Behind the TEDTalk is the touching story of two extraordinary people who shared the stage at the 2010 TED Conference. By mssngpeces.
Behind the TEDTalk 2010 from m ss ng p eces on Vimeo.
The Bicycle City | Trailer
What happens to an impoverished developing nation town when you flood it with 20,000 bicycles? You lift three times that number of people out of poverty. Pedals for Progress and founder David Schweidenback have been shipping used American bicycles to Rivas, Nicaragua for the last two decades and the transformation has been incredible. thebicyclecityfilm.com
The Bicycle City. Trailer from Greg Sucharew on Vimeo.
(thank you stewart)
Tea Robot
This little Tea Robot is fueling my robot obsession: It’s a tea egg in the shape of a robot. Made me chuckle.
My dirty laundry
Both modern and practical, especially if you live in an apartment building or lack floor space – keep the laundry bag on hook and when it’s laundry time, grab and go.
Knitted Cylinder
Knitted Cylinder Cushions. Sit on them, lean against them or stack them. Ferm Living’s floor cushions and cylinders are filled with little styrofoam balls, which ensures that the cushions do not loose their shape. Lovely, no?
(sort of via Sam)
Kuoni The Detourist
Swiss Travel Agency Kuoni released its 2010 Annual Report, appearing this time in the form of a daily newspaper. The Brand Report took on the function of a feuilleton, as an independent features section within the publication. It stems from the third Kuoni Getaway Council in Venice and offers a captivating compilation of texts on tourism. Renowned authors, essayists and scholars such as Hans Magnus Enzensberger, Orhan Pamuk, Thomas Steinfeld, Wolfgang Scheppe and Simonetta Carbonaro are represented with contributions.
(Thank you Manuel)
San Francisco Streets in 1905
The first track from Airs’ Moon Safari album, accompanied by scenes from a video shot from a streetcar traveling down Market Street in San Francisco in 1905. Before the earthquake/fire of 1906 destroyed the area. Remarkable footage of the turn of the century lifestyles in California. Quite mesmerizing!
(via thedetourist)
Buggy Socks
Buggy Socks go over the handles of your umbrella stroller. Personalizing your stroller is not a bad idea. Just this weekend there was a sea of strollers at our local playground and they sure all do look the same. Also, these handle bars tend to look ugly after a while. I’d definitely use these. I like the idea. Buggysocks.com.
Penguin Luggage Tags
Help your luggage stand out from the crowd with these Penguin luggage tags available in two titles: On the Road, Jack Kerouac and The Lost Girl, D. H. Lawrence.
I always wondered…
I always wondered is a beautiful side project by Jarrett Green in which tries to answer questions that pop up in his curious mind. Wonderful!
Wrap ‘N’ Mat
Wrap n Mat is good-looking reusable sandwich wrapper. It closes with velcro and is machine washable. Very cool.
(via CSYCB)
Postcards to my peeps
Postcards to my peeps is an illustration project by Carolyn Sewell where she sends hand-drawn postcards sent to her friends, fam, and folks she admires. Oh, those lucky people!
NYC Type
NYCtype is a lovely side project by Luke Connolly. I am sure every typography enthusiast will aprove!
Gift Complaint Form
This Gift Complaint Form made me chuckle. You can download it as a PDF here and pack it along with your next gift. I am tempted to inlude one with gifts to my godchildren in Switzerland. They are 9 and 8 and I am having the hardest time figuring out what a kid in that age would like. I wouldn’t be hurt if they returned it with the filled out form. Ha!
Thank you Chris Glass. This Gift Complaint Form idea is brilliant!
Instant Rainbow
I just gasped at the sight of this Instant Rainbow Poster. It made me ‘Instant Happy’. This must find a home in our studio!
Work Fridge (or Not Your Butter)
I discovered this photo over on officefridges.com (don’t check it out if you’re just about to eat). Some office fridges are seriously territorial. Made me smile.
Supporting Parents in Japan
The above images are by a young japanese photographer called Yuki Kokubo. Her parents live about 70 miles from the damaged nuclear plant in Fukushima and as there is a gasoline shortage in the area they are not able to flee to a safer place at this time. Due to their current situation (more info) they’ll be facing financial hardship in the coming weeks. Since she is currently in graduate school full-time and doesn’t have a source of income, she has decided to sell prints of her photography to try to help out them out.
Read more about her parent’s situation.
I admire Yuki’s pro-active approach in trying to help them. I am just going to donate money, no print necessary.
Why I Can’t Wait For Summer:
Yes, this shoe is one of the reasons why I can’t wait for it to be summer. I have fallen in love with the Melissa Campagna Zig Zag last year and just stocked up on two new pairs. Most comfortable shoe *ever*.
Sarah Kay: If I should have a daughter …
“If I should have a daughter, instead of Mom, she’s gonna call me Point B … ” began spoken word poet Sarah Kay, in a talk that inspired two standing ovations at TED2011. She tells the story of her metamorphosis — from a wide-eyed teenager soaking in verse at New York’s Bowery Poetry Club to a teacher connecting kids with the power of self-expression through Project V.O.I.C.E. — and gives two breathtaking performances of “B” and “Hiroshima.”
The below video made me tear up:
Sarah Kay has been a performing poet since she was 14 years old. She is the founder of Project V.O.I.C.E, teaching poetry and self-expression at schools across the United States. Full bio and more links.
(Thank you Jessi)
Balancing Blocks
These Balancing Blocks are handmade in Brooklyn from repurposed hardwood scrap collected from local furniture shops. One set contains ten different sized colored blocks. Multiple sets increase building possibilities and create additional multi-player game opportunities. Great idea, great execution!
Field Notes Just Got Better
I am a huge fan of FIELD NOTES as it is but this limited edition is making me giddy! These new notebooks look like ordinary kraft-cover FIELD NOTES, with the notable absence of their brand name. This “________ Edition” allows you to customize your FIELD NOTES with any phrase of your choosing with the included authentic dry-transfer lettering! Brilliant? YES!
UPDATE: Jim Coudal of FIELD NOTES just reached out to me: Swissmiss readers can save $5 when you order 2 or more of the Dry Transfer editions. Just use couponcode: MADEMESMILE Today Only
♥ / Wazala!™
A big thank you to Wazala! for sponsoring this week’s RSS Feed.
Wazala is a slick, minimal and beautiful looking ecommerce store and shopping cart that allows you to sell physical or digital goods such as fonts, photos or music. You can create a store in minutes, then add it to your website, blog or even your facebook pages. It is that simple.
I am extremely intruiged by the fact that Wazala works as an overlay, which means your reader/potential customer won’t leave your site. If your customers are visiting on mobile devices, Wazala Touch provides a slick shopping experience both on the iPhone and Android devices.
If you are thinking about selling anything online you should consider Wazala!, just signup for a 15 day trial risk free.
(Interested in sponsoring a week of my RSS feed, learn more here.)
Remix Dining Table
The Hansen Family did it again. I’ve blogged about their stunning desk a while back and now, they *just* announced Remix, a beauty of a dining table which also functions as a work table. Remix exists in three models that offer abundant space for 6, 8 or 10 people. The solid tabletop of the Dining Table has two cases to either hide or present things. The cases are covered by plates which are made out of solid wood on one side and slated plates on the other so that hot plates can be posed in the middle of the table.
I would love one of these in our new apartment. Oh my!
(Thank you Gesa)