gone...

well folks...i borrowed my brothers hi-ace van, took it dublin, managed to fill every inch of it between both joanna and my belongings...

and that was after we consolidated everything we had between charity shops, friends and what we agreed to leave with the landlord...

so we rolled out of dublin late last night for a quieter life in the rollings hills of armagh and cavan until we can begin the next chapter of our lives...

dublin you've been good to me for the best part of 4 years, but its time to go....i'll miss you...

expressed UV...

i managed to source a few images from the heinekin expression uv art and music event that happened in dublin a few weeks ago...

i would have loved to have actually been there and witnessed some of the artists in action...

patchwork sofa...

pushing the boundaries of style and design is exactly what couch manages to achieve...

period furniture from around the world is restored and re-upholstered to the highest standards producing an electrifying and unique finish...

the couch business philosophy is to combine innovation with the highest levels of quality to produce uniquely vibrant period furniture for the discerning homeowner...

http://www.couchgb.com/

mary pickering...

mary pickering is another fun and quirky little artist who caught my eye that day in kinsale...although its hard to describe her work...

its almost a caricature that draws inpsirations from batik and stained glass techniques...

how would you describe these images...whatever your thoughts, she is another artist who i was taken by and have been meaning to blogg about for some time...

sharon mc daid...

sharon mc daid is another irish artist who i simply loved and i would not be at all offended if anyone decided that i should have one of her landscapes with the sheep hanging in my home at some point...

http://www.sharonmcdaid.com

eoin o connor...

a while back we spent a weekend in kinsale and i found this wonderful little art gallery and stumbled upon a few artists that really grabbed my attention...

eoin o connor is an irish artist whose animals and infectious people, not too mention his electric landscapes really jumped out at me...i loved his work and the colours he applies in his work...

http://eoinoconnor.com

a birthday...

let it be known that it was around this time last year that i created this blogg...it was at the beginning of this month that i celebrated having published 200 blogg posts...and here i am remembering that october is custardbydesign's birthday month...

here's to another year...

john pour home...

'john pour home' challenges our perception of the simple rug...

this new company presents a selection of hand made rugs cut from felt...i love them...

http://www.johnpourhome.com

is this for real...

i received an email today from a good friend in san francisco highlighting this weird eatery...i think i've seen it all now...

modern toilet is a taipei restaurant accommodating 100 seats each made from toilet bowls...where it is in the world and i have no idea and i am quite happy with that...

david la chapelle...

so with the bernard shaw birthplace closed we decided we would take ourselves for a walk along the canal to connaught house and view the 'david la chapelle - american jesus' exhibition...

and i loved it...here in ireland for the first time, courtesy of the sebastian guinness gallery, treasury holdings and canon, the renowned american photographer david la chapelle is exhibiting his new show entitled 'american jesus'...

i found the exhibition fascinating...each of his depictions looking like a biblical scene and a years old painting, while being a collection of models, brands and consumerism innuendo's...

also forming part of this exhibition are the 'underwater' series, '50 dollar bill' series and his tribute to michael jackson...

well worth a visit and runs until the end of october...

http://www.lachapellestudio.com/

http://www.sebastianguinnessgallery.com/intro.php

closed...

we decided we would visit the 'shaw birthplace' today...only to find it closed...this house on synge street is the shaw family home and was restored to its victorian glory and re-opened in 199

i can only share with you all what i managed to see through the letter box...impressive hallway huh...

http://www.visitdublin.com/seeanddo/HistoricSites/Detail.aspx?id=247&mid=1355

bye bye books...

i'm getting ready to ship out of dublin and i found this great little spot in the city center that would buy my books from me...

bye bye le corb, zaha hadid, eoin lyons and ching...

franklin's kite...

these wall stickers aka socket surrounds look great...check out the website for other funky designs for any room in the home...

http://www.hu2.com/index.php

pecha kucha night three...

here's another very intriguing event which sadly i won't be around for...

pecha kucha night three is taking place in dublin's sugar club on leeson street on the 5th of november...pecha kucha is an international architecture and design event which gives speakers the chance to make a unique presentation including 20 images to show their creative work...the night is also fast paced keeping interest levels up...admission is €5...

http://www.architecturefoundation.ie/index.php

letters bookshelf...

i saw this on design milk and thought i would share it with you...

