Selfridges Labbit

Selfridges in London have been asking iconic brands to make products in their signature yellow. Brands such as, Kidrobot, Mont Blanc, Cutlery pens etc... This special Labbit by Designer Kozik is limited to only 100 worldwide and price at £160. I want one. I want on BAD. But not at £160! Especially when I can buy a normal Labbit for around £30.

MY NEW OBSESSION - TILT SHIFT

Ok, I've found this FlickR photostream where this guy has made his own camera... Now, not just any camera, a Tilt-Shift camera even! Tilt shifting is used to correct lens distortion, but when used in situations without distortion, you get amazing effects, limited focus range & extreme depth of field. I have recently been trying to re-create this within Photoshop myself, I've had some great results, but I've learned that it is as much to do with photo selection as technical skill. Have a look at some fantastic Tilt-Shift examples here. As you will see, Tilt-Shifting has the ability to make the subject matter look as if it in within a miniature environment. The Saturation is bumped up to an extreme, giving an amazing result. Almost surreal.

4ft KAWS Dissected!!!

4 foot of Vinyl goodness... The long rumors, long awaited dissected companion is due for release! No news on dates yet. But I can guarantee that this will sell out within seconds of release. Less than 10 seconds is my bet. And at 378,000 Yen ($7,026.02 NZD) it is something everyone should invest in. This will be appearing on ebay a few months after release at easily $10,000. No run numbers, but I don't think they will be over 1,000. View another pic here.

Portable Espresso Maker

Wow, how cool is this?

Handheld, portable espresso machine! Using Co2 cartridges you can get around 8 cups of coffee from it, just add hot water & coffee. Such a simple idea really. And so cool. I want one. I want one badly. Though at the moment it seems to only be available to the US market. I didn't know they appreciated quality coffee, maybe this only make the equivalent of a starbucks...

Have a closer look here.

Packaging Agency

Found. Great packaging studio that are doing great things within the wine industry amongst others. Called CFNAPA, they are based in the Napa Valley, CA. There are some beautiful examples of wine branding and packaging. They have used a wide variety of styles, methods and have obviously been trying to push the environmentally friendly solutions too.

Check out their extensive portfolio here.

Custom Monster Burp

The Monster Burp by Peskimo has been given the custom makeover by Okkle.

He has done a fantastic job, creating the well known and well loved Bubblun from Bubble Bobble.

Make sure you have a good look through him artwork on his Flickr site linked from his website www.okkle.co.uk

I especially love the Dobbit, Birdlett's and KittyMutt.

Archan Nair

Huge respect to Archan from New Dheli. He has done work for Pepsi, Tiger beer, and GQ amongst others. His work has a really amazing depth to it, a playfulness that is not often seen in illustration work. Check out his portfolio here.

Pegleg NYC Cardies

Odd, but strangely dope...

Cardigians made by Pegleg NYC exclusivly for Opening Ceremony.

I'm not sure that I would rock one at work, or down at the pub, but I think I'd like to have one in my wardrobe, just because. Maybe.

Grab a bargain at $255USD here.

Osaka Street Art

Fantastic street art from Brazilian Titi Freak (Maybe not real name)

Amazing colours and real fluidity in these fish. 

Check out a couple more photos here.

Jennifer Sanchez

Some incredible art here from Jennifer Sanchez. She is from Florida, but now live in NYC.

She says her paintings are an exploration of the relationship of space and the idea that while having no positive existence of it's own, space allows everything else to exist.

Visit her portfolio here.

D*Face

D*Face has hit Luna Park.

Great installation by a great artist.

Check out the installation here. And have a look at some more of his great work here.

We saw alot of his work on the street while in London. Nearly bought some of his prints too... *sigh*

New New Balance

The latest offering from New Balance is looking hot. 

Very limited edition though, so these will most likely never be seen in wet & rainy New Zealand.

They exude sun & bright colours. So they should really be a New Zealand release. Or maybe would sell well in Russia.

Can be purchased here at Ripe, A thorough knowledge of Japanese would be of great assistance.

Book bookshelf

I'm not sure how much I like this, but I know that I like the originality of it. 

If this was done on a much larger scale, as in across the whole side of a room then maybe it would be fantastic. I could imagine it in a cafe in a library, with librarians with black rimmed glasses & plaid mini skirts...

Anyway, have a look at some of their other work here, an interesting concrete table amongst others.

Shannon Tagart

Woah, this girls photos have really taken me. I love how they catch such a slice of real life. Great use of movement and surroundings.

The exorcism series is pretty crazy & but I really like the portraits.

Check her out here.

Paper Leak

Found this great image, so simple, yet so cool. One of those things that I wish I thought of myself.

It's by an agency called G&V who are based in New York, Stockholm & Paris. Their website is full of nice work. Have a peruse here.

