Dying for Christmas to be here. Need a few extra days off work, and an excuse to do nothing and not feel bad about it. I just spent a little over around 2 hours clearing our my Reader (only 27 unread items!!) and linking stuff here, and now I feel like I've wasted too much time... Oh well.
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Just realized I haven't posted pictures of our table at Stitch 'n' Kitsch yet. There's one up above. Click it to see it big. Sorry for the ugly background, there was stuff going on behind us, AND we were freaking out and making a mess of our own stuff trying to set up.
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It was weird and exciting to start viewing this beautiful video that I came to from a link by Coudal, and hear music made by friends of mine as the soundtrack. Same thing happens every time I hear them in a Ford commercial too...
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Olly Moss totally killed it on these Star Wars posters, as he often does.
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Czech postage stamps. Some pretty awesome stuff in there. Highlights for me come all in row: Anniversary of TV broadcasting;  Anniversary of Radio broadcasting; Workers and banner; Factories and Rising Sun.
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I haven't bought into the whole selvedge jeans thing, but I love this guy, Roy, and his one-man made jeans. That's hard work and commitment. I can respect a $275 price tag on a pair of jeans that one guy put that much work and soul into. I think I'll stick with my 50-ish dollars a pair Levi's at the rate of about 1.5 pairs a year though. I don't make $275 jeans money, yet.
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I wish I was into playing guitar enough to justify spending $45 on a strap. I would definitely buy this Couch x Timber one. A guitar strap with bearded dudes, tree stumps and crossed axes? Yes, please!
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A little creepy but an interesting development. BMW uses afterimage to brand their logo in viewer's minds.
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Frequently I wish we had a fireplace or wood stove, for the warmth, and smell, but also for the excuse to chop wood. Now I specifically wish we could have this stove, because it looks awesome, and is super efficient.
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I wish I was friends with Matt Stevens, so I could have a copy of this limited run Air Max 1 a day book. I love this series of illustrations, and it looks pretty sweet in book form.
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I don't think I've linked to this yet, and I can't believe. This Delorean external hard drive could just be the best thing ever to store your Time Machine back-ups on. Seriously. Amazing. Clever. Detailed. Awesome.

Things are moving along at BRFC. Getting real close to Stitch n Kitsch on December 4, and I'm getting real anxious about getting everything done that I want to have done for then. Got a prototype made of a new product on the weekend, now we don't know if we can get the material to make them or not! Still soldiering on though. Only thing to do, really. Just finished a new coaster design that's totally pandering to a specific market we're expecting to see at the show, let's hope they like it!

That's the poster for the upcoming show up there above. Designed by Sheila, who you can find over here.

I have to say, I am SUPER excited to be selling at an SnK show for the first time.
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Some items of mine recently got featured by people I don't know, which is exciting. On this blog here, and in this etsy treasury here. Lots of views on my stuff now! Nice to know people at least like looking at my stuff online!
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Art of Manliness meets Etsy in this storque guest curator spot. My kinda stuff. (unfortunately, none of my stuff though... somebody else's handkerchiefs at least.)
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Talking to your kids about Star Wars. An excellent PSA. Lots of things to think about when you have kids. How young is too young to see the original trilogy? 'Cause it would be nice for them to see before they get all tainted by the school kids and the new stuff...
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Cookie Monster auditions for SNL. I know this is all over the place, but I had to re-link. Gotta support the Muppets.
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I want to go to here!

Bears in a glass dome!

Also, it turns out there's more of the Jeff Canham birdhouses that I linked to the other day. Check them out here.
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I'm pretty sure I put this all together on Friday, then forgot about it, so here you go now.

Big week! Julia and Gord are in town and were over with Eileen last night. Already looking forward to getting together again. This weekend is Conan in Toronto, and hopefully a round of discgolf as I'm pretty sure Chicopee officially opens on Saturday. Awesome.
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The 2010 Vader Project. Damn. Neat stuff. Love the flocked one with the brain. This gas mask one popped up elsewhere in my travels. All gas masks should look like that...
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So it looks like a lot of people whose blogs I read have gone to the Brimfield Antique Show, and now I'm itching to go. An excuse to go back to Massachusetts? Maybe!!

