bus guss

fall finds

2011-10-01T17:10:00.000-05:00

Today's a gorgeous fall day so I ventured out for an early morning Flea Market hunt at the Fairgrounds. I scoured rows and rows of vendor's wares and left with some nice loot! I came across a table covered with Pyrex bowls and other kitchenware goodies and found this beautiful 70s casserole dish. I see a warm Minnesota hot dish in the near future!
When I spotted a box of arrows displayed on the edge of one vendor's table, I knew taking just one or two home wouldn't do. After attempting to haggle with the man, I surrendered to his firm price and hooked the whole box securely under my arm. I'm not quite sure what I'm going to do with them yet, but aren't they great all together? I'm thinking of displaying them in a tall glass jar to show off their bold colors or hang them somehow. I'd love to hear your display ideas!
My last purchase was this little red leather Coach bag. It's perfect for when I don't want to haul a ton of stuff around so I'm sure I'll get a lot of use out of it. Now Beans and I are going to head out for a hike in the woods and admire the changing fall colors. Happy flea hunting and enjoy this beautiful weekend!

sweet birthday gifts

2011-07-09T17:54:00.004-05:00

I just had to share these fantastic birthday treats! My incredibly talented friend, Liz, crafted a snazy patchwork pouch with a hand drawn dancing cupcake card. Jon sent me a gorgeous desk cady from Peg and Awl, and my darling mom discovered these amazing owl nesting dolls in a Massachusetts antique shop. Thank you to my friends and family for all the birthday love and thoughtful gifts!

grounded

2011-04-23T11:30:00.000-05:00

Domestic construction artists, Trish Andersen and Maureen Walsh, assemble hand cut paper shapes creating beautiful patterns that are then digitally printed on the mats. These fresh, colorfulfloor coverings would definitely cheer up my floors after a long winter. The mats also make cleaning up after spring's muddy paw prints a breeze!

(images: domestic construction)

fine art feature: TODD MCLELLAN

2011-04-07T22:00:00.002-05:00

Deconstructed mechanical objects are reexamined as intricate sums of parts in Todd McLellan's Disassembly project. By revealing the inner elements and precisely rearranging them, McLellan brings new life to forgotten objects. These mechanical graveyards illustrate how old technology is lost to new innovations while celebrating the beauty of each and every element. I'm amazed how so many tiny pieces some together to make one usable object function!

found via mme herve
(images: Todd McLellan)

blog updates

2011-03-12T23:49:00.001-06:00

My apologies for the lack of posts lately. I'm working on some updates to the site, making a few tweaks here and there. I plan to start posting on a weekly basis soon so please bear with me!

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the bus guss mood board I assembled for Holly Becker's blogging your way e-course. I had so much fun discovering inspirations and compiling objects! My board is a collection of memories, vintage tidbits, found paper, and art supplies that illustrate my passion for bold color and visual story telling.

hot socks!

2010-12-08T19:45:00.004-06:00

I want these so bad! How beautiful are these socks? I love the idea of the bold colors and playful patterns peeking out of my boots this winter. Solmate socks are knit from recycled cotton yarns and are available at Hickoree's Hard Goods.

supermarket sarah

2010-11-01T14:12:00.005-05:00

This shop is so inspiring! Sarah displays her wears as wall-mounted collections giving online merchandising a whole new meaning. Browse Supermarket Sarah's collaborative wall displays and click on delightful items to learn more!

paper love

2010-10-03T14:18:00.004-05:00

I am so excited about upon a fold, an online paper boutique. Justine, a graphic designer based in Sydney, Australia, turned her life long passion for paper into a beautiful and inspiring shop. Check out Justine's unique collection of paper artistry from around the world.

fun flea market finds

2010-09-06T19:50:00.003-05:00

Thought I'd share some bits from the Elko Flea Market today. Lots of great junk that I don't have room for but love to admire!

the vamoose

2010-08-05T23:30:00.006-05:00

Independent designer, Kathryn Blackmore, just opened a new online jewelry shop! Check out her new collection inspired by nature and take a peek at her blog where she posts inspirations and experiments. It's wonderful to see how her work constantly evolves!

the pyramids

2010-04-22T19:41:00.006-05:00

It's been so long since my last post, so this one is about a great trend I've had my eye on for a while. Pyramids, triangles, and facets are popping up everywhere! Inspired by native american prints, 80s hardware, and architecture.

vintage advertising postcard from PostsfromthePast
hand painted vintage bag by VivienCheng
pyramid ring by whitemetal
original painting and collage by lizzyjanssen
multicolor flag necklace by scoutholiday

Curiosities

2010-03-02T11:39:00.004-06:00

French artist, Maissa Toulet, collects random found objects and encases them in glass to create intriguing visual stories. These thematically organized collections deliver an exciting visual feast!

