If Mom Likes Diamonds, Bling's the Thing

Does Mom like diamonds? Don't be a dork. That's a rhetorical question.
Well, here's a few dazzling items if you feel like dropping some serious coin for Mother's Day:

Asanti's Diamond studded wheels $1 million dollars for the set:


www.asantiwheels.com

Diamond studded eyelashes by She Uemera:


Originally created by Gina Brooke, shu uemura Artistic Director, exclusively for Madonna - These custom mink false eyelashes are adorned with 0.75 carats total weight of hand-faceted diamonds featuring featuring a unique new diamond cut - the "Star Shimmer Cut".
A single pair of the $10,000 shu uemura false eyelashes will be exclusively available at seven Neiman Marcus stores. For inquiries, please contact
customer service.
Or if you want them with 'diamante' diamonds (crystal), go here.

Luvaglio's Million Dollar Diamond Studded Laptop:


It is often quite easy to take your trusty computer for granted. This, despite the incredible convenience and entertainment it affords you. But for those who want everything they touch to be of a certain level of quality, including everyday items, Luvaglio has the answer. According to reports, the London-based company is planning a million dollar laptop computer – yes, thats $1,000,000 for what is essentially an appliance. And yet, for the people who could afford this who made their money on a computer just like it, the asking price could just be worthwhile considering the added features such as an auto-cleaning screen, state-of-the-art Blu-ray optical drive, and lots of solid-state memory. It is also said to have a diamond on the start button, although from the “By Appointment Only” website, it is hard to confirm.
www.luvaglio.com

Gold-plated diamond studded camera:


The Minox DC1011 gold-plated edition is really going to woo you with its shine and sparkles as it comes wrapped in 24K gold and a handful of diamonds. The Minox DC1011 digital camera is a perfect thing for the bling-thing lovers.

The blinged Minox DC1011 (aka the carat) features ten 2-millimeter 0.03 carat diamonds encrusted around its lens. It manages to pack 10.1-megapixel CCD sensor, 3x optical zoom, 2.5-inch TFT display, 32MB onboard memory and SD card slot to hold up to 2GB.

The diamond encrusted Mercedes Benz SL600:




Diamond-encrusted Ambilight FlatTV from Philips:


Philips Electronics unveiled this stunning diamond-encrusted Ambilight FlatTV to celebrate its one millionth Ambilight FlatTV. The 42-inch Ambilight LCD HDTV features 225 carats of diamonds that are applied along the sides and edges of the TV’s frame to accentuate the ambient effect. Seems like Philips took inspiration from the creators of Yalos diamond TV set (pictured below).

Yalos Diamond TV set studded with 160 real diamonds:


The stunning diamond studded LCD HDTV is one of the most luxurious and pricey TVs in the world. Keymat’s Yalos Diamond has a 46” screen and studded diamonds on the edges of screen.

The diamond studded TV has been priced at an exclusive cost of $130,000. Appeared at IFA show, 2006 in Berlin.

Diamond Binky:


An exclusive line of custom Diamond Pacifiers, the newest trend in celebrity baby gifting is available at ItsmyBinky.com. The glittery Diamond Pacifiers feature over 278 pave cut white diamonds totaling 3 carats with a 14K European nickel-free white gold base. An exact replica of a real pacifier, Diamond Pacifiers features a genuine silicone nipple and a real moving handle. Though it has a silicone nipple, this pacifier is merely for looks. Jeweled pacifiers are choking hazards. This Diamond pacifier undoubtedly makes a fabulous, upscale souvenir for $17,000. Mathis Riiber, founder of Itsmybinky.com, had quoted that the pricey aide was originally made for Donald and Melania Trump's son Barron William. The company also offers customized pacifiers of colored diamonds for high-end customers.

Below is the $17,000 diamond binky, supposedly a gift to Brad and Angelina:

www.itsmybinky.com

Goldvish's Diamond encrusted cell phone:



In fact, this phone is so expensive that the manufactures even go so far as to recommend a particular car that, they feel, would compliment the most expensive phone in the world admirably.