Seriously though, check out ACL's day 1 and day 2, with more to come it would seem. The line "I probably saw more waxed canvas yesterday than in the last five years combined" pretty much makes me salivate. Some amazing looking stuff in there. 

And here's design*sponge's look at Brimfield. For the ladies...

So, September 7-12, eh?
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A couple days ago there was a nedroid comic that had me terrified that there were no more coming, and then he posted this adorable comic. And the mouse-over listed a url that takes you to this site, which is even more adorable! "This is my best friend Reginald. He is the best friend I have ever had!"
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Hammarhead is putting out some pretty sweet motorcycles. I'll take a Woodsman or a Jack Pine please! Also on the motorcycle front, check out Deus custom motorcycles too. I may have linked to them before. So nice.

Also, why is the Yamaha SR 400 still made, but only available in Japan? That's bike I could go for. It's no vintage Honda, but for a new bike, it's pretty on point to that end.

Someday I really need to get my motorcycle license...

Finished that one last week for Andy Kim, who wrote such hits as 'Sugar Sugar' for The Archies. Fun poster to make for sure.
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So there's all kind of buzz in the geek world about the 'leaked' new iphone. Gizmodo seems to have verified that it is real.

Every once in awhile I have pangs of regret over buying a BlackBerry instead of an iphone. Believe it or not, seeing these images makes me feel better, because if I had bought the current iphone, and then this model had dropped in a few months, I would have been so disappointed. This new version is so much nicer looking. More functional machine, less toy. Flat back over round is a huge improvement. The gizmodo article makes a reference to this harkening to classic Dieter Rams designs for Braun, which I definitely agree with, and appreciate. It's exactly what I thought of when I saw this shot. Now, when I move out of my BlackBerry in 3 years, if I move into whatever iphone they'll be on then (rather than whatever Google/Android product is out there), I'll be so happy if it's still in the vein of this new style.
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Speaking of things that I would like, as we often are, check out this minifig crank flashlight. This is SO CUTE. And AWESOME. Totally can't justify the $32.90, but I really wish that I could This is one of my favourite things that I have seen in awhile. The fact that you crank his arm? Hilarious, clever, amazing, awesome.
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Check out this interesting little article about the origin of the good Sriracha. I've tried others, definitely not as good. Informative. Tasty.
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Rare Star Wars Images. Wow. Some really great candid stuff in there.
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So you need a typeface. Clever. Funny.
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Film guide prints Thursday. Still way too much stuff to do. Not looking forward to the next few days.

I haven't linked to anything on Shorpy for awhile, but I had to link to this one. I do love me a street scene, and the look of the old awnings on buildings, so this here was perfect for me. Love it. Go in close and check out the signage, and particularly the guy in the lower right hand corner hanging out in that upstairs doorway.

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Did you know that Mike Rowe used to work for QVC? Marc sent this to me and it's pretty much the best thing I've seen in awhile.

Number 1 question Jenna and I had while watching this? "How long did he do this for?" It can't have been that long. There's no way the people trying to sell Noah's Ark could not have been entirely happy with his representation of it. Also, if this wasn't the 2 a.m. shift, I'd be shocked. There's even more videos on YouTube that I have to get around to watching.

Amazing.

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A couple great items came around through long-time friend Sean:

AMC Greenlight's The Walking Dead. Can't wait. This reminds me, I'm a few books behind. I really need to place that Amazon order that I keep putting off...

Culture that makes you feel old on The Onion. It's a little long, but there's some good stuff in there. That article excitedly led me to this annual list of the 'mindset' of student's entering college, until I realized that it's pretty bullshit. For example, check out 2002 graduates, who were born in 1980. It includes the entries: 14. They have never owned a record player; 15. They have likely never played pac-man, and have never heard of 'Pong'; 16. Star Wars looks very fake to them, and the special effects are pathetic.

I was born in '81, and though it may be odd to some that I currently own a record player(s), and an Atari, I did also own a record player and an Atari as a kid, and was seriously impressed by Star Wars. In fact, I still think the old models look better than the re-issue. I was excited to read through all the years of that list, but now that I've vented about it, I'll never go back.

