How-To: Silk Shirt Refashion

Alli of One Pearl Button shares how she transformed a thrifted silk shirt into a stylish top.

When I came across this silk shirt on the dollar rack, I knew immediately that it was coming home with me. The fabric was thick, soft, and beautiful – it was clearly the highest quality silk, and I wanted to wear it everyday. The only problem? Um…it wasn’t quite my style. That’s okay, though, because I know an incredibly simple technique for refashioning an outdated button-up.

— via CRAFT

The bugger, bugged

When I broke down in my midlife crisis car in remotest Kent just before Christmas, a battered white van pulled up on the far carriageway. To help, I thought. But when the driver got out he started taking pictures with a long-lens camera. He came closer to get better shots and I swore at him. Then he offered me a lift the last few miles to my destination. I suspected his motives and swore at him some more. (I’m not entirely sympathetic towards paparazzi.) Then I realised I couldn’t get a taxi and was late. So I had to accept the lift.

He turned out to be an ex-News of the World investigative journalist and paparazzo, now running a pub in Dover. He still kept his camera in the car’s glove box for just this kind of happy accident — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Pearl / David Fanchon

From Solaleya, the makers of the rotating dome house that can withstand a Category 5 hurricane, comes a new and rather more sybaritic model – the glamorous passive solar Pearl.

David Fanchon’s elegant design maximizes passive solar energy while enabling a 180 degree view from the open-plan interior — via Home Design Find

US shuts down massive cyber crime ring

US authorities claimed one of their biggest victories against cyber crime as they shut down a ring they said used malicious software to take control of more than two million PCs around the world, and may have led to theft of more than $US100 million.

A computer virus, dubbed Coreflood, infected more than two million PCs, enslaving them into a “botnet” that grabbed banking credentials and other sensitive data its masters used to steal funds via fraudulent banking and wire transactions, the U.S. Department of Justice said.

The government shuttered that botnet, which had operated for a decade, by seizing hard drives used to run it after a federal court in Connecticut gave the go-ahead — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Decameron / Marcio Kogan

At the hottest spot in the most important alley of decoration in the city: alameda Gabriel Monteiro da Silva there was the only empty plot left. The client rented it and commissioned the architect [Marcio Kogan] to come up with a very low budget design, something that could be assembled quickly, respecting the existing trees — via ArchDaily

Westcott House / Frank Lloyd Wright

One of the first and only examples of the Prairie Style in Ohio, the Westcott House became a significant work in the prescribed methodology of Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture. Completed in 1908 for Burton J Westcott and his family after moving the Westcott Motor Company from Richmond, Indiana, the Westcott House is an early staple in Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic detailing and integration of a building into its landscape.

Completed shortly after Wright’s trip to Japan, the Westcott House implements similar Japanese styling’s that enhance the low-lying, horizontality of the house and its connection to the landscape — via ArchDaily

Aussie data breaches doubled in 2011

The number of Australian data breaches reported to forensic investigators has already doubled those experienced in 2010, even though it’s only experienced in 2010, even though it’s only April.

Some of the worst breaches have cost businesses many hundreds of thousands of dollars, and involved significant loss of credit card information and customer information.

Yet it seems that none of the breaches handled by forensic investigators Verizon and Klein&Co have been reported by the media. — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Box House / Studio H:T

The Box House designed by architects Studio H:T and located in Boulder, Colorado provides the homeowners with compelling views. Taking into consideration a steep slope and wildfire prone area the architects capitalized on these site challenges creating a home that is unique in form, space and materiality — via ArchDaily

Three Level House In Madrid / A-cero

A-cero presents you with a reform project of a house on the outskirts of Madrid. The project is intended to respond to customer needs in terms of distribution, placement and surfaces. Housing is developed on 3 levels, willing to 3 different levels. It has sought the perfect functioning of housing in relation to the needs of the property to adapt to an average gradient field and turning the main rooms of the communal areas of the development, looking for a better use of the views and use of free plot surface — via ArchDaily

Catalan Duplex Restoration / Anna Noguera

Ancient architecture speaks volumes for itself, rarely needing a heavy-handed designer to layer much onto the original. This refurbishment recognizes the fact that visitors wanting to stay in such a space wish to experience a sense of history.

Spanish architect Anna Noguera split this residence in Catalan’s medieval quarter into two rather luxurious, though respectively minimalist, apartments available for rent. The material palette for interior elements was limited to steel, concrete and wood
— via Dornob

‘Humiliated’: Jetstar slammed over refusing to fly disabled passengers

Jetstar’s treatment of two high-profile disabled campaigners has been condemned as unacceptable by New Zealand’s Disability Issues Minister Tariana Turia.

Tanya Black and Dan Buckingham – presenters of TVNZ disability show Attitude – had been due to fly from Auckland to Wellington yesterday morning but were not allowed on to their aircraft after they were told they each needed to fly with their own caregiver.

After an embarrassing standoff of 20 minutes or more, they ditched Jetstar and bought new tickets to Wellington on Air New Zealand — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Space Invaders gingham by the yard

The fabric from the Space Invaders gingham pillow I blogged the other day is available by the yard from Spoonflower: The classic gingham pattern has been invaded. These white invaders on a black background would look awesome as a shirt or bag for your favourite sleek geek. Or let them invade your home – sew a beanbag for the games room or make wallart to hang in your computer room.

Collection: Gingham Invaded — via Boing Boing