If I tell you that the car they name is none other than the Bugatti Veyron, then perhaps you’ll get the picture.

The Piece Unique Vertu, whilst having been named with the aplomb of a road-kill, boasts a casing exquisitely manufactured from 18 carat white gold, 120 carats of diamonds encrusted across almost its entire surface and a little platinum just for good measure.

I have searched for a feature list concerning this phone but I am yet to find one. Certainly the company’s website feels that such details are obviously of little concern - even if the phone costs a staggering $1.2 Million USD (€1 Million).

Then again, I suppose if you have to ask you probably can’t afford it.

www.goldvish.com

The Diamond Cell Phone Strap:

The diamond phone owners might would like to pimp-out their ultra-blingy sets even more with this diamond studded mobile phone strap that costs way more then a majority of the luxury phones in the market. Or if you don’t possess a diamond Vertu or a Goldvish, you can add a million dollar appeal to your handset with this dangling diamond mobile phone charm! This one-of-a-kind diamond-studded strap is designed by Diaddict, a designer Japanese brand that specializes in jewelry. The luxurious phone accessory features a 6.02-carat yellow diamond, as well as 2.1-carats in clear, white diamonds, a .61-ct. blue diamond and a .36-ct. pink diamond and is currently on display at the Takashimaya Co. departments store in Nihombashi, Japan for a listed price of $842,000.

Diamond Studded Cricket Ball:


One simply has to wonder what lengths people will go to gain attention. Just when you thought that you had seen it all, in comes the mother of all bling! Bollywood actress Mahima Chaudhary holds one of the diamond studded cricket ball to be presented to the best Indian Cricketer of the ongoing World Cup Series at West Indies. The other ball will be presented to the Best Interim Player. There are 5,728 diamonds encrusted on each ball, which costs about $68,500. Well all the fuss is fine if the team is a solid rocker, but apparently team India seems to be having starting troubles, considering it lost its match to Bangladesh! Too bad we don’t play cricket out here west!

$150,000 Diamond Encrusted Bentley Shifter Knob:


icedoutemz.com

Blinged out ipod:

$15,000.00
Over 580 diamonds worth 10.32 carats in total and set on 120g of 14K white gold.
www.intergem.com


This diamond-studded bottle of Kattus Hochriegel is worth €10,000 (US$13,200)

www.johann-kattus.at/

The Snow Drive, A diamond studded flash drive:


Blinged USB flash drive. It is called as the Snow Drive because of the casing made up of 18 carat White Gold with three strips of 1.44 carat white diamonds totaling to 96 on the sides and comes with 18 carat white gold chain. It features a Sandisk 4GB drive. Price: 9950 GBP ($18,856).

Not enough memory OR diamonds? Try this:



For the super-rich tycoons who need to carry useful business data all the time, Mii Stor has created a 4GB flash drive made from diamonds and white gold to pack your million dollar data in equally luxurious style. The Snow drive is a Sandisk 4GB drive encased in 18ct white gold studded with 96 white diamonds totalling 1.44ct. And, with the white gold chain, the precious little thing can be worn round your neck too. So, another chance to show off your wealth in an elegant yet geeky manner. The shiny flash drive retails for around $19,000. But, if more storage capacity is what you are looking for then leave the bling thing and get yourself the Buslink Pro 2 flash drive from CDW that is though not made of gold or platinum but it packs 64GB of data in it.
www.stor-data.com

Diamond Studded Flat iron by M1:

For the woman who has it all, this Diamond Encrusted Straightener from Selfridges is a must-have to match your high couture collection. The limited-edition hair tamer is made in 18-carat yellow and white gold and is encrusted with six Dutch Crown Rose Cut diamonds for that luxury trim! The luxury cosmetic equipment sells for approx $15,000. USD exclusively from Selfridges on Oxford Street. And, the device comes encased in an Italian leather pouch.

