A Kind of You (2013) / Perttu Saksa

Beautifully shot. So creepy and beyond heartbreaking. Thank god this is a dying, and now legally punishable practice.

From an interview with the photographer:  

There has been a tradition in Indonesia of street performers teaching their pet monkeys tricks and dressing them in traditional masks. This custom has subsequently put down roots in the cities, where stressed-out monkeys, harnessed to help beggars, are dragged in chains from one owner to another. The monkeys walk clumsily, but are made to go through the streets ‘disguised’ in heads cut off Barbies and baby dolls. A couple of years ago, the Indonesian state tightened up the law and made macaque monkey species protected. There were no longer performances in the street, like before. I did a lot of groundwork with the aid of a local journalist before we found a few people known as “monkey masters” in the slums of Jakarta. They trained and rented out monkeys to beggars. I photographed the series over a few weeks in the autumn of 2012. Since the beginning of this year, the legislation has been made even stricter, and owning monkeys is now punishable by a prison sentence. 

A Kind of You (2013) / Perttu Saksa
(via Incredible Things )

World’s Fluffiest Bunny.

Just what it says on the tin.

World’s Fluffiest Bunny | Incredible Things

Baby LED stickman costume.

My pal, Bradley, told me about this one a few days ago, but I've finally gotten around to watching it. My god, if I had toddlers, this is all they'd wear. EVER.



via Incredible Things

Chair Wear by Bernotat&Co

Man. I SO could have used this in my old workspace - both for heat and invisibility during crashing deadlines.

Chair Wear stimulates re-use by upgrading old furniture. But the aim is not just restyling. Instead, Bernotat&Co researched the possibilities of adding comfort to hard wooden chairs, or of creating additional functions for simple chairs.

MoCo Features: Chair Wear by Bernotat&Co

Ducks.

Ah, the Pinterest rabbit hole. This photo's at least a few years old, but I love it and had to share.

LooksLikeGoodDesignLooks - Photography by Gregor Collienne

Sockmonkey clock.

I'm a little in love with this clock.

Modern Moose: Sockmonkey

Custom paint-by-numbers kits.

I'm just enough of a dork to think this looks really fun.

Choose your favorite close-up photo, then customize your kit. We’ll personally create your photo’s number pattern on genuine canvas for you to paint. Word is, your masterpiece will be worthy of placing on any wall or shelf.

Shop | Easy123Art

Kupu smoke alarm.

Yes, I know this is super design-nerdy, but a smoke alarm that looks nice and lasts five years is pretty sweet. (I can't say I'm a fan of the giant fly design, but I like the pebble design.) Anyway, I appreciate designers who improve every day things.

Kupu is a photoelectric smoke alarm designed by Finnish designer Harri Koskinen for Jalo Helsinki. Kupu will not only enhance the safety of your home, but you will also add a touch of design. Most of the smoke alarms in the market are difficult to install and not attractive. On the contrary Kupu is beautiful, stylish and easy to use. Installing it will take only a few seconds thanks to its 3M tape and there will be no need for screws or a power drill. The whole surface of the smoke alarm acts as a test button, so there are no tiny push buttons, but the whole external casing acts as a press switch for silencing false alarms and testing the performance. Kupu has been developed and manufactured according to the requirements and standards for smoke alarms. Kupu is lightweight and has a 5 year battery life time. Available in a number of colours, Kupu was awarded the Red Dot Design Award 2011.

Kupu photoelectric smoke alarm || Finnish Design Shop

MIT's Self-Assembling Robots.

I don't know whether I'm excited about this or scared of it. Either way, it's really pretty incredible.

M-Blocks are a new breed of self-assembling robot currently in development at MIT. Each cube is about an inch and a half across on each face, with a flywheel on the inside and an array of magnets on the outside. By spinning the flywheel at high speeds–up to 20,000 revolutions per minute–the self-contained units can scoot across tables and flip themselves through the air. Once they come close to another block, a clever system of self-aligning magnets attaches them to their partner. Seeing a single cube clamber on top of another isn’t especially impressive. But watch several move at once, with disparate parts moving independently and the larger whole rapidly taking a totally new form, and you can start to see a hazy path towards Optimus Prime.

Watch: MIT's Self-Assembling Robots Offer Whiffs of Optimus Prime | Wired Design | Wired.com

Helpful infographic for email addicts.

Because, really, most advice is better as an infographic.

Should I Check E-Mail? by Wendy MacNaughton

How to Be an Educated Consumer of Infographics: David Byrne on the Art-Science of Visual Storytelling | Brain Pickings

Live/Love.

