Photoshop Layers Match

Saturday's PHX Layers match was myself versus Victor Vasquez. Basically what happens in a Layer match is first, a coin toss, and whoever wins has 30 minutes to come up with a design in Photoshop. After their time is up they then pass it off to their competition who has another 30 minutes to manipulate the file keeping some element(s) from the previous design. This goes on for three rounds. It's tough, thirty minutes is not a lot of time once you get started. 

It's kinda strange because I think I'm becoming addicted to this competition, it's fun, I even get butterflies right before it begins.  Check out PHXLayers.com to see all the matches. 

Here is my final "volley" from Saturday's match. 

PHX Layers Competition - Qualifiers

A couple months ago I invited my friend Elliot to a Photoshop tennis challenge, being called Phoenix Layers. It's a chance for local Phoenix designers to show off their skills and will eventually be  part of the Phoenix Design Week. It is being done tournament style, I think there will be an elimination every week or so, then the top two will go head-to-head live during the Design Week Conference at the end of October. Elliot and I both qualified to be in the tournament, here is the first challenge between us.

Elliot started the challenge with an image of his new devil-baby, Cash.

Next, I had a little trick up my sleeve for Elliot...or should we call him "bunny"?

Dazed and confused, Elliot didn't know what "bunny" meant, but he fell for the trap and kept the "bunny" theme going. 

Little did he know, that, wham! I found a picture of him, dressed like a cute lil pink bunny. 

He tried to make himself look like a badass in a bunnysuit, by going the "look at me, I'm crazy" route. 

So I took his crazy eye and turned it into a happy ending. 

Thanks Ell, it was fun! 

Hopefully I'll make it to round two, I'll post when that happens!

Andy's "Friend" - Rehabilitated

Can you believe he went from this sad, rundown, pea-soup-lookin' old man...to this new and improved awesome guy (plus entourage)? It's like he saw the God of Style and couldn't help but be reformed.

What a turnaround, and I couldn't have done it without help from Sally "The Slayer Seamstress " Hauser. I first started by stripping the green layer, and found that, woohoo, there was another layer beneath it! I thought about leaving it, for padding, and I tried shampooing it, but seriously, it was dirty. So, I stripped the orange layer as well. This guy has had a colorful past.

Okay, so next step, pull out nails (pulling out twenty of these 5-inch, thirty-year-old nails reminds me that I should probably get a tetanus shot soon). I am now left with a box, some springs, wooden feet, metal plates and buttons that will need to be recovered.

After staining the wooden feet a dark, chocolaty brown and painting the brass to silver, I drag all the remaining parts over to "The Seamstress Slayer's" house. She is a vetted reupholsterer and I'm hoping she can help me out with the piping around the top ledge. Of course she does, plus much more. But I have to beware because she is the dangerous type and does "accidentally" shoot me with the staple gun, though I should be lucky that it's not a rattlesnake this time.

After my near-death experience, we covered the wooden box and springs with new batting and muslin so it's nice and clean. Sally suspects that, because of the style of the orange fabric, that this ottoman may have originated in the 1930's or 40's. So it is probably a good thing that I decided to replace it rather than cleaning this 80-year-old (wow) fabric.

I am pretty happy with how he turned out. Clean and off the red chicken. 

I had some leftover pieces and I'm not about to throw away this awesome fabric. So pillows to go on the couch where the ottoman will be is just what needs to be done to pull everything together.

Little details, it's what I'm all about. This is the custom tag that I tacked to the bottom. 

New Vessels Added To Etsy

Since I've been spending a lot of time in antique shops lately, I've noticed that there are many other things (other than furniture) that people have given up on, but I think they are really cool and with a little elbow grease, are definitely worth saving. So, I'm going to experiment a little and see if anyone else finds the beauty in these pieces.

I purchased these three, scrubbed them thoroughly, painted them and put them up for sale on Etsy.

Let me know what you think! Come on, that owl is sooo cute!

Check Out Rehabilitated On Etsy

Number One - Rehabilitated

So this is actually the first chair (hence the name) that I rehabilitated. But I wasn't crazy about the fabric I chose the first time. I AM really happy with the ebony stain and stainless steel plates around the bottom of the legs, and after searching I finally found this fun, bright pattern that lights up a room.

