Saturday, December 22, 2012

Roy Liechtenstein



Knowing I sell trash, a couple of weeks ago my neighbour Freek came by to bring me these three Roy Liechtenstein poster prints stuck on heavy boards that he had just picked up minutes before. Thought they’d be perfect to try to sell on Marktplaats, my local auction site. It took a little while, then I had two reactions on one day! Closed the deal with the bidder who could come quickest and seemed the most excited about the pictures. She needed them as a present the very next day.

It’s funny you never know who will show up at your door, but at least you’d expect that they come prepared for transporting their purchase. Not this young girl. She had to carry the heavy things in her arms and travel by bus and train with them! As she was a sweet thing I felt a bit guilty after seeing her walking off struggling so I emailed her later on to ask if she had come home safe. Which she did luckily, and I guess she didn’t expect to hear from me, but she did appreciate that very much.

Got the idea because a few weeks before that I sold this one meter high poster frame to an absolute darling of a young lady who came on an old bicycle with a damaged pedal! I was really worried how she was going to pull off riding while holding the thing in one hand, but she assured me she’d be all right. Though the trip wasn’t too long I was very glad half an hour later she texted me all was well. How sweet! She needed to frame a large piece of art from her best friend and was overjoyed to have found something at a fair price.

I love selling trash. It’s more than making a bit of money or even rescuing goods. I make people happy!

Thursday, September 06, 2012

An Old Little Basket

Five years ago I wrote about Miene the stray cat. Despite the complaints she remained in my neighbour Harry’s backyard. Maybe they cleaned up a bit and built better shelters. In any case things seemed to be okay and Miene happy. Until earlier this year Freek (her feeder) called me and told me Harry wanted to get rid of Miene. So could he move her to my yard? I said okay provided my cat Cézar accepts her. But I had good hopes for that since though he kicks out every other cat, he has always liked Miene.

The move went well and she got quickly used to her new place. What’s more I think she has it better than ever before. I feed her extra bits in the morning and afternoon and come out to cuddle her as often as I can and she loves it. She purrs a lot, talks to me sometimes and I can even lift her up a bit which is all quite amazing for a wild born.

Also she has now started to follow me around a bit in the garden and to the path in the back. Freek still feeds her at night but for me she belongs to me now. Cézar isn’t bothered and watches over her from the roof of the shed.

But what a long story to come to my curb find. And it’s just a simple cheap basket that I’ve had for years. At first it was good as new and I used it as a decorative container until I found one cat curled up in it. That’s what it had been used for until the ones that fit in lost interest or weren’t with us anymore. For the past two years or so it served as my outdoor wash peg basket.

Just until two days ago by accident I left it on top of Miene’s shelter…

and of course… First she was sitting on top of the clothes pegs, well I had to go look for another container fast!

Friday, August 24, 2012

The Exact Same Picture Frame

So last week I ‘sacrificed’ my glassless picture frame to pimp that slightly worn cow parade print. Lucky me I saved the original backboard and passe-partout…

Because, what do you know, three days later I find the exact same IKEA frame, only this time without the board and passe-partout but WITH the glass.

And voilà, easy fix and another complete product to sell!

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Cow Parade

One of the advantages of mass production – I have to admit – is the standardization of sizes and interchangeability of parts.

Here’s a printed picture I picked up a couple of days ago. I don’t think it ever was framed because it’s stuck on a thick board that has a hang-up eye of its own at the back of it. And therefore the edges and corners are a bit worn so it will still sell at the flea market, but not for a lot.

So I dug up this old frame that I’ve had for years but seemed useless because the glass is missing. I removed its original board and the passe-partout and…

miraculously my picture exactly fits in and now I can ask a decent price for it!

By the way if you’re interested, Cow Parade sells painted statues of cows to raise money for a good cause. Some of them are really cute.

Sunday, August 05, 2012

False Hair Extensions

As I was looking for a way to display my hair accessories I dug up an old find: a thick bundle of cheap kinky false hair that the Surinam ladies in my country use for weave-ins.

It came to me in a loose braid that I redid more tightly tying it around the neck of my dress dummy.

Then turning it to the back did some experimenting yesterday.

But I wasn’t too happy with the all black background and the bottom plume where I clip the barrettes over a few strands of hair hung too low. Apart from the fact that the light in this part of my garden wasn’t cooperating.

I wanted to profit of the contrast of the white décolleté so today I tucked the top of the braid underneath the right shoulder of the jumper then swung it to the front on the other side.

Focusing on the left side of the doll, excluding her neck it just looks like she actually has a head with hair.

