Let’s face it, the last few weeks of summer have been of the scattered sort. Things are all over the place, not too mention all the fairs and festivals and work and weddings. So why not continue the scattered trend here? Okay, cool. Let’s.
Here are a few fresh finds that caught my eye and tickled my fancy. No reason. And really, isn’t that the best reason of all?!
First up, I’ve got sandwiches on the brain. Ever since I gathered up enough courage to try Tofurky (the smoke flavoring was a bit frightening at first), I’ve been loving my new found sandwich freedom. So what better way to celebrate that than thissuper-awesome lunchbox. We’ll just pretend that’s more Tofurky on the sammie there. . .
And I can’t ignore my old standby. The goodhearted pb & j. I toast you, dear friend, with this doppelgänger coin purse.
Next up, this should have been included in my CRAP stamp post earlier this month. So many frustrations, so few stamps. Thankfully we can add this WTF?! stamp to our collection. Sometimes there are just no words. . .
Okay, well there is one word. . . YUMBOTS! It’s two of my favorite things! Cupcakes and robots. Need I say more?
Okay, well yes. I need to say that if you love cupcakes too, check out the Cupcake Project. It’ll blow. Your. Mind. Peach cobbler, tiramisu, even calzone cupcakes! Crazy cakes. Literally.
And finally, before I leave you dreaming of cupcakes and WTF stamps, I give you these silhouette posties (I prefer posties to the other, more corporate term). . . they’re playful and cute, and could add that extra 50’s spark to your desk. I imagine the boy is called Billy or Johnny, and the girl, probably Gidget. She’ll surely help you to not forget the milk! And ain’t that swell.
While researching for another blog I’ve started writing for (you can check it out over at City Pages, I’ll be there M-F from now on!), I came across this fantastic video from the 1950’s called “More Dates for Kay”. In an effort to help girls feel better about themselves when they didn’t have a date for Saturday night, some hysterical 1950’s mind put this out into the universe. And I love it.
See that? That’s a couple of lonely sisters dateless on a Saturday, so instead they play games and eat popcorn with mom and dad. It sure is swell. But not the same as being with a boy at the movies. So older sister here, she tells lil’ sis how her friend Kay set out to get more dates.
What ensues is a fabulous, super vintage-y list of what girls should do. . . 1) good grooming habits, including baths, toothpaste and real good underarm deodorant, 2) then, like Kay, begin making more friends at school, mostly with boys, and 3) again like Kay, help out, like offering to make your brother and his friend Buzz sandwiches while they study.
And see that, just by making him a sandwich, Buzz noticed Kay and asked her to the football game on Saturday.
How magically wonderful. Deodorant + Sandwich = Date with Buzz. See Kay lonely. See Kay make a ham and cheese for boy. See Kay date. Ha ha. How great is that? It’s so great, I’m gonna start using the word swell to all the boys like Kay. And I s’pose I’ll wear more deodorant now too. But you can forget about the sandwiches.
Here’s the video in its entirety. It won’t change your life, but in light of our current standards and expectations on this topic, it’ll make you smile!
Sometimes there’s really nothing left to say, and all you really need is a simple stamp with a simple expression for how you might be feeling. No questions asked. Good thing I’ve found this “CRAP” stamp.
Perfect for times when either a) you feel your work is crap and you might as well save the editor the trouble of stamping it themselves, or b) whatever you’re reading is total crap and you don’t have the time or energy to go into more detail. I mean, the little boxes explaining what sort of crap it is are very useful. There’s the crap on a stick variety, or crap on the loose is a good option too.
While we’re at it, how about we just file the crap on our desk according to what it really is at its core, and put post-it notes on future crap. Good plan. Good plan. And for all that other stuff, there’s the “BLAH BLAH BLAH” stamp. There! Now your desk is stocked and ready with all the supplies you’ll ever need.
Woop, woop! I’ve had my last exam for the semester and I’m officially done with my first year of gradschool! Good for me, and good for you, because this means I’ll have more time to share my fashion findings!
So, next thing on my do-to-list is to find the perfect summer maxidress! I just LOVE these!! And check out the very cool and funky accesories from cuter than cuter Norwegian designer duo ugle&Øya that goes with just about anything…
I’m sure you’ve had a similar conversation over beers. . . you know the one, where friends and new pals sit around and try to guess what instrument the other played in school. Between band and orchestra, if you played one, chances are you were a dork or geek in some form or fashion. Right on, I say! And I, for many serious reasons only a 10 year old can think of, chose to play the cello. Needless to say, I still think any string instrument is not only beautiful to hear, but more than easy on the eyes. I suppose we’ll always be orchestra nerds and band geeks at heart!
But geek or not, these framed vintage violin forms from Jayson Home & Gardenwould make anyone stop and stare. The design is not too over the top or in your face. . . instead it’s a simple, quiet nod to the beauty these instruments exude, and what’s not to like about that? They’re full of history and well, they’re just plain pretty, let’s face it. I’d love to see more forms framed too. . . could you imagine a big ole’ bass form hanging on your wall? Now that would be totally cool. Bum bum bum. . . buuuuuummmm.