See more photos here.

be inspired

2010-03-02T11:22:00.006-06:00

A beautiful stop-motion video featuring A Fine Frenzy's Alison Sudol. (found via bleubird vintage)

a day at the m.i.a.

2010-02-24T16:47:00.006-06:00

Today I went to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts for the first time. I'm trying to pack in a bunch of gallery visits before I start my new job, so I thought I would start at the MIA where there is a great exhibit featuring Minnesota artists. Held once every 10 years, "Foot in the Door" is an open exhibition for all Minnesota artists. Works no larger than a 12 inch cube are crowded together, practically floor to ceiling, in three rooms.

In addition to this exhibit, I truly enjoyed the large, diverse collection the MIA offers. I spent most of my time browsing through the contemporary art galleries as well as the Native American textile collection. I also loved the Modernist Design galleries containing great examples of the American Arts and Crafts movement, Wierner Werkstatte, Bauhaus, and Art Deco. Since I studied the history of Industrial Design and Furniture Design, it's always fun to see these pieces in person.

Hope you enjoy some of my favorites! (Can you tell I love portraiture?)

Paris von Gütersloh, Egon Schielle, Austria, 1918

Bern with Belltower, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Germany, 1935

Frank, Chuck Close, U.S., 1969

The Birthday Party, John Singer Sargent, U.S. 1887

Moccasins, Montana, 1890

White Plumes, Henri Matisse, France, 1919

Egg Rocking Chair, artist unknown, Italy, 1922

how about some cake

2010-02-09T11:40:00.003-06:00

How great is this cake? Imagine cutting into it and finding these vivid colors. This definitely brightened my day while surrounded by a winter white world.
photo from Splitroads via Modish.

little hat obsession

2010-01-27T11:48:00.004-06:00

These vintage hats are great alternatives to the current over-sized hair accessories trend. (Also a good way to deal with a bad hair day.)

neutral velvet and satin, cartoncompany
velvety wrinkled hat, leasvintage
deco tiered hat, PranceAndSwagger

restless things

2010-01-22T13:48:00.003-06:00

I am so inspired by this Olivia Jeffries's artwork. The combination of old, delicate book pages, translucent inks, and geometric forms is so lovely.

I like how Olivia explains her work in her profile:

My creative process is continually influenced by my fascination for used paper; I enthuse about working on a surface that has already been given a sense of purpose in a previous incarnation. Letters, books or journals for example are detached from their original role and are combined with imagery drawn from unexpected perceptions of beauty.

See more of her work here.

floral clusters

2010-01-22T12:52:00.005-06:00

I'm really into glamorous vintage stud earrings right now. They remind me of my grandmother's clip-on earring collection I played with when I was little. These are my etsy picks.

frosted leaves, Jennifer Gerlach Jewelry
sea green clusters, Opalessence
weiss purple rhinestones, Jennifer Gerlach Jewelry
ribbons and green rhinestones, WaterLily's

dores vintage

2009-12-21T15:13:00.004-06:00

I came across this vintage apparel shop on etsy today and fell in love with the simple, classic outfits. Shop owner, Stephanie Renee, hunts and gathers clothes forming an androgynous aesthetic . Men's trousers, belted sweater vests, corduroy minis, and classic oxfords are great staples for a wardrobe.

handmade gift giving

2009-12-05T11:44:00.003-06:00

Support independent designers this holiday season and buy handmade gifts for everyone on your list. Some of my favorite handmade goodies on Etsy include statement jewelry pieces, cozy cowls, nature-inspired artwork, desk calendars, and playful puppets. Handmade gifts offer a unique and special touch that everyone will appreciate.

wood rings, somethingshidinginhere
pom-pom cowl, yarnovermovement
mossy wall art, elinart
perpetual calendar, orangebeautiful
arctic animal finger puppets, babyanimals

rifle paper co.

2009-11-23T21:53:00.004-06:00

Rifle Paper Co. just launched their online store! Rifle Paper is a boutique stationery studio featuring whimsical hand painted illustrations and lettering. Everything is gorgeous, but I'm especially fond of the Boston Terrier greeting cards!