And finally, perfume infused with real diamond dust (And a rockin' name to boot). Stoned Perfume with Real Diamond dust:

Hailed by designer Solange Azagury Partridge as 'the most fun one can have being stoned without breaking the law', Stoned is a scent designed to create an addictive animal attraction (rahhh!) and is infused with diamond dust . Created as part of a jewellery collection, it's no wonder the bottle looks like a work of art and costs roughly $350.00 USD.
www.solangeazagurypartridge.com


There's more, too, Don't forget to check out:

Real diamond flatware by Christofle here.

Diamonds suspended in stemware and more from Diamonds In Glass here.

The Diamond and Platinum Ego laptops here.

Meet Alyssa Ettinger & Her "Knitware" Ceramics

If you don't know her work, let me introduce you to the beautiful ceramics of Alyssa Ettinger's "Knitware" collection.

Her cups, vases, plates, bowls and coasters from her tactile and unusual "Knitware" collection are unique, elegant and a sight to behold.



Whether you want to drink hot chocolate from one of her cozy'knit' mugs or use a vase to add warmth and texture to an otherwise stark modern silhouette, she has perfected the art.

Take a look at some of her products, available in an equally tasteful palette of glazes.

above: her knitware coasters


Above: some of the different textures from the collection




Above: little knitware bowls


above: available glazes for the Knitware' collection



About Alyssa Ettinger (taken from her site)

Alyssa Ettinger threw her first pot at summer camp when she was 14-years-old. She continued working with clay while attending The Putney School, then got her BA in Ceramics (and Creative Writing) at Bennington College.

After graduating, she began a career in magazine publishing, and for nearly two decades wrote, edited, planned and styled shoots, and honed her expertise in home design, new products, décor and lifestyle — Her first book, The eBay Home Makeover, came out in October of 2005.

After 9/11, Alyssa felt something stirring inside her for a change. Between seeking a new direction, and being encouraged by a friend to try her hands at ceramics once more, Alyssa took a pottery class at the studio where this friend, Mieko, studied. That first night found Alyssa sitting at the wheel, throwing bowls nearly as easily as she had back in college. She began spending as many hours at the studio as she could, and soon felt she needed a way to spend all of her time pursuing ceramics. She found a studio space, ordered 50 pounds of porcelain, and within two months was designing dinnerware. Her first line — Mieko bowls — was named after the friend who'd started it all by inviting her for tea.

These days, Alyssa works out of a studio in Brooklyn, and has branched out to include slip-casting and hand-building in her designs. "It's a far different environment than the more corporate world where I once worked," she says. "Being a ceramic artist certainly doesn't make you wealthy, but I've reached a point in my life where being happy and content are far more valuable currency."

You can purchase some of her products here

or at her Etsy store here.

Seven Design Blogs, One Big Party!

IFCC Design Blogfest!

I wish I could go but I'm too busy working here on the West Coast, however if any of you design afficionados are anywhere within the vicinity, I suggest you go.

A Head-Turning Idea (& gift!)

Talk about a unique custom personalized gift!

Turn Your Head created beautiful wooden "Piros" (as they call them...short for pirolettes) carved from an individual's profile image.

Just like the famous optical illusion of two vases or two profiles.

Who came up with this neat idea?

Tom Beshara aka Dad; Born in Deadwood, SD; Year of the Dragon; Aries

Lorie Beshara aka Mom; Born NY, NY; Year of the Tiger; Capricorn

Cortney Langenegger aka Cort; Born Denver, CO; Year of the Snake; Leo

Ryan Vera aka Ry; Born Denver, CO; Year of the Goat; Gemini

Below is taken directly from their site, www.turnyourhead.com.


Vis-age (N. the face or appearance of a person)

At Turn Your Head, we fill the space between two opposing profiles of your face. By spinning that space into a three dimensional “visage” that follows the outlined silhouettes of your two profiles, we create the "Pirolette".

Place the “Pirolette” to your face and it will match your profile. Locate it near a wall and the shadow of the "Pirolette” will be your silhouette.

