Clicking cursor oven mitt

What's on the menu? I hear you say. A cursory glance around the kitchen will have you pointedly picking up the Clicking 2.0 oven mitt to handle your wares. (Sorry they were the best puns I could muster)

If these were on sale, I'd buy one, but then I am a cake-baking geek, so I'm their target audience.

Via Bazar Design.

I can NOT believe my eyes

This is one of the weirdest things I've seen for a while, but I can't not look. This is my Halloween costume, I'm bagsying it now. 

Don't look now!

Problem: gorillas can attack/cause incidents when you make eye contact

Rotterdam Zoo's answer: specs that make you look like you're averting your eyes

Tie in: sponsored by a local health insurance company

Result: brilliant photo opportunity, gorilla goes bananas from all the flash photography. (This is a joke of course)

I think I'm suffering from mild Neighbourphobia!

I wish my neighbours would take off like in this clip, I was woken at 5am, yes 5am, by a drum kit and a bass guitar and the raucous party next door. And where was my invite?! Anyway, I've realised I badmouth my neighbours a lot and found this, I'm not alone! I'm just suffering from neighbourphobia. 

The website has some sweet illustrations, especially in the quiz, including David Attenborough (the nicest man in the world). You can take the test and see how affected your area is too, it's a bit 28 days later on a serious budget, but nice sentiment.

Neighboursanonymous.com

After a bit of digging and emailing, the illustrator is a Mr. Pancaldi, although it seems he's quite the talented painter too!

Test Tube Tulips

Simple idea, nice execution, a potential DIY project. Let me know if this inspires you to make something similar, I'm going to be on the look out for an old test tube rack now...

{I can't find the original link that these came from, apologies.}

Tweet seat

Oh how I'd like to perch myself here! Wrap it up, sold to the Bowerbird with a smile on her face. Via Ffffound.

Ingenui-tea

Clever little additions to tea bags, designed by TBWA, thought I'd share.
Seen here.

Friday afternoon, time to concentrate...

No, I don't think so, but when Monday morning rolls around you may want one of these pencils.

You probably don't need me to explain, but if the pencil is pre-chewed it should deter you from doing so, and therefore focus your concentration, In theory.

They are designed by Concentrate, who create products which aim to improve children's concentration at school and ultimately improve their work, as we all work better when we concentrate.

More here.

Happy weekend everyone!

Let it 2B

Just stumbled across this great idea, drumming pencils, simple, clever and oh so annoying to those sitting nearby. Design by Moko Sellars, available to buy from Suck UK

Someone stole my idea...

I was on a bendy bus today and it was as entertaining as ever, I hope Borris doesn't really ban them, although as a cyclist I can see their menace, however I enjoy watching people being disorientated on the sliding platforms of the 'bend'. Schadenfreude aside, I always feel like I'm inside an accordion and apparently I'm not the only one... 

Advertisement for Camden Irish Music Festival, image via estupipedia

Wildlife is disappearing

Clever advert from WWF, I find it strange that they are using other companies to advertise themselves but it is highly effective. More ads here.

It's maths time

This satisfies the maths geek and the designer in me. As my wonderful maths teacher used to say 'algebra is beautiful' and so is this idea. Personally I would have made 6 o' clock the square root of 36.

Found via estupipedia.

Mirror, mirror on the wall

Clever idea, well executed, you know you want to pose in profile fashion in front of it...
You can buy them here, prices start from £17.95

Scrabbulous!

I have just ffffound this and am in utter awe of it's simplicity and beautiful execution.
Stephen Reed Design for Bloomsbury offices. My only gripe is that the seats don't fit 7 cushions.

Singing Sock Puppets

Matthew Irvine Brown spoke at This is Playful last Friday and I wanted to share his playful genius. Matthew’s talk was pure playfulness and it such a relief as I was beginning to worry about the day’s events. Although best known for his work at Last FM, he concentrated his talk on his sideline personal projects: Trumpet Hero, Breath Control Car and Singing Sock Puppets.

Check out his site for these playful projects and more but I found his singing sock puppets the most captivating, I would like one, very much please.

"This is a singing sock puppet. There's a sensor inside that knows how wide his mouth is open, so he can sing up and down a scale. Open his mouth a little, he sings a low note; open wider, he sings a higher note; even wider, he screams at the top of his voice. And so on."

www.irvinebrown.com/

Writers I admire

Client: Canadian Club, agency: Energy BBDO, copywriter: Derek Sherman. Online D&AD Annual page here.

Client: UHU, agency: V&R Singapore, copywriter: Ted Roger. Online D&AD Annual page here.


ZOOM IN TO READ
Client: Red Cross Mexico, agency: JWT Mexico, copywriter: Gabriel Bello, Enrique Codesido, Iguancio Zuccarino (yes three people for the word 'AFTER' you guys are my heroes). Online D&AD Annual page here.

Client: Luxor Highlighters, illustration: Kunal Mhabadi, agency: Leo Burnett India, copywriter: Russell Barratt. Online D&AD Annual page here.

I was flicking through the 2008 D&AD Annual and only got a few pages in before I realised there are many incredible writers out there, here's a handful of my favourites (from the first 50 pages of 600 page annual)

You can view the annual online for the first time ever here. The book's better though.

Stop! In the name of love.

There's something so lovely about this image, I wonder how many people have smiled at this stoplight. Happy Tuesday everyone.

Image found on Flickr

Copyright © Laurent Malbecq - All rights reserved

Fling it!

I was lucky enough to come toe to toe with an exciting new brand, namely MBT, The Anti-Shoe, they had an intriguing promotion whereby you throw an old pair of shoes into a bin and receive an entry into a competition to win a pair of MBT shoes.

They also had lovely 'angels' giving massages, free shoe trials and free booze, can't be bad after a day at work. If you're able to try a pair, not only will they start to work out muscles you didn't know you had, you'll also me able to walk like Mr Soft.

I happened to have a dilapidated pair of shoes, so along with my colleague Joe (pictured), we promptly flung our belongings into a bin. Fingers crossed we can win a pair of posture correcting orthopedic shoes! Oh dear.

Image credit: Joe Turner-round mid-fling.

Hidden Jeep

Such a clever and simple advert. As seen on I Believe in Advertising.

Illustration by Gary Lim, commissioned by BBDO.

It's the end of the world

DON'T PANIC!

I love the Guardian for this G2 cover, have a good look at it, it escaped my notice at first, the comedy genius is in the details...