BeanTownHandmade

2009-11-04T11:56:00.003-06:00

Today Beans received two gorgeous hand-knit sweaters from our favorite doggie apparel site, BeanTownHandmade. The designer, Anne, custom makes each sweater and also designs some pretty amazing dog hats! We just had to share how sleek and sophisticated Beans looks romping in the leaves.

beautiful inspiration: built by wendy

2009-10-22T23:21:00.012-05:00

I am such a Built by Wendy fan. Her fall looks are so classic and stunning. I love every single piece, I just can't get enough!

warm and cozy

2009-10-22T15:52:00.005-05:00

Looking forward to my big move to Minneapolis next week, I'm thinking a lot about ways to keep warm and cozy. Here are my top picks for the land of 10,000 (frozen) lakes.

sculptural handmade cloche from yellowfield7
colossal cables throw from anthropologie
vintage caramel cardigan from leasvintage
wicked good slippers from llbean

Frederique Morrel

2009-10-20T15:56:00.005-05:00

French designer Frédérique Morrel has created a line of products based upon vintage, recycled needlepoint. Since each piece uses recycled patches, each is completely unique, involving a painstaking search through archival needlepoint stocks. A wonderful modern twist using traditional craft. I am absolutely in love with the poufs!

bow tie obsession

2009-10-10T11:27:00.003-05:00

I've been thinking about starting a new collection. I love all the vintage bow ties on etsy with great patterns, colors, and shapes. Here are a few of my favorites.

hip bow tie from elizabethwrenvintage
1950s bow ties from rosemarysgardern
pointy black bow tie from putonthatdress
light pink clip on from pudding

black and white

2009-09-27T10:50:00.009-05:00

Beans, my Boston Terrier, has inspired me to find black and white items. This classic color combination is always a winner.

beans (not for sale!)
porcelain chain necklace by NiuTaller
vintage UK bus roll by economica
draped batwing tunic by cloudninevintage
graphic lazy susan by yellowdogvintage
the twiggy necklace by Thrush

hindsvik vintage

2009-09-25T15:23:00.003-05:00

I just came across the great shop on etsy. Hindsvik has some wonderful, quirky vintage items. I love the way the pieces are photographed as singular objects floating in a white space. Gorgeous!

fall neutrals

2009-09-25T13:56:00.002-05:00

This fall I just can't get enough of neutral colors. I put this elegant neutral group together to inspire and admire.

neutrals party set by PartyPoms
the ann miller dress by Thrush
anemone headpiece by portobello
bunny no.1 by SharonMontrose

vintage love, love, love

2009-09-12T12:46:00.003-05:00

Want it! Want it! Want it! I love searching for great vintage pieces. These items are so unique and have wonderful character. Gift ideas anyone??

vintage wool felt hat from RobertaGrove
clove orange market tote from swaneegrace
catherine ogust shirt dress from santokivintage
vintage damascene bracelet from theduskyjewel

amazing knits

2009-09-10T21:38:00.004-05:00

It's been a while since my last posting, but I am still scouring the web and streets for great inspiration and design. Yokoo, based in Atlanta creates amazing sculptural accessories. Although it's still in the 90s here in Austin, I couldn't resist imagining cold weather and wearing one of Yokoo's oversized cowls. Talk about a statement piece! Absolutely gorgeous wearable art (oh, and very inspiring photography).

diorama

2009-08-29T10:43:00.003-05:00

I am so inspired by perspective and scale. These artists encourage viewers to look at the world from an alternate angle than they are used to.

Erin Tyner photograph
kgrandey bears in love under glass
roadside accordian music
weedsandwildthings shelf city

old school

2009-08-26T10:55:00.005-05:00

Anthropologie has a great collection of vintage-inspired notebooks right now. I'll take one of each!

act of collecting

2009-08-20T15:50:00.006-05:00

One of my favorite books, In Flagrante Collecto, is a constant source of inspiration. The book catalogs the random things people collect. I continued the collection search online and I came across a great flickr group called Organized Collection. I wanted to share some of my favorites and possibly inspire future collections.

new obsession: vintage industrial

2009-08-19T11:59:00.003-05:00

I love old industrial furniture, especially mixed in with contemporary pieces. These pieces have a sculptural quality, a history, and modern functionality. They would add great character to any space!