Your profile captured forever in an object of art. An optical illusion of shadow and light, each one unique because it’s you!



The Keepsake Pirolette is an option you can add for $20.00. A hand made wooden bolt can be unscrewed to reveal a 2" to 2 1/2" deep hollow space to store your most precious keepsakes.

The Keepsake Pirolette includes a small black velvet draw string pouch and two small ziplock bags:



Also Available is a cherry wood base with glass dome for display as seen below:



How do they do it?

It Starts with a block of wood......



...which comes from the north and eastern part of the United States. Our suppliers cut, plane, and glue-up the blocks to our specifications. These blocks are about six inches square and nine inches long and weigh approximately six pounds.

The process of making a Pirolette begins with you and the images that you submit to our web site. Once an image is received, they are sized and enhanced to reveal only the outline that will later be used to turn your Pirolette on the lathe. Once an outline has been created, a paper cut out of your profile is used to determine the angle of the profile that will be cut into each Pirolette. We then transfer the profile to a metal template, which is cut by hand into a metal guide, and then used to create the Pirolette.

When setting up for the actual turning, each block must be sanded flat on both ends, the centers found and marked, then mounted into the lathe. Then template must also be mounted to the lathe to facilitate the accuracy of each piece. The cutting then begins.

We first do a rough cut, which removes about half the weight of the block. Next in the turning process is the shaping of the top of the Pirolette, which we make into a slightly peaked cap for the Elegant, or shape to the Chic and leave flat for the Earthy style. After the rough cut, the sanding begins. This process is done with eight steps. First we begin with an extremely coarse sand paper, depending on how the rough cut goes. Then we work our way down to 500 grit sandpaper. This process takes three quarters of an hour to complete. The sanding is followed by the oiling process. Your Pirolette, is removed from the lathe and mounted into the drill press where the center is drilled out for a plug to fill the hole where the block was mounted in the lathe. Then the top is rough sanded, finish sanded, buffed and the second coat of penetrating oil is applied. This must be allowed to dry for 24 hours. The next day the Pirolette is sanded again, this time with fine steel wool and oiled with an oil called tung oil and allowed to dry overnight. The Pirolette is now ready to be gift boxed, packaged and shipped.

Their Portrait's

The “Portrait” is hand crafted from American Black Walnut, Cherry or African Padauk 1/8" (est.) veneer and is hand polished to a natural luster.

Each Portrait is housed inside a Dark Cherry Stained, 10 X 13 inch frame. We have made it easy for you to transfer your "Pirolette Portrait" into another frame if that's what you desire.

*The Portrait to the left has been customed framed. Turn Your Head does not provide this service but we wanted to show you what is possible.*

In addition to the 3D version, you can have a wall mountable version (with or without the shadow, as seen below):



I just think this is such a great idea for a unique gift. And the prices are reasonable.

To learn more, or to order your own, click here.

Test Your Broadband Speed

I found this convenenient and free utility today.
An online test of your broadband speed, uploading and downloading.
It's still in Beta, so the results may not be totally accurate.

Just go here and take the test!

Today's results for my Mac G5 2.25gHz below:

When you think Angela Adams, Don't Just Think "Rug", Think "Floor"

Angela Adams, well known for her fabulous textiles and mod carpets, now designs concrete floor tiles for Ann Sacks. Check them out below.



Expanding the overwhelming success of our angela adams program, we have expanded the collection to include concrete flooring tile. Angela brings her modern and graphic shapes and vibrant palette to concrete for a unique flooring option.


The Concrete collection extends the modern appeal of angela adams to a unique flooring option. Concrete tile patterns include Manfred and Argyle; available in a vibrant palette of 9 exclusive glazes (see chart below).





The angela adams for Ann Sacks tiles are available to consumers and design professionals through Ann Sacks showrooms nationwide. To view the entire collection of tiles and to locate a showroom near you, please visit annsacks.com or call 1-800-278-8453.

