Here’s a pair of earrings + gift card combo that I made with some leftover Swarovski crystal rhinestones I had.
Here’s a cute way to send a friend a handwritten note and a new pair of crystal earrings! This note card features a snowflake-decorated ribbon and label on the front attached with a blue brad. The ribbon conceals one pair of Swarovski crystal post earrings and the inside has a paper insert for note-writing. Each comes in a zip poly bag with a metallic silver envelope.
$12 on Etsy.
Great post in the comments: “wow. IF Nintendo sees this, they might come out with the $79.99 straw/attachment. “
Here’s a list of a bunch of stuff I’ve been digitally collecting and hoping for IRL versions for a while: Liz McLean Knight’s Wishlist. Some highlights:
Back in the day, way before Dance Dance Revolution, Guitar Hero and Rock Band, there was a rhythm game that had you getting down to Latin grooves and shaking your maracas. That game was Samba de Amigo. Grab yourself a Dreamcast on Ebay, score the special maraca controllers, invite some peeps over and you’ll have a party that’s worth blogging about in the days to come, not to mention some hilarious photo opps.
Ah, the warm yet fashionable addition of intersected integers makes an outfit complete. This cool little company (literally Little Factory) based out of Hong Kong churns out a typographical phantasmagoria of laser-cut accessories (you can get uppercase or lowercase letters instead of numbers if you prefer to roll ASCII). Downside is that you have to wait a week after ordering for your stuff to ship, which is assumably so that all the little laser gnomes have time to cut out your design from a sheet of ultrasuade.
Bigger events obviously require more money but that doesn’t necessarily have to come from ticket sales alone. If you’ve got a targeted demographic within your audience you’ve got an asset to other businesses who would love to ride along on your coattails to awesomeness. This book delves into doing all the things that appeal to the things that corporate wants to see. Good to add to the reference shelf.
Although the ending is a bit dated on this 1996 talking heads documentary (re: future potential of the Internet), it seems to be an insightful yet playful documentary on the start of the PC revolution. It features interviews with Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Steve Wozniak and interesting bits of trivia along with highlighting the accidental nature of the revolution (it’s based on the book Accidental Empires). If you prefer a more dramatized version, go with Pirates of Silicon Valley (which I own. thanks, Beth!)
1,000 Graphic Elements: Details for Distinctive Designs
When I’m in product design or promo / marketing mode and need to come up with something physical that’s extra special this would be the go-to book for me. It’s a design inspiration book that focuses on the small, yet exciting details of a piece. In the 1,000 series, this book focuses on embellishments available to graphic designers across all kinds of projects, from books to brochures, invitations to menus, CDs to annual reports. And it’s organized by type; if you are trying to come up with an unusual binding, turn to the “bindings” section to see some ideas. I own the 1,000 Greetings book and it’s gorgeous so I can drool over this one in anticipation.
Sure does look like one, though? Well it’s actually a ceramic cup with a heat-resistant silicone lid that you can use over and over again, unlike the actual version that’s made out of paper and just adds more trash to the planet. Anyone who does anything thought-intensive and in front of a computer realizes the value of caffeine to the process. A hilarious mobile coffee delivery system will make the perfect gift.
What the Bleep!? – Down the Rabbit Hole (QUANTUM Three-Disc Special Edition)
If you’re the armchair physicist sort who flips out over the metaphysical ramifications of Schrodinger’s cat and yet still likes to be entertained then you’ve got to snag this highly produced documentary. Yeah it’s got the sensory-challenged Marlee Matlin as its dramatized protagonist (which can make for some giggle-stifling moments, for the sake of brutal honesty) but it’s likely a choice based on some higher motifs. And when you can toss discussion about motifs into a documentary that’s downright special (and not as in -education) and posits theories that uses the assumptions behind quantum physics as its springboard it’s nerdy yet fun. And how often does that intersection happen?
OK this is a blind rec here–the title and cover did it for me. As long as there is plenty of glossy aspirational photography count me in.
Last Night a DJ Saved My Life: The History of the Disc Jockey
If you DJ or–in some fashion–support those who do, this book will be a great way to contextualize the profession. This book provides a history of the DJ and the music forms that DJs have profligated since the advent of vinyl as a medium of auditory stimulation and satisfaction. The history that this book attempts to recount isn’t an end-all-to-be-all, but it covers enough ground to satisfy even the most discriminating electronic music lover like yours truly.
Really, who couldn’t find a use for ten grand?
The Bit Blob is a “digital noise monstrosity” that lights up and unleashes hideous sounds from its gut. Which makes a fun sonic toy! You’ve only got until today to snag one–they only made a few for this holiday season.
The cutesie customizable music toy / sonic desk buddy Thingamagoop is also available for only $120.
Have sweet techno dreams by zonking out on this pillow made in the form of an 808. I can think of about 5 of my friends who would drool over this pillow. Maybe I mean that literally.
[via Matrixsynth]
Who wants free Gmail stickers? I know I do. They have some bookplate ones, keyboard shortcuts for your ‘puter and the M logo thinger. send a self-addressed stamped envelope to:
Send me some Gmail stickers already
P.O. Box 391420
Mountain View, CA 94039-1420
Make sure to include enough postage to return a sticker pack via U.S. mail. It’s less than one ounce, so a standard $0.42 stamp will do if you’re in the United States; enclose an international reply coupon (IRC) if you’re outside of the U.S.
No, not the ‘tronz as in “internet,” we’re talking Tronz as in the robotic band. Much along the same lines as the Chicago-spawned Captured! By Robots (although decidedly more minimal in scope and vision), the band members are instrument-specific robots controlled by (presumably) MIDI–a kind of low-tech version of the animatronic Chuck E Cheese Rockafire Explosion (of which there used to be videos floating around of a guy who reprogrammed the critters to churn out pop songs. Seems either Chuck E Cheese or said music’s publishers didn’t see the humor).
Short on cash? You can still give geek gives instantly and free with the Geek Gifts application I made for Facebook to give virtual geek gear from Fractalspin. Cool stuff like the Cat 5 Bracelet and MIDI Cuff are in there along with tons of other stuff from the store.
Triumph of the Nerds
