Blue Strawberry

I'll Only Have a Salad

2013-02-09T19:46:00.001-08:00

Daily Dishonesty, a lovely project by Lauren Nicole Hom, reminds us of the lies we tell ourselves everyday. 3 hours of sleep though - 3 hours of sleep is totally enough!

For some reason this project reminded me of "They should make bigger wine bottles, so it's enough for 2 people" joke I recently heard from a friend. FINE. I didn't hear it from a friend. I read it on Facebook from someone I can barely remember.

More on Daily Dishonesty, spotted on Swiss Miss

Impress Me with Your Fridge

2012-09-26T10:08:00.003-07:00

Aren't we all a little tired of people trying to impress us with their cars and houses? Not to mention those who still think owning a Mac product is extraordinary cool. How about we unite and make more everyday products more impressive?

Electrolux is way ahead of us - encouraging students all around the world to come up with innovative application of Electrolux designs with their Design Lab contest. Impress Fridge was one of the finalist. I mean... just look at this thing:

If this ever goes beyond the concept stage, I am buying a bar just to have it in there. I can already see ridiculously overpriced champagne and appetizers coming out of those slots.

"Why I come to this bar, you say? - Oh, they have the coolest fridge"

For more amazing design concepts, visit Electrolux Design Lab 2012

I'll Make Your Eyes Hurt Just a Little

2012-09-23T20:00:00.000-07:00

Not with this one! The eye hurting pick is below the fold.. So scroll down, if you dare!

Gaming media identity is one of a kind, if you ask me. Clear and distinct design is not something you often see with games - surprisingly! And oh, that pencil. Cupid just got my heart.

Are we ready for some spinning? I had a blast watching this. It may, or may not have been 20 minutes of staring.

Gotta love the small variations as well.. Which one is your favorite? I'm leaning towards the ones that don't look like food..

Spotted on Behance

Strawberry Sushi: No distractions

2012-09-22T17:37:00.002-07:00

Because fish are the best animals. They do not talk. They don't really do anything, but that's just me being picky. Point is - fish are the best pets out there to put in (on?) a phone booth. No distractions, no interruptions. And you feel much less lonely, too.

Peekaboo! Oh, too cute this is. I need a fish tank.

Spotted on the best blog of all time - This Isn't Happiness

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Strawberry Sushi is a series of posts dedicated to the wonderful designs from the far away lands of Japan. I like to view these series as designs united under the motto: "If I lived in Japan, I would buy one in each color". Strawberry Sushi comes out every Saturday.

Cool balls

2012-09-21T13:18:00.003-07:00

I don't really know what is the meaning of those balls being the location where they are, but it looks pretty damn cool.

This makes me regret not going to art school once again. Everything I have to do has to be justified with Power Point. And I don't think there is a template out there that could justify this... Although, who knows...

Spotted on Sweet Station

Softer and Sweeter

2012-09-17T10:09:00.000-07:00

Hair, that is. For your lovely dog.

Besides the catchy visual, this print ad is simply lovely due to the perfect definition of the target audience. Our of all dog owners, which ones are most likely to use conditioner on their dogs? That's right, the owners of ~~pink~~ Pomeranians.

Spotted on Daily Inspiration

Sun is Good for Your iPhone

2012-09-11T13:49:00.001-07:00

Who said it makes no sense to spend a sunny day indoors charging your phone? With the new Window Cling Solar Charger, you'd simply 'clip' the battery onto the window and enjoy an eco-friendly battery fill. Maybe even go outside while it's charging. Or play with your computer.

This device is equipped with a 1,300 mAh luthium battery. Pop quiz! How fast would it charge my my iPhone 4G S? Cause I have no idea.

Spotted on Enpundit, available on Amazon($69.95)

History of New York in 50 Objects

2012-09-03T18:51:00.001-07:00

Happy back to school! Let Blue Strawberry educate you once in a forever, too. The other day I came across a beautiful picture of my favorite bagel in the world - the salmon cream cheese one. And yes I was introduced to it by my jewish ex boyfriend, in case you were wondering. The bagel ended up being part of the 'History of New York in 50 Objects' project...