David Wiseman

Introducing an amazing artist, his works have a huge influence from nature. I totally love his branch chandeliers. He also does amazing things with plaster roof casts, something of an old victorian style with a modern twist.

Check out his portfolio here.

Super superficial

Possibly one of my favourite t-shirt shops while in London.

They seemed to always have a fresh range in stock. I've still got a few, though they have been worn to death. Maybe suitable for luxury fishing shirts.

My most loved one would have to be the I heart one to your left.

They do international shipping and their shirt prices are affordable.

View their range here.

Typographic Posters

This great site has a colossal archive of posters. Typographic posters to be exact. Designed to be a resource for historical purposes or purely for inspiration.

They have a nice motto too, 'feed and consume quality'

I think that if I had no pouncing deadlines then I'd spend hours sifting through these...

View the site here.

Yulia Brodskaya

Amazing rolled paper art from a Russian artist. She must have an incredible amount of patience to produce these. 

View more of here work here.

Papershapers

L.A.

I would super love to be going to this exhibition tonight. But, it's in L.A.

Check out the amazing pieces of 3D paper art. Some designs that I've seen before, but mostly fantastic new items. 10 artists are contributing to this exhibition, including legend Shin Tanaka from Japan. Check out more pictures here.

Coca

I've found this fantastic site, COCA. The Centre Of Contempory Arts.
It's got a great selection of New Zealand artists. You can buy or hire artworks from them, hiring starts at around $275 per year. The artworks are reasonably priced too.
As always, I'm loving Dick Frizzell, also really like the work by Ian Scott, Rudolf Gopas and Quentin Macfarlane.

Shakey Isles

Kingsland really is a great place.
Shakey Isles is definately one of the places we visit to get our coffee fix.
I love the interior of the place, it reminds me alot of Mr Scruffs artwork.
The staff are all friendly, even though they do manage to spill Sarah's coffee everytime.
Maybe it's in due to their naming.

I had their Piklets the other morning, great.
Though the amount of small children running around did get to me. I guess thats what you get early morning on Easter.
BTW: I don't know who that lady is in pic.

Royal Jewellery Studio

This is where I got my wedding band from.
They have got a lot of amazing jewellery from well known & new artists. Reasonable prices too.

They managed to get my ring made in less than a week.
View their website here.

Kidrobot

I've got to put Kidrobot on here.
The toy manufacturer that caught my eye from the start.
I have purchased alot of their toys over my time collecting.
Even though I am finding other manufacturers toys more interesting, they will always have a soft spot in my heart.

King Ken

I am really feeling the mini King Ken figures at the moment. A 4 inch version of his hugely popular and hugely expensive 12 inch figures.

Designed by James Jarvis & produced by Strangeco. I saw a lot of his work in London. Being from South London himself. Here are more of his toys.

I had a look up at Conch records for them this morning, but they were closed except for coffee's & had not even heard of them. WIll have to be either a PopUp or ebay purchase sadly.

kuler

One on my frequented sites would have to be kuler. A community of colour fanatics, you will find themes and colour pallettes. Can be downloaded in a variety of formats.
I've used this to build up my own colour pallettes in Photoshop & Illustrator.

Rah Bear & Bear Brick

I nabbed an old dome clock from my Dad & pulled out the insides, it now houses my Rah Bear & my mini Bear Brick.

I'm really digging the glass domes at the moment. A nice mix of old & new. I'm planning on making a moss teranium out of a HUGE glass jar we have. Just got to find the moss first. The bush out the back of our place seems barren of mosses.

Transportation

I have been given a bike from my mate Mike, he has built it up from something much less than what it is today. I rode it down to the shops for rice, very nice, though the seat feels like it is made of stone. I love the old school look to it. Thanks Mikey!

Lunch In The Garden

I found a Praying Mantis snacking on a wasp in our Yucca. I love the texture on it's wings too. I would have liked to see the battle, but I have a feeling it pinched it from the spiders.

Blue woods

I have dug out my old air brush & sprayed a piece of drift wood. It reminds me of some of the artwork we saw in the Modern Art Mueseum in Nice.

I did manage to break one of the air brush can caps though... shame.

Cupcakes

Mikey P's birthday is this evening, a dress up from your neck up party. I've got a blond bowl cut with stick on 'ranga mo.
Sarah is baking cupcakes for the event.

Good Friday

Sun shining, sleep un-obtainable.

Did manage to pick up an old print from Sarah's Father. I think he found it on the verge.

Very bizzare, yet kinda cool.

Next Toy To Purchase

The one & only...

Teddy Trooper, by Buff Monster.

It's not a new release, but I can't wait for it to be in my collection regardless. I already have a Buff Monster 8", so this guys will slide on in easily.

Check some of Buff Monsters artwork our here.

Virgin post

The first post in my hazy thought bubble of a blog.
Here to lay down what inspires me, what gets my motor running and what makes me enjoy the objects around me.