InventorSpot

Is anyone else amazed by the toys that are out there? Sometimes I look at the toys and ask myself, is this really for kids?

When I had my first child, I saw the mini motorized cars for kids. I immediately wanted one. To tell the truth, sometimes my children end up with certain toys because I want it so badly (yes, my sons have a mini motorized fire truck). Is this wrong? I don’t think so. What’s the point of having kids if you can’t relive your childhood a little bit (just more responsibly).

Well, here are some toys that I know daddies all over the world would love to play with. More...

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The concept of fine doll making is being reinvigorated and redefined by Siberian born artist Marina Bychkova.

Her dolls have an almost brooding sexuality about them. Evocative of mystical fairy tales and exquisite in their fine detailing, these are definitely not the porcelain dolls of old.

In discussing her dolls, Marina says "There is a doll market in the US, but it’s very conventional. I’m hoping to contribute something new..." More...

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Dreaming about flying to an exotic new place? Thinking about vacations made me think about the difficulties of traveling on airplanes with children.

Ever try to lug the usual baby/toddler stroller along with your suitcases in your travels to say Florida? The Bahamas? Italy? How about across the planet to say Tokyo or Australia? Let's face it, strollers are a travel pain in the you know what.

Here's how I see it. Vacations - they really are a love hate relationship especially when you have kids. You love getting away from your everyday life. Getting to your destination is the true problem.
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Do you ever wish you could add another room to your house, without going through all the hassles of renovation or remodeling? I always fantasize about making my living spaces bigger, but I don't want to go through the hassles of hiring a contractor, gogin through zoning and getting approals and shelling out tens of thousands of dollars. It hardly seems worth the effort for just one room.

An extra room would be great, but the options for adding another living space are pretty limited...but now there is a new option to think about. You can get an extra room that's delivered to you in a flat pack, ready to assemble easily and quickly.

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[acidfree:1239 align=left size=240] Ok, so really. When was the last time you looked forward to taking out your video camera to record something? Or for that matter, looked forward to trying to get what you taped off the tape and onto a format that you could watch over and over? Let’s face it. Video cameras are a huge pain in the you know what to use, especially for all those whip-it-out-and-shoot-before-the-moment’s-gone moments. I don’t know about you, but I can barely remember to keep my video camera charged. And I have no idea where any of the cables are so that I can plug the camera in to my tv and watch stuff. read more »

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Just a quick post to a link I have seen around the web the past few days (like BitsandPieces.blospot.com). Too funny not to share, in case you haven't seen it already. read more »

The idea of carving wood into intricate shapes is an ancietn art. Mizuta Tasogare and Kato Jado, two Japanese artists, had an innovative twist on it with beautiful carvings made with the common pencil.
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[acidfree:1219 align=right size=180]What would life be without your iPod. Everyone has an iPod and there are tons of accessories to go with your iPod. Here's one that is really valuable for all those people tired of having the headphone wires getting tangled, hitting you in the face or getting caught on something. read more »

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(Editor: This article was originally published for Father's Day 2006)

Father's Day is the worst. Every year, it's the same lame presents. Come on, you know what I am talking about! If I never see another tie, cologne, BBQ set, belt, wallet socks, underwear, shirt, sweater or lame ass book, I will die happy. Listen up, guys and let me know if you agree with me. I think I have come up with some really novel gift ideas for dear old dad (other than the obvious stuff he really wants but I can't afford like a Porsche, the model girfriend or the giant flat screen tv). Here's my picks for what to get the old man, depending on what type of Dad you have (together with some choice ad content from their vendors)...
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Check out the latest in fingerprint technology. The smartTOUCH™ garage door opener by bioMETRX Inc. (installed on the side of the garage door) allows a homeowner to open their garage door with a touch of a finger. Its weatherproof, shockproof and tamper-proof. The smartTOUCH™ garage door opener currently comes as a hard wired unit, designed specifically to beat the elements for years of reliable service and dependability.
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Last summer, I wanted to redecorate my son’s room. I just assumed that I would paint the room. Maybe stencil it if I had enough courage. While I was searching for bedroom furniture, I came across wall murals for kids rooms. You put it up just like you would wall paper. What a great alternative to just painting. I thought that was pretty much the coolest thing I had seen. Until I came across self-adhesive wall decals made by Blik.
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For interesting furniture, I am not quite sure if this idea is more whimsical than inventive, but I thought it was cute enough to share here. Portia Wells, the creator of this slipcover seating concept, says: "There is social weight to the commodities which we dress our belongings and ourselves. Through what we acquire, we are able to manipulate what we project to others.
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MocoLoco.com had an intersting feature about conceptual surfaces that they discoverd at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair 2006. FAF studio has designed some great looking products made of laser cut mylar (using mylar polyster vellum). The fronds have crystals at the end that make them move with the slightest external movement such as a breeze.
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According to Wikipedia, "The word "fractal" has two related meanings. In colloquial usage, it denotes a shape that is recursively constructed or self-similar, that is, a shape that appears similar at all scales of magnification and is therefore often referred to as "infinitely complex." In mathematics a fractal is a geometric object that satisfies a specific technical condition."

I recently discovered an artist who goes by "Blatte" who has done some interesting work with fractal art. In corresponding with him to discussing our interest in featuring his artwork on our site, (more..)

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[acidfree:1134 align=left size=180] I just got wind of a new child car safety seat. In September 2005 (I know I'm a little late), SafeGuard announced the SafeGuard Child Seat. It is claimed that it is a revolutionary breakthrough in child seat safety. Since car crashes are still the leading cause of death for children in the United States, the SafeGuard was designed to address the top five misuses of child seats, as cited by NHTSA, and provide parents a child seat that is intuitive and easy-to-install. read more »

[acidfree:1154 align=right size=180] Ahhh. I finally found it again - the Touch 'n Hold Door Opener and Closer. Hard to believe that someone would get excited about such a boring product but I love things that make life easier. About four years ago, we bought a new glass/screen door for our front door (exactly like the one in the picture). Anyway, it came with the best door opener/closer (that's what I'm calling that thing that keeps your screen door open). Instead of the traditional metal rectangular washer like device that you have to manually move to keep the door open, all you need to do was to press a little button with your foot and the Touch 'n Hold would keep it open. In order to close the door, all you need to do is open the door a little more and the door will close (no bending involved). read more »

Richard Sweeny has created a series of sculptural works created through the cutting, scoring and folding of paper. By pleating paper, he creates some arresting scultural pieces, all inspired by his experiment using paper for lamps.

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[acidfree:1147 align=right size=240]Michelle's blog about diamonds reminded me of something I just saw in Wired Magazine. And go figure, I was able to track it down on the web to share with you. Here's the beginning... click through on the end link for the rest of the story. The New Diamond Age Armed with inexpensive, mass-produced gems, two startups are launching an assault on the De Beers cartel. Next up: the computing industry. read more »