break the silence

i know it has been a while... was quite busy with life and family...
i promise to get back to blogging... in case someone is actually (still) reading/following my blog!?
in the meanwhile, i was collecting stuff that i plan to blog in the next couple of weeks.... just stay tuned

nice idea to recycle soda cans...

...not that we actually have any soda cans in the house...


:: recycling a soda can has never been so much fun! with the 'tin can robot' kit kids can transform recycled soda cans into robots. a soda can, one aa battery, and a screw driver is all that's needed. ::

another cool sled

this looks like real fun...


'zipfy' (pronounced [zip’ fee]) is a uniquely designed rugged plastic snow sled with a distinctive lever used for stability and turning.

:: the easiest, safest, most exhilarating downhill sport... ever ::

cardboard play house and mobile doll house

a sturdy cardboard play house.
:: 'casa cabana' comes decorated with a cat on a tree, a small ant, a rabbit and a squirrel and still more than enough room to color, paint and decorate your very own casa cabana. let it be your tree house, mansion or hiding shed. give it as many names as you like …– and do you want to be left alone a bit? … put a sign ‘no trespassing’. 'casa cabana' has a door, seven windows and many spy holes. ::
dimensions:: h.105 cm x w.70 cm x d.70 cm
weight:: about 3 kgs

this 'mobile home' doll house is easy to install, easy to carry. with 8 rooms, stair openings and spy holes. and an attic for storage. for knights, pirates and princesses. it folds up flat, making it easy for play dates and weekend trips. for on the road, when staying over. for a day in the park, or on holidays.
dimensions:: h.46 cm x w.22,5 cm x d.36 cm
it is even available in the moma store.

design by:: kids on roof (nl)
they like imaginative and colorful designed objects. they believe less is more.

and sustainability is a key issue to them:: their cardboard products are made of recycled paper and biodegrable.

a 'morgan threewheeler' for kids

the 100 anniversary of 'morgan' ... celebrated with the 'superSport junior' pedal car for kids... nice timeless design, and cool, too.

design sleds

design-sleds by car makers... not only for fun, but maybe also a good business idea in hard times... ;-)

'casa kubaa' = (play)house for sale

:: the playhouse consists of a set of twelve lightweight blocks made of polyurethane foam finished with a tough but soft coating. 'casa kubaa' encourages children between 2 and 12 years to design, build, climb and play together. it is ideal for companies and organizations that work with groups of children. ::

you will be surprised at the countless shapes and creations that children can develop with 'casa kubaa'...

seen @ 'dutch design week' in eindhoven, nl




by:: koen crommentuijn & marjan verboeket = 'studio papas' (eindhoven, nl)

another use of recycled shipping containers

they are used as a backyard for children living in public housing in south melbourne, Australia (see details @ coolhunter)

design:: phooey architects (australia)
via:: coolhunter


please see also some of my older posts how old shipping container could be reused: illy cafe + freitag flagship store

new (photo) toy for me

i love to take photographs... and i just got a new gadget to express myself::

a new canon powershot sd 790 is (canon ixus 90 is).
by:: canon (japan)

i like the simple slic design in retro style, and the metal camera body. also some of the features, such as ...

:: face detection technology

... ensures superb people shots by automatically setting optimum focus, exposure, flash and white balance. face select and track lets you choose and track your primary subject, so you never lose a special face in the crowd ::

:: motion detection technology

... there’s no need to worry about blur with motion detection technology. this clever feature compensates for camera shake and subject movement while maximizing image quality ::