Adorbs.

Live in the light, love at night. A 4x6 letterpress print acting as a clock to let you know when it's business time. See what I did there... with the double meaning of business time.... alrighty then.

Live/Love – 55 Hi's

Katharina Fritsch - large-scale works.

Weird and kind of wonderful. I like.

Tischgesellschaft (Company at the Table)
1998

Oktopus / Octopus
2010

 Katharina Fritsch - Selected Works - Matthew Marks Gallery

(via Trendland.comhttp://trendland.com/katharina-fritschs-large-scale-sculptures/http://trendland.com/katharina-fritschs-large-scale-sculptures/)

Tip: cheap(er/ish) natural decorations

Looking ahead to decorating for the upcoming holidays? Or do you just enjoy the type of stuff you can find on Viva Terra but can't afford? This might help. Some lovely stuff

Sanded Sierra Natural Manzanita 18-26in - $9

Sculpture Trees Natural Branches 13-16" - $22

Manzanita Branches Sanded 21-38" Natural - $19

Birds Nest Branch 23" - $3.99

Save On Crafts | Discount Wedding and Event Decorations

Deal alert: Peewee Herman china plate.

I'm a big, big fan of BeatUpCreations' altered vintage plates. But I'm also on a getting-rid-of-stuff rampage right now, so I'm not buying this myself. (So painful.) BUT YOU SHOULD. It's on sale for $25, which is a deal. Because, c'mon.

SALE: Peewee Herman Portrait Altered Vintage by BeatUpCreations

Pen Orgy.

Ah, pencil cases. This one made me smile.

Pen Orgy Pencil Case - TemptationGifts.com

(via Incredible Things / HolyCool)

Marquee Light B.

Want.

 

Marquee Light B Rust by Vintage Marquee Lights | Fab.com

Dumpsty tiny dumpsters.

Tiny dumpsters! Seriously?? How fab are these? Look at them. JUST LOOK AT THEM.

Dave from Dumpsty, you had me at "Since you like very giant or tiny things..." Thank you. They made my heart sing a little.  

 

Dumpsty miniature steel dumpsters capture the essence of street art on your desktop.

 

Measuring 11”x8”x10” and weighing a rugged seven pounds, Dumpsty dumpsters are hand crafted and authentically styled with iconic form and fluid functionality. Available as blank metal canvases ready for your creative expression or as one-of-a-kind finished works of art.

Dumpsty was designed to help preserve and promote the beauty and diversity of urban art and the artists who create it, by moving art beyond the boundaries of the street. It’s street art that isn’t confined to the street.

Dumpsty

A tiny wooden shelf for a tiny room.

 I have the tiniest guest bedroom in the world. This might just work. Very cute.

Small Bedroom Ideas: 5 DIY Wooden Shelves For Tiny Sleeping Spaces | Apartment Therapy

When you shave a guinea pig it looks like a little hippo.

 GET. OUT. I CAN'T EVEN.

(Thanks to my pal, Donna, for this one.)

UPDATE: Per reader, Sherri, who is clearly a very lucky lady. (Thanks, Sherri!)

This is not a shaved guinea pig. He is a hairless. He is known as a Skinny Guinea Pig. These are mutations. I know. I own own one that looks just like this.

The 35 Cutest Facts Of All Time

Electronics by Particules.

Please excuse me whilst I wipe the drool from my keyboard.

The images above and below show the work of Particules Studio, a french product design duo doing remarkable things with simple objects. Their Objets Sans Âge series in particular pushes traditional materials in wholly unique directions, fusing ceramic, wood and exposed electrical circuitry to produce radios, alarm clocks, speaker systems and light switches that are uniquely tactile.

Those arent bowls, theyre speakers designed by Particules - Its Nice That

"This moi."

One of my favorite Liz Lemon quotes. In poster form. Yes.

etsy: Liz Lemon 30 Rock Quote by paperchat

Cardboard surveillance cameras by Filez Doux.

I don't quite know why I like these, but I really do like them.

 

One day, as Sylvain was looking for a new cardboard project, I showed him a beautiful cardboard street light. He was so crazy about it that he decided to create one. When that was finished, it was time to find another idea. I figured, why not look to the street for more inspiration? That’s how the idea of the surveillance camera came up.

Fresh Shop: Filez Doux | The Etsy Blog

Giant Greenpeace Bear.

Because I adore giant things, I wish I could've been in London this past weekend to see this. Giant bear! Yay!