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If I needed a small mirror, this would be the one, for sure. Construction bear. Cute.

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This is probably about the only way you'll ever see me sporting a G-Shock watch. And even then, I doubt it.

So much lego stuff going around these days! Check out these art pieces. This one is definitely my favourite.

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THIS is super clever logo design. Love it.

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Rubik's cube for the blind. Can you imagine trying to do that? I mean, as a sighted person with no knowledge of braille. Well, either way, those things are hard!!

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Stormstache. I feel like I link to a lot of Star Wars stuff on here. It's funny because I'm not really a big Star Wars fan. I mean, I like the (first 3 [by year made, not year set]) movies and all, but I was never a huge fan or anything. Just an appreciator. And there's a lot of neat/cool/funny stuff that huge fans make.

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USB 'thumb' drive. Jenna and I seem to sit on opposite sides of the fine hilarious/creepy line mentioned. (In case you're wondering, I'm on the hilarious side...)

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Probably the only time I'll mention U.S. health care reform on here.

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Wrecking ball lamp. Awesome.

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Spaced Flash Mob Slo-Mo Gunfight. Hilarious. Awesome. Wish I could have been there.

Hitchcock Re-envisioned. Can you tell I love these sorts of re-imaginings? Thanks Coudal for sharing yet another one. Personal favourite? The Birds. For sure. A style I always enjoy seeing variations on.

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Do you know about the Razzie awards? They're given out on Oscar eve, and are basically the opposite of the Oscars. Awards are for Worst Movie, etc, rather than best. Sandra Bullock won Worst Actress (for All About Steve, not The Blind Side), and actually showed up and made a speech. I don't think that happens very often. Pretty awesome.

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Best commercial on television right now? The Man Your Man Could Smell Like. Seriously. When this comes on, I stop fast-forwarding, just to watch it again.

In a genius marketing move, this commercial is actually paired with a shorter commercial, that reminds you how of how awesome the first commercial was, and is pretty solid itself. Basically if you're watching a show, the long one would come in the first commercial break, and the short on in the second. Smart!

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This letterhead for Hugh Hefner from 1955 would still look hip today.

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Normally I don't like it when other companies make Chuck rip-offs, but this pair has a gore-tex lining. Do I want a pair? Why yes, yes I do. Chuck style AND dry feet? Thank you!

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If the Coen brothers made Star Wars...

I recently added the Coudal Partners blended feed to my google reader, and it has been both great and annoying. They simply post too much stuff! There are tonnes of posts every day, and I so often want to share them here, or go back to them, so I keep marking things unread. I had 30 items unread from them, and that's just going back a few days! Here's some of it...

Amigurumi Star Wars characters. Adorable!

Stock footage reel from Expo '67.

Chris Mottalini photography. Check out the 'mistake by the lake' series. I always love seeing school bus shelters. There's something about them that I find really appealing.

What colour are you? My colour? Black. Perfect.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. At some point I really need to read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

Awesome photos of amazing models. Nice work!

More Michael Johannson.

Motorcycles of WWII.

So thanks Coudal, but slow down, would you? I don't have that much free time!

What a weekend. I got a new phone, and the flu. I've been bed/couch-ridden since Sunday afternoon. Not so pleasant.
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I'm loving this moon globe. The owners run a vintage shop on Etsy where they sell a lot of things that are pretty up my alley. Definitely worth taking a browse through.
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These minimalist Star Wars travel posters are pretty great.

So are these object-based tv images.

I need to carve out more time to design stuff just to design stuff for my own fun and enjoyment. That's what things like this always make me think of...
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Wes Anderson's Spiderman. Josh Chong shared this on Google reader. I have to admit, I thought it was going to be crap. I was pleasantly surprised!
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Exit Through the Gift Shop. Bansky makes a movie? I may have to put this on the 'must see' list. It's definitely on the radar, and I need to find out more about it.
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Check out these awesome van designs on A Time to Get. Nice find!

