*notcot - 03.20.15 , 13:33 -

Pingüi of Flor de Lis, Guatemala City

pinguino00.jpg An incredible thing happened when i was in Guatemala. While there for the wedding, i received the most intriguing @NOTlabs Instagram comment - from a long time NOTCOT reader, who is not only an old school friend of the bride, but also such a fan of the Puma Penguins i shared back in 2009, that when he couldn’t find any, he started to sculpt his own inspired by them! … and even made a red one the mascot of his new restaurant in Guatemala City, Flor de Lis (which also happens to be #1 on Trip Advisor currently.) And with a few hours to spare in Guatemala City before heading home, we were lucky enough to meet up! So before i get into the delicious restaurant, or more of the things we found in Guatemala… first things first… the amazing story of Pingüi! The mascot of Flor de Lis! And it goes even further… Chef Diego even has the penguin tattooed on his forearm! And they are even making more mini penguins for the upcoming wedding!

So. WOW. I still can’t believe all of this has been inspired by spotting some penguins in Puma window displays way back in 2009. Puma, if you’re listening, THANK YOU! The penguins are still inspiring people around the world! Take a peek at Pingüi and the story on the next page!

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*notcot - 03.03.15 , 11:03 -

Unfinished Business Movie Stock Photos

unfinished0.jpg HA! I couldn’t stop giggling when i saw these over at Adweek … In a brilliant move, Twentieth Century Fox and iStock by Getty Images have created a set of 12 stock photos featuring the cast of Unfinished Business - including Vince Vaughn, Tom Wilkinson, and Dave Franco. How much do you want to bet that you’ll start seeing these guys pop up in generic pamphlets, website placeholders, and unknowing poorly designed official looking company paraphernalia? I’m almost surprised there isn’t a lorem ipsum generator that is the story of the movie in pig latin to to pair with the stock photos for mock ups. They are releasing a few a week for free download, see the rest of the set on the next page.

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*notcot - 02.28.15 , 12:00 -

Parks Canada Logos - Cave and Basin

cnplogos0.jpg This post is part of our special NOTCOT Alberta Great Escape series thanks to our friends at Travel Alberta. In Part I, we roadtripped up from LA for a fall adventure. In Part II, we are experiencing all that Alberta Winter has to offer! Follow the series to see what inspires us along the way!

Going through tons of pictures from our Alberta winter adventure the hardest part is deciding what to share! So many stories, so many things we’ve seen and done… so using my fall back question for post decision making: “Would I want 90 year old me to remember this?” - I have to share this amazing wall of Parks Canada Logos i saw at the Cave and Basin National Historic Site, the birthplace of Canada’s National Parks! I love a good logo, especially simple animal ones… and their evolution of their current beaver is fascinating! There are also some great mountain goats, big horn sheep, bears, bison, mountains, and more… check them out on the next page!

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*notcot - 02.19.15 , 00:05 -

Making Cutting Boards with Oliver Apt

_cutting0.jpg This post is part of our special NOTCOT Alberta Great Escape series thanks to our friends at Travel Alberta. In Part I, we roadtripped up from LA for a fall adventure. In Part II, we are experiencing all that Alberta Winter has to offer! Follow the series to see what inspires us along the way!

I made a cutting board! On fun ways to explore a city and get to know the people and find out more about life - i’ve now learned that a workshop is incredible! Edmonton Tourism definitely knows how to appeal to our designer side by mixing in a special Oliver Apt Cutting Board Workshop into our itinerary. While at first glance i wasn’t sure how it fit in… after the fact? Genius move!

Firstly, the workshop is with Oliver Apt and the founder, 3rd generation carpenter, Landon Schedler, who beyond knowing just about everyone in the creative community, has a portfolio that nearly completely overlaps the Edmonton ‘must try’ lists! (i.e. Woodwork, Meat, Duchess Bake Shop) Also, how awesome is it to not only get to tour someone else’s studio, but to also try out their tools? Secondly, a magical thing happens when you have a physical goal/project in front of you. As much as all parties want to focus on the tour and interview or talk about their work… the common goal occupying your hands and mind - somehow makes the conversation far more fluid - and fun! I learned more about the local creative community and the inspiring people and culture of Edmonton in that few hours making a cutting board, than most of my trip!

And the bonus? Cutting board! Which will always make me think of my Alberta winter adventures! And it’s hand made by me… with the clear expertise of years of woodworking know how from Landon. While i definitely learned a lot about wood, tools, laminating, planing, and more… perhaps throwing a workshop is the ultimate humblebrag. It’s only when you TRY to do what experts do, that you realize just how amazing experts really are!

Ready for a peek into the Oliver Apt wood shop/studio and a step by step look at how to make your own faceted cutting board on the next page!

