Things I Love #53

Believe it or not, this is the last Sunday in September.  That means my birthday is just short of two weeks away and Christmas is around the corner.  And I am not kidding about the Christmas part, I have already seen Christmas chocolates and decorations in the stores!!  Earlier and earlier every year!!  Anyway, here is what I loved this week:

Strawberries.  Tons and tons of strawberries:

How cute are these cats in sweaters?? Adorable.

Check out these 19 amazing photos of female riveters during World Wars II.

New Adventure Time comic unites your favourite weird princesses for a single quest.  With LSP, Skeleton Princess and Breakfast Princess, this sounds like a winner.

Want to see some of the outfits Finn has sported in Adventure Time?  Click here.

Jay Hynes has an awesome photo-series called Grandmas Rock.  It's super cool.

Overheard in New York is exactly what the name suggests: snippets of overheard conversations in New York.

Spencer Chamberlain from UnderOath has a new band called Sleepwave.  Very curious about this...

Oreo Peanut Butter sounds like the most amazing thing ever.

4 Rules to make Star Wars Great again - an animated open letter to JJ Abrams.

 

How awesome is this X-Wing and Millenium Falcon pencil skirt from Her Universe?  Must.  Have.

Society, Science, Survival:  Lessons from AMC's The Walking Dead.  This is a real course you can take.  Sign me up please!

Also, how The Walking Dead and Toy Story are the same.  This is crazy!

Eau De Toast because you wouldn't want to smell like toast?!?  Sadly it's limited edition and all gone...

30 Pieces of wisdom from Haruki Murakami books.

My Little Pony taxidermy custom made for you by Misfit Menagerie.

And lastly, I won my first ever internet giveaway recently and the prize was this super awesome print by Kim Longhurst:

Thanks again Kim, I love her so much!!

And that's all for this week.  If you've seen anything you love this week, let me know in the comments.

Things I Love #52

It's a long weekend in these parts and it couldn't have come at a better time.  I can't tell you guys how awesome it feels knowing that I don't have to get up tomorrow morning and face traffic and work and, and, and...want to know what else is awesome?  The fact that I got my very first birthday present this weekend.  My friend Collette sent my gift down to Durban with her sister AND gave me permission to open it straight away.  She knows me too well, there is no way on earth I would've been able to wait until my actual birthday!!  I got a Darth Vader Torch, a Spongebob t-shirt and a 30th badge which I apparently have to wear on my actual birthday...thanks Chicken, you're the best!

How cool are these snack-inspired beanbags?  I love the pancake ones and the ice-cream cone!

The "dematerialization" of society in the digital age.  An interesting read.

Feeling down?  This website of a pug liking your screen will definitely cheer you up.

Bloody Mary Metal makes some super cool, edgy jewelry.  I'd love this, this and this.

I want every single one of these Adventure Time Halloween costumes.  

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I also want Halloween to be a bigger holiday here in South Africa...a girl can dream...

How great are these superhero quilts?  I think my mom might have a new project on her hands!

Grumpy Cat and Boo cake pops...these are so cute!!

Cookie Monster spoofs Hollywood movies:



Also, here is how to Cookie Monsterify your website.

If you're looking for a way to get into the Discworld novels, check out AV Clubs Gateway to Geekery on Terry Pratchet.

DeviantART user Rawlsy has created some awesome images of DC and Marvel characters called Little Friends.  Definitely worth checking out!!

Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen on top of the Empire State Building.  Can I also just say that I can't think of two better actors to perform Waiting for Godot!!

Creepy but awesome Totoro art.  I must admit, I kind of like this.

Life-size dinosaur models?  Yes please!!

And lastly, the Jacarandas are starting to bloom all over Durban!!  So pretty:

Seen anything you love this week?  Let me know in the comments:)

Things I Love #41

What a cool weekend it has been - mexican food with friends, two awesome dogs to play with, the Durban July and Wakaberry with Sam!  All that goodness makes it just a little bit harder to go into work tomorrow *sigh*  Anyway, after 3 weeks (I think) of no Things I Love, I have quite a collection of links/pictures/randomness to share with you today:

Today I had Wakaberry for the first time in months!!  They had peanut butter flavour and speckled eggs which is officially my new favourite combination.

How beautiful are these abandoned places?  Out of all of them I'd choose to explore Nara Dreamland in Japan (#30), the Maunsell Sea Forts in England (#14) and the fishing hut in Germany (#6).

The Decline and Fall of the English Major.  As an English major and now an English Honours student, I found this rather interesting.

22 Things Poncho the Pug is Better at than You.  Isn't he just the cutest?!?

Boston Shoes is an amazing project that asked anyway involved (running, responding or simply watching) in the Boston Marathon bombings to submit a photo of their shoes.

So did you know that there is a Russian Criminal Tattoo Archive?  Me neither!!  Check out some pics here.

The Militant Baker shared some of the most amazing writing advice I have ever read.  Seriously.

WTF, Evolution? is my new favourite Tumblr.  Funny and truly bizarre.

