gifts – Page 4 – everydaysparks

Hip Hop Hooray

Posted on June 25, 2012 by Cate

A lot of people don’t know this about me, but I love hip hop music. I am whiter than most white people (thanks to my Irish genes), can’t really dance, don’t like a lotta bling, and I’m not really very street-wise, but for some reason I love hip hop. Not all of it, but a lot of it. Maybe it’s because I love words and people who are clever with words (and by that I don’t mean people who can only rhyme ‘ho’ with ‘blow’, or ‘cop’ with ‘pop’). There are some brilliant hip hop lyrics, aside from the trashy sexist, racist, violent stuff that you often hear about. And a very cool design studio in Chicago – Orange Beautiful – has produced a series of prints based on some famous lyrics. This first series features an ‘Ice’ connection. I found them via Fab.com and I like them alot…

All right, stop – collaborate and listen. Vanilla Ice, or Robert Van Winkle as he was known to his family, is credited with releasing the first single that brought hip hop into the mainstream (entering the Billboard music charts when it was released in 1989/90). It was Ice Ice Baby and it was a massive hit (and a guilty pleasure for many people who were too embarrassed to admit that they were hooked by Vanilla Ice and his catchy tune). So many memorable lines, but Orange Beautiful have chosen to immortalise: Anything less than the best is a felony. Words to live by, for sure.

Then there’s Ice Cube – a giant of hip hop who has also had success in film and tv (production and acting). Ice Cube should not be confused with Ice T, another hip hop legend who now plays a detective Law and Order: SVU. Orange Beautiful have picked the only lyrics that I think are fit for framing from Ice Cube’s Check Yo Self – sound advice for anyone you know who is maybe hitting life a little too hard: You better check yo self before you wreck yo self.

And to finish on a more deep and meaningful note, here is a print of Ice T’s lyrics from Don’t Hate the Playa, a graphically worded song that’s a twist on the footballing/life expression, ‘play the ball, not the man’: Don’t hate the playa, hate the game. They could also have used another classic line from that song, some financial advice from Ice T: If you out for mega cheddar, you got to go high risk. Maybe next series. (As an aside, the styling of this photo from the Fab website makes me laugh.)

You can check out these limited edition prints from Orange Beautiful on sale at Fab.com here as they’re not yet on the Orange Beautiful website (or their etsy shop) here. Peace out.

There’s a creature in my cup

Posted on June 14, 2012 by Cate

I first saw these Creature Cups, made by Yumi Yumi in Brooklyn, on etsy a few months ago. I wanted to write about them, because they are a little bit different to your standard mug. But then the etsy shop disappeared and I could find no trace of Yumi Yumi or her Creatures.

Until they appeared on sale recently at Fab.com and I realised that Yumi Yumi (I’ll keep using both Yumis as I’m not actually sure if it’s a person’s name or a shop) has become bigger than etsy (imagine that!) and started a website to share these cool mugs with the world.

Whether you need a unique housewarming gift, have a friend who’s a vet or a zookeeper, or just want to scare your visitors by serving their coffee in cups filled with creatures, this may be the collection for you. Featuring an alligator, octopus, sea otter and lobster, these Creature Cups are sure to liven up your morning coffee. And I’d keep my eye on that lobster – he looks like he’s planning an escape…

You can check out the Creature Cups here.

Arty sparks, Fashion Sparks

Picture perfect jewellery

Posted on June 6, 2012 by Cate

Sometimes, you need to write something down, but you don’t have a pen handy. Or you really want to draw a picture to explain what you’re saying, but you don’t have any coloured pencils with you. This post could be for you. Or maybe you like jewellery that is pretty and practical – funk-tional – and you’re looking for a new ring. Or you’ve always wanted to be the artistic equivalent of Edward Scissorhands – Jonathon Pencilhands or Albert Paintbrushhands. Whatever, this post is for you too.

For these, my friends, are Crayon Rings. Such a simple, yet clever, idea by Timothy Liles. For sale on the cool design website Generate, these brightly coloured rings, cast in washable crayon come in a set of 8. That’s right, for less than $50 US, you can add eight new rings to your jewellery box and eight new crayons to your pencil case. And, you know, draw colourful stuff with your accessories.

But what if you accidentally draw in the wrong place? Or colour something that should have been black & white? Fear not, this Eraser+ing by ahead creative will solve your problems. Featuring bright colours and a ‘mild fruity scent’, a set of five costs less than $40 US.

