May 10

R2I2 (Get It?)

…cuz it’s like R2-D2 but on your eye? Eh? Eh? No? Bah.

Yeah, anyway, here’s a fabulous photo of R2D2-inspired eye makeup in honor of May the Fourth. No tutorial, but come on, figure it out. Can’t be that hard! Now I just need an occasion to wear it…preferably before next May the Fourth.

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May 8

LHC Quilts

Flipping though Physics World magazine , I turned a page and caught my breath; there was the tiniest picture of the most beautiful quilt. I still, several hours later, cannot quite find words with which to explain how awe inspiring, how wondrous these quilts, made by Kate Findlay, are.

But what was a picture of Kate’s quilt doing in a physics magazine? Well, it turns out to be one of a series which she has made themed around the LHC. There are 20 quilts (so far) in the series, some inspired by particular particle detectors, and some inspired more generally by the science of supersymmetry, dark matter and particle physics. ‘Atom – Silver’ (pictured above) is based on the structure of Ag, while Atlas (below) is based on images of the ATLAS detector.

What initially caught Kate’s eye were the symmetry, repeating motifs, and colours present in CERN’s images, and I agree that quilting is a perfect medium to reflect those ideas – Kate’s mixed textures of silks, satins and sheers really capture the source material, the pieces feel modern,full of hope  and wonder. Kate also cites the vastly disparate scales that any physicist works with as a source of inspiration – and I for one can see how the juxtaposition between atoms and astronomy, and the interplay between the two, is a captivating concept.

The early pieces from the series incorporate wire, card, beads,and other mixed media to further play with texture, while the more recent pieces are traditional 3 layered beauties. Kate has experimented with screen printing and dyeing to personalise her fabrics, and of course this adds yet another dimension to the quilts.

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May 7

Star Trek cookies!

I’m really a diehard Next Generation Fan, but I put de-crinkled my nose for the original when I saw these cookies because THEY ARE SO CUTE, RIGHT?

I love that Darla was conscious about designing the cookies so that they had more of a cute look about them as opposed to something action-figure-ish and she pulled it off like a champ.  Like I want to see a cartoon series based on her character design (what do you think, Darla?).  With how minimalist the details must be to pull off a cookie, she does such a great job with picking the exactly right details to include to convey the character.

Darla’s got a lot of great instructions and tips if you want to recreate these cookies back on her blog, Bakingdom. Be sure to check out her sketch sheet. So cute!

May 6

A Great Fanservice

As someone who enjoys finding small and seemingly insignificant ways to show my fangirlness, when I stumbled across the Etsy store Fanservice Nails, I may have thought I caught a glimpse of heaven.

Though my personal favorite has since been sold out, the rest of her hand-blended nail polishes do not disappoint. Taking inspiration from a few of the best tv shows, ranging from Battlestar Galatica to Torchwood to Dollhouse, Fanservice Nails is just that. A service for fans.

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