Okay, We Love Fine officially have the best leggings in the business!  Marvel, Sanrio and most importantly...ADVENTURE TIME.  

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Speaking of Adventure Time, I honestly want ALL of this Adventure Time art from Mondo...so beautiful!

These high speed photos of exploding lightbulbs filled with objects are super awesome.  And colourful.

This slide show of adorable dogs enjoying summer is exactly as promised...ADORABLE! 

I may not be British but this list of 30 Very British Problems kinda describes me life.  You can also find them on twitter. 

The Fiction show at the Modern Eden Gallery features portraits of literary characters that are breathtaking!  I'd love to be able to see this in real life...

The Little Free Library is possibly one of the best ideas I have seen in ages.  I'd love to be able to set one up somewhere some day!

These sci-fi author portraits by Megan Murphy are too cool.  Edgar Allan Poe is my favourite.

I may not be super sciencey but this 3D Printed Subatomic Particle Jewelry is gorgeous!

Honestly, I am kinda desperate for a local convention to appear so that I can dabble in cosplaying.  These Hipster Disney Princesses and Mermaid Avengers are not helping.

And finally, Poko the Cockatiel wants to sing you the Totoro theme:

Seen anything you love lately?  Let me know in the comments:)

The Small Things...

The other day, I woke up on the wrong side of bed.  You know those days where everything seems wrong and annoying and out to get you?  It was undoubtedly one of those.  After a very frustrating morning in my office, I decided to take my bad mood on an excursion and hopefully leave it somewhere when it wasn’t looking.  Anyway, I headed out to the Woolies just up the road to get some lunch and not only did I meet the friendliest lady in the queue but I spotted this super cute little succulent:

I took it back to my office, put it on my desk and, as lame as this might sound, it totally brightened up my day!  It got me thinking how more often than not, it’s the small things – messages from friends, Hello Panda sweets or an awesome pink Star Wars shirt for super cheap – that can rescue you from your own pity party.  Either that or I have completely lost my marbles;)

Market Day

On Saturday morning, I headed out to my first I Heart Market since April!  As per usual, there was plenty of things that I could've spent my money on but luckily I didn't have too much cash on me.  I am a terrible impulse buyer and although I don't usually regret the things I buy, I almost always regret the money spent.  One of the places that I would've spent some of that money was at the Dragonfly Dreams table:

All the jewellery above is handmade using recycled materials like wood, perspex, old vinyl and old board games.  You can see the full range here.  The comic book sound effect rings are my favourites I think.  There was also a stunning octopus necklace that I'd love to get my hands on.  The other thing that caught my eye on Saturday was the food.  Or rather, the sweet things: 

These macaroons are from Daniella's Deliciously Decadent and they are exactly what the name promises.  When I organised my friend Collette's bridal shower in August I ordered a whole bunch from her and they were amazing.  I think the colours are what draws me to this table every time.  I am not sure who was responsible for the cake below but it was just too pretty not to snap a pic of:

I didn't leave the market completely empty-handed though.  I spoilt myself with peanut butter and blueberry macaroons and the nifty little French Bulldog pin that I mentioned on Sunday.  He's from the Deco Collection and he was such a bargain.  My friend Shannon spied him in the bowl of rejects and I am so glad she did.

Other things that are worth a mention: the home-made lemonade, the breakfast rolls, the beautiful sari's that were for sale, everything at the iKhaya table, the table with the t-shirts emblazoned with local brands (think Zambuk and Lucky Star), the silver Bazinga necklace from Starbright Girl and the awesome, awesome Moses Mabhida stadium:

What did you get up to this weekend?

Things I Love #17

Is it just me or is this year passing very, very quickly?  My birthday is roughly three weeks away and Christmas decorations are going to start showing up in stores any day now.  It's weird because every year around this time, I start thinking about all the things I wanted to accomplish at the beginning of the year and how many of those things are still unfinished.  I think my mission for the last few months of 2012 is to try and get as many of those goals/ideas/projects done as I can.  Anyway, that really has nothing to do with the randomness I have found on the internet over the last two weeks so, without further ado, here is Things I Love #17.  Warning, its a long one!!

First up, this article about why weird experiences boost creativity.  Turns out they don't even need to be that weird.  

The amazingly cool Star Wars Force Glove.  I need this in my life...please...

Vintage Confections on Etsy make planet lollipops.  Really.  Filled with edible glitter to give them that space feel, you can now suck on the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.  If these could survive the trip to South Africa, I'd order them now.

Sam is back from London!!  Hi Sam!!  Anyway, being the good friend that she is, she bought home Lego Star Wars key rings for us.  Yay!

On the subject of Star Wars, these handbags have officially earned a spot on my wishlist.

Want to see Banksy's street art come alive?  Click here to see some awesome animated GIFs.

My Chemical Romance, one of my favourite bands in the world, is releasing some new-old material in an amazing boxset called Conventional Weapons.  I just wish it wasn't so pricey *sigh*

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Also music related is the new Deftones single!  Download it for free here.

