
Event,
Insects,
Mice,
Mouse,
MousecarParade,
Museum of Discovery and Science,
Pretty.Useful.Stuff.,
Social Media,
Truly Nolen,
Twitter
Friday, July 23, 2010
Art-Full Friday: Bug Beauty
Bugs are art-full without even trying. Today as part of my "Week of Pests", I take a look at all things buggy and beautiful. And don't forget, tomorrow you can follow our tweets as we participate in the Truly Nolen Mousecar Parade: @EmilyontheAve, @TrulyNolen, @FloridaFrecks, @ViceQueenMaria, @AmandaStewart and @Jarret23. Monday I will be posting a recap with pics of the event, but for now- on to the insects!
Dragonflies are my favorite bugs. I love how their wings look like intricate lace.
Photo courtesy of Dimiter Hristov.
This is an actual Katydid and not a photoshopped insect as I originally thought. Looks like Mother Nature created a bug just for me ;)
Photo seen on Veg Web.
Totally impressed at the patience this must have taken. This is an actual ant hill in Africa. What crafty bugs!
Photo courtesy of Trek Earth.
Speaking of artistic animals-this castle looking structure is actually a Termite Mound in Cape York, Australia.
Photo courtesy of Portland House.
I definitely could not talk about art-full bugs without mentioning spiders. Their webs fascinate me with their delicate strength and incredible designs.
Photo seen on PK Photography.
Again, nature at its best. Dewdrops on a spider web make for an all natural piece of art.
Photo courtesy of LeBell.
And finally...
This statue in Japan is made of hundreds of thousands of dead bugs.
Interesting and gross and beautiful all at the same time.
Photo seen on Zichi Art.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Bugging Out
As promised, with only two days left until the Truly Nolen Mousecar Parade (in case you are following #MousecarParade on Twitter), today's Etsy Thursday Treasury is all about pests.
Art Nouveau Print by Kiri Moth Designs.
Buggin My Soap Line (several insect types) Handmade by Hilary.
Steampunk Insect Ring by Edme Designs
Latex Art Zen Gown by Black Lickorish
Matching Mother/ Daughter Ants Apron by SunnieHills0729
The Ghost of That Bug You Smushed Magnet by Paper Fruit Hair
4 Bees Vinyl Wall Decal and Over Sized Ant Wall Decal by Wilson Graphics
And finally....
My favorite cockroach of all time, from Family Guy.
"Good, Good...."
Follow me on Twitter: www.Twitter.com/EmilyontheAve
Labels:
Ants,
Apron,
Art,
Bee,
Blog,
Bugs,
Clothing,
Cockroaches,
Dress,
Family Guy,
Insects,
Jewelry,
Magnets,
Pretty.Useful.Stuff.,
Ring,
Soap
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
The Mice Will Play
This week I got the very exciting news that I was chosen as one of 5 participants (+1 guest) to be a part of Truly Nolen's Mouse Car Parade!
If you live in South Florida and you see the parade this Saturday (July 24th) wave to us (and if you're on Twitter follow the event at #MousecarParade.
In honor of this event, I am dedicating the rest of my week's posts to pests - creepy, crawly, scurrying and yet somehow kinda cute pests. And since I get to ride around in a life size mouse this weekend - today is all about Mice.
If you live in South Florida and you see the parade this Saturday (July 24th) wave to us (and if you're on Twitter follow the event at #MousecarParade.
In honor of this event, I am dedicating the rest of my week's posts to pests - creepy, crawly, scurrying and yet somehow kinda cute pests. And since I get to ride around in a life size mouse this weekend - today is all about Mice.
See - mice can be cute...at least in "The Pest" Series Etchings by Achiozza.
The chicest mouse I have ever seen. The Cosmic Mouse Ring by RFXStudios on Etsy.
The House of Mouse makes absolutely irresistible felt mice. I am especially taken with Anakin Skywalker Mouse (above) and Hannibal Lecter Mouse (below).
Getting married?
Straight from the U.K., you can even have mice as your wedding cake topper:
However, if we're talking edible mice (who would ever think I would be saying that...), I think this cupcake by Martha Stewart (tutorial on Bunny Cakes) is perfect. Though almost too adorable to eat.
And finally...
Have Your Ever Seen Such A Sight In Your Life?
Three Blind Mice caught and mounted just for you by Craft Sleuth.
Follow me on Twitter: www.Twitter.com/EmilyontheAve
Labels:
Blog,
Cake Topper,
Craft,
Cupcakes,
Edible,
Etsy,
Felt,
Gifts,
Hand Crafted,
Handmade,
Jewelry,
Martha Stewart,
Mice,
Mouse,
MousecarParade,
Pests,
Pretty.Useful.Stuff.,
Print,
Ring,
Truly Nolen
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)