May 13, 2011

little things link love: odd museums to visit

The Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum, Gatlinburg, Tennessee - click image to view more

Regardless of your feelings toward any given subject matter, there’s likely someone out there who is fascinated by it.

So much so that they’ve channeled their obsession into a brick-and-mortar museum. You can do an internet search for “museum of _______” and probably find an example of someone who is, or was, curating a collection around that theme. Bananas, hammers, parasites, lunchboxes, funeral carriages… These are just a tiny handful of topics that people have been interested in enough to declare them worthy of a shrine. Here are a few that might just make you want to plan your next vacation around them:

  • Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum (Yokohama, Japan): Here in the states, ramen is usually associated with poor college students and their staple meal of choice. In Japan, it’s as common as the hamburger and revered enough to have ramen masters that perfect the creation of the noodle like an art.
  • Hair Museum (Avanos, Turkey): Collecting hair is a wee creepy in my book, but I think it’s the fact that these specimens are displayed hanging from the walls of a cave ups that feeling times ten.
  • Butter Museum (Cork, Ireland): This would be my dog’s museum visit of choice, given his affinity for licking butter stick wrappers. Learn all about how this culinary staple is one of Ireland’s top contributions.
  • Vacuum Cleaner Museum (St. James, Missouri): One of the greatest inventions for domestic housekeeping has a home in the Midwest. Find out how people cleaned their floors before electricity and then pick up your very own contraption at the factory outlet.
  • The Sulabh International Museum of Toilets (Delhi, India): While the first thought of this museum is one of giggles, there’s actually a deeper purpose behind it. Not only does it showcase unique loos, it also serves to educate about the history and manufacture of the device and address the importance of well-functioning sanitation systems in the world.

What other museums of oddity do you recommend?

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May 6, 2011

little things link love: ways to make your bike your own

Rooster headbadge by Tangerine Treehouse - click image to view more

May is National Bike Month!

Cycling is becoming increasingly popular again across the U.S., taking cues from overseas cities like Amsterdam and local ones like Portland, Oregon. The benefits of cycling are many, including exercise, environmental friendliness, and an alternative to crazy gas prices. There are also social benefits to getting out on two wheels, like meeting other cyclists and seeing your city from a new perspective.

The League of American Bicyclists is sponsoring National Bike Month in the U.S. and their site has many ideas and ways to promote the celebration in your area. By doing an internet search, you can find tweed rides popping up all over the place, which put a nostalgic, vintage spin on velo outings, complete with old-timey dressing up. Local social bike groups and clubs are also a good way to connect with your community.

Regardless of your cycling style, why not make your bike reflect your personality? There are tons of options and vendors available to deck out everything from handlebar to tail light, and it’s yet another opportunity to support those that are handmade and eco-friendly. I just got a brand new bike for the first time since I saw my sweet fuschia ten-speed next to the Christmas tree when I was ten years old. Or maybe that was the year I got my shiny red bowling ball with my name on it… Those 80s were such a blur. Either way, I can’t wait to make her all purdy-like.

Check out these fine purveyors and put some spin on your spinner!

Tangerine Treehouse – Handmade metal headbadges are a great way to add some flair to your frame. Laura Crawford can make one custom for you or you can opt for her signature handlebar mustache badge.

Walnut Studiolo – Walnut makes beautiful, handstitched leather accessories to hold your goods and protect your stuff, including holsters for your U-lock and your sippy cup.

Bates Crates – These handmade, environmentally-friendly wooden
crates just scream “let’s go to market”.

Betty Basket Liners – Even if you’ve got a bland metal wire basket, why not slap a liner down that gives it some color and punch? Betty makes ones that double as happenin’ handbags.

Kara Ginther – Kara Ginther hand-tools beautiful designs on leather. Some of her most amazing work is done on Brooks leather saddles, which are almost too sexy to sit on.

Worlds Best Bike Stickers – Add a little lightheartedness to your bike with decals that are also reflective.

MyBikeNumber.com – No matter how much you try to make your bike unique and identifiable, there is always the lingering chance that someone else may try to take it home. Help make recovery a little easier by registering your bike serial and frame numbers so you have them handy for police and insurance needs. Your profile can also include photos and other important dates and information.

How do you like to customize your ride?

 

Filed Under: Link Love, little things Tagged With: , , 5 Comments
April 29, 2011

little things link love: ways to bee friendly

Sweet No. 1 - Encaustic beeswax painting by Michelle Pryor Art - click image to view more

It’s called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), and if you haven’t thought much about it before, you should.

At an alarming rate and high number, honeybee colonies around the world are dying off, especially in the large crop areas of the United States. While there are suspicions as to why this is happening (pesticides and viruses play a role), the true culprit has not been confirmed.

What does this mean to you?

Do you like to eat? Honeybees are responsible for gathering pollen and distributing it among crop flowers. Without honeybees, crops are less productive. Without productive crops, food supplies face shortages. With shortages in the food supply… well, you get the picture, I hope. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one in three bites of food that we eat benefits from honeybee pollination. To add to the issue, the growing human population and demand for more food is requiring more work from the bees.

This is not just a farmer’s problem; it is everyone’s problem. Farmer’s aren’t the only ones who can help with a solution, either. There are simple things that you can do to help honeybees thrive and steer the boat in the right direction.

