Quirky.com

I first heard about this Quirky.com website on one of the morning news shows.  Even though the concept was neat, I never made it to the website.  Their mission:   Since launching in 2009, Quirky has rapidly changed the  way the world thinks about product development.  We bring two brand new consumer products to market each week, by enabling a fluid conversation between a global community and Quirky's expert product design staff.  The world influences our business in real-time, and we share our revenue directly with the people who helped us make successful decisions.

I can tell you I am going to be shopping for Christmas on this site.  Lots of innovative products--some you wish you had imagined and some you just might never figure out how you lived without.  Some of my favorites. 

 

Pivot--for those weird size electronics plugs

Stem--a sprayer for your lemons and limes!

Totem--glasses with bumps you can stack so they can airdry.

Go there now!!



Palatka Artoberfest: This Little Piggy...

Some shows are busy, busy, busy.  Some are pretty slow and give you a chance to chat up your neighbors.  This particular show was us the latter variety, but, throw in a bunch of wind.  So, I grabbed my camera and took some shots of my surroundings. 

In the background is the St. Johns River and Palatka's Riverfront Park.  It was hopping with activity at set up on Friday night.  The boys were getting ready for a fishing tournament, others were out strolling and enjoying the evening while I finished setting up. 

 But, my favorite part of the show was LuLu the Pig who came out in her finest pink leopard collar!  She loved getting a little scratch on her chin and between her ears.  I wanted to steal her!  Can't you just imagine Bonnie Dog and Princess Emily playing with HER!

Oh, my second favorite part of the show was the drive home through the Ocala National Forest and heading home to Rod and the girls!  :)

Just Stick IT: Incense Woes

A typical bunch with few bare spots before they are dipped. 

Don't buy sticks if they look this dry--they will burn like wood! 

Some bad looking ones but honestly they still burn!

My incense supplier has been sending some gnarly looking sticks.  They burn just fine, in most cases throw just as much scent--but they are down right ugly.  Occassionally I weed them out at a show and give them to the next incense shopper.  So, if you get some freebie sticks at a show--just light them up and enjoy! 

My Trusted Stick Blender: RIP

I lost two trusted pieces of soapmaking equipment this summer.  My Braun Coffee Grinder and the Stick Blender (aka Immersion Blender) I bought long before I started making soap.  Both succombed to falls onto either my terrazzo floors or the concrete floor in the Illinois production space (aka my brother's old bedroom). 

I had dropped the stick blender many times, so, years ago I bought a backup.  It has been awaiting jumping (change that to...spinning) into service.  I can say, it doesn't quite fit my hand as well as the old one.  But, I am sure I will adjust one day. 

The coffee grinder only took one drop and it was a goner.  If my father-in-law were around I am sure he could have rigged it to work again.  But, I couldn't even get it apart to peer into the insides to see if something had come loose.  In replacing it I was happy to see they have become much easier to find and they are way cheaper.  I found one at Walmart for only $15...the old one was around $60.  The new one is nice and strong and even easier to clean.  Yippee!

Next up I have to get some new stainless steel stock pots.  I see they are on special at Old Time Pottery.  Let's see if they are actually in stock when I hit the store first thing in the morning...