Wednesday, August 31, 2011

nerd alert : resorting to danger

Well, hurricanes and inclimate weather don't really do much for my stress levels... and while gaming is the ultimate way to unwind, a game that takes place at a spa is kind of perfect stress relief.

Nancy Drew Dossier: Resorting to Danger

Nancy is at it again! She has been invited to the Redondo, an exclusively elite spa for the rich and famous. There have been a rash of bombing incidents, that are more bad for business than dangerous - and Nancy is on the case.

01/ paul mitchell lavender mint shampoo & conditioner $43.47  //  02/ desk zen garden $11.30  //  03/ cucumber bath bomb $2.50  //  04/ fluffy robe $43.99  //  05/ face mask $31.71  //  06/ coconut soap 4 for $10.00  //  07/ pedicure kit $14.36



The second in the HerInteractive 'Dossier' series - these are more casual than the traditional Nancy Drew Mysteries. each scene has 'hot' items that need to be combined and used together to accomplish each scenes mini objective. Pay attention though, because you score points answering questions about what clues you have uncovered.

There is a garden maze, mud bath, zen garden & salon to keep you out and about. there is also a Pomeranian to keep you on your toes. Give guests facials and solve the mystery! Not a bad way to spend a rainy day.

5/6 polly toes



Tuesday, August 30, 2011

cover to cover : lovely book covers

Aren't these lovely book covers? Cover browsing is seriously one of my favorite past-times  unfortunately i don't live as conveniently close to a book store these days so I have to do a lot of my browsing online - lucky for me there is a whole site dedicated to similar loveliness 

Monday, August 29, 2011

hurricane art

well if you are reading this I survived the hurricane and still have power, and more importantly (for my sanity at least) the internet. Hurricane Irene came through on Sunday and, well, wasnt very nice to my car....

SO! how about these hurricane-esque paintings by Theo Altenberg to inspire you. I know they will inspire me to spend hours on the insurance claims line.










Friday, August 26, 2011

lofty desires

wishing i had some more shelving is always in the back of my mind. which is why I love the BrickBox (that completely fold flat when you dont need them) perfect for someone who moves once a year. very practical, and makes a lovely room divider. too bad they aren't available in the states.




Thursday, August 25, 2011

last night never happened

have you heard about this!? wow where was this when i was a college student. it will delete everything that happened as far back as your stupid shenanigans need it to. So if you know any irresponsible social media weekenders - please recommend this app!

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

nerd alert : clue

murder mystery? check. array of probable weapons? check. characters cool enough to fight my sister for *cough*scarlet*cough*? check.


01/ lead pipe $8.43  //  02/ clue journal $20.00  //  03/ peacock hat $45.00  //  04/ rope $21.00  //  05/ floorplan napkin $5.95  //  06/ candle stick $15.00  //  07/ clue suspect glasses $126.00  //  08/  wrench $43.50

Well, board games are only brought out at holidays, and the idea of finding a place to store one in my apartment is slightly nauseating. so playing clue has sadly fallen by the wayside for the past few years.


But recently I played Hasbros newish video game version of the 50 year old gaming classic.

Its pricey - so I only played the free trial... but i will admit a strong temptation to buy. I am very happy with the art deco stylized illustration of the game, and it seems to move quickly, even while playing all the characters.

There are three difficulty levels you can set for you opponents, which i think makes the game more true to life, set a few at rookie and the rest at expert to mimic your competitive sister and 'not so into this' neighbor.

Sorry mom for never letting you play the cool characters... you're the best.

Polly gives this one 3.5/6 toes - very over priced - it is, after all, a board game

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

DIY iphone case

I know I've been a little obsessed with my phone lately - but this DIY needlepoint iphone 4 case is kind of awesome... especially the mario one




Monday, August 22, 2011

cognac crush

fall is coming fast and there is no way to suppress my current obsession with the cognac color palette.


01/ bomber $39.99  //  02/ tank $27.99  //  03/ bouquet $60.00  //  04/ camus $?  //  05/ suit $88.00  //  06/ handbag $18.00  //  07/ hoop $45.00  //  08/ ring $30.00  //  09/ earrings $9.00  //  10/ tumbler $5.50 //  11/ glasses $35.46

Thursday, August 18, 2011

a little bird told me...


something very important! like "hey your kitchen is on fire" or "you are kinda overdoing it on the toast"... LOVE these designer fire alarms... via the DesignerPad

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

nerd alert : stargazer

this weeks nerd alert isnt about a game (Gasp! I know!) its about an iPhone app.

01/ constellation cards $40.00  //  02/ custom constellation necklace $59.00  //  03/ star dress $130.00  //  04/ blue windows behind the stars $40.00  //  05/ glass glitter stars $5.25 //  06/ origami stars $6.95  //  07/ shining star $20.00  //  08/ ursa major pillow $42.00

Its called Sky View, and it uses the camera on your phone, and your global positioning to show you the entire night sky. It tells you where you can spot the satellites, space stations and planets too.


If you want to know what stars and constellations are above you, point your camera at them and tap the screen. I personally like to lie in bed and look at the stars through the ceiling... (last night I fell asleep directly under Vega by the way)

And if you ask me... nothing says late summer like a night of stargazing.

6/6 polly toes

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

phone on tape



Thinking about purchasing this..... because its AWESOME. but the ultimate selling point is the cassette case phone holder

Monday, August 15, 2011

chrissys curtains

so I have been spending my evenings making curtains, and I am so excited that they are finally done.


