Satiate Hunger Game Fans With This Special Chocolate Collection From Vosges & Wild Ophelia.

Vosges Haut-Chocolat and Wild Ophelia have teamed up for a special chocolate collection to promote The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Chocolate bars and truffles in specially designed gift boxes and branded packaging are satisfying the appetites of fans with a sweet tooth.

The Capitol Truffle Collection, (18 pieces and special compartment of goodies), $225



The new Capitol Truffle Collection, inspired by The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, may just be the apex of delectable gratification. Created by Katrina Markoff, founder of Vosges Haut-Chocolat, the degustation features such extras as recipes and exotic ingredients for drink pairings, gold leaf for adornment, geranium scented lip lacquer to enhance the taste buds and even proper etiquette. “Effie inspired the collection,” says Markoff. “I had to consider how to apply the proper amount of restraint and yet indulgence to create an elaborate dessert course.”



According to the Vosges website, the $225 Capitol Truffle Collection is described as ”a ritual of degustation” and has been “curated to guide your palate through opulence and ritual.”

Underneath the 18 truffles, there are 16 secret compartments offering vials of crushed violet petals, pearl dust, gold leaf and matcha tea are accompanied by detailed mixology instructions to create decadent libations. Trinkets and objects of desire dictate social rules and traditions.



The Hunger Games Truffle Collection ( 16 pieces), $45
The 16 piece Capitol Truffle Collection is part of an exclusive line of chocolates inspired by "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. "This luxurious collection will lure all who partake into the resplendent world of the Capitol. Seven chocolate parfums will lead your senses along an opulent journey.



The Hunger Games Truffle Collection includes 16 truffles:
(3) Evergreen: rosemary + pink peppercorn + white chocolate
(2) Litchi: jasmine + lychee + dark chocolate + jasmine tea powder
(2) Juglans: candied walnut + milk chocolate
(2) Tulsi: huckleberry gelée + holy basil milk chocolate ganache + dark chocolate
(3) Vervain: lemon verbena + bitter orange + dark chocolate
(2) Flora: peach + orange flower + white chocolate + crushed candied violets
(2) Tamarindus: chillies + tamarind + dark chocolate + salted mango powder

The Hunger Games Wild Ophelia Chocolate Bar Library, 12 Bars $65



Explore the Districts of Panem through the medium of chocolate in Wild Ophelia's exclusive collection of 12 bars inspired by The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. The District inspired chocolate bars include:




· District 1 – Rare Harvest Cashews + 41% Cacao Milk Chocolate
· District 2 – Fire Roasted Caramel + Pecans + 41% Cacao Milk Chocolate
· District 3 – Arabica Coffee + Crystal Salt + 70% Cacao Dark Chocolate
· District 4 – Sea Salt + Coconut + 70% Cacao Dark Chocolate
· District 5 – Crispy Crunchy Caramel Corn + 70% Cacao Dark Chocolate
· District 6 – Crunchy Runner Peanuts in Peanut Butter + 41% Cacao Milk Chocolate
· District 7 – Smoked Chipotle Chili + 41% Cacao Milk Chocolate
· District 8 – Caramelized Crispy Rice + 41% Cacao Milk Chocolate
· District 9 – Organic Milled Oats + Vanilla + Hemp Seeds + 70% Cacao Dark Chocolate
· District 10 – Beef Jerky + Smoked Mesquite + 41% Cacao Milk Chocolate
· District 11 – Tart Harvest Cherry + 70% Cacao Dark Chocolate
· District 12 – Mined Salt + 41% Cacao Milk Chocolate

Vosges also offers bars in tribute to the Lionsgate film’s main characters: Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence), President Snow (Donald Sutherland) and Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks).