If only they taught history this way in high schools! I would have known, then, that...

"The first known mention of the bagel dates from 1610 in the community regulations of Krakow, Poland. The world’s biggest bagel factory is in Illinois. Still, no other food is so associated with New York as the “Jewish English muffin,” which spread from the Lower East Side in the early 20th century. “Pizza belongs to America now,” Josh Ozersky, a food writer, said, “but the bagel was always the undisputed property of New York.”

A few more teasers... The cabbies & 9/11 dust:

Check out the rest of the pictures on New York Times website

Stamping LDN

2012-07-26T12:28:00.000-07:00

I am gonna have to admit - these took me a while to figure out. Not sure if it was a long day, or the stamps were purposely designed to make you stare at them for longer than 2 seconds, but there was some brain/eye work involved.

So, what are we thinking? There may not be a better way to showcase the Olympics / London connection, yet the sophistication angle still bothers me a bit. Borderline, perhaps?

Well, one thing for sure - the stamps are way better than the logo. But that wasn't much of a challenge to begin with.

And how young does the queen's profile look? One more reason to love your non-royal heritage - once you age, there won't be a stamp image reminding you what a hottie you once were.

Spotted on Designboom

Don't Ignore the Monuments

2012-07-23T08:45:00.000-07:00

Street sculpture is, perhaps, my least favorite form of art. This does not have much to do with the form of art per se, but rather its old fashioned nature. Too 'appropriate', too 'formal' - if you ask me. Yet, there is hope! Or at least one decent monument. Introducing: The Seeder:

What I am curious about is whether this monument has permanent light that turns on during the night, or if the shadow is just randomly created by street lights. In the latter case... how would they make sure it's in the right 'place'? And even in the former... how do you avoid random lights messing up the current shadow? Umm.

Know where this monument is located? Leave a comment - I'd love to know as well!

via Sweet Station

Roaches Getting Comfy

2012-07-03T09:08:00.000-07:00

Too much of a sucker for urban marketing campaigns I am... Even when they involve something as boring as a cockroach poison spray...

Just look at those little things... Look at them eat... Look at them sleep.. Do you really want to kill them? You bastard.

Good job Doom! Love the campaign, but you will not gain my full support until someone invents a poison for spiders. Yeah I do know we can kill all their food and get rid of them that way, but they will creep the hell out of you (or at least me) until that happens. So, please? Cool roaches though.

Spotted on I Believe in Adv

Instaglasses

2012-06-20T09:52:00.000-07:00

How great would it be to see the world in vintage filters? Instaglasses offer you an opportunity to do so! Simply press the button to take a picture, and an Instagram icon (right over your nose) will start the magic.

Oh what the world would become if this concept was made into reality.. And had a location tagging built into it... I bet we could be looking at a good Insta summit mid-summer.

Speaking of Instagram... Am I the only late adopter who has just recently discovered that Instagram now has a full-blown and extremely addicting social media aspect built into it?

via Design You Trust, concept developed by Markus Gerke

Bardot - Advanced Ice Cream Technologies

2012-06-19T14:00:00.000-07:00

Bardot, formally known as Advanced Ice Cream Technologies, is a boutique ice cream purveyor from Mexico. While the previous name does not sound nearly as sexy as the new one, a quick look at the products would give you a complete idea of where it is coming from.

The logo adds an indulgence element to the brand, which is perfectly complimented by their shopping bags, plastic cups, and of course, the products themselves. My only concern is that for quite a few of us, this identity might be easier associated with something closer to a lingerie store. But then again, I bet that once you try that ice-cream... you will never associate lips with a sex shop again.

The final selling point for me was the iPad app (oh how I wish I actually had an iPad to play with it!) and the little lip detail on the front doors (did you spot it?). Definitely a winner.

