I saw this last night and couldn’t help but add it to the blog - it’s and interactive Mood Alert system using the common Emoticon symbols to tell your spouse, partner or coworkers just what you’re feeling. It’s attached to an ethernet network jack and reachable via a dedicated IP address from a webpage or cellphone… So if you’re having a bad day at work or on the drive home just log in and telegraph you’re own little personal terror alert to the family before you get there! How’s that for preparedness. Check out other concepts from the designer at his homepage

OK, I’m not lazy… I’m just obsessed!  Obsessed

with Vitamin Living!  I cruised around their website, and they have so many more cool objects since we saw them a few months ago.  Usually when I write about a company two times in a row - I’m just lazy and don’t want to research… But this is an obsession.  Check out this I.V. Planter.  Strange? Yes.  Sort of sick? Absolutely!

The self watering pot representative of a drip feed in a hospital keeps the plant watered.  The device is approximately 10.5” tall and 17.5” in diameter.  This weird little gadget will put you out nearly $300.

I’ve never been a fan of the garden gnome.  They creep me out and remind me of the WalMart garden center.  UNTIL TODAY, that is!

While digging through vendor catalogs from our last trade show, I came across Vitamin Living , a really obscure British company that creates things that make you go “WTF!”.  Just my kind of company!  Among their cool accoutrements are the little gnomes made of bone china with VERY cool patterns… from faces to skulls and my personal favorite, angel wings.  Suitable for indoors or outdoors—each gnome is about 8 1/4” tall.

Don’t settle for boring old beige rubberbands in your office - step up to something cooler with the HandyBands - in either Ducks or People they pop back into shape when not in use

BioVault is a cutting edge secure vault using biometric finger print access; perfect for small office or home use. Made from heavy duty materials the BioVault can withstand a beating and still scan and authorized user’s fingerprint in less than 1 second. Use for securely storing handguns, ammunition or sensitive documents that you need to control access. See the video demo on the manufacturer’s website. Measures 12.5” Wide, 17.75 ” Long and 6” Deep

Illuminate your pathways at night without the need for running low voltage wires through your garden or decking. The Solar Bricks are traditional shaped flush mounted pavers that you simply swap out for existing bricks. The light comes from the LED array that gives off up to eight hours of light from its charged solar cells. No wires to run or bulbs to replace so you get years of trouble free use. Sold online in pairs for just $59.

Due to my infinite brillance - I left my digital camera cable at the apartment in Paris - look for updates when I get home tomorrow night! ... for now - it’s time to wrap up our last evening in London . CHEERS!!!

To continue my recycling mood this morning - I’ve revived this item from my files - the Biobench from Julian Lwin. Constructed from cardboard mailing tubes, locking straps and grass seed - just add water and sun and instant garden (well...almost...) Over time the tubes are intended to degrade into a mulch covered by the spreading grass.. My fear (and that of others) is that while this looks great when it’s starting and quite lovely at the end… the ‘process’ isn’t that attractive… Honestly, it’s composting...watching that happen is right up there with paint drying

Flight time is approaching as we leave a little early for 100Percent Design!  Technology is definitely improved to allow me to get this posted from a cell phone in the airport!

We’ll be bringing you some images from 100% design in London later this month!  Stay tuned.

Actually calling these ‘stickers’; doesn’t do justice to the quality, imagery or scale of these “decorative wall adhesives”; Manufactured by French company Plage they began selling wall paper in large european supermarkets in the late 1980’s but have expanded the line to images for kids rooms and now to garden imagery. While in a small apartment in France the idea of bring the outdoors into the living room is great, but I see this product mainly used in U.S. sunrooms and baths where large plates of clear glass are available who wouldn’t want to have an enormous daisy on their glass shower door! (well maybe the grass image is better.) As you can see in the product pictures, these adhesives range from 3 to 6 ft in height and varying widths based on the image - you can see the full line at http://www.plage.fr - just be aware the site is in FRENCH (one benefit of a french speaking employee on staff here); I recently spoke with their export manager while in New York and these are not yet available in the U.S. until later this year once a distribution agreement is in place. So check back if you are interested

Feathered friends dine in style.

German manufacturer Blomus introduces this new stainless steel bird feeder. for all those birds (and homeowners) not willing to settle for the mere plastic and wood models.