Happy JoyDay!

Well its JoyDay and hopefully you are all celebrating the thing or one of the many things that bring you JOY. 
The 25th November is a powerful day, and big things happen on it.  
I adopted my dear heart Jack on the 25th November 2000.  
My darling Maggie went to heaven on the 25th November 2010.

And now I heard that there is an international 'Prevent violence against Women' day on the 25th November. 
Celebrate JOY.  
Embrace it and became conscious of it.  It is sometimes fleeting but it always has a powerful effect.

Greece Colours: No.1 The Layered

Shiftazine recently ran a short series of spreads looking at the diverse colour palette of Berlin. 
Now shiftazine turns its eyes to Greece and the colours of this archipelago (a Greek word which was the original name for the Aegean Sea). 

This wall is like a snap shot of the Greek psyche with the layering of imagery that in someway resonates with the past, present and maybe future of this land of continuity.
 From the sepia tones of photographs of ancestors to the spray can colours of the now ubiquitous graffiti, a unique palette is created.  

Street Style

The street chairs of the Fern are endless and multifarious in their styles.  

Why would one need to go to a major furniture retailer or some groovy recycled funky store, when all you have to be is aware of the street shopping opportunities. 

The tempo is the suitcase.

A witty and charming idea (very shiftazine actually) that must been swirling in the ether above Australia, 
and was grabbed onto by some abundantly inventive audio designers.  
They take an old suitcase, like the one that is always stuffed full of things one has forgotten about, empty it out and 
then fill it with wires and speakers and all that other stuff that allows one to have music, of the type that is a rich, full sound that curls your toes with delight.  

Never look at an old suitcase the same way again.

If you want one of these groovy speaker suitcases email MELBOURNE VINTAGE AUDIO at melbournevintageaudiocase@gmail.com

The title of this article was adapted from ‘You, everything, too’ by Daniel Barenboim

A suitcase full of Joy_JoyDay

Stop! Don't throw that old suitcase out!  Think about how you could shift its reason for being.  
Say for example...who would have thought to make a suitcase into a tiny pond upon which one could sail tiny metal and plastic boats that are powered by burning tiny twigs. How wonderful lateral imagination is! 

JoyDay is rapidly approaching, only a few weeks away.  
Remember to celebrate the thing or one of the things that brings you joy on the 25th November.

A scope for creativity: The humble plastic colander

The humble plastic colander was the heart and soul of a Sydney Festival popup installation. 
Inventing a fantastic visual vehicle for a temporary Japanese eatery at Sydney’s Carriage Works was no strain for 
Andrew Birley with the use of bright green plastic colanders found in Sydney’s Chinatown.

This is simple kitchen aid worked effectively as a suspended installation setting the tone of the eatery as well as 
sitting comfortably within table settings functioning as a table accessory.

Murals: No middle man

You need courage and imagination when you engage in producing a mural. 

Murals often trigger a strong response from the viewer and they often inspire many to think about creating one at home.  
(Few manage to realise this idea.)

mural : noun_a painting or other work of art executed directly on a wall.    

adjective [ attrib. ]_of, like, or relating to a wall : a mural escarpment.

ORIGIN late Middle English : from French, fromLatin muralis, from murus ‘wall.’ The adjective was first used in mural crown ; later (mid 16th cent.) the sense [placed or executed on a wall] arose, reflected in the current noun use (dating from the early 20th cent.).

Shiftazine Issue No.7: 2 weeks in Berlin

GarageSaleTrail_This Saturday, the 26th October!

In the past 3 years, GarageSaleTrail has redistributed one million items from potential landfill, helped raise $3 million in local fundraising, and 
helped 800,000 people to meet their neighbours in Australia.

The following copy is from the official GarageSaleTrail site.  
Thought you might like to read it here but there is a heap of additional information on the site. 
Just remember, its all about sustainability, community, making a little money, and recycling.  
Go and have some fun. 

Whether you’re looking for some retro bargains, want to de-clutter, or just to get to know the neighbours, Garage Sale Trail is for you.
Garage Sale Trail organises communities around Australia to hold Garage Sales on the same day, this year Saturday October 26th.

We’re into sustainability, by redistributing great stuff and saving it from landfill.
We’re into community, by making a great occasion for you to connect with people in your neighbourhood.
We’re into you making some money from stuff you would otherwise have thrown away, for you or your favourite charity.

You can't buy Joy...or maybe you can

I love gelato...not ice cream but gelato.  
Now some may say its the same thing, but its not because every time I think 'gelato', 
I think of Italy and all the glorious days and nights I have spent there.  
Gelato makes me feel I am closer to the Amalfi, or to Rome or to a great little town called Peschici in Gargano 
where I had a green apple gelato that simply can not replicated.  
Do something that brings you JOY on the 25th of November. 

Retro on Regent in Redfern

Walking down this strip of Regent Street between Redfern and Ragland Streets, 
is like jumping into a big delicious assorted chocolate box full of the best surprises. 
This collection of wonderful ceramics and glassware is a great example of what awaits you.  
And after all that shopping, a drink at Arcadia Liquors will finish the outing perfectly.

PAIR OF CHAIRS: Classical, vintage, industrial. 
Reborn iconic furniture from the 50s to the present intended as one-off works of living art. Specialists in vintage, retro and industrial. 
80 Regent St, Redfern_0416 016 151

CHEE SOON & FITZGERALD: International and Australian designed home furnishings. 
Acclaimed designer homewares, expert interior advice in home furnishings, wallpapers and over a hundred exquisite fabric samples from greats such as Marimekko and Jim Thompson.
173 Regent Street, Redfern

FINISHING TOUCH RESTORATION: Retro & vintage restored furniture. 
Regent Street's first mid-20th century design specialist, 
Alan Graham's experience in restoration brings out the best in collectable pieces. 
All hand done, his work is complimented by wife Linda's knowledge of all things retro. 158 Regent St, Redfern_9699 9972