Spotted on Designspiration and Dieline

Never Get Off Facebook

2012-06-18T06:46:00.000-07:00

... Not that I ever do, right now - but that's secondary.

What is the main purpose for your smartphone? Out of everyone I know, most use it as an email/texting/facebooking device much more often than they actually make calls. Calls are annoying. They involve interaction. They are unpredictable. You have to give answers right away. Who wants that. It's so 2000s.

Thus, as crazy as this little device may seem, there might actually be a decent market for it. If people stop pretending to be professional and start showing their real, profile pic, faces.

Would you get a device like this? Think again.. There's an Instagram button..

Spotted on Yanko Design

Walk Those Gums

2012-06-13T18:04:00.001-07:00

When I think of $2,240 shoes, the last thing that comes to mind is a pair of sneakers with gum stuck to the heel... Yet, here we are, looking at one of Kobi Levi's latest creations:

Surprised? For the most part... yes, I am.

Yet something that could make this little shoe feel like it's indeed, just a cheap abandoned sneaker on the cross walk, is one of the world's most expensive handbags, introduced by Louis Vuitton a few years ago.

This urban satchel was going for $150,000 at the time of the introduction - and yes, it, too, had a gum-like substance stuck to it. Wrigley must be generating billions these days!

Spotted on Incredible Things

Fresh Guacamole - No, Not the Recipe

2012-03-13T17:30:00.000-07:00

A sweet little cartoon by PES transforms familiar objects into fresh guacamole.

As it turns out, the new cartoon is just an elaboration on the previous Western Spagetti:

Which one do you like most? Personally, much more of a guacamole girl, despite Spagetti's long list of awards, including:

- 2009 Sundance Film Festival Winner
- TIME Magazine voted #2 Viral Video of the Year
- 2009 Audience Award, Annecy Animation Festival

Spotted on Wimp and If It's Hip, It's Here

Perfect Gift for Your Man

2012-03-12T18:10:00.000-07:00

Oh how I wish I saw this a few weeks before! This retro iPhone, iPad, and credit card holder is as manly as it can be, on a scale from Barbie doll to Hemingway. Plus, it keeps everything together, and takes the absolute minimal space in the pocket - what man doesn't love that? If only it also had a Moleskine attached to it as well...

Also available in a variation with a flip pocket, for those who prefer to carry some cash around (weirdos...shhh!):

Available on Etsy ($99 and $149)

Cloud Promotion

2012-03-11T17:53:00.000-07:00

This little promotional piece by Cloud Inc., an Australian design studio, reminds me of the 'Fresh Icelandic Air in a Jar'- so hot a few years ago. Though I have to admit that this one is much more adorable. And puffy.

Handpicked Cloud in a packet...

Spotted on Lovely Package

Strawberry Sushi: Empty Bottle

2012-03-10T16:56:00.000-08:00

It seems I have completely abandoned Strawberry Sushi, what a shame... It has always been my favorite column on this blog! Thus, we're back. And we brought a bottle:

Hum Blanc by Japanese Motomeno, is 'an empty bottle with a lot of wonderful memories in it'.

Available at Rakuten (~$43.05), via LikeCool

Moon Glass

2012-03-09T11:08:00.000-08:00

Never thought I'd be craving rice wine, but here I am now... With a moon glass on my desktop, trying to think of a non-rice wine beverage with a milky color and creamy texture that would fill up this grass.

Perhaps tea with milk? Personally, not a fan of the taste, but would look wonderful in the moon glass by Tale Co.:

Luckily for those of us who prefer dark-colored drinks, there is now a white version as well. Little small to satisfy my tea thirst, though. And morning coffee? I need about twice as much. So maybe I should pick up some rice wine, after all.

Spotted on Design Milk

8th of Flower

2012-03-08T16:23:00.001-08:00

Happy International Women's Day to all the beautiful, yet geeky enough to stop by my website, ladies! Keep on rockin.

