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Spring time = treasure hunting!!!!

March 20, 2012 2 Comments

Spring time = treasure hunting!!!!  with the winter (hopefully behind us) I went treasure hunting this weekend and found this bunch of farming hooks, they are about 6 inches tall.  Not really sure of what their original purpose was, the person who I got them from said they were for the back of tractors to hook machinery on. I fell in love with the shape and  the pitted surface.  My mind has been spinning with all sorts of things to do with them, a chandelier, hanging pendants, a pair of sconces.  Not sure what they will end up to be, what ever they become, I will post so you can see them.

Happy Spring,

Susan

 

 

 

Here in the Hudson Valley of New York State, we have been very luck this year with a mild winter.

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Hudson Valley, The Home Issue

April 7, 2011 2 Comments

Thank you to Hudson Valley Magazine for the current mentions.  Shandell’s is thrilled that you picked our  Honeysuckle vintage image wastebasket for your “the hot hue of the home”.  I have fallen head over heals in love with pink this year, I have used it when ever I have gotten the chance to.

“Lamps Lost and Found” a perfect description of my studio.  Click here to read all about what Hudson Valley Magazine has to say.

If you are traveling through the Hudson Valley, please stop by and say hello.  My studio is in a wonderful country town, Millerton, NY, come for the day and visit.

Susan

 

 

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Nothing Better than a Good Scrap Yard, Part 3

January 15, 2010 2 Comments

top lamp 1

The scrap yard, as you know is one of my favorite destinations when I travel. This pair of lamps I have pictured are from a wonderful piece of 19th century fencing with a great silver paint. So, off to the welders they went.

When I got them back from him, I was searching for a great paper to pair them with.  As I was looking through my vintage papers, I came across a stack of Topography Maps, dating 1905 that I had purchased years ago.  To make it even better, I had some from areas near to where I am located.  Saugerties, Ulster and Catskill are some of the towns that are on these maps.

I wonder, these fence pieces came from upstate New York, could they have come from one of the towns that I have pictured.

Check out Good Scrap Yard Part 1 & Part 2 to see what other fabulous finds I created into to lamps.  I seem to be drawn to orange as a color to include for the shade making, the rust pairs so nicely with that color.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Susan

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A project with Eddie Ross

November 4, 2009 5 Comments

before

I am very fortunate to live in a small town, Millerton, NY 100 miles north of New York City,  also to have a great neighbor and friend, Eddie Ross and his partner Jaithan Kochar.  Eddie called one day saying he had found an amazing 19th century apothecary jar and would like to have it made into a lamp.  I so love to get interesting pieces to make into lamps.  Most days I look at just about anything for a lamp, a bottle, carved table leg. old pieces of metal in any form.  I get so excited when I get these type of projects, Eddie had the same enthusiasm about it.

Once the lamp is done, we were only half way there.  The next part is the shade, picking the right shape and material to accent the lamp.  Eddie wanted a barrel shaped shade, I suggested we use a wonderful seagrass paper to offset the sleek glass. Visit Eddie’s blog to read all about this great project.

I hope this inspires you to look at every day objects, treasures you find and family heirlooms  in a whole new way.  The simple gracefulness of this bottle will be enjoyed for years and surely make Eddie and Jaithan smile.

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Nothing Better than a Good Scrap Yard, Part 2

October 1, 2009 1 Comment

scroll lamps 5

This summer I was on a hunting trip in upstate New York, stumbled on a great organized junk/scrap yard.  There was a section for everything.  I could not contain myself, all I thought was how I was going to get all of my treasures home.  There was a 19th century iron garden gate, I love these.  They have a history, I use my imagination to wonder who were the people who walked through the gate.  The center pieces was the only thing left to salvage, the iron scroll work was beautiful.

On my way home I stopped at my welders and dropped them off.  These are the lamps, vintage industrial with style.

The fun part about what I do, is I get to find incredible hand made papers form all over the world new and old to make lampshades for the lamps that get created from my hunting trips.  This paper I found this spring in New York.  The paper is a light version of Kraft paper with scrolls of espresso and bronzes screened on it. A perfect match for these lamps.

If you are in the area stop by to see works in progress or visit my online shop.

Have a great weekend.

Susan

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Nothing better than a good scrap yard.

August 12, 2009 1 Comment

andiron 2

Scrap yards, junk yards, the dump (some people call it the transfer station, so it sounds better), are great places. I have been a recycling for years.  People throw away wonderful pieces of metal. The more industrial the better,  I have a true love affair for it.  Old fence pieces, iron findings, scrap metal, you never know what treasure is waiting to be made into a lamp.

Here is my problem, I guess not such a bad one, but I have lots of scrap metal parts and the hardest part of this is which one will be picked next.  I am very grateful, that I have a welder that get’s me. He does not even flinch anymore, but in the beginning of our relationship, he rolled his eyes at me constantly. He is a true genius.

I call the lamps I create, Shandell’s version of Steampunk.  A little industrial, mixed with style.  The pair I have pictured here are made from cast iron andiron’s, from the 19th century. They have a look of a gentleman’s  Handelbar Moustache.   The orange parchment shades, brings out the color of the iron.

I have just started going through my pile, pieces have been sent to get welded and come back to be transformed.

If you are in the area stop by to see works in progress or visit my online shop.

Have a great weekend.

Susan


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My Sunday adventure at Margaret’s Garden

June 3, 2009 3 Comments

Sunday at Margaret's

This past Sunday, I took the morning off to visit Margaret Roach’s garden , head guru of A Way to Garden.  She had a Garden Conservancy Open Day.

I took my camera along to inspire me in my own garden.  I took over 100 pictures, of flowers, trees, Frogboys, Jack the cat, chipmunks and architectural elements around her home.

She was busy answering questions from the hundreds of people that came to see her creation.

When I got back to my studio and downloaded my pictures, I was so inspired by my visit,that I made a Memory Box of the occasion.

I had a hard time picking which pictures, but these are my favorites.  All have different elements, textures and color. Vintage iron fencing leaning on a tree, a rusty headboard for a gate. Buddha among foliage.  A purple chair with alliums next to it and anyone who knows me, purple is the best. Topping the box off are a group of Pansies smiling at you.  As I was making this, there was a smile on my face the entire time, remembering my walk through her garden.

Enjoy my memories of that morning.

Susan

Click on the first thumbnail to start your tour of my Memory Box.

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Spring is right around the corner

February 16, 2009 Leave a Comment

As one of my winter chores has been to organize my new studio space, I have been going through all of my inventory of fabulous finds. I came across a wonderful pair of architectural pieces, these came from a 19th c main gate of a formal garden.garden-lamp-51garden-lamp-41 I made them into lamps and paired them with lampshades made of sea grass, giving a wonderful texture and glow.
Thistles are a favorite of mine and these seem to show that off.
Enjoy looking, spring will be here soon. Come and explore Shandell’s studio in person or visit my shop online. New items will be added weekly.

Peace,

Susan

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