  • Plant flowers that attract honeybees: By building a pesticide-free, bee-friendly garden, you can give the wingers a place to stock up on pollen. Read up on bee-friendly gardens and which flowers work best. Some stores like Whole Foods also sell packets of seeds with flowers specifically for this purpose.
  • Buy local honey: Brands that are shipped in from other countries are often treated to delay crystallization. Buying local not only supports your beekeepers who produce it, but did you know that eating locally-sourced honey reportedly helps alleviate allergies? (Be sure to read up on that topic more before diving in with your spoon, please!) You can scan labels in the store to find out where your honey comes from, and in the U.S., The Honey Locator will show apiaries in your state.
  • HelptheHoneyBees.com: Ice cream maker Häagen-Dazs is leading a charge to make people aware of CCD and its effects. They’ve even created this entire site dedicated to the cause, which is packed with information about how they are, and you can, help. Gooserock Farm has a page of incredible tidbits and Biobees.com has a free printable of 10 things you can do to help the honeybees.
  • Learn: There are myths surrounding honeybees that make them the target of unwarranted attacks by humans. Pesticides in your garden are one of the greatest threats to honeybees at all times. Beeswax candles can help reduce air pollution in your home. These and other tasty nuggets of info are awaiting you on the interwebs. Get concerned and get informed.

What are your favorite honeybee products, recipes, or ways to help the cause?

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April 22, 2011

little things link love: easter time!

Chester the Bunny by Chicken Lips Folk Art - click image to view more

Hippity-hoppity, my friends… Easter is on its way.

This Sunday is Easter, primarily the high holy day of Christianity mashed up with ancient pagan spring-timey themes. In my little world, it’s also one point in the candy-stash quartet of holidays, alongside Valentine’s Day, Halloween, and Christmas.

(Ever wonder why the date changes all the time? Look for the first Sunday following the first full moon after the spring equinox.)

Here’s a mix of fun ways to commemorate the day:

White House Easter Egg Roll – If you’re around the Washington, D.C. area and have a kid age 12 or under, you can tote them over to the White House lawn for some outdoor fun and games with the Obamas. This year’s festivities take place on Monday, April 25.

Martha Stewart Egg Dyeing 101 – Ms. Queen o’ Crafts has a new iTunes app that gives you tutorials on 101 different ways to deck out your eggs, including formulas for making an array of your own dyes. I just downloaded it, and it’s pretty nifty.

Hatch Design Egg Coloring Contest – Once Martha has schooled you in the ways of the dye, see if you can win a trophy for your work. Hatch Design in San Francisco is currently running their 4th annual easter egg coloring contest. Submit your own for review or vote on the entries. Winner gets a 24 karat gold-plated egg cup trophy. If anything, check out the very fun site they put together for it.

My House Rabbit - Thinking about bringing home an Easter bunny to love all year round? Be sure to visit My House Rabbit to see if it would be a good fit and how to take care of your new ball of fur.

The Washington Post‘s Peeps Show V – Always a good time, the 5th annual Peeps Show winner and runners up were just revealed last week. Take a look at the slide show of some really great interpretations of what these sugar lumps can become. My favorite = The Mupeeps Show!

Easter Candy Recipes – Wanna make your own Peeps? AllRecipes.com offers up an array of Eastertime candy tutorials that include instructions on crafting your own piped and sugared chicks.

What traditions do you observe for the holiday?

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April 15, 2011

little things link love: ways to make every day earth day

Dewy by Scatterbox - click image to view more

Next Friday, April 22 is the 41st celebration of Earth Day.

More than ever, we all need to take measures to reduce the incredible amount of waste we produce and the energy we use. The trouble is that for a lot of people, it’s more a matter of convenience than principle, especially when it comes to recycling. People are just too lazy. Often, they don’t have a true understanding of the impact their little actions make, especially when multiplied by the amount of people on the planet.

You don’t have to wait until next week to make a difference. There are simple behaviors everyone can adopt that don’t stress out your day. One of the simplest things you can do are turning off water when you aren’t using it, like when brushing your teeth, or not letting the shower run for a long time before you get in. My personal favorite is unplugging. If you charge your phone and disconnect the plug from the device… but not from the wall… there is still electricity feeding through the cord. For an extra split second, you can take the plug out of the wall and conserve. I make a habit to unplug just about everything in the house, even lamps, until they’re ready to be used.

Every step you make towards a more eco-responsible lifestyle really does add up. Here are some sites to check out that can give you the tips, resources, and information you need to make these choices.

Earth911 – Probably my favorite go-to site, Earth911 will show you how and where in your neighborhood you can recycle your waste, and shares insightful articles and information about the state of recycling efforts today.

Earth Day Network - This site has a large amount of resources for implementing and participating in earth-friendly events near you. Check out the Billion Acts of Green page to declare your support.

Treehugger – Treehugger will show you how to green up all aspects of your life, from cars to architecture, food to fashion.

Pure Green Magazine – A free digital magazine out of Canada that guides you towards stylish living with a conscience.

Precycle by Tonic – Junk mail is a huge culprit in adding to daily waste. Sign up for their program to help reduce the amount of wasted paper in your mailbox.

Tapped – I have been sucking up documentaries like crazy lately, and this is one of the most eye-opening. If you are addicted to the plastic water bottle, or even if you’ve broken the habit, this is a movie you must see to really understand how this little product wreaks havoc in more ways than one.

What are your favorite green tips or documentaries?

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