Wonky Wednesday: Doubletake!

All the items below were found searching the tag "weird" on Etsy. Most of the stuff people list under that tag is quite mild on there (for me, at least, and I have been known on occassion to be a little "weird" myself so I might just have a high tolerance for strange), but indeed there were some items in those search results that caught me off guard and made me click them instantly. Mostly because they were so frickin' awesome.

(Clicking pic takes you to item's page, clicking link takes you to the shop it came from)


I can't tell you how much I have always wanted a brain in a jar. I remember the summer after I turned eighteen and I was invited to dinner at my boss's house. Her partner's grandfather was a doctor and he had inherited an interesting curio of a brain preserved in a tall wooden case that you looked down into. At first the case looked like an old radio, and worked like one of those antique movie viewers, but boy were I and my 3 other co-worker companions fooled when we finally looked down inside. It was one of the most awesome things I'd ever come across in all of my 18 years...(I didn't get out much as a kid) so yeah, this brain in a jar brought back memories.

from YourOrganGrinder




Don't let the picture scale fool you, this baby is huge! It stands over 2 feet tall!This wormbaby sculpture is on a whole new plane of awesome that few folks are brave enough to venture into. I just love seeing the creativity that comes out of the Etsy community.

from ArtAkimbo




I have a thing for things that look back at me. I just can't help myself. This lucky eye pendant is pretty sleek.

from cherryhilldesigns




These are baby booties---CAN you believe it?!? I think these little creations are jaw-droppingly wonderful! How awesome would they be to pair up with a little outfit for either gender made from that Kaufman "Chopsticks Please!" fabric? The possiblities for cute are endless!

from sushibooties




Yes. This is indeed a zombie Christmas ornament. Here's an equation for you: Zombies + Christmas = Awesome freakin' ornament. I mean, zombies are awesome as a rule...but then you add Christmas?!? That's one of the most rad days for awesome on the calendar (tied with Chanukah for our Jewish pals) but behind Halloween, of course, because Halloween produces a WHOLE LOT of awesome. This combines awesome things from both holidays! That's like getting a surprise onion ring in your frybox!

from RW2Gallery

Bug Bites: Meet Suki and Baby Wasabi!

I have been bitten by the Matroyshka bug ever since running across a blank set of wooden nesting dolls at Hobby Lobby on a supply hunting excursion. On the hour-ish drive home, I started developing the idea of my own series of little stuffed matroyshkas in my head, went home, did a quick little sketch in my idea sketchbook, and waited nearly two months to act on it.

Like most of my creations, my inspiration comes from the simplest thing and continues to evolve. Which came first? The chicken or the egg? In Suki's case, Wasabi came first. I am notorious for saving components of my crochet projects gone awry. I was cleaning out a box of said components when I came across the dismembered thumb of a glove (too many increases too soon, I blame the radio) that had the proportions out of whack. It looked to me like a little baby all wrapped up --- boom.

There went those gears churning out another idea. I started tinkering with a small Robert Kaufman "Chopsticks please!" fabric scrap (because I'm notorious for saving those too) and a piece of felt and shortly after we had a little baby whom looked like a little pea pod...in a sushi-themed fabric. My inner voice kept referring to him as Wasabi, so thus he was named. He looked lonely and needed his mama.

The next day, after working up a few muslin prototypes, being satisfied with the proportions and making out a pattern, I set to work on giving little Wasabi a Mommy. I machine-stitched her body in the same Kaufman fabric, got her stuffed and started the handstitching and embroidering of her details (face, hair) and props (apron). All in all, I was very pleased with the way she turned out. More of Suki's cousins are crawling out of the woodwork and they'll be making appearances soon!