Air plant pods. Er, come again? Yes, you heard right. . . these are air plant pods created and patented by Denver’s own Michael McDowell of Mudpuppy. One glimpse of these weirdo plants and their matching upside down homes and you’ll be struck by the strange, yet appealing cacti like tentacles climbing out of the ceramic pot they hang from.
Goodness is it curious looking, but that’s what makes it worth having. I mean, those long alien fingers sprouting down from the ceiling really could be quite fetching, in a way. Also known more generally as tillandsia, these special air plants can grow up or down, left or right I suppose. And the sleek pods with the twine like cord give them extra punch of clever design.
Do you love playing fake guitar so much, you don’t even remember your life before Guitar Hero? Sure. Yes. And do you love it so much, you’d contemplate starting a sham band to go along with your phony shredding prowess? I have, yes. What about wearing your mini guitar right smack on your chest, so you could melt pretend fans’ faces with your sick skillz? That’s exactly what the nerdy nerds over at ThinkGeek have drummed up just for people like you (see how I took myself out of this last part of the equation? Mmmhmm yes), and boy have they hit the ticket. [Insert devil horns here] It’s an electronic guitar t-shirt!
But you go ahead, go on with your bad self. Light those screaming crowds on fire with your chest guitar! It even comes with its own mini-amp to really blow their minds!! Surely even just a crowd of 2 would be impressed. . . and it’s such a small price to pay for a few minutes of wicked glory!
The very indie, very pop eccentric trio Unicycle Loves You (also known as ULY for those who love to be word lazy!) recently released Mirror, Mirror after taking a quick 2 year break since their debut. Plucking inspiration from kitschy cult horror films and science fiction, ULY (yes I’m word lazy today) like to appear playful and then transport you somewhere you weren’t expecting.
While some tracks like “Justine” and “Mountain Lungs” clip along, the title track “Mirror, Mirror” is a tranquil, dreamy anthem for those slow days of summer. Available September 7, 2010, you can get your very own ULY fix below with the video for “Justine” and a FREE download of the newest single “Mirror, Mirror”. Happy listening!
Okay, who doesn’t love a play on words?! Especially when it’s in reference to a matryoshka tea set???!!! There’s so much to adore here, I don’t even know where to begin. How about the fact that the tea cups are the nesting dolls head, cleverly placed right on top of the tea pot? So simple, yet so genius. I love it! Get your very own St. TEA-tersburg tea set HERE.
My friends over at Ript Apparelare celebrating their very first birthdaytoday. Congratulations fellas on a job well done! Your oodles and oodles of funky, original tee offerings and the artists you feature make the world a better (more stylish) place. I’m grateful you and your fabulous ideas were born!
And of course, just because it’s their birfday, it doesn’t mean the creative t-shirt train has to stop. Check out today’s tee. . . a spry, bagpipe playing Scotopus designed by the talented Dave Perillo. Cool!
That iPad sure does look cool, no? All those fun things you can do, like giant e-mails and full-scale Tetris. If only you had an extra $600+ to spare, right? Well in the meantime, while you save your pennies, there’s a Notepodwith your name on it. I mean, do you even remember what it’s like to write on paper? So here’s your chance to exercise those motor skills again, but still look techy cool when you pull out your Notepodgrocery list at the store.
Available in pod or pad size, have fun getting to know your pen again. Woo hoo for pens and paper!
Jess Wainer’s carved chrysanthemum vases are absolutely divine. They’re whimsical and modern all at the same time; one of the best combinations for home accessories. Not too grandma, and not too cold. . . as Goldilocks would say, just the right size, or I mean style.
The colors and intricate design are what make me want to take a pottery class. So yay, beginning on Mondays that’s just what I’ll be doing. But don’t expect something like this! We’ll leave that to Jess Wainer. For more of her collection, visit her site on Supermarket here.
Sweden’s Dasrotesrabbit has a brilliant eye for color and and a wicked sense of design. I really love the way each piece pops and engages the eye. . . like the “OK” illustration below. Is that a lemon, or a bird, or both?? I don’t really know, and actually, I don’t really care, because it’s so cool! And the giant blackbird in heels? I mean come on, how nifty would that look on your wall?!
Check out more of Dasrotesrabbit’s work on Etsy or on their blog here. There’s definitely a lot to be inspired by, as you can already see!
No, I’m not trying to give you advice. Music does make the world go round though, so starting a band would be a very positive thing to do! But, “You Should Start a Band” is also the title of Austin, Texas band the Frontier Brothers‘ latest track.
And I must say, I love the HEYS and oh oh oh ohwah oh a oh ohs, because those always make for a good time, no? Check out the video below for a listen, and if you dig the track too, be sure to download the song! I mean, it’s FREE, and there’s really no harm in getting a few “oh-wah ohs” on of your own.
