7.14.2008

dog's design picks

i can't think of a better reason to write a letter than having an Eames chair stamp to affix to the corner. a lovely offering now available at the USPS. amazing! somebody on the government payroll finally got it right. now, about those lines at the post office....

i am also smitten with this chair eye-exam and the designer chair toy pack:

you can buy these at shag mid-century modern



i dont really drink anymore, but if i did, i'd want a "gin and titonic". This is the bar trinket of the year. you get an ice tray that has the mold of tiny titanics and little icebergs. charming! available at world wide fred. they have some of the most fun party schwag ive ever seen. look up the toothpicks and the bottle opener that is a "splat".


holy smoke! even in the worst of times forward thinking capitalists flow in to meet the need. the designer, Diddo Velema's statement: "We are in a state of perpetual war with ourselves and with the eco-system that sustains us. Perpetual war breeds perpetual fear. In the present context, this fear stems from our extreme desire for authenticity and manifests itself in our collectively insatiable culture of consumption." whatever. i just like how they look! the gas masks were part of the Luxury Show 2008 in Bucharest, Romania.

i love this lollipop. (in the south, we call these "suckers") you know, insects pack more protein than a steak (for their size). the company also offers weasel coffee, antlix lollipop, chocolate covered scorpion, giant toasted leafcutter ants, mopani worms, scorpion vodka, worm crisps...see the food on their elegant site edible.com


i love the new "flat pack" bird feeder from design/build architects at Rootphi. the architect's birdfeeder is made of eight interlocking polycarbonate (bulletproof!) pieces.


it is shipped flat and can be assembled without any tools. the flat pack trend is huge. Rootphi has a flat pack house and now so does Ikea. Flat pack houses arent available in north america yet but they will be soon. i chose this item partly to inspire "our lady of seattle plastics". theres nothing that cant be reinterpreted in plastic! The feeder is available at Rootphi's site for $25.

have you seen the "lily-pad?" i LOVE how this is conceptualized. created by award-winning Belgian architect Vincent Callebaut, it could be used as a permanent refuge for those whose homes have been covered by water in the future.

"I think trying to accommodate the millions of people left homeless by environmental changes will prove to be one of the great challenges of the 21st century," he told the Daily Mail. "Some countries spend billions of pounds working on making their beaches and dams bigger and stronger. But the Lilypad project is actually a long-term solution to the problem of the water rising. The goal is to create a harmonious coexistence of humans and nature."


good news! there is one natural resource that we will never run out of. creativity!

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26 Comments:

Blogger moi said...

Mid-Century Modern is Moi's fave design period/style so I will run out NOW and get those stamps! (Because I also collect stamps). And if I had to wear a gas mask? Well, it helps to know that at least I can get one that's Gucci-fied. But that bird feeder? Bullet proof is one thing. Squirrel proof, now there's a trick.

7:21 AM  
Blogger Gnomeself Be True said...

I'll take the titanic cubes please.
A gin and tonic sounds great and it's only 8:30 here.

8:27 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

gas
mask bling

phos will like 'em

and of course you can never go far wrong with eames chairs -- amazing

i like this post a lot, k9

/t.

8:49 AM  
Blogger Edith said...

...I'm curious as to why your bird feeder needs to be bulletproof? Maybe they live in the neighborhood where the kids from your inner g post live.

Love the Gin and Titonic. To this day that margarita you made me is the best i've had. This lady's got skills behind the bar!

1:03 PM  
Blogger darkfoam said...

. now we just need to invent the straws to go through the mask so you can wear it while sipping on a gin and titonic and sitting in an eames chair while watching the birds feed from a bullet proof birdfeeder
and watching the waves and listening to the sound of the ocean from the lillypad..

5:32 PM  
Blogger Aunty Belle said...

No WAY!!

Oh Dawg...ya'ain't gonna believe it, but jes' YESTERDAY I done bought one of them Eames stamps (42 cents!) to send the kitchen fella his final draw...heh..really now, ya's spookin' me out heah.

This were a fun fun post. The Cub needs a gin and titonic set up..howl!!

7:10 PM  
Blogger Jenny said...

I'm making notes for future Christmas presents... you have saved me some TIME. I have about 3 people in my life who would love those Titantic ice cubes.

I have a little problem with miniatures and these chairs are making my fingers want to enter a credit card number.... and then wonder when they arrive what the hell I meant to do with them.

Thanks for scouring the Internet to bring us the best of the best out there!

8:06 PM  
Blogger Yes said...

Those lilypads are awesome! Your post made my day...

9:08 PM  
Blogger NYD said...

This was a real treat! It is so uncommon to see how Aesthetics and design go hand in hand. Good engineering lends itself to fabulous lookin FUNctional life affirming objects, yes even the stylish gas masks.

P.S. I love Eames' designs!

7:03 AM  
Blogger sparringK9 said...

moi: me too. on MCM. i love the fabrics. alexander girard is a favorite as well.

iamnot: arent they great? the perfect acoutrement to your nihilistic cocktail party.

/t: something tells me PhoKid will stick with regulation green. im glad you like the post!

edith: its because of the flat pack technology. you need plastic that hard to snap together without striping the insertion points and the stress of bending a bit. (i guess) the best margarita ever? yessssss....im glad you recognizzzzzzzzzzzzzze grherhehrha

3:26 PM  
Blogger sparringK9 said...

foamy: i can see it! ahhhh. i want a penthouse overlooking the lilypads sustainable forest.