The Canadian Design Resource posted about this awesome pattern today, which led me to check out the Curse of the Multiples website, and spot that image above. They're both pretty great, and there appears to be lots more where they came from.
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Gotta go door handle shopping soon for our new closets. Even if this one actually existed, I don't think Jenna would go for it. Truth be told, neither would I, since it definitely would not go with our house, but it's just easier to blame her and keep my cool factor high.
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More hand stuff - This leash here is creepy, but also kind of cute, if you ask me at least. Not that the hand itself is cute, more that it gives you an instant significant other to stroll with.
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Muppets all over the place today!

Muppets Bohemian Rhapsody - This is being linked all over the place! It takes almost 2 minutes to get good (and then of course sucks briefly when Miss Piggy shows up), but it is pretty entertaining. Lots of good characters in there.

Dr. Doozer video #1 - A little teaser leading up to the release of the collaboration between Dr. Romanelli and Fraggle Rock. I still have no idea what to make of this, or what's coming, but I am keeping an eye out for mention of it on highsnobiety. I don't think I've ever seen the instrument the human guy is playing with in this video, it looks awesome though!
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Keeping on the streetwear/highsnobiety kick, here's another collab. that I'm interested to see what happens with: The Hundreds X Delorean Motor Company. Yes, that Delorean Motor Company. I'm a fan of The Hundreds' Adam Bomb logo, and a bit of their actual product, so something good could come of this...

I guess they've been hanging out with the DMC people lately, so there's some interesting posts on their blog here and here.
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One more from highsnobiety: Porter x Star Wars luggage collection. Have you ever seen a classier looking take on the Star Wars franchise?
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Back to videos and muppets... I just found this one, and I desperately want to see more of it! I love how a lot of the time Kermit is just sort of there, like a person. Nodding along, etc. Great video.

I don't know if I've ever mentioned it on here before, but I LOVE the International Harvester Scout (and Scout II). I will likely never ever own one, but I have spent plenty of time over the years looking at them on ebay.

It's been awhile since I went looking for them, but my interest was rekindled by this post about a 90-year old guy who, at least until recently, was/is still selling them. Amazing. (via Draplin) Not suprisingly, that poster also loves the Bronco II. I prefer the first generation Bronco (60's/70's), but anyway...

The Scout above is currently for sale on ebay here, and I think looks pretty awesome. Okay, so the interior needs work, but the paint job is nice! (wow, not to be too stereotypical, but how girly did I sound there?)
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I know I've talked about how awesome Saul Bass is on here before, but this here is a really nicely put together post documenting just how awesome he is. Like seriously awesome, if you didn't know that. Many, many, many examples of it there. (possibly via Draplin as well?)
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Star Wars: Retold (by someone who hasn't seen it). Jenna sent me this one. Pretty great.
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Finally, I added a new blog to my reader, High Snobiety. It's a little daunting for sheer volume of posts, however, I've already seen some pretty great stuff on there, so we'll see how it goes. Top two highlights that I've seen so far on there:
Shepard Fairey does work for Stereo Skateboards (started by Jason Lee, if you didn't know). I could go for either or both of the shirts there (or any of the decks too, you know, if I skated...)
Awesome Nike SB Dunk's. I would love to own these. The little touch of plaid is just perfect (I mean, I could go for more, but it's so nice here!).

TIMBER!

Our mail has been particularly boring lately, but now I've got something to look forward to! I just noticed the above design by my favourite t-shirt maker, and I absolutely had to have it! Of course, I grabbed one of his other shirts in the process as well, you know, just for good measure.

During an etsy conversation, I also sent him this little pic from our trip to Funspot, where I happened to wearing one of his shirts and spot a pretty special arcade machine:
(not the best picture of me, but you know...)
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Some beautiful work on here. (via Draplin, I think...)
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I am in love with this Philly post office via 1900. Amazing. I've said it before, but this is definitely one of those pictures that makes me wish I could travel through time. (thanks Shorpy!)
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This is a really cool little application that lets you search through millions of flickr images by colour, and combinations of colour. Select up to 10 colours on the side, and it will return images that use those colours. Pretty great to play around with. (via Jeff)
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Awesome early Star Wars storyboards. Pretty cool flickr set to flick through, if you ask me.
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"Wasted" a good chunk of time flipping through the images on Letter Cult last night. All hand drawn lettering. Great stuff to check out. Here're two favourites:


Time to get up and go to work! And then tacos!