Every dog has their day

Every dog has their day, and today is that day.

National Dog Day.

On the 29th of June.

So pat a pup, say hello and enjoy our sweet canine citizens and friends.

They are the great bringers of JOY.

Remember to celebrate JOYDAY on the 25th November every year.

This is my Mandy (the name came with her). I adopted her 3 years ago when she was already 6 years old. She is a darling girl, although not too bright, she has a capacity for love that is limitless.

Issue No.19: The Melbourne Issue

Take a look inside as there may be an idea or place that will inspire you to visit Melbourne.

Iconic Naff

Every nation has its naff object d’arts.  Those little pieces of art and craft that attempt to generate a sense of the uniqueness of the country, culture, society. 
They are often truly awful aesthetically, but for some strange reason,
they also often speak to a tiny corner within the viewer in a sentimental way.
How can one resist a plaster kangaroo, or a hand painted ceramic kookaburra salt-shaker.
 And what home is complete without a Namatjira parody ashtray or sweets bowl. 
This selection of iconic objects was found at the Junk Company on Elizabeth Street in Melbourne (close to the Queen Victoria Markets).
There are some truly endearing, surprising ‘naff’ stuff that should populate your living space and bring a smile to your dial.

I haven't much time to be fond of anything...

My bark angel Alex, rose patterned plastic tablecloth covers, and Victorian lithographs are three things that bring me Joy. 

Remember to celebrate the things that bring you joy, no matter how small on JoyDay, the 25th November every year.
“I haven't much time to be fond of anything ... but when I have  a moment's fondness to bestow, most times ... the roses get it. 

Wilkie Collins, The Moonstone http://www.goodreads.com/

Pretty Things

Pretty things, so what if I like pretty things.
Pretty lies, so what if I like pretty lies.
From where you are, to where I am now.
I need these pretty things, around the planets of our phase.
Everything's a sign of my astrology.
From where you are, to where I am now.
Is its own galaxy.
Be a star and fall down somewhere next to me.
And make it past your colour TV.
This time will pass and with it will me.
And all these pretty things.
Don't say you don't notice them.

Pretty things. Don’t tell me you don’t notice them.

These pretty things were found at Ici et La.

255 Riley St, Surry Hills NSW 2010

Phone:(02) 9281 6089

Hours: Monday:10am–5pm, Tuesday:10am–5pm, Wednesday:10am–5pm, Thursday:         10am–5pm, Friday:10am–5pm, Saturday:10am–5pm,Sunday: Closed.

Wallism_Serendipity

Walking home can sometimes be a drag.  Sometimes it throws wonderful things in front us.

Pure ‘corner of the eye’ stuff.

This example of Wallism is to be found at the intersection of Cleveland and Regent Streets, Redfern / Chippendale.

It wont be there for long as it is but a happy accident of actions and reactions.

Just love finding something I was not looking for.

The subversion of everyday objects

Artist Brad Downey’s unauthorised artworks in public spaces often explore the relationships between ideas, and objects against their context.

He does this by subverting everyday objects like pavement tiles, brooms, road signs and bicycles in a surreal manner, making for some very visually arresting scenes.

Unfortunately for Brad he also has had “run-ins with police while working in cities ranging from London to Amsterdam”, 

as his art and “guerilla marketing projects” straddle the border between art and vandalism.

Check out Brad’s other installations on Pinterest as they are delightful and challenging.

Brad shifted a little.

An anthropological exercise_Queen Victoria Markets

Markets are a reflection of a city’s life and habits.
Each market or ‘agora’ or ‘mercato centrali’ or ‘souk’ reveals to the first time visitor what the populous of the area
eats, drinks, and wears or fancies a bit of nonsense.
The last surviving 19^th century market within the CBD of Melbourne, the ‘Queen Victoria Market is one such place. 

Melbourne is a place of fare delights.  And ground zero for all of this food ‘gleeness’ is the Lower Market (Deli Hall, Meat & Fish Hall and H & I Sheds).
It was originally set aside in 1857 for a fruit and vegetable market due to over-crowding and congestion at the Eastern Market.

Bread is the measure of a culture and in the Deli Hall every culture is represented well.
Stacks of middle-eastern flat breads. Bundles of crisp baked Italian pane in all its guises are dispensed with speed through ‘old school’ large steel shop windows.
In other windows the eatable delights such as vegetable antipasti gleamed like colourful gems.
All colour and movement. All hassle and bussell.
There is a camaraderie in this space where everyone shares the same secret pleasure…good food.

There is another rich palette present in this hall that feeds the soul of the designer and the lover of visual delights. 
The paintings found on the windows above the store fronts are naive and charming.
Don’t know the history of them, but gee their are an integral part of it market’s atmosphere.
And how about the  broad range of typographic treatments. ..Script, sans serif, mono-stroke, geometric, all in gold.
Love it all! Melbourne rocks.

Location

65-159 Victoria Street
Melbourne VIC 3000

Opening hours

Tue: 6am – 2pm

Thu: 6am – 2pm

Fri: 6am – 5pm

Sat: 6am – 3pm

Sun: 9am – 4pm

* Closed on Good Friday, Anzac Day, Melbourne Cup Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

Luxury Scraps

Using scraps leftover thread from her family’s carpet factory in Buenos Aires, artist Alexandra Kehayoglou embarks on a laborious hand-tufting process
to fabricate wool carpets and rugs that mimic natural textures like moss, water, trees, and pastures.

The carpets balance form and function and can powerfully transform an entire room into a lush meadow dotted with pools of water and tufts of grass.
Many of her works even function as part tapestry and flow from walls to floor, or work as covers for chairs or stools.

One-of-Kind Wool Rug Artworks by Alexandra Kehayoglou Mimic Rolling Pastures and Mossy Textures by Christopher Jobson on February 4, 2016

You can find more of Kehayoglou’s carpet creations on Instagram, Artsy, and on her website. (via Faith is Torment)

A Wallism that speaks a volume

While walking through Redfern, an inner city area of Sydney, shiftazine found this 'Wallism'.
It is a beautiful poster that sits on a very old green painted wall of a very old building in the heart of Redfern.
The sentiment of the poster struke shiftazine as an important one.
How does one define a nationality in this modern world?
Is it one of genealogy?
Is it one of history?
Or is it one of an attitude?
Here is some information found on Wikipedia about the contribution and association Afghanistan has with Australia.

Is it one The "Afghans" or "Ghans" were camel caravaners who worked in Outback Australia from the 1860s to the 1930s.
They included Pathan, Punjabi, Baluchi and Sindhi men from the region between the southern Hindu Kush in Afghanistan and the Indus River in what is now Pakistan, as well as others from Kashmir, Rajasthan, Egypt, Persia and Turkey.
Besides providing vital support to exploration and settlement of the arid interior of the country, these cameleers played a major role in establishing Islam in Australia, building the country's first mosque at Marree in South Australia.
Even though the Afghans' help was greatly appreciated they were also subject to discrimination because of their religion and appearance.