this is a thesis project by pieter de leeuw, a recent graduate in industrial design...wooden letters that can be arranged to the user's liking...the wooden letters can also be used as seating...

i like the versatility in this design....what do you think...???

http://www.utrechtverplettert.nl/pieter.html

seam chair and bench...

dutch designer chris kabel has won the €15,000 doen materiaalprijs 2009 for a chair and bench made entirely of polyproplylene fabric...the seam chair and bench were announced as the winner for the innovative use of materials...

for this design chris kabel has selected polypropylene which is not only hard to spell, but also cheap, non toxic and completely high-grade recyclable...using innovative techniques he shapes this material and rigid furniture pieces...

http://www.chriskabel.com/

young architect of the year award...

who should win the young architect of the year award...??? you can vote for your favourite at the architecture foundation now...

the young architect of the year award (YAYA) is organised by 'building design' to recognise and reward the UK and Ireland's most promising new architects or practices...the selected 28 practices are exhibited at the architecture foundation's new project space 1st - 26th october...

clink on link at bottom of post for more information...

architecture53seven, dan brill architects, if_untitled architecture and hut architecture have grabbed my attention...check it out yourself...

http://www.architecturefoundation.org.uk/programme/2009/young-architect-of-the-year-award-2009

design week at irish design shop...

i received this email last week and i thought i would share it with you...i'm sad that i won't be around for this, especially the 'ideas exchange' evenings - seems interesting and fun...

"As our first birthday here at Irish Design Shop fast approaches, we are excited to be marking the occasion with a series of events in conjuction with design week. Some of you may remember we launched the website in the old Solomon Gallery during design week last year.

A lot has happened since then, including the big move to Bow Lane East.

As you will see in the attached posters, we are open all week, and invite you to join us.

Anyone interested in attending the "Ideas Exchange" evening, please let us know, so we can get an idea of numbers.

Aside from this, we have new products on the website and in store, check it out."

http://irishdesignshop.com

stop...do...learn...

this is something i've seen quite a bit on surfacing here and there recently and its also something i don't know alot about...but its running until tomorrow, so i hope to catch the tail of this process...

the aim is to join a design session and collaborate with the Designing Dublin: Learning to Learn team for a discussion to generate ideas, prototype and grow their project - finding the hidden potential of place - based in Clongriffin...

i'll report back if i make it and if any of you dubliners manage to make it or have made it let me know how you got on...

http://www.design21c.com/

sneak peak...

this is another interesting concept from another drinks brand...

i guess the advertising guys behind these brands are starting to think outside the box and create a space for people to enjoy their brands...clever marketing if so...

"Imagine a fully functional shipping port, heavy steel cranes, smoldering scrap metal, weighbridges and open docks with cargo ships. Now imagine top music acts playing against this backdrop enhanced by amazing lighting and visual shows under the night sky. All this will be cocooned in an amphitheatre created from shipping containers, which act as the building blocks of the event."

the peak bar will be custom made from a 40foot shippping container, and will be transported alongside a specially designed stage and screens in convoy moving from port to port around the country...

http://www.coorslightpeak.ie

expressive UV...

i've signed up for tickets for this but i'm not sure what to expect...a 'UV Art OFF'...

does anybody have any ideas what a 'UV Art Off' is...???

the night seems to be a mix between and dance off and an art gallery...big name DJ's and big name illustrators such as Gaetan Billault and Serge Seiditz...

well i'm looking forward to checking it out and i'll report back to you about what it actually is and what i thought...

http://expression.heineken.ie/

irish roving...

joanna and i have had quite the few visitors recently...mainly friends of joanna's from america and i've made a trip or 2 with friends of mine from armagh...

so the next few blogg posts are going to feature some of the exciting hotels, museums, bars, cafes, and stores we've taken in on our travels across the country...

we had wanted to travel in one of these for one of our trips but sadly it clashed with electric picnic but it was a no go...still i thought it was wowrth teh mention and if anyone feels like an alternative way to travel around ireland i'd definately check it out...

http://www.retrorentals.ie

lusting...

i had been recently working on a moodboard for a club in dublin that was going to be relaunched with a new name - 'lust'...

i came across these wallpapers which were all very tongue in cheek...what do you think...???

http://www.flavorleague.com

daydreaming...

and i got inspired by this...

http://sailor.bigcartel.com/product/paper-buildings-nyc