Posts filed under 'genius!'
Ok, lately I’ve been trying to shun things like this because, well, after hauling one metric ton of stuff out of my house for a garage sale, I feel it’s best to avoid the cheap plastic crap. Which, I know, is impossible, but we’re trying to make the valiant effort here.
It doesn’t help that this particular cheap plastic crap is soooooo cute… I’m finding it hard to resist. Found during a recent search for a replacement bug jug (yes, we had a bug jug failure, winding up with an escapee caterpillar who at least had the good instinct to crawl UP our curtains, rather than down to a cat treat demise). Uncle Milton (of the ant farm fame) has come out with two tiny bug containers, one for ladybugs, the other for roly polys (”polies”?). Playgrounds, if you will, complete with slides and water holes and anything your captive insect might need. (aside from, you know, anything natural!)
May 28th, 2008
Young Me – Now Me has a pretty simple concept: recreate pictures of yourself from your youth. But the results are hilarious. And sweet. And will keep you occupied for at least a good 10 minutes on a rainy Friday, so go take a look at the gallery.
Also, it’s a bit late for this year, but it strikes me that this would be a great concept for a Mother’s Day gift, matted and framed with the original.
::: quietly files idea away for next year :::
May 9th, 2008
So let’s just start with the fact that I *heart*Â Pantone books. There’s just something about ALL OF THOSE COLORS! ALL THE POSSIBILITIES! that makes me downright giddy. I have a set of books that I’ve owned since graduation (where we did, in fact, have Pantone colors taped to the tops of our mortarboards), in it’s handy little case, safely stored away in a dark drawer so as not to fade my precious colors.Â
A few weeks ago, I ran across this house on Flickr that honestly just blew me away. I swear, if I had super high ceilings, massive amounts of time and painter’s tape and a willing husband, I’d totally go for this look.  But I don’t. So, alas, no Pantonization of the house. Â
Until yesterday, when I spied these stairs over on Apartment Therapy. Oh yeah. I’ve been trying to figure out what to do with our basement stairs — they desperately need work and we were thinking of painting but hadn’t settled on anything yet. There are tearsheets laying around the house of various painted staircases, some of which I really liked, but nothing that I lurved. The main problem was that most of these had the treads painted, some in white (ack!) and I just couldn’t see that working for this five-person, two-cat, minimal-cleaning household. The Pantone stairs will work. Ok, so we won’t use the actual Pantone paint because we’re not bazillionaires, but I’ll break out my trusty swatch book and start picking colors now. For 13 risers. Egads… that should take, oh, three or four months. Anyone have any requests?Â
April 24th, 2008
That’s it, just $15 measly dollars. Which, after these past few posts, seems like mere pocket change for this super-cool 2-in-1 wooden trivet set.  It has asterisks… Woo! Love me some asterisks! Â
April 10th, 2008
I’m totally in love with the Skull Cave. What’s not to love? It’s a cool plasticky thing with a face that your kid can hide out in, then you can roll it up and stuff it away in a closet when they’re done (except for the part where they say they will NEVER be done and can’t we please, PLEASE leave it up just one more day, please?).
The thing I’m not loving? $271. Therefore, I guess I’ll be looking for thin, flexible sheet plastic and stockpiling utility knife blades.
And band-aids.
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March 10th, 2008
because this Open Source Storage unit is DIY only. Isn’t it cool? And supposedly you can make it with only rudimentary DIY skills and a drill. For $200!
The OSS#3 cabinet is pictured; there are also plans available for the more vertical OSS#4.
March 6th, 2008
These baby instruction cards have had me giggling all morning. If I were to have another baby, I’d print them all out and use them as a chair rail-height border around the kid’s room. And then, most likely, I’d maniacally rip it all down again because I’d remember I hate wallpaper borders. Man, those pregnant women can be IN-sane! Â
via Dooce
February 26th, 2008
So I have this friend, N., who has an uncanny knack for finding completely ridiculous things that I. SIMPLY. MUST. HAVE. Yesterday was no exception. Not once have I ever thought to myself, “Hmmmm… I really would like to have a small, stuffed Mr. T doll,” and yet once I saw this one, I cannot think of anything else apart from OWNING A SMALL, STUFFED MR. T DOLL!
So just stop it, N., stop it. Have pity on this fool.
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February 12th, 2008
Did you catch the premiere of the Mr. Men Show this morning? Some of us were more than excited, some of us were a little leery but color me impressed — they did a fantastic job with it. I think perhaps I like it better than the books.
The 50s-inspired animation is perfect, the voices are so stereotypical that they’re hilarious, the music had my kids up and dancing and the bits are short enough for even the youngest eyeballs but have enough adult humor in them that it doesn’t pain me to watch a whole episode (yeah, I’m talking to you Barney). And did I say the animation was perfect? It was mesmerizing. I absolutely adore that UPA style of animation and this was just the right mix of retro and new (we are big, BIG fans of the original Gerald McBoingBoing in this house).
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Ok, so I would’ve put a better link up there to the show but I couldn’t find one. Cartoon Network’s site is less than helpful in this regard. In fact, I’m a little pissy with them right now because when I went to find a video, I was greeted with this:
Nice, eh? Hey Cartoon Network — bite me (and my shiny metal Apple)!
* * *
Hold on, found a better link — the Mr. Men Show Blog. Scroll down to the house images to get a good taste for the animation style (the promo image up there is not really a good example).
February 4th, 2008
Not even the ol’ Grouch himself would believe all of the love I’m feeling for the Tubelor trash can. Yes, a trash can. But a trash can that uses those damned Wal-Mart bags that multiply exponentially in the linen closet. Not only uses them, but HIDES them! And comes in pretty, pretty colors! Hooray! Hooray for trash cans!
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February 2nd, 2008
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