"we live by stories and we shop for stories"

threepotatofour is something of an online thrift store. this husband/wife team has translated their love for collectibles into a business by taking local found objects and putting them up for sale on their website.

in their own words, "we started the shop because of our love of collections. We're collectors, and to us, all products and belongings tell a story. Sometimes that story is about where the object came from, how it was made or who made it. Other times, it's a story about us and how the object reflects who we are, to ourselves and to others. We live by stories and we shop for stories."

i like to think about the people who may have owned these objects before threepotatofour got ahold of them. i also like to think about who may have them next!

found objects currently in store at threepotatofour:

pearly whites

with spring in the air, its hard to resist the trend towards color. especially the purples and yellows. but i'm still caught by these frsoted ivory ceramics which feel like a nice reprieve from all that glitters in the springtime. these pieces are from rose and radish, a florist-gone-designer who has taken her life's passions and combined them into what must be an overwhelmingly beautiful store selling both plants and pieces of interior art. i'm anxious to check out the local thrift shops to see if there are any white ceramics in store. that way, i might have a few of these pearly whites for my own.








if only this were my tea cup...

walls have ears

a bit of something to hang above that recycled furniture (all posters thanks to Lucas and Hayley, the great designers behind keep calm):

knack for recycling

lately I've been kicking around the idea of trying to restore an old piece of furniture. our local thrift shop is filled with tables, couches, chairs, and lamps just waiting for a new home. with a bit of paint and sandpaper, I can't help but think these homeless objects would make a perfect addition to one of the corners in my apartment. "knack" is a studio that has mastered the art of furniture restoration. if i do end up embarking on a project like this, i can only aspire to achieve something as beautiful as their re-creations are. i really can't get enough of those killer burlap-sack seat cushions (second photo)!! though i'm hoping they're more comfy than that sounds.

print, paper, pencil

camilla engman is another lovely lady whose art i simply cannot get enough of. camilla is from sweeden and not only do i love her name, i love her sensibilities as an artist. quirky, funny, sometimes sad, and always nostalgic, camilla's work is just beautiful. she works in print, paper, and pencil and i only wish she designed clothes. fierce.

seasonal inspiration

when I'm not knitting, I'm busy dreaming about all of the other art projects I would embark upon if I had more time, money, and most of all, bravery. it's artists like ana ventura who nudge me towards dropping my hefty law books and picking up a paintbrush. ana is from portugal (*swoon*) and i'd probably give an arm just to travel to her beautiful country and spend a day in her artists' studio. thanks, ana!

i thought her winter/spring prints would be a nice gesture towards the coming of april and the recent change in seasons.


winter.


spring.



and it's "fairy-tale modern" images like these that make me want to hang ana's work on every wall i own!

oh hello...

It has, indeed, been a long while since I've last picked up my knitting needles. Or posted on this blog for that matter. But if there is one thing that gets me knitting each year, it is my Dad's birthday. Three years ago, I was shocked when my Dad actually wore the scarf that I made for him (he'd never worn, nonetheless owned a scarf). For a guy who wears mostly flannel, I figured the scarf would be a gesture and nothing more. Imagine my surprise when he not only wore the scarf, but brought it EVERYWHERE. Since then, it has become something of a tradition for me to knit a scarf for him each year on his birthday.



I'm always experimenting with new colors, shapes, and styles when it comes to making these birthday scarves. First year: dark green and chunky. Year two: mauve and stylized. This year: light blue, knee-length, skinny scarf. I'm loving the pattern too: it reminds me of train tracks. Or sewing stitches. Or match-sticks. Or maybe birthday candles.