The Interior DIYer
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The streets this week

This past week I spent a lot of time out and about in Dublin. I wish I owned one of those pedometer things because we walked some serious mileage. As it happens, this week was also heavy on the graffiti factor. No complaints here. 

We checked out the All City Jam graffiti gig held in the Tivoli car park, and it was chalk full of inspiration. In hindsight, hubby and I probably should have showed up a bit later in the day as a lot of the graffiti were works-in-progress while we were there. There were some amaze-balls stuff nonetheless … 

The pictures do zero justice. I think I’ll have to creep down to the Tivoli car park later this week to see the finished work as there were some serious pieces being made. 

A stroll through the park with some aftermath of this years cherry blossoms here in Dublin. I also fed some tiny swan babies and may have talked to them for 20 minutes about how cute they were like a crazy lady. Just couldn’t help myself.

Last and in no way least, I lunched at The Little Green where I ate along side the work of their featured artist this week, Bon …

I saw all 4’6″ of this, and had to have it. And I did. More to come on that tasty number once I get my hands on it this week. I’m not sure where it’ll go just yet, but I’ll enjoy giving it a tour of our place I’m sure. Cannot. Wait.

I hope you guys had a good weekend! I think we had our summer yesterday here in Dublin, as today is back to cold and miserable weather. I got to finally crack out the flip flops so I was a happy girl. xx A
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Industry

Today was spent out and about in search of inspiration. First stop – Industry. I should hang my head in shame as this was the first time I had been. After an eerie amount of conversations this week relating back to Industry, I thought there was no better time than the present. So I went, and I proceeded to touch almost everything in the shop. I was very good and refrained from touching the staff and other customers. 

Porcelain remakes of tin cans and milk cartons add a pristine level of quirk to any kitchen. I especially adore the milk carton in glass, and I couldn’t resist so one came home with me. I actually pinned it ages ago, and now I have it. It reminded me so much of primary school in Canada – my parents would give me a juice box with my lunch every day, but sometimes I’d live on the edge and buy a carton of chocolate milk. Rebel.
Bold over-sized letters? Yes please. I’ve wanted a huge ‘C’ for our apartment for ages as it’s the initial of my maiden name, as well as my new married name. The over-sized ‘B’ will be sneaking into the next issue of House and Home as the lovely couple whose home I styled have one of their own. Very cool.

Some solid Irish graffiti representation through Lauren and Rua’s new book, InsideOut; Street/Art in Ireland. I have their first book so far, and it’s about time I invest in their second. Speaking of graffiti, should you be in Dublin this Saturday, the All City Jam at the Tivoli car park from 10am – 6pm is where I’ll be, creeping on some of my favourite Irish graffiti artists, taking an excessive amount of photos and generally looking very out of place. I’ll blog about it, no doubt.
I found so many swoon worthy pieces in Industry – gold detailed washi tape, rugged tea light holders, black twine, keyboard notepads, old and new and the perfect range of quirky pieces. All of which I want. I actually meant to pick up some of their washi tape, so it’s just the perfect excuse to go back really.  

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A Visual Feast – Irish Street Art

New to my coffee table is this feast for my corneas staring some of Ireland’s finest street art. Compiled and documented by Rua Meegan and Lauren Teeling, A Visual Feast is a meal for my graffiti hungry eyes. 

I’ve been snapping pictures of graffiti for many years. I’m on the ‘for’ side of graffiti. Well, I should say, I’m for non-shitty graffiti. Ireland is a grey sheet of depressing grey clouds and equally grey buildings {except when the sun occasionally appears}, so the more colour on our derelict streets, the better. I think.
A couple of months ago when I saw this book of Irish Street Art on the shelves, I was very excited. Because at that moment I knew I wasn’t the only one stopping dead in my tracks and, where necessary, stepping onto the middle of the road to get a decent snap.
I’ve seen a healthy portion of the graffiti in Rua and Lauren’s book in real life, but nothing outside of Dublin unfortunately. This is a great alternative and just my kind of coffee table candy. Props to Rua and Lauren. I’ve included below a couple pieces I’ve appreciated and snapped myself that also appear in A Visual Feast. 

Canvas and Xπr, Abbey Street Middle or Lower, Dublin 1 {2008}. ESPO, Tivoli car park, Dublin 8 {2012}.

Littleman lips, walkway near the Ha’penny Bridge, Dublin 2 {2010}.

Unknown artist, Lincoln Inn construction boarding, Dublin 2 {2008}.

I Love Lamp sticker, side of a dumpster, Great Strand Street, Dublin 1 {2009}, R2D2 by Fink, South Circular Road, Dublin 8 {2009}.

Maser, Lower Abbey Street, Dublin 1 {2009}.

Do any of you out there share the same enthusiasm about graffiti as I do? Or do you think I’m off my tree, and you despise it?