Camping '09 Polaroid Photobook

In complete contrast to the two beautiful, clean-styled books I have completed in the last month, this little camping memoir is small and grungy. Chris and I took the dogs camping this weekend and I brought along one of my favorite toys, my polaroid camera. We managed to become incredibly filthy so I thought this book should reflect that. It turned out pretty cool especially since polaroids also have the reputation for being mucky, perfect!

Etsy Site Is Up

Etsy Buy Handmade rehabilitated

Check it out! I have some rehabilitated furniture and some original large format museum mounted prints available.

Magazine Table - Rehabilitated

Maybe you remember from a few posts ago that we recently acquired this guy into our rehab program. He used to have a good job as a top magazine holder, but then the internet came along and his job was outsourced to a computer. After a few years out of work, he ended up living in some guys garage, but we believe that there is still some work out there for a magazine holder/table, and have high hopes for him.



After a good scrub down with the electric sander, fixing up a few little bruises and a fresh coat of paint, we are going to send him out into the real world again.

Thanks to ReadyMade Magazine for posting this project on their blog.

Catch me also on Twitter @rehabilitated
For more information, dimensions, color samples or how to get your hands on one of these pieces, email me at catchatori [at] gmail dot com.

Cocktails and Clothes Party

This weekend I was invited to a cocktails and clothes swapping party. I love this idea, so I sorted through my closet to find the dresses, shirts, jeans and skirts that I hardly wear anymore and put them in a bag hoping to get some cool stuff in return. I arrived with my homemade jalepeno poppers (spicy!) grabbed a glass of wine and started digging. I can't think of a more fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon than hanging out with friends, meeting new girls, trying on clothes while drinking and chatting!

It actually felt really good that I hooked up some girls with outfits they loved and I walked away with some really cute stuff too! Although, if I would have left with only this cute burnt orange dress, I would have been completely happy.

It was so much fun, thanks Taylor!

Gorgeous Portfolio Book

I started working on this book back in January, so six months of consulting with the client, gathering images and copy, it's finally completed and printed! Kim at Good-Stock.com was a pleasure to work with and crafted a gorgeous portfolio. The leather cover is so soft, I want to take a nap on it. 

The printing turned out fantastic, the divider pages, which are Tizziano hand-made italian paper with debossed foil stamping are a highlight of the craftsmanship of the book. It really turned out nice. 

The Revere

Look at this piece of history. My mom dropped the "Revere" off yesterday. She got it as a gift from my grandmother when she was 13, so this machine has been around since the 60's, it's heavy and used, but definitely loved. I think I'll start by making some pillows with leftover fabric from one of the restored pieces of furniture I've done lately. Maybe I'll run a promo, buy a chair and receive a matching pillow!

Meet The Twins - Rehabilitated

Look at these two, just gorgeous.
Sadly, they were not always this way.

When they were accepted into our rehab program, they were beat up, cigarette burns and wine stains on their seats, a broken back, a little wobbly (most likely from alcohol abuse) and it looks like one of them was involved in some sort of criminal activity.



Luckily we saw hope...

After some time in our facility, the twins turned themselves around. We worked on their exterior and stripped them down to the basics. Then we got them some new kicks, new threads and accessories. They decided on a lovely all-over mahogany color with red highlights.

We are very proud of these two, they are now stable, healthy and beautiful.

Detail of the radiant fabric used to cover the newly re-cushioned seats.

Detail of the of the matching red highlights that accent the backrests.

Here is our newest patient, updates will be coming shortly.



For more information, dimensions, color samples or how to get your hands on one of these pieces, email me at catchatori [at] gmail dot com.

PHXDW | 12seconds.tv

PHXDW on 12seconds.tv

Great meeting about Phoenix Design Week tonight. I am so excited to see my little Phoenix turn into design-central for a few days. We are planning lots of exciting things, studio tours, exhibits, follow @phxdw on twitter or check out http://www.phxdw.com/main/ for more info and to participate.

If you are in the Phoenix design community, you want to be part of this.

Animated GIFs

Animated GIFs making a comeback? I dunno, just something fun on a Friday afternoon.








Created by:
Jaime Martinez (Mexico)





by Brandon Jan Blommaert

Pie Chart of Experience

Over the last 7 years or so, I have gathered a variety of skills. Here is a little pie chart of what my experience looks like.

Looks like I may need to update my pie chart to include furniture restoration.