A Pound of Flesh Heart Paperweight

A pound of flesh: something which is owed that is ruthlessly required to be paid back.
This of course derives from Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice, 1596. The insistence by Shylock of the payment of Antonio's flesh is the central plot device of the play:
SHYLOCK: "The pound of flesh which I demand of him Is deerely bought, 'tis mine, and I will haue it."
The figurative use of the phrase to refer to any lawful but nevertheless unreasonable recompense dates to the late 18Th century but now you can own your own pound of flesh to keep or give it away as payment to a overdue debt, perhaps.

This handmade cast bronze paperweight in the shape of a mammalian heart is approximately 4.5" x 2.5" and weighs 1lb. Available at Barney's. US$135.00

Penguin Drink Coolers

What better way to keep cool than by calling on the help of the coolest creatures known to man, the penguins.This troop of penguins have liquid insides, so you can put them in the freezer and when you need them they will be nice and cold. All you need to do is let them go for a swim in your drink and they will help to keep it nice and cool for longer. The great thing about using penguins to cool your drink is that once they have melted, they can be frozen and reused, rather than diluting you drink like boring old ice does.

Available at DrinkStuff for £4.99 for a set of 12 darling penguins.

Via Nerd Approved

More Kawaii-licious Vintage Postcards

I just can't get enough of this delicious vintage postcard images I keep digging online. I want them all and I want them now! I just adore the darling Topo Gigio (images 3-4), that was a childhood favorite of mine. I still have a few of his dolls somewhere inside my storage boxes and a couple of original 45s at my mom's place in Brazil. There were a few Topo Gigio recordings in Portuguese, though he was Italian "by birth" and I even vaguely remember one of his movies that I saw as a tyke. Love it!!

Cute Alert: Mocha The Hamster Eats Broccoli!

Mocha is on cute baby hamster who is having a ball eating his first broccoli stalk. He convulses in joy as he chows down that yummy little floret. I bet this will cheer up your day!


Via OMG Blog

Kawaii-licious Vintage Postcards

These vintage postcards are just too much! I simply love this kind of "stop-motion" photography and the subject matter (cute little dolls!) is deliciously nostalgic. When I was a kid I was (still am) crazy for stop-motion films and I list 1969's "Mad Monster Party" as one of my all-time favorites. Tim Burton resurrected the genre with "The Nightmare Before Christmas" that I have watched a gazillion times and have been collected related memorabilia since it first came out in 1993. The 3-D version was actually amazing and gave me a chance to watch it again on the big screen a couple of years ago.

Re-Ment Miniature Food

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Puchi Petites are scaled miniatures of everyday items produced by Japan's Re-Ment company. These kawaii-licious collectibles will surprise you with their ultra-realistic, to-scale reproductions of everyday food items and objects. They are perfect for dollhouses or for the true toy fanatic that loves to build sets and dioramas with their favorite "action figures" and limited-edition toy art.

This Asian art form that has taken Japan by storm is now available for the first time in the United States through their website. These miniatures are fun collectibles you’ll treasure for years to come and are just too cute to ignore. Each piece is hand-painted, so every feature is shown to perfection. You’ll marvel at the incredible craftsmanship, which captures items with detail rarely seen—right down to individual slices of green pepper for your pizza and ice cubes that come out of the tray. Puchi Petites will also remind you of your own childhood, bringing back that sense of childlike wonder you felt when entering the world of your imagination. They are one heartwarming piece after another that scream: Nostalgic! Nostalgic! Nostalgic!

One cool feature on Re-Ment's site is the user gallery "Fun Room", where Puchi Petite's fans display their own mini-sets and diorama creations, featuring Barbies, Blythes and Godzillas interacting with some really cool faux-food products. I love them all!!

Via Plastic & Plush

Star Wars Original Limited-Edition Prints

From packaging to catalogs, the vintage Kenner Star Wars line is known for its bright images and graphics. For the most part photo art, or photographic prints that have been hand-altered in some way, were the master pieces of art used to create the images seen in boxes and catalogs around the world. However, photo art required the use of original photography, for Kenner almost never used illustrations or drawings for their images.
The task of taking the photos that would ultimately be used to produce photo art or that would perhaps remain unaltered was given to an outside design firm. While Kenner would ultimately provide guidance and have the final say on approval, it was up to the photographer at the studio to provide the photos, under the guidance of the design firm.
The photographer in charge of virtually all vintage Star Wars photography work at the outside design firm used by Kenner was Kim Simmons. He was ultimately responsible for images that would be used for packaging, comps (or mock-ups), some publicity images, and some of the slide presentations. Fortunately, for Star Wars collectors and enthusiasts alike, Kim meticulously kept nearly all of his work that was not given to Kenner as final art pieces.
Now you can own a piece of history by ordering from our exclusive selection of limited edition prints based on Kim’s work. Each print is hand-numbered and will never be offered for sale again once the allocated quantity of each individual print size has been distributed. These are no ordinary prints either. They are printed on the highest quality Fuji archival photography paper with metallic ink, and have been created from high resolution drum scans of each original negative or transparency and are unparalleled in quality. Don’t pass up this once in a lifetime chance to purchase your very own piece of Star Wars history!

There are nine different prints to choose from, in sizes of 8 x 10 to 20 x 24, including a Princess Leia wardrobe lay-out. Star Wars Action Figure Limited Edition Prints ($30-$80)

Via Uncrate

Mickalene Thomas @ Cerealart

"Brawlin' Spitfire Wrestlers" sculpture by American artist Mickalene Thomas. It measures 10” H x 14” L x 9.75”, in a hand-signed and numbered limited-edition of 40 pieces. Resin, Paint, and Swarovski Crystals. US$10,000.00 and available at Cerealart. I LOVE this wild-African-women wrestling theme and their outfits and face expressions are just fab!

Cool Marzipan Confections

Eugene and Louise Bakery is the sweetest team-up ever between three Belgian friends: Glenn D’Hondt & Sylvia Meert (aka Eugene and Louise) and Tinne Mermans.
Chocolate dreams, sugar-bomb tastings and the nostalgic love for some real home cooking brought them together. Their new bakery just opened it's door in Antwerp, Belgium this week.

Via Made In England