Modified computational devices

Much as I love my darling little macbook, I do sometimes wish I could escape the somewhat sterile lines and forms of today’s technology and instead live amongst the curlicues and gilding of ages past. I guess that’s a big part of why trends like loli and steampunk appeal to me so much. So naturally, I’m completely in love with steampunk modded computers. I love how adding on all sorts of superfluous cogs and whirligigs reminds you just how much work is going on inside these machines. Somehow, when you make it look older, it reminds you how almost magical it is that we have these machines that can do so much for us. After all, I may want to live in a Victorian doll house sometimes, but I’d die without google and the wiki. So, here are some of my favorites. And yes, all of these are fully functional.

First, the machine that started it all (for me, anyways). You gotta love the claw feet. And all the shiny bits on top. That key is how you turn it on. This, and the machine after it, are from Datamancer, at http://www.datamancer.net/





I’ve yet to see any other steampunk computer mod go as far as this one. And yes, once again, everything is functional. Those keys really work the computer, the speaker makes noise- even the phone works. Oh, and see that big book-like thing on the right there? That’s the “opti-transcripticon”- the flatbed scanner, reworked to look like a big, mysterious old book.



And here we have a lovely work by the infamous Jake Von Slot. To me, it looks like a tiny stage, on which you can watch the infinite drama of the Internet unfold for your viewing pleasure. The telescope-thing is the mouse. You can even watch how he accomplished this over on http://steampunkworkshop.com/victorian-all-one-pc



And here is something a bit grungier, for all you airship mechanics out there. Unfortunately, I have no link for this one. I believe it was made by monkeyfarm, but being as their site isn’t in English and has trouble loading, I can’t be sure.

For the mad scientist in your life...

Consider these "chemist Vases" from anthropology. I love the inclusion if the more modern shape of the funnel-looking vase, with the more ornate, old-fashioned shapes. It helps make the rounder shapes look more like they belong in an alchemical set. And I love these colors- in clear, these wouldn't have much presence, but in bold colors you wouldn't notice the shapes as well, unless maybe you went to the dark amber of some of the old glasswear for pills and such. I always like vases that don't need stuff in them in order to look nice. I just don't have the money or patience to keep filling them with flowers or whatever.

(Man, I wish I could figure out how to get images off their website.)

http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/catalog/productdetail.jsp?_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1&_dynSessConf=-8430570115708475757&id=780407&parentid=LIVE_ACC_VASES&pushId=LIVE_ACC_VASES&popId=LIVE_ACCESSORIES&sortProperties=&navCount=14&navAction=poppushpush&fromCategoryPage=true&selectedProductSize=&selectedProductSize1=&color=min

Decor Flavor

You know what I love? Stuff that looks like food, but isn’t. I don’t know what it is about food-shaped décor, but it just makes me giggle. I guess some ancient part of my brain just likes being surrounded by things that look edible. Two examples of these inedible edibles are:

The fried egg rug.



I saw this at Urban Outfitters several years ago, and always kicked myself that I didn’t get it when I had the chance. Wouldn’t two of these together be great for a kitchen? Now I just need to find a table runner that looks like a strip of bacon. They can be obtained from Triple B studios at

http://www.triplebstudio.com

Another favorite of mine is the idea of the sushi pillow



Aren’t they adorable? They’re just so cuddly. And they’d go with my big sushi painting in the living room. The also have a startlingly large selection of “flavors” ad styles to choose from. I think the sashimi and the flat California roll are my favorites. Great detail. Those can be found at www.theoriginalsushipillow.com - They have a picture of Neil Gaimen sitting amongst the sushi, so you know it has to be good! Man, I love nerd sponsorship advertising.

What’s odd is that I don’t even like eating eggs or sushi. Maybe that’s why I’m ok with finding it so cuddly?

pixel sofa

I'm kicking myself for having no idea where I found this. Its the pixel couch. There was even a great essay that went with this, about accepting technology into our visual asthetic, instead of fighting it. It was way way out of anything that will ever resemble my pricerange, but I wish I could at least remember who to give the credit to. I wonder if I could do something similar with a white slipcover, some fabric spray and masking tape.

Jewelry...and tentacles.

Ok, This may be some of the strangest, coolest jewelry I have ever seen. Very innovative, also very creepy. In the shop OctopusME! on etsy, you can get such odd works as these:



Those are ear rings, belive it or not.





And this one is especially tempting for me, because when I get overly cuddly I start referring to myself as my fiances "barnacle of love". I don't think is really a barnacle, but its close enough for the likes of my uneducated self.



Apparently what she does is take real, sushi grade octopus, then position and cast it to make these. So while the end product contains no octopus, its still made with octopus. I found this on the Offbeat Bride forum, and wanted to see what jewelry was linked to with the warning "not vegetarian friendly". I think that the ear rings would probably break me (except maybe the ones made of a single suction cup) but the necklaces are tempting.

art post

Ok, first things first- an art post! Its so hard to find art that has a element of fantastic in it that is 1) actually aesthetically pleasing, not just for the sake of its subject matter and 2) Contemporary. Not that I don’t love Waterhouse, Rosseti and the rest, but sometimes I get a craving for something a little more current. Here's what I've found so far. All of these artists are of Deviantart.com and are listed by their handles on that site, since few offer up their real names.

The first one is Kidchan. She (she?) has a fantastic ability to use lines, and abstract compositions, with really lovely, concrete figures and objects. I so envy her pallets. So perfect. So original.

The next is Ethe, who does digital painting. Her work is some of the most atmospheric I've seen. Every single piece has a delicate, ethereal, colorful quality of light. And again, the ability to bit concrete and abstract figures.

Also, there's Bluefooted, whose style is a bit less Japanese. Reminds me a bit of a modern day Rackham. Actually, reminds me a lot of a modern day Rackham. Similar pallet, similar figures, but a wider array of subject matter, and a little more solid.

And, while I don’t think I'm likely to forget him anytime soon, there's always James Christiansen. Has there ever been a time in my Life that I didn’t lust over his prints. Someday, I swear I will buy one. If I hadn’t been so broke I really would have bought "Jerome Spent Most of His Free Time Daydreaming of Being Reincarnated as a Snake" when I saw it at that gallery. Can't beat his sheer random factor, paired with his endless patience for detail. This one is called "Levi Levitates a Stone Fish". He's got an odd sense of humor, that one.

Of course, sometimes you just want something cute.

Homoshiroi does cute. Pure essence of cute. Which is why her more lascivious images are so disturbing. But if I keep to the ones of animals and sushi and chibis, I'm all good.

Hi :)

Welcome to the Sky Room! Lately I’ve been realizing that I just can’t keep all the cute/stylish/pretty design elements I love in bookmarks anymore, its getting too crowded. So, I’m starting this up to keep track of them all. Anyone is perfectly welcome to join in and watch. I love comments. You’ll get a feel for the sort of design I like soon enough.