Not one but two friends sent me the link to this Gradient Nail Art Tutorial (thanks Shannon and Miss V).  I can't wait to try it out.  It's the perfect excuse to go out and purchase some new, complementary nail polishes.

What eyes would look like without pupils.  Creepy and cool all rolled into one.

I got some super cute new summer shirts this week.  One with bunnies and the other with apples.  I like them a lot.

Is the pursuit of happiness a bunch of bullshit?  An interesting read from Gala Darling.

Sad Etsy Dogs collects pictures of dogs who are modeling their owners' Etsy creations.

I absolutely love this collection of 60 Freaking Awesome Animal Emotions.  There is no way you can look at these pictures and not smile.

These necklaces contain teeny, tiny pieces of regurgitated animals.  Designer Trixie Khong hand makes these vials using the remains left over by a friend's pet owls.  The site also makes it clear that no animals were harmed to make these necklaces.  Not sure if I think these are awful or amazing.  What do you think?

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On the subject of jewellery, this Bazinga Necklace is to cool for words and would totally match my obsession with The Big Bang Theory.

These illustrations give us an idea of what our favourite movie creatures might look like on the inside.

This week I mentioned my new found love for Terrariums.  While I still have plans to build my own, I'd still love one of these cute terrarium necklaces.  So unusual.

This article about how to get pumped about your work is worth a read.  Also, the site is called Unicorns for Socialism which makes me smile.

Religious icons really appeal to me.  Not necessarily for what they mean but just for the aesthetic value.  I know that some people may not appreciate them but I think these alternative takes on the Virgin Mary by Soasig Chamaillard are really great.

I got my first birthday present yesterday!  Another Genevieve Motley necklace which I have had my eye one.  Thanks Gill:)  Also this super cute bunny brooch.

And lastly, I have the best Dad.  He bought my mom and I these nifty hand and nail care sets and now my nails are shiny and awesome.  Thanks Dad!

Things I Love #11

Happy July everyone!  It's hard to believe we are over half way through this year already.  It's madness I tell you!  Anyway, let's get started with Things I Love #11:

Its been a weekend for sweet things.  I had an amazing lemon meringue cupcake at my friend's 30th birthday party yesterday (left) and then today I had a red velvet waffle with berries and fresh cream (right)!  Amazing!!

Danielle from Sometimes Sweet did a great post on tattoo inspired art work.  While I love all the artists on the list, Liz Clements really stood out for me.  I'd absolutely love to own one (or ten) of her prints, especially Love Sick.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't slightly tempted to wear a perfume that makes me smell like books.  It's called Paper Passion and the packaging is designed by Karl Lagerfeld.

Something I have discovered while playing on Pinterest is a site called Bookshelf Porn.  Tons and tons of pictures of bookshelves...its glorious!

And while we are on the subject of books, these drunk texts from your favourite authors made me laugh.

Totoro is finished!  I'll do a proper post on him during the week but isn't he cute?

Anna Karenina is being made into a movie!  I can't believe that I only found this out now but I am so excited.  That means three of my favourite books (The Great Gatsby and The Hobbit being the other two) will be movies soon.

100 Things to do instead of procrastinating on the Internet.  This article from Gala Darling is great!  I love the internet but everyone needs a break occasionally!

Amazing winged jewelry by Dukno Yoon.  This stuff is amazing although I suspect it wouldn't last more than 10 minutes on my clumsy hands:(

Speaking of jewelry, have you guys seen the awesomeness that is Sea of Bees?  I am officially coveting at least 90% of the shop.  Especially the Cameo Deer Necklace.

I've always been a big fan of Freddie Mercury and Queen but did you guys know that Freddie Mercury was also an artist?  Check out his drawings here.

What if Star Wars characters were out of work?  Click here to find out (also includes a random picture of Spiderman).

I loooooove this Pikachu Pinafore!

Cross Stitch is something I used to be able to do many, many years ago.  These Pixel People patterns make me want to start again.

The Sky Punch weather phenomenon is easily one of the creepiest and coolest things I have ever seen in the sky.

And lastly, we got our Save the Date for my friend Collette's wedding which I am so looking forward to!  Yay!

Wakaberry Love

Confession:  I am obsessed with Wakaberry.  I have never been a great fan of frozen yoghurt but after my first visit, I was hooked.  Now it’s all I can do to drive down Florida Road and NOT go into Wakaberry.  Have you been yet?  Well you should.  The idea is really simple: grab a tub, choose your flavours, choose your toppings and there you go!  My favourite flavour so far is Mixed Berries.  My favourite toppings are fresh strawberries, Jelly Tots and the speckled eggs they had during Easter.  Here are some random pictures of my Wakaberry trips to inspire you:

You’re welcome!  Now go...

P.S. On Sunday my awesome friend Shannon surprised me by bringing me Wakaberry while Jason was out and I was working on my last assignment!  Thanks again friend, you are awesome and partly responsible for this post:) 
P.P.S. Wakaberry doesn't even know I exist.  I wrote this purely because I love them not because I was given cash monies or anything.