Tag: manhole madness

Day 21:  I've met so many wonderful people while on this mission to educate myself about manhole covers.  I've taken many tangents, surfed through all kinds of sites, and written a lot of emails.  Both of the features today came about because there were generous souls at the other end of the keyboard who responded quickly and kindly and caught the wave of my enthusiasm.  I bet you never thought I'd make it to 21 days, much less 31.  Let me tell you – there is not enough month to get all the content presented.

So today:  heavy + light.

Heavy:  Check out this table!  It came up in a google search as I was curious to know if anyone had used street hardware for furniture. Back in the day, my dad turned a large wooden spool for telephone cable into a table and since then I've always had an appreciation for repurposing.  When I landed on Urban Grain to learn more about the table below, I fell in love with all their products.  Clicking around I learned that Carla Muncaster, the Creative Director, found her way to refinishing and designing furniture while working with a client as an interior design consultant.  She clearly loves what she's doing and it all happened because of her creativity.  When I wrote and asked permission to share this reclaimed manhole cover table, she was quick to respond and even sent photos.  Then she told me about a current project – which sounds divine (red powder coated drainage grids!!).  Be on the look out for her very cool offerings on her sites.  

See Urban Grain for a view of all the custom pieces they have fabricated, and see the ETSY shop for items currently available.  

Located in Manchester, England.  Thank you Carla for allowing me to share these very handsome tables – love the concept, love the pattern, love the crusade to upcycle common goods into home decor.

Light:  The past few weeks I've been prowling around on Pinterest looking at manhole covers, of course.  I know some people do not appreciate "suggested pins" as it feels you're being spied on, but I tend to like them.  Sometimes I find it amusing what shows up in the suggestions, but often I'm really impressed.  That was the case for this next feature.  When I first saw this grid of covers I expected to click through to a blog post about someone's collection of photos.  But what I found was a design for a miniature book!  Through correspondence with Tara Maginnis, who is a costume designer, I learned she made this for her father, a retired telephone lineman. She offers this book as a free printable template and suggested making a pair of them as earrings for the manhole cover enthusiast. All images from WikiSource. 

Click for high resolution file, Free Printable Miniature Books for Dollhouses #31 : Manhole Covers of the World, mini-book by Tara Maginnis.  Sneak preview below.

Day 19:  More covers by friends.  First up is Judi Riesch.  It's her birthday today!!  Just back from France, this was her single offering. I know there had to be a lot more from the streets of Paris, but she will just have to go back and capture a few more next year.  We will forgive her since this cover seems to have my initials.  Not hard to spot the "MW".  Thanks Judi!

Second:  Sharon Fraser – she got this gem in Prague.  Fantastic!  The bricks are too!  Thanks for sharing this one Sharon.

Next – Diane Johnson.  She has been all over the world and has collected photos of covers wherever she goes.  She doesn't have access to her collection right now but was on the Oregon Coast recently and captured this survey marker.  So cool!  Thanks Diane! Love the "Unlawful to Disturb" warning.

And last for today, but not least, my friend Jeanne McLaughlin is just back from a trip to England.  I got wind of her voyage through facebook and sent her a request to find us some covers – and she did!  Thanks Jeanne!

Jeanne is a mixed media artist and one of her passions is eco-dyeing.  I scored this scarf earlier this year.  It's the perfect time of year to be showing off this lovely scarf, if only it wasn't 80+ degrees out this week.  Soon I will be wearing this everywhere.  Do you spy a rusty cover-like imprint?  Me too!  To buy from Jeanne, find her on facebook.

Even more guest covers to come soon.  I get really fun stuff via email these days 🙂

Don't forget to enter the GIVEWAY.  See Day 15 HERE.

Day 18:  As soon as I asked my dear friend Lisa Hoffman to look for and photograph manhole covers in her area she was ON it.  I know she walks her dogs so I thought it would be interesting to see what was underfoot on her daily routine.  Not only did she send those, but she and her partner Jim became eagle eye reporters from all the surrounding areas.  Just look at these findings!!  

This first one has glass inserts, originally clear and meant to let in light below, they become purple over time.  I've only seen one like this in New York – my favorite kind of cover.  This visual as a real score.  See more about glass "vault lights" HERE and more visuals HERE.

How about this one?  Once you go down the rabbit hole of looking online, or looking in real life, you really appreciate the ones that deviate from 'the usual'.  I'm sure this one gets a lot of well-deserved attention, from those who catch a glimpse when walking by in Boulder – and it has to bring a smile, and very likely has them looking at every manhole cover in the vicinity. 

Here is the full collection of Lisa and Jim's findings so far….

