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Funky Find Of The Week: Your Own Custom Super Hero Action Doll




Ever wondered what it would be like to have a 12" action figure in your likeness?
Well, wonder no more! At herobuilders, you can order just that!




They describe themselves as The Largest and most respected Custom Action Figure, Personalized Action figure company in the USA, These can also be considered Custom dolls or Custom Talking dolls. There are thousands of samples of our custom action figures that you can view and we also make Custom figures, and personalized Action figures that look, talk, & dress just like you, We now have the largest selection of custom action figure clothing and custom action figure accessories in the USA.



Below is an example of Their "Conan" Doll:

and their Will Ferrell Elf doll:


The custom dolls can be made in the likeness of anyone, any age.








It's not hard, either, just a little pricey.

To get your custom 12" action figure, follow the 3 simple steps indicated on their site here.

Non-talking custom action figures are $425.00 for the first one and 39.95 for copy.

Talking custom action figures are $425.00 for the first one and 49.95 for each copy. The sound clip can only be 20 seconds long max, our new voice chips can be programmed and re-programmed by you if you choose.

You can place your order by calling their offices toll free at 1-877-HERO-TOY or they will create an e-payment on-line solution.

Visit Hero Builders to learn more.

Black Is Back (But Limited).


After years of silver, titanium and aluminum, black is back...and in several limited editions.

Here are a few of the hippest black limited editions of some fun items.


Above: Flos' Miss K lamp in black
available here.


Above: Philippe Starck's Gnome Stool in black
available here.


Above: Chevy's Limited Edition Black HHR due out this fall
read about it here.


Above: Chanel's Limited Edition Black Satin nail polish
Get it here.


Above: the Xbox 360 in black
read about it here.


Above: The Takamine 2007 Limited Edition The Storm Acoustic-Electric Cutaway
get it here.


Above: David Horvath's ultra hip Ugly Dolls, now in black
available here.

even black toilet paper.....


Now available at wishingfish.com



Above: Tom Ford's Limited Edition "Black Orchid" perfume
Only available here.

New Finds For The Designer Dog

Shopping For Your Hip Pet (and pet lovers)

Canine Couture is hot and these amazingly beautiful (and pricey) dog beds are just a few now on the market. Whether it's the corbusier-styled Philip Plein dog bed or Bark Deco's platform beds, these are priced at around $400 - $2000.00. Also, I included Karim Rashid's cool dog bowls with built-in handle and non-skid bottom.

Just click on any of the above images to learn about and/or purchase the item.
See more of my Shopping For Your Hip Pet (and pet lovers) list at ThisNext.

Chic Defense: The New Colored Tasers For Women





Feel Lucky, Punk?"
A stunning stun gun. The TASER C2 is our newest product designed for personal protection. Utilizing the same technology as our proven law enforcement models, the C2 has incredible take down power.




The TASER C2 is a self-defense electronic control device. Electronic Control Devices (ECDs) use propelled wires or direct contact to conduct energy to affect the sensory and motor functions of the nervous system. The TASER C2 uses a replaceable cartridge, containing compressed nitrogen, to deploy two small probes that are attached to the TASER C2 by insulated conductive wires with a maximum length of 15 feet (4.5 meters). The TASER C2 transmits electrical pulses along the wires and into the body affecting the sensory and motor functions of the peripheral nervous system. The energy can penetrate up to two cumulative inches of clothing.



Advanced Features
# Small non-gun design
# Lightweight and easy to carry
# Lithium Power Magazine is good for over 50 uses
# Available in six designer colors and three patterns
# 15 ft. (4.5 m) range





learn more about it here.

Artists Take The Plunge: Swimming Pool As Subject

I got such a wonderful response to my post about varying artists' freeway and overpass paintings, that I thought I'd do the same with one of my other favorite subjects; the swimming pool.

Years ago, I bought one of my favorite paintings, an empty swimming pool painted by Christy Botkin Reeves of Los Angeles. Unfortunately, a nasty subletter stole the painting upon being evicted from my apt...so if you see it, let me know (seriously...).

Perhaps it's the stillness of pools when no one is in them, or the beckoning of an empty pool, that appeals to me. But either way, I'm clearly not the only one who finds beauty in them.


Above: My now stolen pool painting by Christy Botkin Reeves, 48" x 72"

When it came time to replace it, I was craving one of Glenn Ness' photo realism pool paintings, but couldn't afford an original the size I wanted.

Here are a few of his that I've coveted:

Above: Glenn Ness' Should I have Stayed?


Above: After The Lie, 12" x 18", Glenn Ness


Above: A Mysterious Childhood by Glenn Ness


Above: Fading Of June by Glenn Ness


Above: Maintenance by Glenn Ness

Upon realizing I'd never have the huge Glenn Ness original of my dreams, nor would I get my Christy Botkin Reeves' back, I actually began looking for pool paintings. This became a labor of love, not to mention enlightening.

Anyone familiar with David Hockney is aware of his fabulous pool paintings and images of pools done with paper pulp and printed as monotypes. For those who aren't, let me show you:


Above: David Hockney's "A Bigger Splash"


Above: David Hockney's "Pool With 2 Figures"


Above: Hockney's painting "Peter getting out of of Nick Wilder's Pool"

As I said, he not only painted pools, he used paper pulp to create monotypes of pools, now very collectible. The one below went for over $5,000 at Sotheby's in 2000 and would easily fetch over double that now:



Well, by now I was hung up on the photo realism thing after Glenn Ness, so this led me to find several contemporary realists who knew their way around a pool, so to speak.

There were so many talented artists who paint pools.
Empty Pools.
Still pools.
Pools at Night.

I'm going to break this article into three posts.
Today's is just paintings of POOLS, next week will be paintings of PEOPLE SWIMMING IN POOLS, so be sure to come back.
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Johannes Schramm and his photo-realistic pools:






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And one of my other absolute most coveted artists, Patricia Chidlaw:


Above: Whites Motel

Above: Still Pool

Above: Pool and Birds of Paradise

Above: Patricia Chidlaw's White Chairs
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I've always been a fan of Rick Monzon's work and was happy to see that he, too, painted a pool!


Above: Rick Monzon's Florida Pool
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Above is Cindy Stapper's Vernal Invitation
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Above: Sharilyn Neidhardt's Lazy pool
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Above: James P. Kimack's Pool
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Above: My Houses (Pool with Waterfalls) by Julia Jacquette
available here from Pace Prints.
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Below: Jane Freilicher's The Pool:

Available at the Tibor De Nagy Gallery
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For today, I will leave you with another one of Glenn Ness's works and be sure to see the upcoming post about swimming in pools, it's almost twice as long!


Above: ... finally, Glen Ness' Long Thoughts


Be sure to see the amazing pool paintings in the following posts:

Part II: Paintings of People Swimming

Part III: More People Swimming Paintings

Product Pick Of The Week: Ebon-aide Inclusive color bandages

Finally, someone has come up with what should be so obvious, bandages in all skin colors.
   


product description from their site:

New Ebon-Aide™ is the adhesive bandage specially designed for people of color. From the licorice look to mocha, coffee, cinnamon, and honey skin, new Ebon-Aide™ blends with your skin to help conceal as you heal™.

Ebon-Aide™ comes in three different sizes and five different shades. At last you've got it made in your shade.™

If you would like to purchase individual boxes of Ebon-Aide™ adhesive bandages please visit our online store where you can buy individual boxes with secured transactions.


It's about time someone came out with band-aids in various skin tones.
Now, I just have to divide mine up between my summer band-aids and my winter band-aids!!

Read more about them by clicking here.

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