... come in handy when dealing with moving objects, such as concrete*tots :-)

unfortunately, there is no review yet @ my favorite camera review site
digital camera resource page by jeff keller (s.f. bay area, ca)
:: an unofficial resource for current and future owners of digital cameras. it is aimed more towards the consumer end, rather than the high end professional cameras ::

at least they have one @ steve's digicams (page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, sample pics)

new schoolbag for concrete*tot

little concrete*tot will enter school in august. we started to look around for the best schoolbag in terms of design, safety, and ergonomics... we bought a 'scout' schoolbag for the older concrete*tot about 2 years ago. and we still like it. what we love about the 'scout' is::
- light weight
- fits perfectly (even suitable for little kids)
- a lot of safety features (such as reflective materials)
- long lasting
- 97 % recyclable materials
- contains no harmful and allergenic chemicals
now they have a new 'scout mega' schoolbag::


it received a 'red dot award' in 2007 in product design

:: the 'scout mega' is a schoolbag for primary-school pupils which features a 360-degree safety concept and an innovative flat design. shaped side pockets made of a newly-developed reflexite combined material optimise the angle of incidence of vehicle lights from street traffic. reflective carry straps further increase the safety of the schoolbag. an intelligent body construction makes it 20 per cent lighter and gives it high stability. a separate, two-part organiser with a special colour code can be used as required for optimal packing of the bag according to ergonomic criteria. the back padding is ventilated and ergonomically shaped. the functional design allows easy opening of the top flap and provides a large interior space. the flexible carry-strap attachment adjusts to any clothing the child may wear. ::

like a said - a well thought-through product. a synthesis of uncompromising safety, ergonomics, function, and style. i think we found the candidate that we will check out for sure. ;-)

design:: dirk fleischhut, martin hoffmann, andré lüthy (estragon gmbh, zürich, ch)
by:: 'alfred sternjakob gmbh & co. kg' (frankenthal, germany)

nice floor cushions

'livingstones'
:: a high quality, surrealistic set practical as a floor cushion. oversized pebbles, a resting area with varying sizes and shapes that can be arranged according to your mood, for contemporary interiors. ::
by:: 'smarin design' (stephanie marin, france)

'nestt' car seat

:: deriving its primary form from an egg, the ultimate safe enclosure... ::
simple design aspired by nature. easy use and safety included. very nice.

and cushions are available in all colors you might like!

design:: 'think/thing' (chicago, us)
via:: 'moco loco'

improving bike safety ... by using a responsive jacket

one of the little concrete*monsters will get a new bike this friday... i found this nice idea to add more safety (visibility) to the biking fun::

design student michael chen (uk) came up with a concept for a (safety) jacket he calls reactiv.
:: i cycled round london for hours in the dark wearing my first prototype - a £10 waterproof jacket with LEDs stuck on by gaffer tape, :: he said. :: for the first time, i noticed that cars passed me more slowly, gave me more room, and that the drivers and passengers were even making eye contact. ::

the design has won a 'james dyson award' in 2008 from the dyson foundation that's dedicated to inspirating design innovation. (you know, the company that makes the stylish vacuum cleaners!)

:: michael was inspired by the 'nintendo wii' to come up with reactiv - a responsive cycling jacket.
the jacket uses an accelerometer that senses movement to change the colour of the LEDs in the back from green (accelerating) to red (braking). it has amber LEDs in the arms which are activated by a tilt switch behind the elbow. these light up when the arm is lifed, indicating the cyclist is about to turn.
reactiv allows the cyclist to communicate their intentions to other travellers and thus it will hopefully reduce the 20,000 incidents involving cyclists on london's roads every year.
british judges were impressed by the simplicity and effectiveness of michael's design. ::

design:: michael chen (uk)

'lumibaer' (a glowing bear) lamp

if you like gummibears this would be the perfect light source for you! i like the white upright one, about 23 inches tall. they are already 10 years old, but still very cool like at the day they were 'born'!

they started as lamps for kids room, but ended as cult design items.
in five different colors (white, blue, yellow-orange, red, green)
design:: heinz klein + georg leidig (germany)
by:: 'elmar flötotto' (germany)

walk on re-used cab tires

one of the little concrete*monsters got really nice shoes:: 'yellow cab shoes'. they are super cool, and the sole is made of used cab tires!!! this is recycling in style...