I made curtains for a total of seven windows in 3 different fabric patterns... but Harve & Polly seem to be most partial to the ones in the kitchen.

 
All hardware and fabric available from Ikea

Thursday, August 11, 2011

shorpy

this week, during a phone conversation, my mom and i joked about being time travelers… but since this technology alludes me still - i time travel from my living room chair via shorpy.

pretty much the best vintage photography site around.


 


There I am, carrying the black coat, on my way to catch a train to union square in new york city… ah 1910. enjoy your trip.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

nerd alert : big fish sampler

This past weekend I stayed in and played a bunch of 60 minute Big Fish trials. Not only is it free, but its a great way to get really good at telling which games are worth your hard earned dollars.

If you are looking for a solid casual game to fill some of your evening hours, let me tell you a little about the ones I played this past weekend...


01/
Gravely Silent: House of Deadlock Collector's Edition

 01/ spider brooch $52.00  //  02/ gargoyle ring $750.00  //  03/ skull candle holder $50.00  
 You awake from a dream that your sister is dying and needs your help. The phone rings and it is her mysterious husband telling you that she is dead. Head to the castle and begin to uncover the secret of his many departed wives - can you save your sister before she becomes the next?

This was a solid game, the hidden object portions weren't annoying, and the inventory items were interactive and usable. The grounds of the house are pretty spooky, and if you aren't a big fan of spiders (like me!) you might want to sit this one out - but that doesn't mean I wasn't genuinely sad when the hour was up.

Overall strength of the games story line 5/6
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 2/6
Odds that I would buy the full version of this game 6/6



 02/
Mystery Trackers: Raincliff Collector's Edition

 01/ plague mask $425.00  //  02/ pinball bottle opener $6.00  //  03/ purple rose $20.00
A University bus and five students have vanished in the mysterious, long deserted town of Raincliff. Its your job to find them and uncover the mystery of the town and the phantoms that guard it. Someone is watching your every move, and making sure you don't succeed.

It seems like the hour barely scratched the surface of this game, which is great because you'll definitely get your moneys worth with this one. The town is eerie and a bit confusing - there is a lot of back and forth between locations, as you unlock aspects of each with every visit. The graphics were high quality and the puzzles were somewhat challenging.

Overall strength of the games story line 4/6
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/
Nightfall Mysteries: Asylum Conspiracy

 01/ apothecary bottle $7.50  //  02/ antique portrait $95.00  //  03/ door knob $10.00
Your character, Christine, visits a shutter-island-esque asylum in search of a long lost grandfather. Condemned, but still stirring with life, she searches though debris and helps other characters as she tries to unlock the mystery of the asylum.

Though i felt like I covered a lot of ground in this game, there wasn't a lot of plot progress as far as the overall story was concerned. The animation had me jump a few times, and was truly unexpected. The puzzles were good and the characters kept me guessing - but overall it was a pretty tired plot that I feel I've already played over and over again.

Overall strength of the games story line 3/6
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 3/6
Odds that I would buy the full version of this game 4/6



04/
Macabre Mysteries: Curse of the Nightingale Collector's Edition

 01/ perfume vial $175.00  //  02/ ballet stilettos $?  //  03/ nightingale $21.62
You have received a mysterious package from your grandfather (yes another grandfather pursuit), which includes a letter and a ticket for a ballet performance at his theater - a theater that burned down in 1960. Curious, you drive to the seemly abandoned building to find a strew of curious hauntings. Use your ticket to see the ballet performance and solve the mystery of the fire that destroyed the theater.

This was a wonderful game - very phantom of the opera inspired. Instead of finding specific objects in a scene, you are looking for items that combine to create one usable inventory item - which is a fun alternative. to how most hidden object games treat the general search for items. I could have stayed in this Victorian inspired dreamworld all afternoon.

Overall strength of the games story line 5/6
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 4/6
Odds that I would buy the full version of this game 6/6



 05/
Midnight Mysteries 3: Devil on the Mississippi Collector's Edition

 01/ riverboat $21.00  //  02/ bowie knife $175.00  //  03/ on the mississippi $8.00
You are a writer, and Mark Twains ghost appears in your living room - you are on the case. The devil is after his soul and you need to find out why. Go bak to parts of his life to uncover what happened to result in this cursed afterlife.

This is very text heavy, there are a lot of characters telling you what to do, rather than trial and error. The hidden object aspect is relatively lite, and the story is manly propelled by your movement though environments and your ability to solve puzzles. I liked this game, but part of me wonders if Sam Clemens is turning over in his grave.

Overall strength of the games story line 4/6
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 4/6
Odds that I would buy the full version of this game 4/6




So.. which one would I buy? Well it was honestly a tough toss up between Mystery Trackers: Raincliff Collector's Edition and Macabre Mysteries: Curse of the Nightingale Collector's Edition. But in the end i am going with pure story preference and choosing Macabre Mysteries: Curse of the Nightingale Collector's Edition - it was truly a great little game.

Monday, August 8, 2011

minimalist fairy tales

really love minimalism in general... which is why I think these posters by Christine Jackson of Square Inch Design are really really really awesome. Princess and the Pea is my favorite - how about you?






Friday, August 5, 2011

spacecataz!

Its that cool.... Sometimes you see things that completely blow your mind - these prints blow. my. mind. I want to embrace my crazy cat lady and spatter these all over my apartment, body, iphone, laptop and other miscellaneous accessories. thank you Zippora Lux, you have a new fan.





These are available from society 6 as posters, iphone cases etc...
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...