All Aalto, All the Time: Finds Inspired By Alvar Aalto

Above: Alvar Aalto's "Savoy Vase"designed in 1936 and is still inspiring products today.

I've always been a fan of Alvar Aalto's classic web furniture and wonderful vases. Since his death, many things have been inspired by the famous "Savoy" vase shape of his design.

And here are just a few.

Just click on any of the items below and you'll be directed to their place of purchase

See more of my It's All About Aalto! list at ThisNext.

About Alvar Aalto:

Alvar Aalto was born in Kuortane, Finland. He studied architecture at the Helsinki University of Technology from 1916 to 1921. He returned to Jyväskylä, where he opened his first architectural office in 1923. The following year he married architect Aino Marsio. Their honeymoon journey to Italy sealed an intellectual bond with the culture of the Mediterranean region that was to remain important to Aalto for the rest of his life. Aalto moved his office to Turku in 1927, and started collaborating with architect Erik Bryggman. The office moved again in 1933, to Helsinki. The Aaltos designed and built a joint house-office (1935-36) for themselves in Munkkiniemi, Helsinki, but later (1954-55) had a purpose-built office built in the same neighbourhood. Aino Aalto died in 1949 and in 1952 he married architect Elissa Mäkiniemi (died 1994). In 1957 they designed and had built a summer cottage, the so-called Experimental House, for themselves in Muuratsalo, where they spent their summers. Alvar Aalto died in May 11, 1976, in Helsinki.


Above: Early portrait of Alvar Aalto

Although sometimes regarded as the first and the most influential architects of Nordic modernism, a closer examination of the historical facts reveals how Aalto (while a pioneer in Finland) closely followed and had personal contacts with other pioneers in Sweden, in particular Gunnar Asplund and Sven Markelius. But what they and many others of that generation in the Nordic countries had in common was that they started off from a classical education and were first designing in the so-called Nordic Classicism style before moving, in the late 1920s, towards Modernism.

In Aalto's case this is epitomised by the Viipuri Library (1927-35), which went through a transformation from an originally classical competition entry proposal to the completed high-modernist building. His humanistic approach is in full evidence there: the interior displays natural materials, warm colours, and undulating lines. The Viipuri Library project lasted eight years, and during that same time he also designed the Turun Sanomat Building (1929-30) and Paimio Sanatorium (1929-33): thus the Turun Sanomat Building first heralded Aalto's move towards modernism, and this was then carried forward both in the Paimio Sanatorium and in the on-going design for the library. But though the Turun Sanomat Building and Paimio Sanatorium are comparatively pure modernist works, even they carried the seeds of his questioning of such an approach and a move to a more daring, synthetic attitude.

above: Alvar and his wife, Aino

Aalto was a member of the Congres Internationaux d'Architecture Moderne; attending the second congress in Frankfurt in 1929, and the fourth congress in Athens in 1933. It was not until the completion of the Paimio Sanatorium (1929) and Viipuri Library (1935) that he first achieved world attention in architecture. His reputation grew in the USA following the critical reception of his design for the Finnish Pavilion at the 1939 New York World's Fair, described by Frank Lloyd Wright as a "work of genius".

It could be said that Aalto's reputation was sealed with his inclusion in the second edition of Sigfried Giedion's influential book on Modernist architecture, Space, Time and Architecture. The growth of a new tradition (1949), in which Aalto received more attention than any other Modernist architect, including Le Corbusier. In his analysis of Aalto, Giedion gave primacy to qualities that depart from direct functionality, such as mood, atmosphere, intensity of life and even 'national characteristics', declaring that "Finland is with Aalto wherever he goes".

Aalto's awards included the Royal Gold Medal for Architecture from the Royal Institute of British Architects (1957) and the Gold Medal from the American Institute of Architects

For More About Alvar Aalto or Aalto products and design, see the links below:
Wikipedia
Buy Aalto vases and products
The Alvar Aalto Museum
Aalto's Architecture
More info and products from Scandanavian Design
Design Museum info