Houses while you travel

I dont know what it is like in your house but it's late night TV for The Ashes in England and Le Tour de France! Alot of armchair travelling has been going on as we wind our way through the Swiss Alps and admiring the lush green mountains and quaint rural houses that look like Monopoly figurines randomly dotted on the country side. This Auto by Ing.M.Voglreiter house looks like a modern day chitty chitty bang bang but it is a renovated 70's house!

What you do have to admire about the Tour is the comeback king Lance Armstrong - to be a winner for all those years, take a break, then a break-up (Sheryl Crow) and a new wife and family and be in the front pack of the tour is nothing but inspiring. I am hoping to be able channel a bit of that inspiration to getting off the couch (who am I kidding) for for the time being I'm pretty happy with the scenery!

EXTREME BODY ART

WARNING - some of these links hold extreme pictures so only click at your own risk (and stomach).

Our body for centuries have been used as a forum for expression for religious and cultural rituals and beliefs. Large neck rings, tattoos and tribal piercing to name a few. As the fast and overpopulated world leaves us with less opportunities of being heard and being lost among the crowd, expression as a fashion and art statement is being hailed within certain groups and circles. But is it a pure fad that will later leave the wearer scarred with regret?

extreme tattoos

extreme corset piercing

DNA ON YOUR WALLS

Proud of your genes?? Well hang your life on the wall with DNA and finger print art from DNA11. Its a more sublte way than doing a nude photo shoot

SMALL GARDEN AWARD WINNER

Quirky and cute wins the prize - functional and adaptable to your home? Not really. But if a garden puts a smile on your face, hasn't it done it's job?

POP ART

Before you get rid of those useless cassette tapes, get creative

USES FOR JIM MORRISON

Andy Warhol immortilized artists and pop art with his series of bold prints. Jim Morrison was one of is famous subjects. Here are some 'other uses' for the Jim Morrison image!

cassette art

Ink art on card

Shower Recess

MOVING SCULPTURE

A mixture of art, sculpture, puppetry enginering and mathematics, Rueben Margolin's pieces are awe inspiring

WHY?

I dont need to say much more

DESIGNER WEAPONRY

I like multi-functional and quirky design but I dont think I will have this at home in a hurry. But depending on your neighbourhood it might be just the right thing! Designed by James bauldoff it makes sense he notes one of his past times as biting.

PATTERNS GONE RIGHT

This magnificent example of early Modernism at McGregor Memorial conference centre shows how the simplicity of geometrics can make a stunning impact. By keeping the focus on pattern and light and keeping colour simplistic the building may date but will always be impressive.

BECAUSE YOU CAN?

Well, just because you can doesn't mean we all have to endure it! With wealth doesn't always come taste. Dubai, know for its extremes of money and opulence love to scream, "I have an obscene amount of money". Hotels can go down the road of an exquisite place to getaway with restrained class or such as, The Burj Al-Arab hotel shows less really is more. It does have some magical areas such as the changing lights in the vast foyer but this has to go down as pure indulgence of the bad kind.

MAKING IT FUN?

I agree that imagination is needed for all rooms of the house and when a baby is coming you want to think beyond pink and blue, but this is too far! Do you ever want this child to sleep?

The team at making it fun are very proud of their make-over and it was even filmed for a TV show. Watchers have posted and seem to agree but it leaves a bad taste in my mouth - anyone else?

KEEP YOUR COOL

A solar powered pith-helmet for when you are treking the on safari. If they could only create something for hat hair when you sit down for daquiris. PS This is a serious hat.

$30,000 dollar recycled chair?

On March 12 Simone LeAmon was announced the winner of the Victorian Furniture Design Award. An artist with a raging passion for fast cars and motorbikes presented her Lepidoptera chair, with more layers than a Sara-Lee pie this chair to become the winner over fourteen other designers. The chair was constructed from scrap material from the automotive industry. All materials for free and a bonus of $30,000. I'd like a piece of that! Do you think it is worthy of such a major prize? Reading about Simon's past exhibitions and passion she is a woman who intends to be in the industry for a very long time. My favourite though is her custom designed racing gear featuring graphics and tattoo like art. This is a woman who knows her direction.

HOME SECURITY BRAIN TEASER

Hopefully there's a cheat's way to unlock this security chain.

SHOWER POWER

Ever thought of spending $100,000 on a shower? Well, most of us wouldn't dream of it, but check out this amazing hydro shower....18 showerheads all fully computerized!!!

That's what I call, taking "clean" to a new level !

EGG YOLK RUG

Here's an unusual option for those who prefer their rugs "Sunny Side Up"

FLAT PACK HOUSE

An innovative approach to housing - the Flat Pack House !

TETRIS FURNITURE

Perfect for that area where space is at a premium, the Tetris Furniture range.

CHOCOLATE COASTERS

mmmmmmm...... here's a great idea for those chocoholics out there ...
but don't try eating it !! And even better, they don't melt !