The Capitol Collection Tablets of Chocolate, $7.50 each



The Hunger Games Katniss Chocolate Bar parfum includes: apples pierce uncured hickory smoked bacon + alderwood smoked sea salt + 44% cacao milk chocolate

The Hunger Games President Snow Chocolate Bar parfum includes: blood orange & tellicherry peppercorns caramel + 72% cacao dark chocolate

The Hunger Games Effie Chocolate Bar parfum includes: dried strawberries + candied violet flowers + 62% cacao dark chocolate

Shop The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Chocolate Collection here

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

Beautifully Designed CHOMP Food Chain Puzzle Books by Mirim Seo and Kelly Holohan.

Chomp puzzle books are designed to teach kids about basic food chains. Crafted of wood and paper, each beautiful puzzle book introduces a different level of a food chain in its environment; Forest, Ocean, Arctic, Jungle, and Desert. All food chains include, producers, consumers, and decomposers and each plays a role in the chain. When completed, the puzzle shows the eating process.

Beautifully designed and packaged, the set of books was a design project by student Mirim Seo for Temple University's Tyler School of Art  under the tutelage and with art direction by Professor Kelly Holohan.

Ocean:






Jungle:



Arctic:



Forest:




At this time Chomp is not available for purchase, which is really disappointing, but hopefully the puzzle books will be paired with the right backer to bring this project to life. May I suggest Kickstarter?

Can't Pay 20k For Jeff Koons and Dom Pérignon's Balloon Venus? Get The Limited Gift Box Versions Instead.

The news broke last June that artist Jeff Koons and Dom Pérignon collaborated on a limited number (650 worldwide) of manually assembled and hand polished champagne holders inspired by Koons' Balloon Venus.



The two-foot tall polyurethane resin version (shown above) of the artist's bulbous take on the 25,000 year old fertility symbol, Venus of Willendorf, was designed to cradle a bottle of Dom Pérignon Rosé Vintage 2003 and is offered in a limited edition of 650 worldwide costing $20,000 a piece.


above: Jeff Koons and Dom Pérignon's Richard Geoffroy with Koons' Balloon Venus for Dom Pérignon design and the hot pink full-sized sculpture that inspired it.



If you can't afford the $20,000 Balloon Venus bottle holder (and if you can, I'd like to be your friend) than perhaps the limited edition gift box is a better choice.



The Limited Edition gift box was designed by Jeff Koons himself for both Dom Pérignon Vintage 2004 and Dom Perignon Rose Vintage 2003. The exterior of the boxes feature silk-screened spot-varnished images of a yellow Balloon Venus and a hot pink Balloon Venus (to match the respective cuvees) on a dark background.


above: Koons' full-sized Balloon Venus in yellow

From the outside, the gift box extends the feeling of being in the presence of Balloon Venus, as the reproduction features a 360 degree view of the sculpture.



A view of the artist’s studio is visible on the reflective surface of the Balloon Venus, a reference to the place where Jeff Koons takes his inspiration, just as the Abbey of Hautvillers is where Richard Geoffroy, Chef de Cave of Dom Pérignon, creates the Dom Pérignon vintages.

The gift box opens to expose the bottle, unveiling first an elaborate design that simulates the iridescent interior of the original sculpture made of high chromium stainless steel with transparent color coating dress. The iconic Dom Pérignon bottle erupts, exactly as it does from the body of the Balloon Venus for Dom Pérignon.



Similar to the boxes, the bottle foils give a pop twist to the color of its cuvée, Blanc or Rose, interpreting the tension between the colors and the dark bottle. It bears a metallic shield with the same color layout as the foil and the box.



The label plays with colored surface on the depth of the shield, emphasizing its allure, playful and yet mysterious.



Richard Geoffroy of Dom Pérignon said that the label first approached Koons with the idea two years ago, and gave the artist free rein on the end design of the package.



The limited edition boxes can be found at select specialty liquor and wine stores all over the world.

Dom Pérignon has previously collaborated with such artists as David Lynch, Marc Newsom, Martin Szekely, and the estate of Andy Warhol for limited edition champagne buckets and bottles.

Dom Pérignon
images courtesy of Dom Perignon and Jeff Koons