nutting cart, coffee table from Get Back, Inc.
toledo metals drafting chair from Modern50
clothiers hanging rack from Factory20
wire trash bins from Modern50
library stairs from Factory20

egg press

2009-08-13T12:33:00.004-05:00

Just got back from our road trip to Minneapolis. Had a great time exploring the beautiful city and spent a lot of time around the lakes and parks. I also had to poke in to Paper Source (one of my favorites since we don't have one in Austin. I picked out a huge stack of cards, but I finally narrowed it down to a two die-cut and letterpress by egg press. I wish I could buy them all!

inspiration: fabric manipulation

2009-08-03T14:39:00.005-05:00

I love the idea of transforming bits of fabric into soft sculptures. These etsy finds inspire me to get out the sewing machine and start playing!

layered cartwheel collar by ArtLab
ruched handknit cushion by strikk
striped and pleated dress by Nicole Gade
sketchbook with ruching and gathers by Natalie as is
secret garden top by Lirola

new apartment

2009-08-03T11:45:00.004-05:00

Jon and I are finally moved in to our new apartment, just in time to leave town for a week. There's still some unpacking to do, but I've managed to get my work space and bedroom in order. I got a new expedit desk from ikea that has some great built in storage space. I'm excited to get the clutter off table so I can actually spread out when cutting paper, drawing, sewing, or blogging! I'm also excited about hanging up the vintage chalkboard graph I got from SagePatch.

amazing jewelry by kjoo

2009-08-01T11:20:00.002-05:00

I absolutely love the crochet and felt jewelry made by Maria Joao Ribeiro. These statement pieces are wonderfuly textural and the colors are gorgeous. Hop over to her etsy shop to check out more: kjoo

library inspiration

2009-07-30T14:08:00.008-05:00

Since I started making folded sculptures from unwanted library books, I am drawn to anything that reminds me of libraries. It's a cloudy day here in Austin, so I thought I'd share some library related finds.

my books on display at Finch
amazing round vintage glasses from Atticgoods
the Pocket Library of the World's Essential Knowledge from Multer
vintage mint green bookends from funkeyfinds
beautiful letterpress library thank you from simplesong
Eudora's Library fine art photograph by Susana Raab

red yellow blue

2009-07-25T15:24:00.004-05:00

I came across these fabric swatches on inchmark. I love the slight variations in this primary color palette and how the swatches work together as a grouping.

i love MUD

2009-07-25T10:21:00.008-05:00

I am obsessed with MUD australia's beautiful porcelain dishware. We carry their hand made line at Finch in Austin and I constantly play with the color samples. Pigment is added to the porcelain at the slip stage to provide colour depth. Clear glaze is then applied to the interior of each piece leaving the exterior with a vitrified stone-like surface that becomes smooth with handling and use. The dishes have a wonderful delicate feel and the textural contrast between the interior and exterior invites you to continually touch, hold, and interact with them.

desk buddies

2009-07-24T16:10:00.003-05:00

My workspace is full of little bits ranging from Bolivian miniatures and Matryoshka to gold painted cowboys and indians. I came across these wonderful plastic "desk indians" on Happymeat's flickr photostream. I love to see what objects other people collect and keep close by.

beautiful displays

2009-07-22T17:02:00.003-05:00

I am so inspired by these photos: color, composition, and styling. I aspire to arrange my home and bus guss like these photographers. Just lovely!

graphic inspirtation: wood type

2009-07-22T16:17:00.002-05:00

I am a huge fan of anything letterpress printed. There is just something about the texture and dimension created by the relief printing process. Movable wood type is inked and pressed to produce beautifully printed letter forms that reflect the entire process.

i heart pistachio

2009-07-19T22:01:00.005-05:00

Right now, I'm loving anything pistachio. Check out these beautiful creamy green items.

felt necklace by 3FUN
lace bag by tortillagirl
vintage romper from BillieGoatVintage
flower hair pins by Nomsa

mmm cookies

2009-07-14T16:06:00.002-05:00

from my kitchen : pistachio, apricot, oatmeal cookies
Originally uploaded by fred_fred

I found this photo on flickr and really liked the composition and color. An exciting bonus is that the recipe is included! Click on the photo to make these pistachio, apricot, oatmeal cookies.

new! paint by number note cards

2009-07-13T15:30:00.004-05:00

I just added note cards to my etsy site. Each card transforms the original paint by numbers into abstracted scenes and color forms. Recipients a can frame or display the card as mini artwork.

hot summer

2009-07-13T11:36:00.004-05:00

It's another hot summer day in Austin, so I'm thinking about taking Beans down to Barton Springs to swim and cool off. This is a 1962 photo of my mom when she was 9 with her mother by the pool. I found this in one of her old albums a few months ago and I had to have it. I just love their swimsuits and matching swim caps. Thought I would share it with everyone on a hot day.

road trip essentials

2009-07-11T11:53:00.006-05:00

We are heading north for a road trip from Austin to Minneapolis in August. I put together this etsy collection to inspire fellow road trippers.

