Tom Blogs » Design

Christmas wishes for around the home

Tom — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:38:59 +0000

Things I would have liked to have put on my Christmas list:

Vintage Camera Pillows
Found on www.swiss-miss.com/2011/12/vintage-camera-pillows.html and originally from www.etsy.com/listing/83835293/vintage-amica-eyelux-camera-canvas?ref=fp_treasury_12

PicNYC Table
Found on www.likecool.com/picNYC_TABLE–Furniture–Home.html and originally from www.haikocornelissen.com/work/picnyc-table/

Table and chairs cabinet
Found on www.likecool.com/Transformer_chest_has_two_chairs_and_a_table–Furniture–Home.html and originally fromclaudiosibille.com/ludovico.php

Why do creative people sometimes steal?

Tom — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 12:09:41 +0000

About a year ago my wife and I spotted an independant graphic designer, Kyleigh, who was selling paper cuts through Not on The High Street. We liked her work and got in touch to commission a special piece for my wife’s sister in law’s wedding.

Even though Kyleigh was just about to have a baby, she completed the work in time for the wedding and we were very pleased with what we received – so much so we sent her a photo of the happy couple it was commissioned for and she wrote a nice blog peice about it.

Who would steal someone’s biography?

I’ve since followed Kyleigh on twitter and today read about another paper cut designer who has stolen chuncks of Kyleigh’s personal biography.

The designer by the name Panda Paper has stolen the openning paragraph of Kyleighs biography word for word. I thought I’d post a question on Panda Paper’s facebook page to ask why. The comment was deleted 30 minutes later. So I posted a “review” on the review tab on her facebook page. I was then blocked from the page altogether.

It seems Paper Panda doesn’t want to explain them self, or want anyone to know that although they have great creative skills at producing beautiful work, they can’t write a sentence about who they really are.

I would advice anyone considering buying a paper cut to use a designer who is original and open about their work.

Spread the word!

See screenshots of the two biographies below.

* UPDATE *

Panda Paper has been in touch with Kyleigh – the issue is apparently the fault of a student web designer who copied information without Panda Paper’s knowledge.

Fill the gap in the market with your own newspaper

Tom — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 08:47:29 +0000

Seeing as there will be a blank space on many newsagents shelves next Sunday maybe this is the time to start you dream of creating your own newspaper? Of the designers I follow online, Ben Terret stands out and is one of the founders of Newspaper Club, a small company run by the Really Intersting Group which lets you design and print your own newspapers. Black and white or colour, 4 to 64 pages, one edition or thousands.

They have examples of festive newspapers, conference programs and wedding favours.

Find out more on their site www.newspaperclub.com, have a look at the papers they’ve printed on Flickr and follow their blog / twitter – @newspaperclub

Motion powered bike wheel lights.

Tom — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 14:25:11 +0000

Two industrial design students at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, have created a new bicycle saftey system that uses the bike’s movement to light the wheels. Ethan Frier and Jonathan Ota have a created a system which lights the wheels white while the bike is in motion, and red if it detects the bike is slowing down.

They have blogged their whole project on tumblr at surg2011.tumblr.com/ with photos and videos. A trailer of what there have created is below:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Thanks to the guys at etre for finding this: www.etre.com/blog/2011/06/project_aura/

Read your book case

Tom — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 15:25:50 +0000

This is an excellent book case – it’s massive, fits every book you could own and instructs it’s owner exactly what should be done with the contents.

From www.likecool.com, www.kraftfuttermischwerk.de and fasel.soup.io

VW Aqua all-terrain hovercraft concept

Tom — Tue, 31 May 2011 09:25:41 +0000

For work rest and play. Yes please.

From www.likecool.com, dvice.com and www.diseno-art.com

Water powered shower radio

Tom — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 14:34:30 +0000

Why hasn’t anyone thought of this before? A radio which connects to your shower and is powered by the water passing through it. The only problem could be if it slows down the flow of water, but apart from that it’s an ingenious idea.

You can see who sells it at www.google.co.uk/products or read more about it and it’s inventor on the guardian site: www.guardian.co.uk and see other products from the same firm here: www.tangogroup.net

Word search wrapping paper

Tom — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 15:30:13 +0000

This is a brilliantly simple idea. Personalise it using a coloured pen of your choice.

Thanks to www.davidairey.com/universal-wrapping-paper/ and it’s creators www.fabiomilito.com/index.php?/2009/wrapping-paper/ and Francesca Guidotti.

DARE are recruiting, and I wish more did it this way

Tom — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:00:49 +0000

Digital agency DARE are recruiting a few roles, and have have a nice visual way of advertising:

Thanks to ewarwoowar.typepad.com

60+ photography photoshop tutorials

Tom — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 16:29:37 +0000

Noupe have gathered together over 60 photoshop tutorials covering everything from redeye to dynamic lighting and restoration to colour blending.

Take a look: www.noupe.com/tutorial/useful-photography-related-tutorials.html