These MultiBlocks remind me of the colored math blocks we had in school in Switzerland when I was a whopping 7 years old. I vividly remember enjoying playing with them. Little did I know that they were tricking me into learning math! Ha! These MultiBlocks will find their way to casa swissmiss this holiday season.
Multi Blocks
Letterpress Y
I am in love with Jessica Hische’s Letterpressed Letter Posters. I especially love the Y, the O and the R. Check them all out over at JessicaHische.com. A perfect gift for new parents, or any type-lover that is.
The Black Hole
The Black Hole written and directed by Phil & Olly.Video.
(via RobbiePorter)
New Twitter Microsyntax
Interesting post by Chris Messina spelling out a new microsyntax for Twitter. (If you’re not into Twitter, this will make NO sense to you.)
(via @shiflett)
remember hope
Where were you on November 4th, 2008? Share your memories as a nation celebrated its participation in a historic victory.
Makes sense.
seen over at bobulate’s flickr stream.
placehold.it
Placehold.it is an ingenious, simple service for anyone working on UI designs that entail ads. A total timesaver.
(thank you Andy)
NYC Stamps
Two iconic New York stamps—a taxi cab and the Chrysler Building—let you create handmade gift cards, wrapping paper and stationary inspired by the city that never sleeps. I wish they’d also include the Brooklyn Bridge and a hot dog stand. Or maybe a pigeon? Hmm…
Rainbow Cocktail Napkins
Considering that this coming sunday, for Halloween, swissmiss family is about to dress up as a Double Rainbow (G and moi each one), Ella as Rainbow Princess and Tilo as a pot of gold, it is a given that these Rainbow Cocktail Napkins made me look!
Doll Dress Up Wall Stickers
How refreshing to see a doll dress up design that is not PINK! My 4.5yo daugther has (still) not come out of her pink phase, no end in sight, so it is understandable that this Autumn Dress Up Dolls by Mae caught my eye. Oh, how refreshing to see black, red and even gray?
This Dress Up Doll is a mini-set of “paper doll” style fabric wall decals. Unlike most wall decals on the market, which are made of vinyl, Mae’s stickers are printed on adhesive fabric. They are removable and completely reusable. YES! re-usable! They can be scrunched into a ball and will easily un-scrunch and re-apply to your wall, many times over. They are even washable, which is important when it comes to those precious yet impossibly grubby little ones!
According to the product description, wall stickers by Mae can be applied to almost any surface, and will not damage your walls. Maybe something for the upcoming holidays?
Freelensing
Freelensing means you take photos with the lens detached from the camera but held in place and moved around to focus. This also lets extra light in sometimes causing light leaks and giving a vintage look and feel. You only need to move the lens a few millimetres (fractions of an inch), and doing it this way, there’s not much risk of dust getting in to the sensor. If you want lightleaks or the super-macro kind of effect, you will need to hold the lens a little bit further away (probably no more than a finger width, though). This is a bit more risky if you’re worried about dust, so try not to hold the lens away from the camera for too long and only do it in a dust-free environment.
Here’s an example by Luke Roberts:
More freelensing images on Flickr.
(thank you Karin, via drs.ch)
Tel Aviv Board Walk
Images by Iwan Baan
The Tel Aviv Public Space regeneration project by Mayslits Kassif Architects is absolutely stunning.
(thank you Keren)
Little Ipsum
LittleIpsum is a nifty Desktop Application that will generate Latin Text for you in a jiffy.
(Thank you Aaron)
DesignMatters Podcast
Lovely Debbie Millman was so generous to interview me for her amazing (!) DesignMatters Show. The podcast just went live.
Listen over on DesignObserver
Direct Link to the MP3
Thank you Debbie, it’s such an honor to be part of DesignMatters.
Jim Coudal
“We’re of the school that if you have an idea that you think might work, the answer is not to talk about it for four weeks. The answer is to try it and see what happens,” he says. “If it goes down in flames, that’s fun too.”
– Jim Coudal, quoted from the article Eight Successful People Doing Exactly What They Want
Pushett Irby
Pushett Irby is a Brooklyn based Photo Studio run by Judith Pushett and Kevin Irby. Accomplished photographers, they have combined their talents utilizing an old relic: a turn-of-the-century 11 x 14 inch wood camera. Channeling the auspicious image makers who first employed this new medium, they feel the same exuberance they must have felt with each new photograph.
Using this camera is a challenge — quite different from the point-and-shoot digital cameras that have become so commonplace in our fast, information-driven culture. Although very beautiful to look at, the camera is clunky and extremely heavy. Every image takes some time to set up and several hours to develop and print.
Each photo shoot is tempered by their insistance on using only available light, like the days of yore. So on occasion an exposure may take more than a few seconds; an opportunity for the subject to be more involved and committed to the process.
Judith and Kevin believe that this collaboration leads to a more honest portrait which embodies more of the subject’s spirit than any other type of camera can deliver.
They (and me too) love how the experience teaches us to slow down and appreciate the beautiful things right in front of us.
Totally, instantly #wishlisted.
(Thank you Jan)
Tim Flach
How can you not smile at the above photo? Photographed by Tim Flach, seen over at KatyKelley.
I can’t find my phone
This little site called I can’t find my phone just made my day! It’s brilliant:
Do you know those moments, when you can’t find your phone but there’s noone around you could ask to call you? Well, that’s what www.icantfindmyphone.com is for. Fantastic! And what an adorable execution. Too bad it doesn’t say something like “congrats, you found your phone!”, once you pick up!
(thank you Dave)
Obama signs iPad
I realize I am a little late on this one but I can’t help but smiling, having read about how a fan asked President Obama to sign his iPad. Brilliant!
(via PSFK)
How Ink Is Made
Peter Welfrare, a Chief Ink Maker shows how color and ink is created from the raw ingredients–powder, varnish, and passion. Everything designers and printers need to know about the process, the challenges and joy of ink making.
(via dwell)