All posts in category Uncategorized

AWOL

Hello friends and followers! In case you’re wondering, I did not disappear off the face of the earth. I stopped posting back in July because life got too busy, too suddenly. I’m sorry! I’m not sure when I’ll be posting TOP 5s again, but you can find me in many other places until then!

These days, you’ll find me blogging over at Thefty:

I’m also on Pinterest, @theftypins

On Pinterest you’ll find  images that inspire me (spanning fields of science, humour, a silly amount of food, and of course colours and patterns).

You can also find me on Twitter and on Facebook.

Let’s keep in touch please. I’ve missed you.

Leave a Comment
by thefty on 02/10/2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged , , , , , , ,

Posted by thefty on 02/10/2012

http://top5photos.wordpress.com/2012/10/02/awol/

TOP 5: Plant microscopy.

I love it when the edges are blurred between art and science. Here are five intricate images captured down the lens of a microscope.

Gingko biloba, Leafstalk, 16x1. Gingko biloba leaf stalk 16x. By Eckhard Völcker

Urtica dioica, 10x2. Rhizome of a stinging nettle 10x. By Eckhard Völcker

Onion Root Meristem3. Onion root meristem (aka the bit where growth happens) 20x.  By Blue Ridge Kitties

2009-03-08 001 0104. The beautiful cross section of a stem. By Shihchuan.

Red geranium petal cells5. Red geranium petals 400x. By Umberto Savagnin.

Leave a Comment
by thefty on 19/06/2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Plant microscopy, Uncategorized
Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by thefty on 19/06/2012

http://top5photos.wordpress.com/2012/06/19/top-5-plant-microscopy/

TOP 5: Vintage Lettering and Stationery.

Swirls, leaves, lines and flourishes: I love the old-fashioned use of decorative touches on functional items. Aren’t these beautiful?

10210131.  An elaborate letter A.  From here.

Untitled2. A beautiful little ad. From Paper Scraps.

Ornate Texture3. An ornate texture, from PlayingWithBrushes Flickr feed.

IMG_37934. Printed initials in rich black. From here.

Torn Goodness5. A bold yet delicate border. From PlayingWithBrushes.

Leave a Comment
by thefty on 12/06/2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged , , , , , ,

Posted by thefty on 12/06/2012

http://top5photos.wordpress.com/2012/06/12/top-5-vintage-lettering-and-stationery/

TOP 5: Brownies.

There are many kinds of brownie, all of them sweet:

Twins (part 1)1. Twin sisters with Brownies sweaters. By Naomi Campbell

Oreo and Peanut Butter Brownie Cakes2. Oreo and peanut butter brownie cakes, by Tirzah.

Coca-Cola Brownie Starflash3. Coca-Cola Brownie Starflash Camera. By John Kratz.

A Dictionary of Fairies4. ‘Hobgoblins, Brownies, Bogies and other supernatural creatures.’ Photo by John Keogh. 

Brownie5.  Brownie Baking by Hyoin Min.

Leave a Comment
by thefty on 08/06/2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Brownies, Uncategorized
Tagged , , , , , , ,

Posted by thefty on 08/06/2012

http://top5photos.wordpress.com/2012/06/08/top-5-brownies/

FYI

Hello! Sorry for being so quiet this week! I’ve been busy creating an online portfolio for my artwork. (If you’d like to see it, it’s at www.helenamaratheftis.com)

Regular programming will return shortly!

Have a great weekend, everyone.

Leave a Comment
by thefty on 25/05/2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Uncategorized

Posted by thefty on 25/05/2012

http://top5photos.wordpress.com/2012/05/25/fyi-2/

Holiday Time

Hello! This is a quick note to say ‘Happy Easter’ to everyone who celebrated yesterday! I made four different cakes (yes, I am a hero) and invited my friends over to eat them. Here’s an  example:

 I’m also writing to apologise for the lack of posts this week. I’m going on holiday tomorrow, and I’ve spent the last few days wrapping up projects and running a trillion little errands. I miss making TOP 5s, and it’ll be back to regular posting when I’m back. See you in less than two weeks!

