Archive for the ‘Cool stuff’ Category

Magical ‘Childs Own’ Paper to Plush

April 26, 2012

Any one who knows me, knows that I hate plush toys, I really truly dislike them, they are great for children under the age of ‘loves Barbie’ after that I am sure they become disease infested dust collecting, dog toys, that are terribly slippery when placed on polished timber flooring in ones house.

That being said, I am always rather partial to children’s idea being forced into reality especially their crazy little drawings of different creatures and people. Whilst they push you to the limits of what’s annoying/humorous/tiring/hygienic, that also push their own little imaginations into the unthinkable.

Some of the faces and drawing our little team members have doen are pretty cool and I have found a website that turns such drawings into very cool plush toys!

Child’s Own Studio is an amazing website/craft artist who puts children’s crazy/amazing drawings into beautiful handmade plush toys.

Each one a perfect recreation as it passes from imagination into plush toy existence. On the Child’s Own Studio Website, there is also some very cool accompanying stories from the children that make the original drawings.

As per the site, Child’s Own Studio is described like this by the site.

“Child’s Own Studio is a place where your child and a craft artist, together, can create a keepsake to be cherished for a lifetime”

all so cool, my favourite is “Steggy off to school”

I know this is not the first of this kind of idea. I remember seeing child’s art being recreate by adults some time ago, but the fact the Child’s Own Studio turns them into cool plush dolls for the child to keep, I think is very cool.

Please goo and check out the site, or the Flickr

I love the annotation to explain the computer. Totally cool.

 

 

Got Moss?

April 26, 2012

[via Mosser on ETSY]

On my several visits to Japan, I fell in love with a small green friend called moss. I wish I could have it everywhere. As carpet, as a floor, as roof. What’s not to like?

Now I have stumbled across this, on Etsy, I know I know, but I am also addicted, a fate worse than death passed on by Mrs Panda.

It’s Moss.

Lovely green balls of moss, that you can order from the interwebs, Etsy to be precise.

It comes with its own little glass filtered water misting bottle.

It is really cute, and looks as though it would create complete calm in your life.

Back of moss. who would not love some moss.

I am hoping also to do a quick interviewer with the creator! not of moss, but of this product.

please visit their web page

here is a sexy back shot

Cardboard Arcade anyone?

April 11, 2012

I am buying a super-pass. I love Children’s’ imagination, especially the check code on the front of all the machines.

At our house. Gum leaves are ‘tickets’ and tree branches, are bad witch’s walking sticks.

Cinemagr.am Me.

March 28, 2012

I do love cinemagram.

I am not sure why because it is right up there with the time wasters that are Tumblr and Twitter, both of which I am truly and madly in love with.

I just think there is something eerie about these gif still/motion photos.

Here is a couple I prepared earlier

Get this app for your iPhone then email me the results and I will do a feature post on user created  cinemagr.am(s)

email your cinemagr.am(s) to Pandainabattlesuit or tag me on the app.

Look forward to seeing them. It is a bit laborious trawlling through the millions of them on the App, so this shoud be a good way to feature followers works.

Sometimes I get very hungry

March 8, 2012

Its true you know. Don’t you ever just get very hungry?…I’ll get straight to the facts. My Sister in law is a magnificent cook. Like proper magnificent, it runs in the family but she has a particular talent. We have been thinking about pushing her against her will into a book publishing store/business to ask them to let her do a book, but alas she we be in it. But, I do have some amazing news, she with help of yours truly has started her own website. Featuring none other than ……..Her Cooking, and sometimes on a daily basis.

The Push came the other day, we had just returned to their house for a visit after some time away travelling up the north coast of NSW. We had just finished Dinner. Sister in law in question says (not verbatim) something along the lines of  - “I should russell something up for dessert, what about some apple pie?”

Holy Fucking Shit.

After about 20mins of her and partner walking around as she likes to say to me ‘with the broom up their arses’ – alluding to the fact they have committed to too many tasks at once, out walk my sister with an apple pie. Not any ordinary apple pie mind you. A crazy apple pie. Perfectly stewed sweet apples glazed with the essence of brown sugar and southern american dreams, spread out on a most perfectly no perfect star shaped pastry. It resembled a beautiful Apple star like false god of deliciousness.

Here is a picture. We did not have time to take one at the start as it was too edible. We scoffed (?spelling) it.

Looks good huh?

This picture gives you a little bit of a reference point for how the whole tart/pie/thing was served up.

It was after we finished eating this (2 mins later  - I set my mouth to ‘Dyson Mode’) that Mrs Panda piped up “You should so start a food blog!”, the reply was “yeah maybe, do you think?”

It was all I needed, if she wasn’t about to do – Pandainabattlesuit.com would surely facilitate it, and so we did.

Please drum role – I would like to now redirect you all (after you finish reading my hilarious anecdotes of course to my sister in law’s new site.

I just <3 Food 

This amazing blog will tempt you, and make your hunger worse and your taste buds swell and engorge. Best thing about it, is I get to eat a lot of it.

Please head over their and check it out, whilst it is only fledgling at present, it is sure to be great in the not too distant future.

Oh and here is some other pies I have had recently, whilst on leave.

All from an RSL club. Exquisit. soon to come I will post a bit of a photo montage re: the lovely surrounds of another trip (quite touristy) to Coffs Harbor

Children’s Art

January 14, 2012

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Every time I sit here doing craft with either one of the turtles smallfries’ I love the honesty that come out.

Today we made a card for a friend.
A three year old wanting to give a four year old friend a card. if that isn’t the cuties thing you’ve heard all week you’re not trying.

Children don’t care about messing about resources and table space. The floor counts for table space too so if any extra room is needed a slight adjustment is made.