If you like my creations take a look at my hair accessories shop section here.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Two Ikea Wire Chairs

That famous slim design fold-up chair from the eighties, two of them right at the collection point in front of my door! And I just loved the colour. Kept them for a while with the idea of gifting them to someone at some point. But nobody needed them. As my friend Tracy found herself a furnished studio I would have to keep them for years to come before she gets an apartment of her own.

So I dragged them to the flea markets a couple of times, but without success. Then finally listed them on an auction site and sold them within two weeks to a hip young lady who found them just super cute.

Monday, July 16, 2012

Knitting Again

I’m so happy I picked up knitting again and it feels good. I missed it, but I know I have to avoid purling because that’s what probably gave me the pain that forced me to stop and switch to crochet years ago.

But with these little bow projects there’s no need.

Also a complete bag in T-shirt yarn works up beautifully all knit.

A new stimulus to attack that enormous stash of knitwear still to unravel and T-shirts to cut up that I dragged home from the trash! Here are the red acrylic I used for my bows and some freshly cut tarn.

Now I’m so pleased because yesterday I sold my first knit bow through my Etsy shop

and on top the lady also ordered a pair of my re-assembled earrings! First sale in months so I decided to celebrate with a coupon code for my recycling minded blog readers. Just type in LOOKWHATIFOUND and you’ll get 10% off automatically.

Monday, June 25, 2012

My Antique Stereo

Real Music lovers my laugh good and hard at my old Akai tower. But hey, I got it for free and it serves my needs. Ten years ago when I picked it up it just came in time to replace my even older system that still consisted of all the separate components and that had all except the loudspeakers broken down.

Okay the cd player of this one doesn’t work either and I’m not too sure about the tape deck. But hooked up to my still fantastic IMF speakers and my computer I can play cd’s and have great sound on anything else I listen or watch online.

The radio tuner works fine as well and look at my latest addition on top! A turntable? Yes indeed, just found it in the trash a couple of days ago and I’m so happy now occasionally I can play an old record again. And by the way haven’t you heard the LP is coming back? Some people just don’t like the sterile digital sound and I’ve even heard of a famous orchestra recently releasing a recording on vinyl.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

My Guest Cats

Recurring readers may remember this old doll’s pram that served as a sleeping basket for Pepe. He lost interest in it after a while, then my poor late Oskar had it but finally it ended up outside by my yard door under the balcony. Just in case somebody had missed curfew and needed a warm place until the morning, but I don’t think it was ever necessary.

Now having my friend over with three cats locked up in the tiny spare room (to keep my cat happy) I was glad I kept it and dug it up hoping one of them would like it. And… success! Here are miss Polly and her mommy Fancy in front.

Fancy taking her chance…

and Polly all snuggled up. It’s a favourite!

Only the boy Funny Face prefers to crawl under the blanket. By the way all these including air bed come from the trash. Cover sheet handed down from another friend. All in all not a footprint made to provide my friend and her darlings with comfort.

I know any cardboard box will do for cats, but what else do you do to create pet beds without buying acrylic plush baskets from the pet shop?

Friday, May 04, 2012

A Fold-Up Table For Photography

Oh my, I haven’t posted in almost a year. Though I tried to keep it up after June I simply lost inspiration. Let’s explain a bit. First, 2011 has not been a great year for me. The positive result is I reconnected with a good old friend and got closer with another.

Second, we have not shopped on the curbs since last summer because really I don’t need any more stuff in my house. I’m done furnishing and I have a stock of yarn and craft materials for years to come. In fact I had boxes full of things I would never need that I stored to give away, but had not yet found a destination for.

So me and my friends mentioned above teamed up and started selling at flea markets and car boot sales. We have a lot of fun doing that and I can use the little bit of extra cash. And I’m so glad now I’m already rid of piles of books, clothes, bowls, dishes, picture frames, toys, table cloths, shoes, bags, sunglasses and more. Because two days ago another old friend came over from the USA to resettle in Amsterdam and has to live with me for a while.

Still occasionally I pick up things when they are right in front of my own door. There were some nice bowls and shoes that I can’t show because I sold them already.

Last month I found this old and weather-beaten fold-up table that I just needed for making photographs of my work. I just love that shabbiness and my background cloth hides that anyway.

As I can easily carry it to my window I have maximum profit of daylight coming in. When done I can fold it back up and put it out of the way. And the best thing about that is the surface won’t collect mess, so I’ll always have it ready for use!

So photographing my new little bag zipper hangers they came out pretty good.

But currently the table moved upstairs to the BF’s apartment so my guest has her own little private side table there.

Now I can’t wait until she finds her own apartment. Not to be rid of her but to start furnishing it. I still have a lot ready to get her started. And what fun to start scouring again to get her more. In the meantime I hope to get through all the stuff I haven’t showed here yet.

I'm all inspired again and I promise to be back soon.