Leave a Comment
by thefty on 09/04/2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Uncategorized

Posted by thefty on 09/04/2012

http://top5photos.wordpress.com/2012/04/09/holiday-time/

TOP 20: Prints to choose from. Can you help?

Hello! I’m selecting a new batch of images for my online print store on Folksy. I would love your help in choosing which photos to include.

I’ve short-listed some of my favourites on Facebook, over here. If you can spare a minute, please look through them and ‘like’ your favourites.

All 20 photos were taken by me. I’m really curious and excited to see what you guys choose!

2 Comments
by thefty on 27/03/2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged , , , ,

Posted by thefty on 27/03/2012

http://top5photos.wordpress.com/2012/03/27/top-20-prints-to-choose-from-can-you-help/

TOP 5: Muted tones.

I often gravitate towards loud colours, but I appreciate the subtleties of muted tones. I mean, there’s a whole rainbow of greys! Rich, pink-toned greys, cool blue toned greys… Here are some of my favourites:

1. Pale crystals and greeny grey shadows.

2. Pink/grey glittered wallpaper.

3. Concrete hues.

4. Cool grey light.

5. A photo of my bathwater.

All of these photos are mine (except #2), and you can see larger versions on my Flickr feed.

p.s. click here for a quiet explosion of muted colour.

Leave a Comment
by thefty on 21/03/2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Uncategorized

Posted by thefty on 21/03/2012

http://top5photos.wordpress.com/2012/03/21/top-5-muted-tones/

TOP 5: St. Patrick’s Day.

I spent this morning searching for St. Patrick’s day images. I found a whole bunch of intensely baffling things, including be-spectacled asses and a lot of mouldy-looking cupcakes (I disapprove of the latter, but I’m all for dressed-up donkeys).

 3. Let’s start with this one, because nothing screams ‘Ireland’ more than a Zombie Shamrock.

2. Fair enough. (Buy this pillow here!)

3. I quite like this set of 10 pom poms, and I love that the colour theme is ‘envy’.

4. These ‘Green Velvet’ Whoopie Pies are surprisingly enticing.

Day 076/365 - Shake it like a Shamrock5. I’m intrigued by the concept of a ‘Shamrock Shake’. Does this exist in the UK? (Thanks to Tony Case for the photo)

Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, and tomorrow is celebrated in his honour.

Leave a Comment
by thefty on 16/03/2012  •  Permalink
Posted in St Patrick's Day, Uncategorized
Tagged , , , , , , ,

Posted by thefty on 16/03/2012

http://top5photos.wordpress.com/2012/03/16/top-5-st-patricks-day/

TOP 5: Rainy days.

On rainy days, sounds are muffled and colours are intensified. There are few things more comforting than a rainy day spent indoors.

1. Fire and water in one photograph. By Bez Uma

2. Raining Indoors in San Franscisco. By On A Meadow, Lea

This is Rock and Roll3. Perspex and raindrops. By Nixter

Distortion4. Distortion, by Judit Klein

Sydney Rainy Days5. Sydney Rainy Days, by Lens Fodder

It’s raining in London today. I’m at my desk, watching the trees bend and sway. It’s lovely in here.

Leave a Comment
by thefty on 07/03/2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Rainy Days, Uncategorized
Tagged , , , , ,

Posted by thefty on 07/03/2012

http://top5photos.wordpress.com/2012/03/07/top-5-rainy-days/

TOP 5: YES / NO / MAYBE SO.

Do you have a question? Are you looking for answers?

1. This is one of my paintings.

2. A Venn diagram of verdicts.

YES3. A rock solid answer.

4. This is a photo of my favourite necklace, by Me and Zena.

no/yes5. A very cool t-shirt by Chris Palmieri.

Leave a Comment
by thefty on 28/02/2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Uncategorized, Yes No Maybe So
Tagged , , , , , ,

Posted by thefty on 28/02/2012

http://top5photos.wordpress.com/2012/02/28/top-5-yes-no-maybe-so/

TOP 5: Glitter.

