My friend Ruth Suehle (who contributed the Drive-In Messenger Bag, the LilyPad Arduino Cake, and an essay on costuming to World of Geekcraft) just came to visit Portland for the first time this week, and brought me an epic gift! She machine-embroidered a hand towel for me with a design from Urban Threads that pairs a d20 with the caption +1 of Awesome. I just love it so much.
Category: Games
Reader Submission: Bioshock Educational Posters
Geekcrafts reader Lauren, owner of Etsy shop theinkblot writes:
“I love anything and everything geek. I am completely obsessed with Bioshock (1 and 2) and I just love the concept and ideas of Rapture. In my free time I draw some of the “educational” posters found throughout the game. I have also drawn some of the Plasmid video stills (one can be found in the sold section of my etsy). I love your website and check it frequently, purchasing items from the artists you mention. It also gives me great ideas for my own geekcrafts! I love the website, please keep it up!”
I’m sure many of our readers are with you in the Bioshock love. I, however, am an absolute WIMP… and although I the love retro art peppered throughout the game, I become a snivelling nervous wreck when playing scary/atmospheric first person shooters.
I’m a Cookin’ Mama kind of girl.
Have you made something awesome based on a computer game I’m too chicken to play? Hit us up on the Submit a Geekcraft contact form!
Giskin Anomaly Detector
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting San Diego’s Balboa Park, you’ll know what a beautiful place it is. With its Spanish-Renaissance architecture and landscaped gardens, you feel like you’ve truly stepped back into another time.
It seems like I’m not the only one who feels that way. The Balboa Park Online Collaborative (BPOC) recently launched an interactive cell phone game called Giskin Anomaly, to encourage visitors to fully explore the park’s historic treasures.
Guests can dial in to hear the adventures of two people who use a memory-sensing device (called the Giskin Anomaly Detector) to retrieve WWII-era recollections throughout the park.
As part of the game’s launch, BPOC hosted a contest inviting artists to create a Steampunk-inspired model of what this fanciful device would look like.
San Diego-area artist John Hosford walked away with the grand prize. His intricate model, dubbed “Sir Tellabeem’s Tempress Mark II” took him over 80 hours to construct, involving cutting and dying the leather of the glove by hand.
Though there was only one grand-prize winner, the competition was fierce indeed. Check out the Flickr pool showcasing the winners, and the afternoon their costumed creators spent playing with the contraptions in the park.
A moment of full disclosure: I used to take karate classes with John and his siblings, back in the day. I knew he was a creative kid, so it’s great to see how his talent has blossomed over the years. Congrats on the win, John, and keep up the awesome work!
Tutorial Tuesday/Reader Submission! Playable NES Controller Coffee Table!!
I saw this on Sprite Stitch a while back, but eagle eyed reader Brian used the “Submit a GeekCraft” link to point us towards the original source. Thanks Brian!
I’m counting it as a tutorial because Ultra Awesome Blogger Kyle has kept Ultra Awesome detailed records of every step of the process… seriously … THIS is the pinnacle of geek craftyness… I NEED one of these for my living room…(I don’t think my Husb0t would trust me with power tools.. I don’t think I would trust me with power tools…)
Pac-Man Pillow
Tattooed, crafty mama Brooke (a.k.a. talking trash & wasting time on Flickr), sewed up this one-of-kind Pac-Love pillow for a Pac-Man loving friend.
Not only does it show the Pac-Couple in their pellet-munching glory, it has some sweet personal touches, like the player’s nickname in the left corner.
I think my favorite part of this, though, is the little trail of heart sequins leading Ms. Pac-Man to her Mister. Too sweet!
Reader Submission! Dr Who Pixel Art Magnets!
Today’s reader submisssion comes from Etsy seller Donna Aka Arcade Artist:
“Hi there,
I love your site and thought you might like to see my new Doctor Who 8-bit characters, these are custom sprites entirely made by me as if they were in an 80’s video game. 
Firstly The Eleventh Doctor, Amy Pond and the Tardis and then each Monday after the previous weekend’s Doctor Who has aired I will be making the new Monster/Alien.
Hope you like ’em :) “
Wow Donna! What a challenge! and so far so good, she’s made The Silence and The Siren from the current series. Go to her shop regularly to check back on new creations!
I think whole concept is really unique and interesting, I love pixel art, I love Dr Who, I love cute things! This ticks a lot of boxes! Speaking of cute, check out her pikmin magnets! (anyone else hoping for a exciting, inventive new pikmin title on the upcoming next gen Nintendo console?)