Lisa is a mixed media artist and recently started turning her sketchbook drawings/paintings into miniatures.  Big beautiful pages reduced to an adorable collection of stickers.  Genius!  And fun for your planners, journals, blank envelopes and more.  Collection No.1 & No. 2 available on ETSY, click HERE.  Another set is about to launch!  

Visit Lisa Hoffman's blog HERE.

Thank you Lisa and Jim for accepting this mission and educating us on covers in your area. xoxo

Day 16:  Meet Russ.  I first found him through this article, HERE.  If you click through, you'll notice you can't read the whole piece. Luckily, they cover the important details in the first few lines.  Name, location, and the buzz phrase "street art".  I went on a searching spree and learned a lot more about Mr. Muits, from a full article, HERE.  He's a graphic designer, and originally a Jersey boy.  His website: Storm Print City.  He's been on the hunt for nearly ten years – finding cool covers and taking prints from them.  First print was from a cover in Seattle – I have seen they have really cool ones there.  His catalog boasts of more than 200 unique pieces from more than 50 cities across the country and his enterprise now consists of a team of artists in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco, New Orleans, and Detroit with new cities to come.   

After reading all the interesting posts on his site I clicked over to the SHOP buttons.  He has fine art prints which you can order by region, individually, or in a collection of your choice.  He sells ceramic coasters – tons of them.  He also sells one-of-a-kind printed shirts – check them out HERE.  All very cool offerings from a guy who has literally worked on the streets, sometimes in the wee hours of the morning, to pull prints.  

But here's the project that really impressed me – Prints for Flint.  Russ is a man of action – and has created a collection of goods that benefit the children of Flint.  How cool is that?  A water cover print that turns around and gives back to improve water conditions in an area that has been traumatized.  Love that.  Water.  We turn on the tap and indulge.  Imagine not having that luxury.  

Got myself a tote.  I think you need one too.  Shop HERE.

Thanks Russ, for the permission to use your photos and for letting me share your story.  Very cool art.  Even cooler mission.

Find him here:  StormPrintCity website, shop, Instagram, Youtube + PrintsForFlint

Day 14:  How about these cool coasters?  Made by Godinger.  4" aluminum.  Found on Amazon.  

USA cities HERE.  Euro cities HERE.

I'm coasting along on a few projects.  When the paint is dry I'll be posting about them.

Lots more to see.  See ya tomorrow.

Day 13: I'm pleased to have another roving reporter show us covers from his area.  Andrew has been a long time friend and fellow artist. He's taken some great photos to share and has written a narrative to accompany them.  

You can find Andrew's stencil designs at Stencil Girl Products HERE.  His blog, HERE.  His Pinterest boards HERE.  And he's on facebook with his business page, UrbanPaperArts, HERE.

Hi! I'm Andrew Borloz and I have been living in Pascack Valley region of Bergen County (northeastern New Jersey)
most of my life. Most of the photos that I took of the manhole covers are usually in either New York City, in Japan,
or in other areas. But I didn't look closely at the local ones until Michelle asked me if I could submit the photos of
manhole covers for her blog.

I looked for the photos that I thought I already took, but I could not find any. So I decided to go out today (October 6),
and take photos of the covers in eight small towns that are part of Pascack Valley. Small enough that I could go
through all of them in about an hour.

After I took the photos from the towns of Emerson, Hillsdale, Park Ridge (where actor James Gandolfini grew up),
River Vale, Montvale, Washington Township, Westwood, and Woodcliff Lake, I have grouped them based on common
features.

The first set below shows the town names "bend" around the perimeter. Westwood (center) is the only one I found 
with the year in the center. I remember the installation of the sewer pipes in my street back in 1966 – no more septic tanks!

Another set shows some of the covers with wheel spoke design. Some towns used the same design all over within
its own boundaries, but Westwood used at least 3 different ones.

Not all manhole covers are for the sewer pipes. I have found the ones from a telephone company, an electrical access
to the traffic lights (Westwood), and from drainage pipes (Washington Township & Emerson).

And here's my last set – they're sort of uncommon and not easily found. Most of them are found within the older
residential area. I've noticed one oddity – a Paramus manhole cover found in Hillsdale (upper left corner). The large
town of Paramus (a shopping mecca) is four miles south of Hillsdale and I couldn't figure out why that cover is in
Hillsdale.

My favorite one is the hexagon pattern (lower left) – I was surprised to find it right in my town as I have seen so many
of the same one in New York City.

It was fun to see the similarities and differences between these town-specific covers!  ~ &rew

THANKS ANDREW!!  You had quite a field trip and gave us a lot to see – love how you grouped them.

Check out some of his new stencil designs.  I think these Grindstones could pass as mini manhole covers!  Find them HERE.