I believe that most things can be improved by the addition of glitter. This includes shoes, cars, baked goods, nails, frocks, hair and tights. Notable exceptions are lipstick, and savoury dishes such as pies or spaghetti. (As you can see, I’ve put serious thought into this matter.)

Hayley WIP1. Disco Lids! (Check out Melly Kay for more Blythe Doll photography.)

2. Midnight sky booties. I really love the colour palette in this photo.

3. This animation is a little bit amazing.

4. A trio of shimmering cupcakes.

5. I can’t help but wonder how long it took to wash all this glitter off.

What’s your opinion on the sparkly stuff? 


2 Comments
by thefty on 27/02/2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Glitter, Uncategorized
Tagged , , ,

Posted by thefty on 27/02/2012

http://top5photos.wordpress.com/2012/02/27/top-5-glitter/

TOP 5: Sew and tell.

I remember my grandmother’s sewing tin (it was a floral cake tin). I used to empty it out as a child, making patterns on the carpet out of the buttons and ribbons and spools of yarn. Not much has changed, I guess.

1. String! String! String! String! (and colour, of course)

Bitty2. Animal Pins! By Katie Nicosia

3. I took this photo at the Barcelona flea market. (I love piles of shiny, colourful things. I want to stick my face into them.)

Fabric

4.  Fabric spools with fuzzy ends. Peaches, purples, pinks and blues. Photo by Elton Lin

5. Long threads of yarn in primary colours. Photo by me

If you follow this blog, you probably already know that I look for colour and pattern everywhere.  I just can’t help myself.

Leave a Comment
by thefty on 24/02/2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Sew and tell, Uncategorized
Tagged , , , , , , ,

Posted by thefty on 24/02/2012

http://top5photos.wordpress.com/2012/02/24/top-5-sew-and-tell/

TOP 5: Pancakes.

Today is Shrove Tuesday, aka pancake day. If you’re having pancakes for dinner tonight (and you should be), I recommend these cinnamon-bun pancakes, and these vanilla-cinnamon pancakes with berries. (Yes, I really like cinnamon.)

1. My thoughts exactly. Incidentally, this is what Betty Crocker looks like in my head.

2. Oh, elephant pancake, you are a thing of beauty. Syrupy, doughy beauty. (Photo by Anne Wedlendt)

PaPa Crepe!3. A Japanese crepe truck, by Tim Arai.

4. Flippin’ Mastery, by Ffion. I’ve got the flippin’ envy (I always make someone else do it).

5. This was my friend Olivier’s brunch plan, with everything written in singular. ‘Bean’ just about killed me (with laughter), and I asked to keep his list for my future amusement. (It’s sad that ‘pancake’ did not make the cut.)

1 Comment
by thefty on 21/02/2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Pancakes, Uncategorized
Tagged , , , , , , ,

Posted by thefty on 21/02/2012

http://top5photos.wordpress.com/2012/02/21/top-5-pancakes/

TOP 5: Telephones.

Why is it that old-school telephones looked so much better? My current home phone is an ugly, white, cordless beast. I wish I had one of these instead.

1. I really like the idea of a phone-ninja decorating phone booths in the night. This looks great. (From here.)

2. I love this drawing by Gemma Correll. It is successfully guilt-inducing, don’t you think?

Operator3. Operator, by Thomas Hawk. (I remember when we had a cream coloured rotary phone back in the days of yore. Getting a cordless phone seemed very exciting for young Helena.)

Phone Home4. Phone Home, by Meanest Indian. This is a pretty excellent example of hand-drawn street advertising.

5. Finishing school for dolls: Balancing phones on their heads. (From here)

Leave a Comment
by thefty on 17/02/2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Telephones, Uncategorized
Tagged , , ,

Posted by thefty on 17/02/2012

http://top5photos.wordpress.com/2012/02/17/top-5-telephones-2/

« Older Posts
%d bloggers like this: