breakfast

I love holiday weekends, you can sleep in (at least a little), watch cartoons, lounge in your PJ's til noon... or all day (who am I to judge?), and last but not least - experience the joy of breakfast.

Seriously, how often do you get to eat french toast, eggs and sausage? When was the last time you had pancakes with syrup, butter and blueberries? or better yet a la mode!

01/ toast-y hand warmers $34.99  //  02/ i make great pancakes $15.00  //  03/ bacon bandages $7.50  //  04/ egg pot holders $26.58  //  05/ flapjack frenzy print $41.00  //  06/ toasty scarf $63.99  //  07/ breakfast train shirt $18.00  //  08/ bacon and eggs $30.00  //  09/ I'm only yolking trivet $11.99  //  10/ toast ring $4.99

There definitely isn't enough breakfast in my life, but these nice long holiday weekends are the perfect opportunity to hash-brown it up.

Since this precious new years weekend will be over before I know it, and while so many will be eating pork and sauerkraut - I'll be paying homage to the most important meal of the day with some breakfast.... and some of these syrupy-sweet items.

perfectly stackable

// from here

POP!

POP on over to Jenna Sais Quois for my guest post featuring Champagne inspired items in honor of the New Year!

home

went to Ohio for the holidays. fun? yes. glad to be home? yes.

vintage logotypes

Below are a few pages from one of my favorite logotype design books - "the World of Logotypes"

The entire book is available to view on flickr... p.s. one of my college professors (Peter Megert) is credited for design #6106.

the dark side

this package design is so clever...blk is water (doesn't look like it) but the fact that its black isn't so freaky when i have the hidden message to uncover!

Nerd Alert : Syberia

Kate Walker is visiting Valadilene on a business trip. The small French town is home to a very large toy company that her New York law firm has been asked to purchase. As Kate walks into town she passes by a rather odd funeral procession for none other than Laura Voralberg, the late owner of the toy company.

To make matters worse, it seems that there is an heir. Laura had a brother Hans who was rumored to be dead. The mysterious lives of Hans & Laura lead Kate on a journey in Hans luxury train across northern Europe. As she passes through each station she uncovers more about Hans' life and his genius. 

 
01/ mammoth necklace $15.00  //  02/ boots $130.00  //  03/ paris print $30.00  //  04/ automaton hand $1250.00  //  05/ gear train $72.00  //  06/ nouveau decal $65.00  //  07/ honey $3.40  //  08/ rocket bank $92.00  //  09/ white bomber $59.50  //  10/ gears $7.95  //  11/ goggles $16.00  //  12/ deco earrings $24.50  //  13/ cell phone case $20.00  //  14/ opera glasses $435.00  //  15/ mammoth doll $45.00

Syberia is a classic point and click adventure game and the puzzles are inventory/sequence based. That said, sit back and enjoy the story - which is what point and click games are all about. And take my word on this one, the story of Syberia is worth hearing at least once.

This is one of my all time favorite series of games. There are currently two (Syberia & Syberia II) and the third is hopefully going to be out soon *crosses fingers*. White Birds Productions and Benoît Sokal, the man behind the game, are responsible for so many gorgeous environments (Paradise and Sinking Island) and they don't disappoint here. It is hands down the most beautiful game I have ever played. I do also own this game for Nintedo DS - but all i have to say is DON'T - there isn't enough screen to do the graphics an ounce justice.
 

6/6 Toes // Overall

1 // Graphics
The cut scenes are dreamy, and the in game graphics are really great. the attention to detail is what really takes it to the next level. As you travel through the stages of Hans life, you progress through eras of design. starting with art nouveau then going to deco to constructivism etc - it is absolutely gorgeous.

1 // Storyline and Characters
At first it seems as if Kate is on this journey alone - but there are tons of relationships in this game. Kate's phone calls from the US illustrate her life in New York,  Oscar, her automaton companion takes AI to a whole new level, the people she meets and helps along the way - and not to mention the train almost has a mind of its own as it takes you to each mysterious destination. 

1 // Soundtrack and Sound Effects

There is a definite theme song - and it will get stuck in your head. You also encounter an opera singer and some very interesting contraptions - all with very interesting sound effects.

1 // Length of Game and Price

The game is long, (you will spend evenings, not hours, playing this game start to finish) and you can buy both games together for $15.95

1 // Replay Value
The game is great - even the second and third time through. I find myself replaying it to return to some of the locations in the game. (ex. I love the conservatory at the university, i could walk around a place like that all day)

1 // Puzzle Difficulty

Since automatons are the big element in this game there are lots of gears and components to play with. Each station you stop at begins the journey of finding a way to wind up the train to get it going again (yes the train is a giant wind up toy - how awesomely steampunk is that?)

so. freakin. funny.

this commercial.... this commercial made me laugh so hard i cried.

these are things

AH! These are Things (From Columbus OH) just came out with a Boston map!! LOVE!

felted slippers

slippers with cork soles that look like tennis shoes? i think these are almost work appropriate.. I would never pay $70 for slippers ... but I sure wouldn't mind taking the garbage out in them!

from bure bure on etsy

mike doyle

all i have to say is mike doyle has some mad lego skills. check out his blog for in progress pics - so cool!

Nerd Alert : Lego Harry Potter Years 5-7

Harry is back in the land of Lego - ready to finish the saga and duel it out with Lord Voldemort. Throughout the game play, and replay not only as Harry and his friends - but all the characters in the story. Each character brings their own skills to the table. Oh and did i mention you get to play as their pets too?




01/ Harry Pillow $22.00  //  02/ Illuminating wand $37.46  //  03/ horcrux tie clip $18.00  //  04/ Harry Potter poster $15.00  //  05/ muggle born $13.99  //  06/ deathly hallows decal $7.95  //  07/ Hermione lego necklace $15.94  //  08/ up to no good notebook $16.00  //  09/ Dobby lego necklace $11.00  //  10/ accio keyring $9.95

Let me first say that I loved, LOVED the first Harry Potter Lego game for DS (read that review here) - I couldnt put it down for days and days... so I was waiting for this sequel to hit the shelves. And so the anxiously awaited Lego Harry Potter sequel came out - and I anxiously drove home from best buy, ran inside and snuggled up with my Nintendo DS XL.

I started playing and was confused...

"why does this feel so different?"  

"...why are there so few villains to kill?"
"if they are going to change the way you cast spells why aren't they giving me a tutorial"
"...oh that's how that's supposed to work?"
 "this is supposed to be a game where your character uses a wand! and i can play completely without the stylus!?"

and that last one people, that's the one you should be taking note of. the entire game can pretty much be played with no stylus. VERY surprising since the first game was very wand/stylus based, where you would draw different shapes on the screen to cast different spells. They even had a version of the game that came with your very own Harry Potter "Wand" stylus. Now its just point and shoot, and i couldn't be more disappointed.  

// from here

Also - almost all of the fighting in the game is via "duel."  I think this was done so you knew exactly who you were fighting for stronger storyline - not nearly fun as taking out dementors in years 1-4. I might need to try the Wii versions of these games to see if there is a huge disconnect in game play with those as well.
 
2/6 Toes // Overall 
1 // Graphics
The graphics are the same as the the first game so no complaints there.

0 // Storyline and Characters  

The characters are great, and i really like the addition of the pets. But the storyline (though great) was hard to follow even though I knew the story! There was no "how to" intro even though they changed all the game play controls.  

1 // Soundtrack and Sound Effects

Music and sound effects again are the same as the first game.

0 // Length of Game and Price

Compared to the first game, this one was very short. I played the whole thing in less than 10 hours. the first taking me over 20. The difference has a lot to do with the items hidden in each level. with the first game there was more you could accomplish - now you have to pretty much beat the entire game then go back with very specific characters. also, being new - at $39.99 this game wasn't cheap.

0 // Replay Value
I will replay it to unlock every item and every character in every level. but not with the same enthusiasm that i played the first one.

0 // Puzzle Difficulty

The puzzles in this game were not nearly as hard - the most complex levels require you to move light from one lamp to the next, or find items and take them to their designated area. you don't get to fly the broom very much, you didn't get to cast the shape spells, you didn't get to find the hidden hats and red legos until you replayed for the second time.

 

letterpress for your ipad

this almost makes me want an ipad... almost.

Edward Gorey

one of my favorite things is watching Masterpiece Mystery on PBS. At the beginning of every episode there is a short intro video - I always liked it, but until recently I didnt know anything about it.



Turns out it was illustrated by Edward Gorey. His imagery is best described as dark, witty & Edwardian. He lived in Cape Cod - and I think a visit to his home/museum just jumped to the top of my to-do list.

His humor is dark, and his style is eerie, but funny and beautiful at the same time.

To wet your Edward Gorey whistle - below are a four of the 26 the ill-fated children from his book the Gashlycrumb Tinies

// images from here

4S

Santa is bringing me a new iphone for xmas. I am tres excited... like a total girl I am already picking out clothes for my new baby =)

which one should I get? I think my heart is closest to #05.

01/ over mountains $35.00  //   02/ Vintage Camera $35.00  //  03/ Flower Burst $35.00  // 
04/ DG Aztec No. 1 $35.00  //   05/ crystal $35.00  //   06/ tree triangles $35.00

pillow pillow pillow

love love love Pillow Pillow Pillow by Aaron Stewart

nerd alert : sherlock holmes mystery of the mummy

Let's just say I am a pretty big mystery fan, and Sherlock Holmes is at the top of sleuthing stardom. Needless to say I an absolutely stoked to see the new Sherlock movie that comes out the 16th - so much in fact that I have decided to replay all of the Sherlock Holmes computer games. Starting with the first: Sherlock Holmes the Mystery of the Mummy

Sherlock has been asked to solve a mystery! A man disappeared 6 months ago and his daughter needs your help. Scour his beautiful mansion, full of Egyptian artifacts and puzzles to try and discover what happened to him. Explore the house, solve the puzzles to travel deep and deeper into the mystery.

01/ pith helmet $19.99 // 02/ bastet art $14.00 // 03/ faux zebra rug $66.00 // 04/ Cleopatra pendant $32.00 // 05/ vintage book print $27.00 // 06/ pipe $20.00 // 07/ torch pendant $37.00 // 08/ hieroglyphics $1.00 // 09/ pyramid talisman $25.00

This is an older game - circa 2002 and quite honestly if it didnt have both Sherlock and Mummies in the title I would say i didnt like it... but since I love both sherlock and mummies I am trying to see the brighter side of things..

Its puzzles are mainly inventory and the items are hard to find in some cases. Also there is little method to the madness (and you will go a little mad trying to figure out where items are, and which items to use where). But for a late 90's early 00's game the graphics are pretty good, but the music is pretty hokie.

3/6 Toes // Overall

1// Graphics
for 2002 the graphics are pretty good. The 360 view of the rooms is also helpful for finding things. There isn't an option for gamma correction and the scenes are a bit dark.

0.5 // Storyline and Characters
Holmes is pretty much all you get the entire game, a few letters keep you company. There are some gaps in the back story of you cousin (or soon to be cousin? I never got that straight) and you feel rather aimless wandering through the house... convinced that this is where all the clues must be based on absolutely nothing.

0 // Soundtrack and Sound Effects

The music is classic 90's gaming. Its low budget and you don't really understand how jazz got paired with a British library from 1899.

1 // Length of Game and Price

This game has length going for it, and you can download it online for $6.99 from BigFish! so I have to give it a full point there.

0 // Replay Value
The only reason I thought to replay this game was because of the new Sherlock game coming out! But I don't think i will be playing it again anytime soon.... however if i did come across the DS version (on sale) I would pick it up

0.5 // Puzzle Difficulty

Half a point because the puzzles are 50/50 - half of them you fly through without thinking, the other half are infuriatingly vague and based on items you cant find. oh and they are timed too.

modern log furniture

What do you do with all those left over tree stumps? make them into beautiful modern furniture! These are so creative and unique, I can definitely see these in my future fantasy living room. They are surprisingly contemporary and the wood grain looks so graphic as part of the tabletop. via dornob

Greg Minah

Greg Minah has taken my love of the spirograph to a whole new level. the swirly layers remind me of a friendly jackson pollock painting. And I mean, face it - they are stunning.

boy meets girl

boy meets girl series - available at bold loft

zoetrope

couldnt resist this repost - over at Man Made DIY there is a project that is the most original thing I have seen in a while. Do I have a bicycle? no. Do I want one only for the purpose of making my own personal zoetrope animation? yes.

nerd alert : big fish sampler 3

So I finally bit the bullet and signed up for the Big Fish Game Club. Basically you get games at a discounted price, and for every few games you buy you get "punches" in your card - punches equal free games.... its kind of a lot to think about, but I am going to give it a shot so I have an excuse to buy the games instead of just playing an hour of them...

Let me tell you a little about the three I played this past week...


01/
Enigmatis: The Ghosts of Maple Creek Collector's Edition

flash light // sink knobs // rope bracelet

You, an FBI agent, wake up and vaguely remember you are looking for a missing person, a girl, in a town called Maple Creek. Though your memory only returns to you in little bits at a time, you begin to piece your case back together again. There are strange connections to a case from years earlier.

This game reeks of mystery. After the hour I was so sucked in, i needed to know what it all meant. The character you play has a real voice, instead of a subtitled inner voice, so its really easy to forget the game costs less than $15. This game also slightly reminds me of silent hill, or at least its church goers do... but not nearly as spooky. The inventory items are really great, and the wall where you put your case together is a nice home base i feel a lot of games are missing these days.

Overall strength of the games story line 5/6
Quality of the graphics, especially in the seek and find elements 5/6
How far through the game did I feel I was after the hour 5/6
Odds that I would buy the full version of this game 6/6


 02/
Phantasmat

hotel sign // teacup // piranha

Your car crashes (come on big fish this happens to me in EVERY game! have some more faith in my driving ability) and you are stranded in an isolated area. After running into a girl who you find nearby, you try to call for help from the spooky neighborhood hotel. Well what kind of game would it be f the phone worked, am I right? You get a room and start unraveling the mystery of a town devastated by flood... but there's more tragedy and mystery afoot to uncover!

This is one of those games that you just want to fly through in order to get to the bottom of things. Who are the people in the hotel? Why can't you leave? What exactly happened with the flood and the town that's now mostly out of water. Also the hidden object sections of the game can be subbed out for a bejeweled inspired mini game! such a great idea! also props for the character monologs.

Overall strength of the games story line 6/6
Quality of the graphics, especially in the seek and find elements 6/6
How far through the game did I feel I was after the hour 6/6
Odds that I would buy the full version of this game 6/6


03/
Grim Tales: the Bride

silver sun // engagement ring // white gloves

Your sister dies on her wedding day, and you think something sinister is afoot (again, I feel like this storyline is overdone) Convinced her death was no accident you head to her isolated mansion to search for answers.

Very bride oriented, as you may have guessed from the title. but the scenes are nicely done and the puzzles are heavely based on inventory, which i love. overall not much to write home about - but a quality title none the less.

Overall strength of the games story line 3/6
Quality of the graphics, especially in the seek and find elements 4/6
How far through the game did I feel I was after the hour 5/6
Odds that I would buy the full version of this game 2/6


So.. which one would I buy? I actually bought 2! Phantasmat and Enigmatis. (not surprising i know). I'll be sure to update when I finish them.

SWYP

LOVE this printer by Artefact - super genius and such great interactive design.


SWYP: See What You Print from Artefact on Vimeo.

drinkify

constantly troubled by which drink to pair with which tunes? fret no more! drinkify.org

black friday

// from here

Happy Turkey Day!

Happy Thanksgiving! In my opinion it's the best holiday. Turkey, stuffing, sales, early Christmas decorations with all the great leftovers from Halloween (Indian corn and pumpkins!) I hope you have a great day. I know I will!

nerd alert : super mario bros. wii

Bowser is at it again! This time crashing Princess Peach's birthday party disguised as a cake. She has been taken hostage on his airship and his many minions stand between Mario and Peach's freedom. Lets'a Go!

01/ piranha earrings $sold out //  02/ bob-omb usb $29.95  //  03/ goomba hat $16.18  //  04/ toad slippers $15.99  //  05/ super mario bros. wii $43.99  //  06/ coin box tin $3.80  //   07/ pipe bookshelf $99.00  //  08/ controller lamp $84.95  //  09 pipe mug $sold out  //  10/ bullet bill belt buckle $sold out  //  11/ bob-omb ornament $10.00

This game is the latest and greatest take on the classic super mario brothers games we know and love. It keeps the linear levels, but introduces a more 3D look to each world.

Don't brush it off either, its pretty difficult.

I really appreciate how they have kept producing this kind of game instead of going 100% to the completely 3D style introduced by Mario64 (which we get in the mario galaxy games).

// from here

If anything, the 2d levels will make kids more willing to go back and play the old games, which are all available on wii! you can even buy a wii compatible controller for each nintendo system that plugs into the top of the system. From the Nintendo64 three prong controller to the gamecubes playstation rip-off - and since Nintendo bought Sega you can also play all those games too!)

The nostalgia around the mario legacy is huge, i mean the products made by fans is enough to show that. and I am glad you can still go buy a game that is just as awesome as super mario brothers was in the 80's.

6/6 Toes // Overall

1 // Graphics
The 2D levels pairs well with the 3D worlds, and there has been a noticeable facelift to the worlds and elements. I do however wish the end of each level was the 3 item boxes instead of the flag pole.

1 // Storyline and Characters  
The storyline is the classic peach gets kidnapped, so not much to be upset about there. My favorite addition to this particular game is the new suits mario gets to wear - the copter hat and the penguin suit are great. And i still can's decide if I prefer fire or ice balls. and did I mention all the yoshi's are here? and they have the extra boost jump that you loved in Yoshi's Island!

1 // Soundtrack and Sound Effects 

all classic, but the soundtrack has been updated and the villains in each level even stop what they are doing to dance along with the beat.

1 // Length of Game and Price   

You are guaranteed days of game play, you also have the ability to travel between the worlds you have beaten to unlock more content. They also threw in the element of going back and saving toad from levels already played which makes the game last longer. It has the potential of being just as addictive to uncover as Super Mario Brothers was for Super Nintendo. Its not too pricey for a wii game, but don't be shocked at the $50.00 stickers. Luckily the game has been out for a while and you can probably pick up a used copy at gamestop for less $. 

1 // Replay Value 
I will be replaying, or unlocking content in this game for months (or years) to come. bonus! you can play this game with up to 4 players! And no waiting around for your turn, all players play at the same time.

1 // Puzzle Difficulty  

The overall game is pretty difficult, and i don't know if its the fact I am not accustomed to the horizontal use of the Wii remote - or I am just so use to the old games i have them memorized. the new levels (and the 3 star coins hidden in each) have secrets and hidden 1-ups so keep your eyes peeled. the new suits and their special uses also add to the puzzles.

Lemniscate

beautiful and free font from Bulgarian designer Rositsa Gorolova.