Little swedish horse keychain from i.klee designs for our road trip to the land of the scandinavians.
Classic striped tote for all the essentials from bayan hippo.
1950s Revere Eye Matic Camera from Sweet Love Vintage to capture curiosities along the way.
Great pocket size mini notebook perfect for on-the-go notes and sketches from erinzam.
Long hours on the road require nifty tortoise shades from Chico Hearts Lola.

retro pens

2009-07-09T12:38:00.005-05:00

I love love love this retro pen set from kikkerland. The color palette is so lovely. I recently got a hold of 30 old ball point pens at a garage sale and they look terrific, however most of them don't write. They would make a great display, but these kikkerland pens are beautiful and usable!!

objectified

2009-07-08T22:56:00.004-05:00

Tonight we went to the Alamo Drafthouse (an Austin institution) to see Objectified, a documentary film about industrial design. It was so great to hear designers talk about what industrial design is and what it means to them. The film illustrated the design process and the important role design plays in our daily lives. I would definitely recommend Objectified to anyone interested in design, especially those who I've tried to describe industrial design to and failed miserably!

Maija Louekari

2009-07-08T22:34:00.004-05:00

Finnish illustrator and designer, Maija Louekari, creates brilliant and bold patterns for apparel and home decor. I saw a posting about her on grain edit, but instantly recognized her designs produced by Marimekko. Check out more of her beautiful work here.

new items

2009-07-07T21:08:00.003-05:00

I added a few things to my etsy site today. This is one of the tiny villagers standing alone, displaying a wonderful color combination. I hope you enjoy!

etsy love

2009-07-07T09:47:00.004-05:00

some things I'm loving on etsy today:
wheel thrown porcelain vase by ceramic pix
vintage ball canning jars from high street market
retro inspired airmail envelopes by found paper co
coral blue corsage brooch by aalicia accessories

diy shelving

2009-07-06T11:22:00.003-05:00

In a couple weeks, we are moving into a new apartment so I've been reevaluating the furniture we have. Right now, our apartment has a built in unit for our tv and what not so we need something free standing in the new place. I came across a how-to for a simple console on Design Public's blog. This basic, modern design seems like it would be pretty straight forward to build and cheaper than something from Ikea. Plus, I'm always looking for an excuse to go to Home Depot.

lovely pillows

2009-07-05T19:30:00.003-05:00

Sally Nencini's lovely london double-decker bus pillow caught my eye while perusing etsy. Her soft, lambswool cushions display great patterns on the front and bold, wide stripes on the back. Check out her shop for more.

an austin july 4th

2009-07-05T16:07:00.003-05:00

I just wanted to share some fireworks from the south 1st street bridge in Austin. We brought our doggy, Beans, along for his first 4th of july experience and he was quite worried about the whole thing. The photo posted of him was taken before the show began, but as soon as it started he was hiding behind our legs. Poor pup! Well, now we know he's not a fan.

get crafty

2009-07-03T15:50:00.004-05:00

Here's a great d.i.y. project I can't wait to make. Get crafty and make a your own recycled t-shirt necklace by hopping over to Instructables.

Happy 4th of July

2009-07-03T11:24:00.003-05:00

check out more great vintage clothes at persephone vintage.

2009-07-03T10:58:00.004-05:00

This webbed folding chair from Three Potato Four reminds me 4th of July parades, picnics, and fireworks. It's just that time of year to reminisce!

Top Secret BBQ

2009-07-03T10:25:00.005-05:00

These top secret invites are so great, designed by Megan Carty. I came across them on Twig & Thistle and just had to post them!

BlaBlas

2009-07-02T17:42:00.004-05:00

I love blabla dolls even though they're for kids, I want one anyway. Check out this amazing Boogaloo named Watson! See more here: www.blablakids.com/welcome

2009-07-02T15:10:00.000-05:00

Thanks for visiting bus guss! This blog is for recording found objects, collecting inspiration, and promoting independent design. I will start adding some posts as soon as I get everything up and running. In the meantime, please visit my etsy site: www.busguss.etsy.com.