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*notcot - 02.02.15 , 15:25 -

NOTCOT on Instagram

insta0.jpg As more of more of the random day to day inspiration ends up on our @NOTlabs Instagram - it seems like a shame not to share it here with more context! So here’s a peek at everything from trying out the leather MOD organizer from This Is Ground to the fun concrete dog dish and minis from IN.SEK Design… trying out the new Plumen 002 bulb in our lasered cardboard light to adventures with my new Samsung Slide-In Gas Range/Convection Oven… and of course more adventures tinkering with the NOTFZJ80 which is getting some electronics upgrades and perhaps a baja trip? See it all and more on the next page!

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*notcot - 01.25.15 , 18:13 -

FREE UNIVERSAL CONSTRUCTION KIT: Cooper Hewitt

uck0.jpg Time flies! Remember when we went with the Free Universal Construction Kit to Linz, Austria in 2012 for Ars Electronica? Well, on exciting news, the Free Universal Construction Kit that NOTlabs’ own Shawn Sims and our friend, Golan Levin, created is currently on display at the Cooper Hewitt Museum in the Beautiful Users Exhibition in all it’s 3D printed awesomeness. While you can’t play with them - it is so great to see the creative multi-toy sculpture they’ve created with the super brick! It’s thrilling to see that it is still inspiring and instigating people all over the world.

While friends have been sending us cell phone pictures when they run into it… i’ve still been curious to see more! Though we’re LONG overdue for a NY trip, i got so impatient i asked via social media if anyone going could help take some pictures, and Evelyn Frison was kind enough to answer the call! … and pictures just landed in my inbox! Check it out on the next page!

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*notcot - , 12:10 -

Kelly Denato #drinkanddraw

denato1.jpg One of my favorite things on Instagram has become Kelly Denato’s @NoPunchBacks #drinkanddraw. While her paintings are stunning (see two of my favorites on the next page!) - the playful post of a blank page and a glass of wine, etc. asking for ideas - is just so fun! It turns into beautiful interpretations of the randomest suggestions from all over the world in real time adding a fun layer to interactions and inspiration coming through my feed.

Above? Her interpretation of my random suggestion of an “Anglerfish luring in hummingbirds” ~ which turned into awesome hummingbird seahorses! See a few more on the next page - and be sure to follow Kelly @NoPunchBacks on Instagram to catch the next one!

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*notcot - 01.22.15 , 21:15 -

Círculo de Oro 25: Publicis Mexico

circulo0.jpg WOW. Congrats are in order for Publicis Mexico! Last month at the 25th Festival Círculo de Oro 2014 Advertising Awards in Acapulco - Publicis Mexico really cleaned up on awards! They received 3 Grand Prix, 18 Gold, 14 Silver and 12 Bronzes… in addition to Agency Of The YEAR!

And remember our 3D printed NESCAFÉ Alarm Cap (which awakens you to the smell of coffee!) that we (NOTlabs!) created with the Publicis Mexico Innovation Lab? It won 9 Golds and the 3 Grand Prix Awards (in Design, Innovation, and Direct)! We’ve been ridiculous giddy to see how far the caps have gone, and they were such a brilliant and hardworking team to work with. Oh - and this all comes on top of the NESCAFÉ Alarm Cap being Short Listed for the 2014 Cannes Lion in Dimensional Mailing as well!

In addition to being giddy about how well received the project has been - advertising awards come in some pretty strange forms… I must say i’m quite smitten with the Círculo de Oro awards - their truncated cuboctahedron awards to celebrate 25 years are stunning! It has 12 square faces, 8 regular hexagonal faces, 6 regular octagonal faces all with circles cut out of each face. Take a look at the details of the awards, a peek via instagram of the event, and more on the next page!

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*notcot - 12.24.14 , 22:58 -

Concrete Cowries of Melik Ohanian

cowry0.jpg Instagram (or any social media?) can lead to fun and unexpected connections and inspiration. In this case - i was following GrayShape’s explorations of Miami Art Basel, and he posted these awesome huge concrete cowries, which are one of my favorite shells! And i had to know more… So a few comments and emails later, he sent over more info and more pictures!

Turns out that they are “Shell” by Melik Ohanian at Galerie Chantal Crousel, Edition of 3 + AP. See more pictures he sent over on the next page! Thanks, GrayShape!

p.s. if you want to see my daily life/randomness, find me on instagram - @NOTlabs

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*notcot - 12.11.14 , 11:42 -

NOTCOT.org Roundup

roundup notcotorg #58852 notcotorg #58848 notcotorg #58824 notcotorg #58818 notcotorg #58817 notcotorg #58839 notcotorg #58844 notcotorg #58828 notcotorg #58845 notcotorg #58843 notcotorg #58833 notcotorg #58826 notcotorg #58857 notcotorg #58858 notcotorg #58840 notcotorg #58829 notcotorg #58854 notcotorg #58825 notcotorg #58831 notcotorg #58849 notcotorg #58842 notcotorg #58830 notcotorg #58847 notcotorg #58821 notcotorg #58820 Inspiration of the week from NOTCOT.org!!! Explore and click the squares to find out more!

