Category: craft

Valentine Miscellania Part 1

February 12th, 2012

Amazing craft idea for the zombie lover in your life!

Imaginary boyfriends are the best.

This is how to get ALL the ladies!

Who knew cupid’s name was…DAN?

Unparalleled romance:

On a related note, the Newton Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant in Brooklyn is offering a morning tour of its sludge processing facility (I’m not kidding!)

My kinda cupid!

If I ever get married, I would shower my husband with beautiful sentiments like this:

You’ll rarely hear me say this, but…forget the chocolate…I want the box!

I forgot to put this fellow, all spiffy in his Valentine suit, in my Bat Valentine post:

Many folks who frequent this blog would probably appreciate the Tim Burton Valentine Card Set.

Boo Boo the Valentine Ghost just wants someone to love him.

And a couple of other sculpted creatures I found, without artist credit.
Desktop Goodies 2/8

February 8th, 2012

A new piece by Mark Ryden to lust after…

An age old patent for all your cow facade needs:

The ORIGINAL stairway to heaven:

Beautiful sandcastle by Adam Gormley:

Excellent idea!

Great party game:

Why not surprise your loved one with an unforgettable toy this Valentine’s Day?

Oh, BELIEVE IT!

At this restaurant, the only thing higher than the lobster towers is the staff’s hair.

I can almost hear the sweet, melodious tune of this duet.

They say history repeats itself. This political cartoon should be reprinted…

Now, I know it’s exaggerated for dramatic effect here, but this is pretty much exactly what my mind’s eye envisions when someone sneezes near me:

Heh. Wait ’til the 21st Century, girl…it’s called the Internet.

But alas…love hurts.

My best friend loves pickles. I sense an edible Pickle Circus setup at a birthday gift!

And I’ll finish off with a video that begs the question “Why is every sport that looks mildly appealing to me a century old and long since laughed out of existence?”
Lisa Nilsson: Tissue Series

February 6th, 2012

The Tissue Series by Lisa Nilsson has come up on a ridiculously large number of blogs I follow, so I hesitated to re-post it. But like other “popular” posts (well, for my niche anyway), I hate to think a fellow anatomy craft fan might have missed this!

Nilson crafted a stunning series of anatomical cross sections by quilling the images from classic texts.

I’m awestruck by this work. I would LOVE to have one of these in my library (or future office).

Has anyone tried quilling? I haven’t, officially (aside from occasional 3D curlicues on greeting card designs).

See the rest of the collection here.
Nicole Pangas: Skull Cups

February 4th, 2012

I came across Nicole Pangas’s hand crafted ceramic skull cups on her Etsy site while doing a search for “skulls and tea.”

I find these skull designs appealing for their semi-abstract, subtle appearance. Each one is almost like an optical illusion of its own.

See more here.
Impromptu Groundhog Day Megapost II

February 2nd, 2012

I never intend to post about this holiday, but I once again got wrapped up in some nifty searches.

How about a few vintage treats to start?

Is the groundhog the instructor, or part of the recipe?

“Nice marmot.”

I’ve learned that anything can be turned into an occasion for beer. Too bad I don’t like beer. Where are the Groundhog Day chocolate parties?

How about a little “art?”

Punxsutawney Phil the Seer of Seers:

King Henry Groundhog (hm?):

How about a painted groundhog tart pan? My goodness, this is depressing.

At least this soap is a bit more cheerful.

This poor guy looks like he’s undergoing an uncomfortable medical procedure.

Colorful…postmodern…

And now for your daily dose of euphemism: the Jolly Groundhog:

Innnnnnnteresting…(I love how this next one is available on “Fine Art America”).

Now this, I really like:

Bloody Groundhog Day:

You better recognize.

And a little taxidermy…

GAH! (The store this comes from is actually pretty great)

His posture is sublime:

The groundhog saw his shadow this morning, so that means six more weeks of…this?

In closing…

Don’t miss the absurd finds on last year’s Groundhog Day post!
Zim and Zou

January 25th, 2012

Brace yourselves, folks. I’m about to post something exceptionally rare for this blog: neon colors. Zim and Zou have won me over with their outrageously skillful paper sculptures.

This color scheme actually reminds me of my wardrobe as a child of the 80’s…before I wore more dark apparel than any human reasonably should.

And speaking of the 80’s, be sure to explore the closeups in Back to Basics to remember our prized devices of yesteryear.

See more sets of work here.
Originally seen on Alter Ego
MST3K Jewelry by Pica Pica Press

January 21st, 2012

What a perfect idea for a necklace! Pica Pica Press let’s the MST3K gang riff your very own photo of choice! Onto my wishlist it goes…

There is also a Tom Servo silver necklace in the shop at the moment:

See more dreamy geek jewelry here.
Little Sister Designs

January 11th, 2012

A number of pieces from Little Sister Designs caught my eye with their dark, delicate, lovely strangeness.

Most jewelry items contain sterling silver castings of bones, claws and other oddities.

See more here.
Randy Regier

January 9th, 2012

Short anecdote: in 6th grade my class was asked to construct a diorama based on a book we liked. I recreated the “hobbling” scene from Stephen King’s Misery. I was the only student whose project featured a prostrate Ken doll with a bloody stump where his foot once was, at the mercy of an axe wielding Barbie.

Don’t worry. Despite such antics in my younger (and recent) days, I’m a shockingly well-adjusted human being.

I’ve always had a soft spot for re-purposed and mildly morbid toys, so when I came across Randy Regier’s gallery of vintage style handmade faux-playthings, I was delighted.

See the rest of the toy gallery here.
Crafty Chica Cruise 2012

January 2nd, 2012

Oh boy…one of these years I’m going to hop on board for a Crafty Chica Cruise. This looks like so much fun!

Art swaps, workshops (all supplies included), demos, prizes, a 24 hour craft room…along with the regular culinary and scenic delights of a cruise. I’ll be smack in the middle of my spring semester, buried in Integrative Medicine so I have no hope of attending, but it seems fantastic.

See more info here (and if anyone goes, please tell me how it is!).