Ursa Major and Ursa Minor Pillows

Ursa Major and Ursa Minor pillowsLove, California designer Christin Morgan may be getting some serious buzz about her customizable state cushions, but it was these beautiful Ursa Major and Ursa Minor pillows that caught my geeky eye.

Whether you want to cuddle them while you dream under the stars, or set the pair on a shelf to gaze upon, these are the perfect teddy bears for astronomy nuts of all ages.

I think what I love about them the most is that they make me think of my mama, who has her telescope set up in the same room as her teddy bear collection. Plush bears and stars have always gone hand-in-hand in my house!

DeLorean Time Machine Plush Sculpture

DeLorean Time Machine PlushGreat Scott! Check out this DeLorean time machine plushie, built by the talented Lynne Dhenson.

What a great homage to the classic Back to the Future films. I love how Lynne took something so hard-angled and mechanical and made it into a soft, squeezable felt sculpture.

Seriously, do yourself a favor and click through to her LJ post to see the amazing amount of detail that went into this piece. She says that the engine alone took 16 separate pieces!

Though the DeLorean and its pattern do not seem to be for sale, Lynne does have a few other cool patterns available on her Etsy shop, including one for the Metallicar from Supernatural.

Retro Robot Plushie Pattern

Retro Robot PlushIt’s the 21st century, and I have to say, I’m pretty darn disappointed. I thought by now we’d have flying cars, and that every home would have their own personal robot servant. Until the times catch up with my unrealistic expectations, I’ll just have to go DIY.

Luckily, I won’t have to design my ‘bot from scratch, thanks to this adorable Retro Robot plushie pattern from Gulf Coast Cottage. He’s got everything I want in a robot: flexible arms, eco-friendly wind-up powers, and a fully huggable chassis.

For those of you who already have plush robot minions, you should check out the Gulf Coast Cottage Etsy shop, anyway. It’s full of the most adorable felt food and play set patterns (including a super-neat under the sea set) you’ve ever seen!

Crafts of WonderCon 2011

WonderCon Intro 2If the San Diego Comic-Con is the arena rock star of the convention world, then San Francisco’s WonderCon is the concert-hall favorite. It’s not nearly as big, but much more manageable, and (in my humble opinion) just as much fun.

I attended two days of this year’s Con, where I met numerous writers, artists, and geek icons. My favorite folks to talk to, though, were the hard-working crafters tabling throughout the Con.

Some had made items to promote books and webcomics, others were devoted to selling thier handmade crafts. No matter the reason, though, they were always happy to stop and share a little about their creations.

  Continue reading Crafts of WonderCon 2011

Trilobite Friday Roundup

Trilobites were once one of the most abundant types of animal on the planet (there are more than 20,000 known species). As a result, their fossils can be found on every continent. They’re instantly recognizable, and so have become a symbol for fossils in general. Combine that with their rising popularity in steampunk and you have one geeky bug!

Trilobite Cross Stitch sampler

Not only are these adorable, but they’re scientifically accurate. The species Phacops, Anomocaroidea, and Asaphida Ogygiocaris are here and “In the interest of science education and encouraging our small community of scienc-y stitchers” Adventures in Stitching posted the patterns: here, here, and here.

Clockwork Trilobite Brooch

Based on the Girl Genius comic (this is the steampunk I was talking about), Jake von Slatt posted the entire process of making this gorgeous brooch.

Trilobite Embroidered ATC’s

Donkeywolf always has the most amazing embroidery pieces, and this is no exception. She made three trilobites, each 5″ across and sewn on silk. Beautiful!

Fondant Trilobite

These are sweet and cute! Complete with instructions and printable template, so you can have your own prehistoric cake!

Trilobite Stuffie

I would have never thought to make a stuffie out of a trilobite, but this one is so cool looking! He’s made out of felt, and I love that his antennae are pipe cleaners, so they can move around.

Knitted Trilobite

He’s so tiny! I wish I could knit so I could have my own…but there’s a tutorial if I ever learn!

Trilobite Bracelet

I know this looks too heavy to be practical, but it’s actually clay! The trilobites are molded from real fossils. Etsy.

Trilobite Softie

And this is the cutest trilobite I’ve ever seen! Floresita made this for her niece using Aunt Martha’s Dinosaur Iron on transfers. I bought that transfer book because of this cutey!

Have a great weekend!

Gnombie Fever

Is it spring yet?  Here in the Great White North it certainly is not, but I’m sure it will be soon (that’s what I have to keep telling myself).  In the meantime, I’m stuck with what I can only assume is gnome fever.  I’ve been looking at all sorts of gnomes on DeviantArt, remembering the days of green grass and fresh warm air, but I was stopped in my tracks when I caught sight of Deviant user Jevist’s Gnome Family Portrait.  I love so much about these little plushie guys, from their goofy eyes and poofy beards to their detailed belts, but what I love the most is how Gnombie fills my mind with terribly wonderful ideas of a world full of tiny undead gnomes, complete with their colorful pointy hats.  Don’t stop at just the family portrait though, continue on to read about Gnibble, and don’t miss Voracio, the gnome eating Alien!