*rugenius - 10.09.14 , 13:00 -

Designersblock London Edition 17

designersblockMAIN.jpg Here’s the latest from NOTCOT’s London-based editor and resident zoologist, Justine Aw as she explores the 2014 London Design Festival.

The 17th edition of Designersblock as part of this year’s London Design Festival at the The Old Sessions House, an 18th-century courthouse on Clerkenwell Green. The best use of the space was the Glowing Oak from Plumen found on the top of four flights of stairs! They transplanted a whole oak up there magically illuminated… breath taking! And on the way there, of course the courthouse was filled with quite the contrast of stunning, playful modern designs inspiring us throughout… see all the beautiful details on the next page!

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*rugenius - 10.07.14 , 00:29 -

100% Norway 2014

norwayness.jpg Here’s the latest from NOTCOT’s London-based editor and resident zoologist, Justine Aw as she explores the 2014 London Design Festival.

So much fun, playful wooden design shown at 100% Norway by the Bergen Academy of Art and Design at Tent London this year! Everything from an adorable elephant stool/sorting system to a collapsible playhouse, beautiful stool, canned hiking happiness, and more. See my favorites on the next page!

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*rugenius - , 00:12 -

Poligon’s Foldable Metal Creatures

foldedanimals.jpg Here’s the latest from NOTCOT’s London-based editor and resident zoologist, Justine Aw as she explores the 2014 London Design Festival.

The London Design Festival provided some great opportunities to see some of the great designs we’ve heard about! I was thrilled to find Poligon exhibiting at Designjunction and have a chance to see their incredible flat-sheet foldable metal sculptures in person and to meet RCA grads Rodrigo Solorzano/N&R Foldings and Matthew White. The first series included a gorilla, elephant, whale and penguin. In addition to those, they were showing off the new insect series following a successful Kickstarter campaign. Production is currently underway for supporters and will hopefully be available to the wider public soon!

How easy is assembly? “The metal sculptures arrive in flat sheet form. The individual components are chemically etched to produce perfectly cut parts. We have also etched in fold lines which makes it very easy to fold and to achieve great results. Magnets are already fixed onto the sheet so that the individual elements of the sculpture are rapidly assembled into the final piece. We have developed the process into something that can be achieved by hand, with no additional tools.” Take a look at the details (pre and post assembly) as well as a video on the next page.

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*rugenius - 09.23.14 , 02:53 -

London Design Festival 2014 at the V&A

vamein.jpg Here’s the latest from NOTCOT’s London-based editor and resident zoologist, Justine Aw as she explores the 2014 London Design Festival.

The “spiritual home” of the London Design Festival, the Victoria and Albert Museum is always filled with fun contrasts between classical masterpieces and modern design interventions. This year was no exception, with some fascinating installations throughout the museum. Here are just a few of our favorite pieces, from the mesmerizing Candela by Felix de Pass, Michael Montgomery and Ian McIntyre to Disobedient Objects, a new exhibit exploring the role of objects in activism, to Precision & Poetry in Motion, a kinetic sculpture created by Edward Barber & Jay Osgerby with BMW that rotates and reflects within the Raphael Gallery, and more…

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*notcot - 09.15.14 , 00:07 -

Beakerhead 2014, Calgary

beaker0.jpg This post is part of our special NOTCOT Alberta Great Escape series thanks to our friends at Travel Alberta. In Part I, Shawn, Bucky, and I are loaded up in the NOTFZJ80 spending a week in Alberta roadtripping, camping, and exploring all that we can fit in… follow the series here to see what inspires us along the way! I know, i’m jumping around a little, but with so many pictures and experiences to share with you guys from this Alberta adventure, i’m working through it bit by bit!

The most inspiring things to me have always been exploring nature and art+tech+design. So while exploring all that Alberta has to offer (or what is possible in a mere week with such a HUGE province)… when we were heading out of the Alberta National Parks to Calgary, I heard about Beakerhead, a “smash up of art, science, and engineering”… which is right up our alley! They describe it as when Calgary turns into a hands on laboratory - “it’s a time and place where engineers show their creative sides, and artists get technical, where science hits the street, and everyone gets ingenious.” Throughout the week, there were workshops for kids and adults, engaging talks and performances, and it sounds like all around playful inspiration! They even had “Canada’s first sustainable energy ferris-wheel-turned-dining-room. The 16-bucket wheel gently rotates while diners are treated to a multi-course molecular gastronomy meal created by esteemed Calgary chef Nicole Gomes, a contestant on Top Chef Canada,” called the Periodic Table - unfortunately all the tickets were sold out!

We managed to get back to Calgary just in time to see the displays at Little Big Street and Beakernight. They felt a bit like a mini Makerfaire/Burning Man/Design week combo of sorts with a Calgary flair. Even The Uncommons (which we just featured) had a pop up shop in a Pod shipping container! There was a huge discoball on a crane, a structure made of sticks, an inflatable living room, interactive/3D printed Absolut installations, a rideable hippo, a flame shooting octopus and more… take a peek at what we found on the next page!

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