Picture spotted on Behance

How Much is the Back-lighted Apple Worth?

2012-03-07T13:47:00.000-08:00

Quick disclaimer: I don't know a thing about computers, so I am going to talk like a girl who likes to type on something pretty.

Ever since I started grad school, a lighter laptop has been on my 'when I get just a tiinnnsy bit reacher' shopping list. My Dell Studio, though a perfect, red color, when combined with two fat textbooks is slightly heavier than my poor back can carry on a daily basis.

Naturally, I thought Mac Air. So great, so sexy yet.. so out of budget especially for those of us whose iPhone financial wounds have not healed quite yet. And as ashamed as the blogging community will be of me when I say this, I am just too lazy (I'd love to say 'busy', but honesty should be appreciated, right?) to learn how to properly operate Mac OS.

Now, what are the alternatives these days? Lenovo came out with a 'Mac Air killer' (reminds me of a the iPhone killer wannabes circa 2009).. But I can't possibly buy a computer from a manufacturer who's name sounds like a distant Bulgarian village. Toshiba Portege? Not sexy enough. HP Folio? Too fat. Acer Aspire, Asus Zenbook? Wrong shades of grey (I warned you, in that very first sentence).

So, I went back to the the long forgotten, currently owned Dell. And oh, what a pleasure it was to discover this newly released, slightly cloned but who am I to judge, Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook:

As surprising as it is, Dell's Ultrabook actually tops Mac Air in some areas that matter. To me. Like weight, touch, feel, battery life, and nighttime performance. There was something about actual performance too, but I will leave that part for people who actually understand laptops.

Now, let's talk touch and feel. Dell's Ultrabook is extremely durable due to the machine-cut aluminium lid, which, according to Dell, is 'as durable as stunning'... Won't take Dell's word for a fact until I drop it a few times (oh come on, it's not a baby). However, as a slight neat freak, I have to point out that cleaning aluminium should be way easier than cleaning whatever unicorn skin current Dell Studio covers are made off.

Dell also managed to fit a bigger screen into a smaller frame, that saves space and, obviously - weights less. And yes, when I say smaller, I mean smaller than Mac Air, even though Dell, as a perfect gentlemen, only implied it.

It wakes up in 1 second and stays cold even when it's hot inside... If only I could do the same...

Finally, it is the backlit keyboard and glass touchpad that completely melted my heart. I will be able to blog in the dark, you say? Complete darkness? With my computer lighting the way through the internet? Oh my, I need to teach myself how to get full night's sleep in 4 hours now.

Did I mention 8 hours of battery life? Yeah, wouldn't mind those during trips.

My only question now is... will the Dell logo look as good next to my Starbucks cup as the back-lighted Apple does? And if no, is that apple worth at least $600 more? Hm, food for thought.

Click here to learn more about Dell's XPS 13 Ultrabook

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This post has NOT been sponsored. Believe in love and honesty, muggles.

To Do...

2012-03-06T12:22:00.003-08:00

New, lovely notebooks from Cool Material - with a pinch of aggression:

Teammates were slightly surprised when I posted this on Facebook during our team meeting... But hey; it's so cute, and the meeting was so boring - not my fault!

Though I am a firm believer in blogging over buying, let me know how if purchasing this guy positevely affects your productivity - might get myself one as well.

Available on Cool Material ($9.95)

Live the HemingWay

2012-02-29T18:46:00.000-08:00

Anyone else annoyed by the fact that we now have to worry about cover pictures on Facebook as well? As if profile ones and the statuses themselves were not enough stress to deal with. That's double the time waste! Yet, once in a while, after failing to find the portrait of Hemindway large enough to be used a cover picture... we find this:

How wonderful is that?

via The Dapper Dude

Corona - Naked and Embarrassed

2012-02-27T18:37:00.000-08:00

Cool series of ads from Corona - the naked one just made my day:

via Thaeger