Pop Culture Carved Crayons By Hoang Tran Will Color You Excited.

Although not the first artist to carve images from Crayola crayons, Hoang Tran of Sunnyvale, carves his in even more detailed likenesses than our other favorite Crayon carver, Diem Chau, and adds painted details. And since he is lesser known, his are actually available for purchase at an affordable price.


above: The Walter White Breaking Bad Crayon is even available with a little glass beaker

Characters from Breaking Bad, Star Wars, The Big Lebowski, Doctor Who and Game Of Thrones melt my heart. Also available are crayons carved into the characters from Futurama, Adventure Time, Disney characters and more.

Walter White Breaking Bad Crayon:



Big Lebowski Crayons:




Star Wars Crayons:












The TARDIS from Doctor Who:



Great House Sigils from Game Of Thrones:


Adventure Time characters:


Little Mermaid:


Donnie Darko:


The individual carved crayons range from $30 - $40 each and sets, like the Game Of Thrones Great House Sigils will run you $245. Custom crayons of Bride and Groom (which I just bought for a recently engaged fellow blogger) and other custom carved crayons are available upon request.

The Bride and Groom Crayons:


Wondering how to display them? A shadow box is an easy way:




Shop for them here at his etsy store

Non-etsy members can request a carved crayon by contacting Hoang via carvedcrayons@gmail.com

Scrabble Typography, The 2nd Edition by Andrew Capener, Spells A-W-E-S-O-M-E.

I first wrote about Andrew Capener's original Scrabble Typography Edition back in April of 2012. Only 200 sets of his original design (shown below) were made and quickly sold out to typophiles and scrabble enthusiasts.


above: The first Scrabble Typography edition had different fonts, tiles, game board and packaging

The 2nd Edition:
Since then, the designer has been busy refining and redesigning the game board, pieces and packaging. This beautiful and improved second edition has been produced in a limited series of 2,000 but again, is selling out quickly.



The signed and numbered limited edition set designed by Andrew Capener combines the beauty of typography with classic Scrabble gameplay PLUS premium features, making this the most fun, beautiful, and functional Scrabble set ever.




The Typography aspect is highlighted by 15 fonts never used before on any Scrabble set. These fonts look truly marvelous juxtaposed against the beautiful maple wood of the Scrabble tiles. These tiles look just as amazing against the walnut Scrabble gameplay surface.



There are numerous deluxe components included with this set beginning with the built-in lazy susan and the non-slip surface on the back of each tile. This enables each player to rotate the set with each turn.



Lift off the beautiful walnut cover to reveal a maple base with cork lining and compartments to store all of the deluxe components.

• Walnut Cover featuring Scrabble Typography Gameplay Surface
  
• Maple Base w/ Cork-lined Interior for Game Component Storage
  
• Built-in Lazy Susan
  
• Fabric Scrabble Tile Pouch with Drawstring
  
• Timer with Solid Walnut End Caps
  
• (100) Solid Maple Tiles + 15 new Typefaces and non-slip backing
  
• (4) Solid Walnut Tile Racks
  
• Stitched Scorekeeper with Pencil
  
• Stitched Rule Book
  
• Signed and Numbered Certificate

This edition features Bauhaus inspired game components including solid walnut tile racks and solid walnut timer end caps. This set also includes a gorgeous fabric tile pouch with drawstring and a stitched “scorekeeper” with pencil to allow you to record some truly beautiful memories.

$199 buy it here

Also available through Fab.com (if you don't have an invite to this terrific site, please use mine by clicking here )

ABOUT ANDREW CAPENER:
Andrew Clifford Capener is a designer and entrepreneur. His work has been featured in GQ, DETAILS, New York Magazine, TIME and in many other major publications throughout the world. He was named to the "Global Hot 100" by the World Summit on Innovation and Entrepreneurship in 2013. He lives and works in Southern California where he is passionately honing his design craft.

Two Cool Calendar Kits To Stitch for 2014 From Heather Lins

These two nicely designed and beautifully packaged calendars for 2014 allow for some fun interactivity. The 'Stitch The Stars' and The 'Year In Stitches' kits from textile designer Heather Lins are simple enough for anyone to do and include everything you need. At $25 each, they make a perfect gift for friends, co-workers and Secret Santas.
Bonus: the stars calendar actually glows in the dark.