If you’d like to check out these rings, or a whole heap of other kooky stuff, you can find the Generate online store here.

Fashion Sparks

It’s in the bag

Posted on June 5, 2012 by Cate

I am a bag lady. Be they fancy bags, practical bags, work bags, silly bags, travel bags or shopping bags, I love them. And I first saw these kooky handbags on sale at Fab.com. Dutch designer Sylvia Krens created the Hi-Di-Hi range of bags in striking styles that highlight individuality and, most importantly, spark conversations. Yep, I’m pretty sure these are going to be conversation starters – or stoppers…

The pics of these Winky cross-body bags are from Fab.com, which featured them in a recent sale. They come in a range of bright colours and, as the name suggests, the hologram eye appears to open and close when the bag moves. Be warned that your bag will be winking at everyone that you pass on the street. Which may work in your favour, or may result in you getting slapped. Please take care.

The winking eyes made me curious, so I checked out the Hi-Di-Hi website, and was delighted to discover more wacky accessories there. Like these Birdy Shopper bags, designed to look as though you’re carrying around a bird in a nest. Granted, the ‘nest’ in this image is made of faux fur, which is a little confusing, but it somehow works.

Or there’s this funky Home Sweet Home, which features a cute little bird stuck in a cut-out hole, like a cuckoo. Only cuter.

Then there are colourful bags with butterflies, flowers, babies, and even hoodies to customise your backpack as your mood changes – from Little Red Riding Hood to a dragon, elf or robot.

These pics are all from the Hi-Di-Hi website, which is well worth a look. You can check it out here.

Sparky gifts

Beware of the Trolls

Posted on June 1, 2012 by Cate

Do you remember troll dolls? Those faces that were a bit Benjamin Button-like on a small plastic body, with a crazy mop of brightly coloured hair on the top. Sort of cute, sort of scary. They popped into my head this week, so I thought I’d check out the range of trolls available on my beloved etsy. Look out…

Ah, the Troll Ballerina. Never has there been such a contradiction – the grace and beauty of ballet teamed with the slightly hideous old-troll-ness of “Belle” (a 1960s doll with pink lambswool hair). For sale at Maggie’s Klosets, along with some old army boots, jewellery and a fairly disturbing cat brooch.

This troll looks like a surfer dude (with creepy hands that look like he’s often up to no good), but he is apparently an original DAM troll doll from Denmark, made in 1980. I think that DAM is the name of the toy company, rather than a mean term for this little fella. Ah yes, a bit of troll trivia for you from the good people at Jolly Wolly – trolls were originally created in 1959 by Danish fisherman and woodcutter Thomas Dam. The dolls became popular in several European countries during the early 1960s, shortly before they were introduced in the United States. I haven’t checked these facts, so please don’t complain to me if you lose points at a pub trivia night…

Now, if you’re afraid of clowns, then this could well be your worst nightmare. As if trolls weren’t scary enough, this guy has been frocked up and his vacant stare and rosy cheeks are enough to make anyone think he’s more of a Stephen King clown than a roll-up, roll-up fun sort of clown. On sale at Snap Vintage, he is another DAM troll from 1986. I know that because there is a photo of a stamp on his clubbed foot that says so.

If there’s a gym junkie in your life, or an old aerobics tragic, or someone with a withered face who likes leg warmers and leotards, this may be the troll for them. It’s a vintage Russ troll doll and it’s scary. Not sure that the face matches the body, but I think anything goes in troll world, so whatevs. This great shop Plush 26 also features this frightening troll baby. But I don’t think you should give it to any new mothers, just in case they think you’re being mean.

And the same shop sells a few other beauties that I wanted to share: the limited edition Russ “Troll around the world” from Scotland, a bonnie wee chap that makes me wonder what other nations’ trolls looked like in that collection…Or the Troll Artist (presumably from the “Career Trolls” collection to inspire kiddies to live their dreams, just like the trolls). He looks suspiciously like the Scottish troll with a different jacket, but I’m sure that there’s more to it than that.

Or perhaps you’ve always wanted to turn a little person into a troll. In that case, you can buy a knitting pattern for this troll hat from Petal Knits and whip up a creation that’s sure to scare little people and big people alike.

Whatever your style, no doubt there is a troll doll just for you. With big beady eyes, a mop of bright hair and a giant fixed smile, what’s not to love?