Soopsori: Handmade, Eco-Friendly, Beautiful Toys

Posted on May 2, 2009 by Cristina Foung .

As we know, kids put all sorts of stuff in their mouths.  While you can’t always stop them from tasting their toys, you can choose eco-friendly and organic toys without nasty chemicals.  I was lucky enough to receive some wooden toys from a Korean company called Soopsori.  Soopsori’s toys are handmade from sustainably harvested wood [...]

Craft Project: Wino Corkboard

Posted on February 2, 2009 by Becky Striepe .

We love to entertain. Folks come over at least a couple of nights a week to hang out, and they almost always bring a bottle of wine. Combine that with my habit of saving anything that looks like it could possibly become part of a craft project, and you have a really, really [...]

Rethinking Design: the Splinter Wooden Supercar

Posted on January 6, 2009 by Matt Embrey .

For over a year now, Joe Harmon and his crew of graduate students from North Carolina State University have been building the Splinter, a “Supercar” made mostly from wood. This car is Joe’s NC State Master’s thesis, a project which he explains is a “scholastic endeavor in which we are simply trying to explore [...]

Reclaimed, Restored, Recycled Bowling Lanes

Posted on December 20, 2008 by Doug Gunzelmann .

Counter Evolution out of NYC is scavenging discarded bowling alley lane wood and crafting heavy duty tables, chairs, and bars. The gloriously finished wood was milled over a century ago in some cases and has amazing character.

Log Bowls by Doha Chebib

Posted on December 9, 2008 by Doug Gunzelmann .

These log bowls use leftover waste wood from storm damage, landscaping, and development work. They are lined with acrylic and gloss finish and come in a myriad of colors and sizes.

Sustainable Yo-Yo a Metaphor for Sustainable Design

Posted on November 7, 2008 by Matt Embrey .

The Yo-Yo itself is a metaphor for sustainable design.  When you release the Yo-Yo with skill and care, it comes back allowing you to continue to enjoy the benefits over and over again, expelling little energy.  If you just throw the thing out there with reckless abandon it’ll get all tangled up into a big [...]

Nature Inspired USB Sticks

Posted on October 4, 2008 by Samantha Tackeff .

Studio OOOMS, a quirky design firm from the Netherlands has come up with a way to bring nature back into the office with their Wooden USB stick. At just over a hundred dollars, they aren’t cheap, but consider it a functional piece of art. They can be found here in the U.S. at the Cooper [...]

Natural Entwined Root Coat Stand

Posted on May 6, 2008 by Matt Embrey .

Upgrade: $259

Here is an interesting coat rack that will add to your natural decor.  The Entwined Root Coat Rack, by Viva Terra, is hand made by selecting roots and trunks then nailing the pieces together in this serpentine manner.  This is great because it is all natural, and a unique alternative to a [...]

Rockin’ Eco Style with Les Paul Exotic Wood Guitars

Posted on March 21, 2008 by Matt Embrey .

Upgrade: $1275

Gibson matched their commitment to legendary quality & sound with their commitment to the environment in their SmartWood line of Guitars.  The Les Paul SmartWood Guitars are made from the worlds most beautiful and desirable wood, all harvested from managed renewable forests and certified by the Rainforest Alliance.  These models are all [...]