2014 Stitch the Stars Calendar Kit





Each month is screen printed with the corresponding constellation from the zodiac (eg. January is Capricorn). Connect the dots using the embroidery thread and needle provided. Just poke and stitch; it's super-easy! No embroidery skills required. Plus, with glow-in-the-dark ink and thread, the constellation gently glows after you switch off the light.

One 2014 Stitch the Stars Calendar kit includes:
• 12 5" x 7" calendar cards (Heavy, recycled card stock screen printed with glow-in-the-dark ink)
• 1 embroidery needle
• Glow-in-the-dark embroidery floss (It really works!)
• Instruction sheet
• Packaged in a kraft paper box


$25 buy it here


2014 The Year In Stitches Calendar Kit





Stitch a pretty design each month and create your own calendar. Using the needle, embroidery floss and calendar cards provided, just poke and stitch your way through the year. No embroidery skills are necessary to complete this easy calendar kit.

One 2014 The Year In Stitches Calendar kit includes:
• 12 calendar cards screenprinted on heavy, recycled paper (5" x 7")
• instructions (printed on recycled paper)
• an embroidery needle
• embroidery floss
• packaged in a kraft paper box


$25 buy it here

The Latest Paper Sculptures, Editorial and Advertising Work From Su Blackwell

The enchanting book sculptures by Su Blackwell have been featured commercially and in fine art galleries around the world. Created on various scales, her amazing craft has been used as full sized sets for videos, theater productions and television commercials, window displays and editorials as well as compelling small boxed sculptures, installations and fine art exhibitions.


above: Su Blackwell's The Little Prince


above: for The 2008 Snow Queen video

While many art sites and blogs showcased her talents, it's been awhile and she has some new work worth sharing.  Here's a look at some of her latest (2012-2013).

Snow White:

Editorial:

Nature:

The Last Unicorn:

Rose:


2013 Editorial work for Intelligent Life Magazine, Oprah Magazine and Real Simple Magazine:


Some of her earlier pieces from 2009-2011 That I especially favor:
Out of Narnia, 2009:


Little Red Riding Hood, 2010:



Baron In the Trees, 2011



Su Blackwell's work is often used in advertising and marketing because it's a nice and unique way to conveyy people and places that is different from photography. Many large brands (Cartier, Volvo, British Airways, to name a few) have featured her work in their stores, commercials and print ad campaigns.

British Airways:


The Fairmont Hotels have commissioned her work on a few occasions:


Crabtree & Evelyn posters:


Volvo:


Pilsner Urquell:


Harper's Bazaar editorial:


Theater set for The Snow Queen:


Video set for Indah:


In-store installations:



Su talks about her craft in this video from the artist:


Available starting December 5th, 2013 (and can be pre-ordered now here) is this Artist Monograph from Su that catalogs her work from 2006-2013:

above: Su Blackwell 'Book Sculptures', Case-bound, hard-back with 84 full-colour pages. Measures 297mm x 210mm.

Su says of her work:
”I often work within the realm of fairy-tales and folk-lore. I began making a series of book-sculpture, cutting-out images from old books to create three-dimensional diorama’s, and displaying them inside wooden boxes”.

”For the cut-out illustrations, I tend to lean towards young-girl characters, placing them in haunting, fragile settings, expressing the vulnerability of childhood, while also conveying a sense of childhood anxiety and wonder. There is a quiet melancholy in the work, depicted in the material used, and choice of subtle colour.”

Paper has been used for communication since its invention; either between humans or in an attempt to communicate with the spirit world. I employ this delicate, accessible medium and use irreversible, destructive processes to reflect on the precariousness of the world we inhabit and the fragility of our life, dreams and ambitions. -- Su Blackwell, 2007

A great holiday gift for both young and old is the book, The Fairy-Tale Princess: Seven Classic Stories from the Enchanted Forest, which features seven classic fairy tales, imaginatively retold and illustrated with Su's specially commissioned paper-cut constructions:






buy it here

Her online shop features laser cut greeting cards, signed monographs, prints of her work, journals and more.

Su Blackwell Studio Ltd. was set up in 2011 to work on a variety of projects, commissions and collaborations. The studio comprises of Su (director) and her assistants, ‘Emma and Freya’.

Su is represented by Long and Ryle Gallery, London.

Su Blackwell