It’s pretty easy to find a variety of plush zombie creatures these days, but Undead Teds are a cut above (pun intended).
Watch one in action first:
Each UndeadTed is painstakingly made with individually custom-sculpted parts and hand-painted for a unique, grisly finish.
My favorite part of the descriptive text on the site is the following disclaimer:
Please note this is NOT intended as a toy and as such is NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN.
This series of Universal Monsters keychain flashlights released in 1995 (on which you press a button on the back to illuminate the heads) are kind of cool. BUT…
I’m posting them here because they were made in “portraits” by John Purlia, the master of elevating and imbuing all forms of kitsch with a life force via meticulous staging and photography.
Most of Purlia’s scenes are quite elaborate and rich with symbolism (you should really check out his website), but I love the color choices and singular focus in these shots.
Look at those cold, dead eyes!
It’s hard to pick a favorite, but I think the Wolfman, with his shifty sideways glance, might be my mine. Which one is yours?
In 2009, Rotocasted posted this impossibly adorable vinyl brain toy, designed by the talented Junko Mizuno, manufactured by Kidrobot.
There’s very little information about it anymore, but (just seeing it for the first time now), I wish it had been mass produced.
My cat looks at me like this when she’s hungry:
What a great item.
I recently stumbled upon Brent Estabrook’s vibrant paintings, which range from cohesive, vivid realism, to the abstract and deconstructed.
Estabrook got his Doctorate in Dental Surgery, practiced for one day, and left the field to pursue his need to paint (a gutsy move, but a good one with this kind of talent!). His paintings are able to conjure up the nostalgia of childhood dreams…
…memories of when all was possible and world was magic. We remember the toys, the textures, the stories we crafted around items we held dear.
In keeping with my tendency to be last on every social media bandwagon, I just started up my Instagram. I randomly saw a suggested post by lauracolors, which drew me into her wonderful world of girls ensconced in nature, anthropomorphic plants and otherwise magical worlds.
While simply being adorable and pretty to look at, her work also has a kind of serene, harmonious feeling to it…a natural flow and order.
…and she inadvertently drew me as a mermaid (or so I tell myself because I wish I looked like this drawing!).
Laura also does fantastic custom vinyl toys and jewelry. Awesome work, all around.
This toy…is amazing. I mean, really, it stops you in your tracks with its globular golden head and triple fanged…whatever that look is. Seeing it made me wish I were more well versed in Japanese designer toys.
These are called Takemi and they come from Zollmen. Unfortunately, they’ll set you back $125, which some might not be willing to pay for such purposeful ugliness.
The company website was down, but here are some other incredible toys that show up in a google image search.
Look at this poor lonely fellow! I want to adopt him.
If you a bit about where to find more examples of outrageous fancy vinyl toys, please share.
Time is getting away from me lately with the fundraiser, so I’m making up for it by posting a collection of Valentine goodies.
Ransom and Mitchell: Dearly Beloved
24 Stuffed Creatures for Your Offbeat Valentine
Ron English: Peace, Love and Understanding
Printable Math and Science Valentines
Oh, she’ll be surprised:
You realize what happened here: this bird was killed, only to be zoomorphized into a bastardized version of itself in a stupid hat. Talk about adding insult to injury.
Debatable:
Terrifying:
I’m completely entranced by this piece, yet can’t find an artist credit anywhere. Ideas? If no one knows…it’s obviously an alien cell phone.
Parenthetical note:
Excellent…I like strong coffee; strong enough to make my head blast clear off my body.
I almost cropped out the caption because it’s so clear that this thing originated from a very unholy place that it just seems redundant.
Isn’t this all our monsters ever really want? (No really, think about it.)
I searched, in gleeful hope, for a vintage TV commercial featuring Drippy the Runny Nose Kid. But alas, no record of one exists. Sorry I couldn’t deliver this thing in action (or maybe I should be saying “you’re welcome”).
1) Reading books about death becomes considerably more difficult.
I find this photo incredibly haunting. It actually stirs up a visceral unease.
Yes, some might consider the following a deal breaker. She seems open minded. The horse (or…man-horse?), not so much.
Your fist becomes a real face.
The truth of how brains really work, unveiled. SCIENCE!
Ah yes, time for another installment of my strange compulsion to post all things Alien N’ Predator. Here are two great LEGO portraits by Grantmaster. Predator is definitely my favorite.
Did anyone have these toys?
Inbread people…
This is an excellent shop concept because it enables you to shoot the people who disturb your reading without making extra store stops.
“BURST WITH THE TERROR OF A BREAKUP!” You better believe I’ll be turning this into a sympathy greeting card if my friends ever need it…but I hope they don’t.
Ah, I knew it. See you in hell.
This makes me cry like the ASPCA commercials. I want to rescue every one.
Pretty much the greatest photo of all time:
Love this rare art nouveau piece, complete with giant fish.
A bookstore sign in the Netherlands. Amazing…
Time to bundle up for winter! I’m always freezing. I don’t know how I’ve lived without a knit Facehugger in the winter.
I’m never going to be part of Tinder culture…but this would be useful in real life if it were possible.
Gorgeous painting by Megan Buccere.
Great advice!
SheWalksSoftly 