bubbledog blog

shiny brite reproductions

I love finding old Christmas ornaments at garage sales, flea markets, and antique stores.  The older ornaments have so much character and I would love to decorate the whole tree with them!  This, of course, can be cost prohibitive, but next best thing to the real thing is a reproduction...

I fiound these  in one of mypapercrane's blog posts today and I was so excited when I clicked the link from her blog!  They are old Shiny Brite ornament redproductions made by Christopher Radko and available at JCPenny.  They are really reasonably priced and on SALE to boot!  I will be purchasing a few of these... now I just have to decide which to get....

awesome-ness

For the last two weeks, I haven't been able to stop listening to this song or watching this video.  I already bought the song on iTunes, but I may need the whole album.  The old school TRON style effects in the video are too cool!

thanks a lot kidrobot

Here is another thing to add to the list of things I don't really need, but I must have... vinyl Futurama figures from Kidrobot.  As if I never learn from any of my other collections, I think I will try to just get one or two of them.  I really need that Dr. Zoidberg (he was always my favorite) and probably the Zap Brannigan as well.  Nibbler is also really cute... you see the problem here ;)  I found these for sale at Urban Outfitters.

have a retro 80's christmas - part 4

Whether you like it or not, the 80's inspired holiday gift ideas are still coming ;)  If I think back to being a kid in the early eighties, the thing I coveted most was an Atari 2600.  My brothers and I wanted it so badly that when my family finally got one, we didn't leave the TV for weeks.  These Atari related gifts are awesome... the Atari logo makes me so nostalgic every time I see it.  Check them out:

Atari Belt Buckle at 80stees.com
Atari Wristbands at 80stees.com
Atari Keychains at firebox.com (these are extra cool because they each contain some Atari games and you can plug them into your tv and play them)

I don't know what game is officially the most popular Atari title, but to me, Atari is synonymous with the game Space Invaders.  These little Space Invader-esque products are also really cool.

Ice Invaders at plasticland.com
Super Invasion Pendant at helplessromantic.bigcartel.com
Paper Invaders Gift Wrap at whimsypress.com

have a retro 80's christmas - part 3

Still looking for a gift for that special someone who is stuck in the eighties?  Well, if my other suggestions haven't tickled your fancy yet, try one of these retro t-shirts from 80stees.com.   They have tons of designs to choose from, but their cartoon inspired shirts are definitely my favorite.  These pics are of my nine favorites. 

have a retro 80's christmas - part 2

Here is my second round of 1980's inspired gift ideas.  I get very nostalgic with the imagery of old-school eighties video games.  Whenever I could save up enough of my allowance as a kid, I would beg my parents to let me spend it at an arcade.  I love the thought of those dark arcade rooms with all the noises from the games, the eighties music in the background, the neon light decor, and the waiting in line with your quarter sitting on the machine to reserve your turn to play.... ah, the memories. 

Anyway, these two items caught my eye as a good gift for that thirty-seomthing nostalgic someone in your life.  The Donkey Kong Jenga is interesting; I'm not really sure how it works, but I love the idea and design.  The Pac-Man and Ghost Sour Candy Tins are A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.  I don't only offer them as a gift idea, but they are on the top of my want list for the holidays ;)  I absolutely love the two ghosts.  My friend Amy sent me a pic of them over the summer and I have been meaning to blog about them ever since.  I want, I want, I want!  

 

have a retro 80's christmas

I went out for dinner last night with some friends and was surprised with an awesome belated birthday gift of these Rubik's salt and pepper mills.  They are totally cool... to grind the salt or pepper, you spin the top of the cube just as you would play with a Rubik's Cube puzzle.  Coincidentally, I have been plannig a retro 80's gift guide for my blog and I haven't been able to decide when to start it.  Well, besides being a great addition to my kitchen, these grinders have also inspired me to start my list!  Here are a couple of other Rubik's related gift ideas:

This cube clock provides time, temperature, a calendar, and an alarm for only $19.99 at Perpetual Kid.  It's battery operated (which I don't love) and I don't know the dimensions, but still... it's pretty awesome!  You can also find the Rubik's salt and pepper mills at Perpetual Kid, so stop being jealous and go buy your own pair ;)

If you happen to have an extra $600 sitting around, you can get this Rubik's Cube Table from Jellio.  Jellio has some great retro inspired pieces.  If you search through their store, you should also check out the Gummi Bear lights and the Candy Dots bench. 

I have no affiliation with any of these stores or products... I just like anything 80's inspired!

otamatone

I was pretty deep into a random blog cruise that was stumbling out of control when I came across this blog and a post about the Otamatone.  After knowing of this products existence for approximately 10 minutes, I can now offically say that I must have it and need it if I am to continue living.  It is pretty bizarre, wildy irritating, and completely unnecessary... still need it.  At $84.99, it is also pretty expensive for a toy... still need it. 

halloween picks

I didn't get to make any Halloween projects this year and as October 31st comes racing towards us, it doesn't look like I will be getting started on any either.  To try and get in the mood a bit, I did some browsing through the thousands of Halloween items on Etsy this morning and found some great stuff.  Here are a few of my favorites:

Scaredy Cat Halloween Gift Tags by BuncoBettys
Twinpop Halloween Card by BettyTurbo
Wee Jack O Lantern by noodleandlou
Tiny Pumpkin Jax by CatandFiddlefolk
Frankenstein Greeting Card by shesbattydesigns
Party Skeleton by crescenthilldsigns
Monster Cupcake Toppers by chachkedesigns
Ghostie with the Mostie Halloween Plush by DogboneArt
Trick or Treat by MultiplePersonality

Other than Dogboneart, who is a friend of mine, I am not associated with any of these sellers... I just like what I saw :)

marc tetro

When I was in Key West this summer, I went into a shop with all sorts of fancy toys and treats for your pets.  Up on the wall of the shop were these amazing large and colorful prints of a couple different dog breeds.  When I asked the shop owner about them, she told me they were by an artist called Marc Tetro.  His stuff is right up my alley, cute & simple illustrations with bold, colorful backgrounds.  I've had his site marked because there is a beagle print that I want to buy and another chihuahua print that would be perfect for me. I was checking today to see if there were any new prints available and I discovered these three-dimensional dog cut-outs.  They are awesome... a great gift idea if you know someone with a Boston Terrier, a Pug, or a Westie!  Now, I just have to wait for some cut-out Beagles and Chihuahuas.