ecseri piac: a history lesson, photography still lifes and shopping all in one place

I have always enjoyed looking and touching things from the past...old dishes and cups, clothing and table-clothes, old boxes and tins. There is such mystery in these old things. Who owned them? What did this object mean to the original owner? How did this object end up at a flea market?

Today my friend Sue and I visited Ecseri Piac in Hungary. It is a fantastic market full of old world treasures...and some junk. It was very quiet today at the market. Only half the vendors had set up (it is Wednesday). This ended up being a good thing as everyone was relaxed and chatty without being pushy. Vendors were even open for me to take photos.

I wanted so badly to buy a few of these.
I love the colors! They wanted 30.000 ft. ($150!) no thanks.

Can you even guess what this is?? I will give you a hint...people come here for "dental holidays" because Hungary is suppose to have great inexpensive dental facilities.

I think this is an old dentist chair and to the right...dental equipment.

I like the patterns on these mugs.
Since living in Hungary I have gained a wealth of knowledge on Hungarian folk arts and motifs. I saw this plate and I was immediately drawn to it. It is very Hungarian but so unique as it is in black and white and has so much detail. I wish I would have asked how much it was. It is really beautiful.
War medals from pretty much every era you can imagine.
There is a Hungarian history lesson is in this display.
These are a few photos from last year. We actually saw these same weird puppets today. They are still looking for a home.
What are the children that played with these bears doing today, now that they are all grown up? This photo is interesting because I just realized that in front of the bears is an old camera. It is almost like these bears are posing for one last photo. (eladó means for sale)
Forgotten toys.

If you are ever in Budapest I highly suggest a trip to Ecseri Piac. You will get a history lesson, photography experiment and shopping all in one place.

sometimes you just need to paint

Sometimes I just need a brush in my hand instead of a pen. Sisters Gulassa had a post a few weeks ago that I can't get it out of my head. It was a simple post but it has inspired me so much! I just must paint. Let go of the pen and computer and let my relaxed hand holding a paintbrush...paint.
Last year I was on a mission to find silk paints locally. I bought many different brands but the colors and technique did not compare with what I bought in the states. So, I have all these silk paints that I will never use. Well, today I found a purpose. They makes great paints on paper!
I primarily used only used black paint because I thought it would be easier to scan and manipulate in the computer. Who knows? Maybe these will turn into actual prints...or maybe just stay as reminders of a nice day of painting. Either way, I must thank Cyrille and Lise over at Sisters Gulassa for inspiring me to pick up a paintbrush!

alluminare interview

Do you want a little insight into me, my design process and inspiration? Michelle from Alluminare interviewed me last week. Click here to read the Interview.

Check out the new products from Alluminare with my designs!
I love this pattern in curtains!

Were you surprised by any of my answers in the interview?

a cup of coffee with a side of inspiration

Yesterday was my birthday. I usually get weird around my birthday...unsure of how I feel about it. This year was different, I was in a very good mood. Maybe it was the nice friend I meet for coffee or the friends who were in from out of town that we meet for dinner. Or maybe it was the wonderful husband who made me feel like a million bucks. Whatever it was, it was good day.

Today, I am a bit tired. I am on my second cup of coffee and not very productive. Time to step away from the computer and sit outside with my sketchbook.

Before I head out I thought I would tell you about a company that I just heard about. They are called Green Gate. They are based out of Copenhagen. Their stuff is so sweet!

How did I hear about them? I received the below coffee mug yesterday as a gift from my friends Andi and Ed. A great (and inspiring) gift! Thank you!

I just love everything about Green Gate! The colors, the patterns, even the photos are so well done. It makes me crave summer!What do you think?

Have a nice weekend!

photo candy

I love BBC day in pictures. I saw this today and just loved the photo. Wish I could do a little shopping in this mans shop.

happy birthday magnet sale

It is birthday week over here :) and to celebrate I am offering $1 shipping on all magnet orders bought from my Etsy shop!

Click here for more info: happy birthday magnet sale

Offer ends on Sunday, April 25!

Dotty Floral

Art Nouveau

Signature Floral

Folk Floral

Hungarian Floral

life without the web?

I was at my computer this morning doing my morning ritual of checking the news and diving into blogs. (Yes, I am a blog addict.) I came across an interesting story on decor8. I clicked on the link and over to this article I went: Life without the Web. My (probably crazy) plan to give up the internet. A man living without the computer and internet for 4 months.

First thought, I envy him. I sit in front of my computer more than I'd like to. I work from my computer, I get my news from my computer, I stay connected with family and friends through Skype on my computer, I even watch movies on my computer. (At least I can proudly say we do not own a television.) And, because many of my clients are in the USA, I end up checking my email right before I head to bed. I like to make sure I have taken care of last minute client needs before heading to bed-it is a sacrifice I am willing to make to be self employed and living in Europe.

I got to thinking, how can I manage my computer time so that this machine isn't open and staring at me for 15 hours a day? Lets face it, I get a ton of work done when my computer is absent. Remember that weekend escape I took last month? I left the computer at home and I ended up drawing more that weekend than I had in a long time. I actually created a whole fabric collection while I was off in the country side. (By the way, I have big news to share in a few weeks regarding this collection!) So, although I cannot give up my computer like James Sturm, I can manage my computer time a bit better. I am not sure how I will do this but maybe a good start is to not open my computer until after noon. That would give me all morning to draw and organize. That could actually work as most of my clients (and family) are 6-9 hours behind me.

I think this could actually work. Any thoughts? Do you feel you have too close a relationship with your computer?

PS. Ironically, I commented on a friends blog the other day....my comment, "what I like best about your desk, no computer". Check it out: SistersGuassa.