Tag: style

Posted in Food sparks, Home sparks, Sparky gifts

Willy Wonka’s World

Posted on by Cate

What a wonderful world that would be, right? With Mr Wonka’s passion for all things sweet and magical, it could be a kid’s dream come true. Not that you’d necessarily want your home or office decorated by Mr Wonka, but if some Wonka-like touches here and there appeal, you might want to check these out…

Ice cream lamps. Sure, why not? They come in a delicious range of colours and are over two feet high. They come with a bulb, but you will need to resist the urge to lick the giant soft-serve (even if the cone is marked ‘Safe-T Cup’) as I don’t want you getting zapped.

Or how about a cupcake cushion? With coloured sprinkles. It looks really cool in this picture, but I should warn you that there was another picture of it on a lounge…where it looked like a squished old piece of cupcake, rather than a fresh and tasty treat. You’ve been warned.

And if you want to listen to some sweet tunes while reclining on your cupcake on a lazy Sunday, you might like these Gummy Bear Earbuds. They’re scented. Uh huh. It does seem a little bit wrong, especially if your Grandma ever told you not to stick jellies in your ears. Although these are attached to a cord, so I guess it’s ok.

This one isn’t in keeping with the dessert theme, but Willy was a fan of messing with people’s heads via distorted sizes and shapes, so I think he’d approve. And I am tipping he liked his caffeine (amongst other things) to keep him so perky. For you, or perhaps to prop up that guy in the office who always seems to be sleeping, I present the giant coffee cup. It can hold 20 cups of coffee. But I am not suggesting that you drink them all at once. (Unless you record it and put it on You Tube.)

Whether you’re looking for a gift or something to make your home a little bit Wonka, you can check out all of these things, and a bzillion more, at fredflare.

Posted in Fashion Sparks

It’s a shoe-in

Posted on by Cate

I like shoes. Not as much as Imelda Marcos and Carrie Bradshaw, to be sure, but I do appreciate a nice pair of kicks. I’m not fancy – they don’t need to cost a bzillion designer dollars or elevate me to dizzy heights. And the quirkier the better, I say. Well, that’s what I used to say, ’til I stumbled across Robert Tabor’s shoes on trendhunter.com. Like this cherry pie shoe with a forked heel.

I dug a little deeper and it turns out that Mr Tabor doesn’t really design shoes – he designs “fantasy shoe creations” or “shoe sculptures”. I think that’s code for shoes-so-crazy-not-even-Lady-Gaga-would-wear-them.

From the sandwich thongs (or jandals or flip flops, if you prefer), to the shoe made with hair (relax, it’s synthetic), to the Chinese dragon, to the aqua fish, these shoes scream Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Well, that or Important Meeting at Work. Or Parent-Teacher Night at School.

Granted, most of these boots aren’t really made for walkin’, more for decorating the hall table, but I do think that hair shoe looks kinda comfortable. And I have a red handbag that I think could work well with the dragon heels (it’s the Dragon’s year in 2012, after all). With a plain black dress or suit, of course.

If you would like to brighten up your shoe collection or just marvel at the many shoes of Robert Tabor, you can view the Trendhunter post here or the designer’s website here.

Posted in Arty sparks, Sparky gifts

Tree of Life

Posted on by Cate

I like trees. Especially at this time of year in Australia, when the leaves are turning red or gold and falling to the ground. So we can jump around and crunch through piles of them. Or slip on them when it’s raining, trying to look cool while struggling to stay upright. Yes, good times indeed.

I also like this tree, which I noticed recently on etsy. Designed by Maria in Amsterdam, this tree looks pretty funky just as it is. But, like a lot of things in Amsterdam – don’t be fooled by appearances. This tree is a photo album. Uh huh.

You can add photos of the family for a cute present to welcome a new baby. Or perhaps pics of the kids in the class for a nice end-of-year gift for the teacher. Or snaps of your smiling face for your beloved (or ex-beloved, if you want to make them feel bad). Or faces of workmates for a departing colleague. Or maybe a tree full of happy images – like, say, chocolate, red wine, Liam Neeson, freesias, homegrown tomatoes, sunset, cherry pie, popcorn – to give you a lift on those days that you’re not feeling so chirpy.

Endless possibilities for your little tree of life. And I think I’ll finish on that profound note, so that you can ponder that thought. (While you’re checking out the range of trees at the FemkeMaria etsy shop.)

Posted in Fashion Sparks, Sparky gifts

The Family That Crochets Together…

Posted on by Cate

…stays together? Amen to that, Daddy-o.

I am very fortunate to have had a really happy childhood. And I remember that crocheted garments were definitely a part of that childhood. Lately though, I have been wondering how much better my childhood could have been if someone had bought the Patons Crystal Family Crochet patterns and got to work on the Jumpers, Cardigans, Suit, Vest and Singlets. (Uh huh, a crocheted Suit.)

But maybe it’s not too late! For less than $4 on etsy, you can get your hands on these patterns and make sure your family is the best dressed in town. People won’t be able to tell if you’re being retro or ironic or, like, totally hip, groovy and fashion forward. And I really want to wear that crocheted suit to work (although am guessing it wouldn’t be quite the thing for a rainy day). If only to get the look of appreciation that Crochet Daughter is giving Crochet Mom in the black and white photo here…

With seven different patterns for men, women and children, you can crochet your way to family happiness in no time. But don’t limit it to your family – this crocheted goodness should surely be shared with colleagues, neighbours and random strangers on the bus. Stitch it up with this collection, or one of the many other foxy patterns from SparrowFinds.

Posted in Fashion Sparks, Sparky gifts, WWWhat?

Geek Chic

Posted on by Cate

I first saw a version of these amazing Keyboard Slippers on the Inventor Spot site and thought they were pretty cool. Well, cool mightn’t be quite the right word. The original slippers are made by Kito in Thailand and you can get lots of different coloured foot straps: black, yellow, red, orange, brown or dark blue (depending on which of your geek chic outfits you want to match). Launched early last year, the Kito originals cost about $30 and are shipped worldwide from Thailand.

But, as with most good ideas, there is another version of keyboard sandals that are, no surprise, made in China (by a company with a very cool name: A-Yaya). They are priced at under $2 per pair. Which I guess might mean that the Enter key will stick and Ctrl-Alt-Delete won’t actually work. But I’m sure that you can still lose crumbs and eyelashes and cups of coffee between the keys, just like the real thing.

I don’t know your politics on global markets, so whether you want to check out the pricier (but original and brighter coloured) Kito shoes or the Chinese knock-offs, I’m sure that both types will massage your feet as you walk around. Which is more than you can say for your keyboard at work. If you are after the perfect gift for the nerd in your life (especially if that nerd is you), the Kito retailer is here.