The puppet, which is designed by Christopher Kelly and has been specially commissioned for Greenpeace, is the size of a double-decker bus and weighs around three tonnes. She will require 15 puppeteers to operate on Sunday, alongside 20 volunteers to haul her through the streets. As she walks through the city she will emit gutteral rumblings, and her roar will be accompanied by the sound of ice breaking and animals bellowing. Following the bear will be thousands of supporters as well as a parade of "Arctic-inspired carnivalesque performers".

Creative Review - First pics of giant Greenpeace Bear released

Kickstarter: a cafe by and for nanas.

This concept makes me really happy. It looks like they're running a bit behind in backers, so, if you find yourself in need of a potential mitzvah/pay-it-forward/karmic pick-me-up, please consider dropping a bit of money for the NANA Cafe in the old Kickstarter jar.

Over half of people aged over 65 in the UK say they feel lonely. We hate the thought of people being stuck indoors with no one to talk to and nothing to do. This is when we thought - why not give retired ladies a reason to get out of the house and put all those years worth of nurturing and chat to good use?

Let's build NANA a home! by Katie Harris — Kickstarter

Logo, Bullshit & Co., Inc. by Oliver Reichenstein

An excellent and deeply satisfying read if you enjoy watching a design professional slap down a multibillion dollar company for not knowing the difference between a logo and branding.

Nicely done, Oliver.

Read it here: Logo, Bullshit & Co., Inc. | Information Architects

My Fair Milwaukee fabric.

Giving a shout out to Allison Beilke who designed these completely adorable Milwaukee-themed fabrics. I especially love the Cream City brick design, an homage to the beautiful cream brick structures that are everywhere in our fair city.

My Fair Milwaukee in Marine

Bay View

Brew City in Rust

Brick by Brick in Cream City

My Fair Milwaukee by Allison Beilke

I heart my Chromecast.

I just got a Chromecast device a few weeks ago and I just realized I should actually mention it on my blog for anyone out there who's been considering one. It's SO cool. It won't excite those of you with streaming media boxes like Roku or Apple TV, but I never got around to buying either of those, so I'm all giddy.

My review - ★★★★★! It was stunningly simple to set up - it took less than five minutes to plug it into my TV, download the app onto my iPhone and start streaming Netflix. For $35, it's awesome. Seriously, I love this little guy.

Chromecast is the easy way to enjoy online video and anything from the web on your TV. Plug it into any HDTV and control it with your existing smartphone, tablet, or laptop. Send your favorites from Google Play, YouTube, Netflix, and Chrome to your TV with the press of a button. No more huddling around small screens and tiny speakers. Chromecast automatically updates to work with a growing number of apps.

With Chromecast, you can easily enjoy your favorite online content on your HDTV—movies, TV shows, videos, music, photos, websites, and more from Netflix, YouTube, Google Play, and Chrome. 

Amazon: Google Chromecast HDMI Streaming Media Player

p.s. It's on backorder, so it took about a month before I got it, but it was worth the wait.

MINI LENA star lamp.

Lovely.

MINI LENA star lamp — xo-inmyroom

Yum Yum "Popcorn" figure.

I just love their toys.

Yum Yum — Products

24 square meter apartment.

I ran across this a few weeks ago and was thinking about it again. I adore hyper-designed, hyper-organized living spaces like this. Of course, it makes me want to go home and throw away 90% of what I own.

 

Amazing Idea for Saving Space in a Small Apartment - 24 Square Meter

Poppy: Turn Your iPhone into a 3D Camera.

Poppy, a camera that you can drop your iPhone into to create and share stereoscopic/3-D images and video, is available for pre-order, thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign. I just bought one as a gift for a friend, so I'm hoping it's as full of win as it seems.

Poppy: Turn Your iPhone into a 3D Camera by Ethan Lowry & Joe Heitzeberg — Kickstarter
(via Uncrate)

Flyguy.

I have to assume this is a joke.

 

$25,000 USD

Cut from a solid block of foam, these remote controlled Flyguys will amaze and wow anyone they happen to fly by! Great for advertisements and film shoots as well! Since they are made from foam, they are lightweight and easy to manage. The figure comes as a blank carved foam man so you can paint and customize him as you see fit. These are custom made with the greatest attention to detail. Please allow 3 months for shipping.

Fancy - R/C Flyguy

Pixel Superheroes.

I'm a sucker for pixel people.

PIXEL SUPERHEROES on Behance (via Laughing Squid)