They will literally glue whatever the fuck they want where ever the fuck they want. Colours don’t matter continuity doesn’t matter, and where the glue gets put definitely doesn’t matter.

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I love it. As laborious as doing ‘craft’ is every minute of every time we do craft is a insight into my little turtles’ minds.

They just only want to make the person it is intended for happy. That is all.

Heart craft.

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And eating glue.

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Attention to detail is in the butterfly.

Friday night lights.

January 14, 2012

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Walking around last night in the cool but very tolerable early evening Sydney air was just so good I had to write this.
China town on every other night including tonight has the best vibe. Maybe it has something to do with glorious foods on offer, the bustle of the night markets or the close quarter human contact with other people enjoying the same.
And can I tell you last night was no different. It was a complete eye fucking candy tour of one of the best parts of Sydney.
You can almost smell the ‘getting ready for CNY’ in the atmosphere.
Knowing that I can just get in the car with my team and walk around here, letting my two and four year old also enjoy the experience is magical. Not in a ‘Gandalf the white’ sort of way but more in a ‘Silvermist in a hipster dress’ sort of way.

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If you drop down this way. Dinner is sorted. Automatic and sorted. Dumplings. Steamed vegetarian dumplings. Not going to say they are the best in Sydney cause as far as dumplings go I am pretty sheltered.
China town’s colors fuck your eyes on any given night but combine them with CNY prep a nice evening sunset and a cool/war summers breeze and it is heaven.

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This picture inspired this post. It is rare that just having a fun happy experience can inspire a non sarcastic objective post for me any how.
Sydney does this every week end my team and I go for noodles or what ever.
The more I write this post the more when I read it back it sounds like babbling bullshit.
I don’t. Care this time.
Just stare at the pictures please.

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Last night was a dream night in China Town Sydney. You should have been there.

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Tiny Books of Goodness

January 13, 2012

Recently whilst looking for a better web platform for viewing my instagr.am account I stumbled up on a little company called Printstagr.am

They do all sorts of little printing jobs and formats only using your Instagr.am shots.

From there assortment of products many stood out to me but on one in particular grabbed my eye totally – I live tiny things, miniature things, not in a horder needs a clean out sort of way but in a way that they just make me simply happy.

So I went through the very easy task of logging into their site and creating these adorable little things.

They are great value for money, and if you have an Instagram account, I would be totally recommending you get some.

At only $10 for three little books, each with 24 beautiful scaled square little photos they make the perfect gift, or novelty item for your house.

Each one has a hardcover, the postage delivery time was a bit interesting, but considering that I ordered them pre christmas, not caring if they would be delivered for christmas or not I have to admit the wait wasn’t too bad. Just not the usual 6-7 days from CH or HK that your would expect.

Honestly, if this isn’t a reason to download the instagram app, and abuse it I don’t know what is. I just want to squeeze the little books cheeks and say “isn’t you cuuuuuute”

Each Book contains 24 photos, and they are magnetised, so they stay together like A Miniature bookshelf, or you can stick them to your fridge.

Honestly, these are great for a gift, or just a novel way to get your digital prints, into a common area that you can easily look, would be great tiny little digests for a short travel trip or party.

I cannot emphasize enough, how much I love tiny versions of things. Micro Machines were the start of the obsession I think.

Void Watches [via Design-Milk]

January 11, 2012

[via Design-Milk]

 

Sometimes a watch just grabs your eye. For me i want to buy every wrist watch in the world. No I will not share before you ask.

just stumbled upon this whilst reading some articles from one of the best design sites in the world IMHO.

 

Void watches. The half glass half metal façade is supposed to reflect the horizon. I don’t mind. They look beautiful.

Seen Tell [Wow really Bad Pun for Sawtell]

January 10, 2012

First of all anyone not following @OMGthatsPunny you haven’t lived.

 

Up until recently I had the always welcome opportunity to avoid any travel to any small town especially ones with those junk shops disguised as antique shops.

 

After we had the children travelling to a select 2 of these such towns became mandatory.

 

 

 

With both grand parents living in the north coast area of Coffs Harbour, we started to frequent the little village/town of Sawtell. Which over the past 3-5 years has really perked up as a boutique/trendy strip with relaxed little cafes and most importantly THE two following shops.

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Everytime we travel to the north coast, my wallet trembles. Not because of the price but because of the sheer variety of dare I say it ‘uber- cool’ stuff that both ‘Boutique‘ and ‘CoCo39‘ have in stock. The need for shops like this to exist in Sydney without the exorbitant prices that Sydney insists on charging is high.

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[how good is the wine stashed in the picnic bag, just for a real example]

I am sure that Sydney would have shops like this, (there is a few in Newtown and the like) but in Sawtell they subtract the pretentiousness and the wank factor and really concentrate on the right amount of chic to hipster appeal.

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So in short the next time you visit Sawtell, or Coffs Harbour, or indeed Boambee East, don’t forget to go and invest all of your money in these two shops. You won’t regret in, Swallows printed on things until your heart is content, and metal robots for boys, until you can robot no more.

 

I have not left these shops without wanting to download the music playing once yet.

and some great pics from inside and outside my personal fav – ‘Boutique

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[Great mobile for any new arrivals scheduled for 2012]

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[All jewellery and nick knacks displayed are beautiful]

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[One of the many cool tin toys]

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[yet another overcrowded but cosy beautiful display]

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[Oh the robots}

 

Thanks to the great shop owners too for not being wankers about me taking pictures of the insides of their shops!

Coco39's Site

1st Ave Boutique's Site

 

First Avenue is very pretty any time of year.

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[one of the many Cafe's - food is great]

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