You don’t need to buy anything to enjoy this eBay store widget for Bobby’s Curiosity Shoppe which has the largest selection of needlework craft patterns on eBay, specializing in cross stitch, plastic canvas, crochet, and knitting plus things I had not seen in years like macrame. Mouse around and click to enjoy the show.

For both nostalgia and collecting fun, drop by The DeGrafft-Phillips Flip-Top Container Collection website. The story of its creation will amuse and if your vintage is similar to mine, you’ll scan the photos of flip-top restaurant and soda fountain containers seeing which ones look familiar. As for collectors, well, it will fuel your addiction.

Visit the Web site of artist Cao Yong to see more of his art and read his incredible story.

I recently received an email with some examples of what is apparently called “latte art” attributed to an unamed restaurant in Vancouver, BC. Here are a few of them (click the thumbnails for larger version):

While I am barely a coffee drinker, much more a latte drinker, this was all new to me and after a little digging, I discovered that decoration of cups of latte by artistically swirling the milk dates back at least to the 50’s in Italy and is popular around the world. Unsurprisingly, it has come to full flower on the coffee crazed west coast of North America, particularly Vancouver. There are even competitions to crown the most decorative baristas in which the Vancouver folks do very well and you have superstar Vancouver baristas getting gigs in Italian restaurants in New York. It must make it hard to actually drink the coffee!

How about a washing machine that looks like a Stargate for your laundry?

Well, If you can’t ship the laundry to some alien locale, how about a washing machine that is actually a black monolith that will summon some super powerful extraterrestrials to help with the wash?

More seriously, this beauty was designed by Simona Iuculano and Ye Xiao Dong and won the Lavatrice Cinese Made In Milan design competition. There are more details (and other designs) in Iuculano’s portfolio.

Hat tip: Yanko Design which regularly reports on the latest and greatest in design.

Here’s a neat web trick: a magic gopher who mysteriously reads your mind. There’s a hint as to how he does it after the jump. (more…)

USGenWeb has put together a collection of penny postcards from all across the United States organized by state and county. These are from the grand heyday of such cards when the postage really was a penny and it was all the rage to send them to friends and relatives while traveling. Take a look at your favorite locale and see how things have changed! The one above is of the Bear Mountain Inn in Bear Mountain, NY which is still going strong.

I don’t know about you, but the photos of this 16 foot Lego aircraft carrier make me want to clear some floor space and get to work! There are more photos at brickshelf.com which specializes in photos of Lego projects.

www.museumofflight.org/

The Museum of Flight in Seattle – plenty to see here – & to encourage you to visit in person.

www.culinary.net/

Eat well, live well – that’s all there is to it. This site gives you information on doing it all, including enjoying all those little spices that may save your life.