3:27 PM  
Blogger sparringK9 said...

aunty: its like the stamp zeitgeist! the cub? well, whoever will enjoy them i am sure.

anonymous: at mid cent modern's website you can buy the single chairs...no sets required! when i am not with ya'll im drinking in design. im pleased to oblige.

firebird: well well well! its great to see you again grrrrrrrrrrrl!!! i bet your garden is lovely. i'll be over to see.....

hey NYD: i think you have said it best "life affirming" theres no reason why function cant be fun...like you said even when your gasping for air.

my apologies to all for being scarce. im burned out from camp.

3:32 PM  
Blogger boneman said...

too bad we can't say the same about water, though. Seems it, too, is quite finite.
Oh well. Just makes the concept of reincarnation more 'exciting' eh?
Now for the good news. The chairs on the stamps are being purchased by the post office this very day.
The bad news? They'll be party favors for whoever wins next November.
(drat! Curses to the winner!)

I wrote a message to you via tube.
It staggers around the idea of contacting an Atlanta based gallery.
It even sort'a hinted at me saying something first....
did I mention that I already did?

Hmmmm.
That could be good news or bad news.
Nah.
I told him you were the most celebrated artist in North America and have been painting for over a century, now.

(not really...)

(just for the past seventy years)

(wear lots of make-up)

And, for the record, my favorite is the ice cubes (titonic)
Hey, I quit the hard liquor back in 91, but, I'de still put one of those in my diet pop (tea, of late) just for the giggles.

4:16 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

neato stuff!

5:19 PM  
Blogger boneman said...

oh yeah, and I dunno if I should beg....
really don't want the rotty t'bite m'leg.
You're winking and licking in the video, too.
(I found out Lil Lamb has a good friend in you)

5:51 PM  
Blogger sparringK9 said...

bogshond: i found a design pick just. for. you.

boney: what are you saying?!?! i have not yet purchased the rosetta stone bonese. grrrhahaha/ guess i will go to youtube and see if i can figure it out.

as for LL, i went to bat for her on another blog and never heard from her again. i think i embarrassed her. cest la vie.

6:12 PM  
Blogger Mayden' s Voyage said...

Favorite chairs- the "red heart" and the blue one :)
I'm all about form following function, but when it's FUN- it's even better~
:)

7:40 PM  
Blogger The Phosgene Kid said...

and what, pray tell is wrong with gas masks??? Having spent considerable time in them I find them strangely appealing, especially when your opponent has chemicals and has demonstrated a proclivity for using them.

I tried gluing one of the actual chairs to a letter, but the post office dude wasn't buying it.

7:55 PM  
Blogger ..................... said...

burned out from camp .. tsk..
what kind of excuse is that? ;)
xoxo

6:11 AM  
Blogger Aunty Belle said...

ain't got nuthin' new ter say...jes' hidin' over heah cause Uncle is actin' up again.

hope skool is kewel by now--THURSDAY, only one more ter go!

1:32 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Too cool. I stopped by two of the places linked, and enjoyed the whole truck load of infodata. I always like showing up and and becoming informed, sillified, or just to have fun.

Now, I saw many of the itmes from Fred's, and will eventually be buying some of them. I could not find the gin & titonic ice set, but I found some others I like.

As for the insect food, though I love the idea, I would really only do that if I could reasonably (affordably) create occasional meal replacements with the items. Yes, grilled crickets, in large enough quantities, would make a fine lunch (if I remember rightly, tried them, fresh, one time long ago).

Other things, like scorpion, some worms, and other foods would be quite amenable as well. Plus, I would be willing to try just about anything actually edible. And, if it was tasty and affordable, it would easily become a part of my meal planning. But... did you see those prices? That, to me, is pure luxury, at this time.

But, thanks for the thoughts, and the rest, really. As I said, this is a fine place to get a different view of the world.

5:49 PM  
Blogger Doom said...

I am anonymous. I guess. Or, was. Sorry about that.

11:18 PM  
Blogger boneman said...

Sure, I think I know the answer....
But Ma always said to be proper about things, so I'm here doing just that.

It's not easy moving to a new blog, but, that's what I'm doing.
The 'Grabbing the Bull' blog is going to be a political thing until November, and then I'm shutting it down.

It's hard to do because i have to move all the addresses to the new blog one at a time, so, here's the deal.

If you don't agree with the political stand I'm making and don't want your name attached to it, c'mon by and tell me and I'll give it priority treatment.
(if you don't mind being there, or even want to contribute, tell me that, too, and I'll leave it for the duration.

In any case, the new address is at the top of the sidebar.

5:58 PM  
Blogger boneman said...

I really like that you want to keep me at least, down to earth, and your contrarianism is always welcome.

I don't think that everyone holds your same ideals, though.
At least one of the regular cohorts from here-abouts has been dropping steamy piles around other folks' blogs...and with my name on them.
(now, who could that be, do you suppose? Any chance you can talk the big Rotty into biting that leg?)

(or, maybe at least sneaking up behind him and barking real loud like Ralph the Puppy always did to Sylvester?)

I always thought the 'cat on the cieling' bit was a good one....
whrrrhrhrhr

8:56 AM  
Blogger Edith said...

Oh I commented on on her thing with my other gmail account. I was logged into that one (strictly for my resume) and made a comment. That's why. I only have a blog on this account

12:40 PM  
Blogger Edith said...

Oh I commented on on her thing with my other gmail account. I was logged into that one (strictly for my resume) and made a comment. That's why. I only have a blog on this account

12:41 PM  

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