Kirby in process

Since I haven't injected this blog with a massive dose of cuteness in a while, I thought I'd do so today by posting the work-in-progress hoop-thing (can you tell I'm an embroidery expert?) below that's being made by fiber artist Michelle Coffee.

Apparently the final product is going to be a part of the "20 Days of Kirby" series that's taking over 4 color rebellion for the next week or so. (It started on April 27. Check out the Kirby-inspired creations that have been published already here.)



To see more examples of Coffee's abilities (including the most adorable plushes you're ever likely to lay eyes on), head on over to her Flickr photostream and her etsy shop, Deadly Sweet.

See also: Previous posts about Michelle Coffee (aka misscoffee) and her creations

1oddgent's Boo, Kirby and Tron stickers

In an effort to thank me for mentioning him and his art on this blog on a few occasions, artist Dan Taub (aka 1oddgent) recently sent me a pack of stickers featuring some of his awesome creations.

The subject of leftmost sticker in the image below isn't a character from a video game, although I could see him being one. (He'd seem especially at home in a brain-training or puzzle game, don't you think?) The subjects of the remaining two stickers, on the other hand, should be instantly recognizable--despite their somewhat abstract redesigns.

For those of you who are scratching your heads: Boo from the Super Mario Bros. series is the subject of the sticker in the upper-right corner of the image above, while Kirby is the focus of the bottom-most sticker.

Taub also sent me the Tron-inspired sticker seen below. I especially like the pink "1UP" that's stamped on the gal's/guy's/thing's helmet.

All of the stickers above have been printed on white vinyl sticker paper and are about three inches square. Well, except for the Tron-inspired one, which is about three-and-a-half inches by four-and-a-half inches.

If you know a surface that's just begging to be plastered with a bunch of awesome stickers, hop on over to the 1oddgent etsy shop and pick up a pack or two (or three).

See also: 'Boo-tiful, just boo-tiful' and 'I love air, too, Susumu Hori'

Custom Miyamoto 3DS case

Although I need to spend more money on gaming-related goods about as much as I need another hole in my head, I can't help but crave the custom, Miyamoto-branded 3DS case below.

It was created by the proprietor of the KickassCases etsy shop, by the way, and it can be purchased (here) for just $20.



Looking for a custom 3DS case, but not interested in one that features the grinning visage of Shigeru Miyamoto? You still may want to check out the KickassCases shop--especially if you're a Mario, Yoshi or Zelda fan.

I'm pretty fond of this Kirby one and this Tetris one myself.

L is for Link, Z is for Zelda ...

Upon seeing the print below, it should be pretty clear to just about everybody that Houston-based artist (and blogger) Lizzy House is a big Nintendo fan.

After all, out of the 26 images that appear in the following alphabet print, three of them (L, N and Z) are related to the company that's best known for introducing Link, Mario and Pokemon to the world.

House is selling a limited number (125) of these prints via her etsy shop for $50 apiece (plus shipping). Each one is 18 inches by 24 inches and is printed on archival paper.

To see more examples of House's abilities, check out her blog, her etsy shop or her Flickr photostream.

Mario's mad mushroom man

Have you ever wondered how all of the power-ups that dot the Mushroom Kingdom landscape got to be placed within question blocks?

Artist Dan Taub (aka 1oddgent) has, and the result of his daydreaming is the decidedly creepy t-shirt design seen below (and here).

If you're a daring sort, check out oneoddgentleman.com to take a closer look and this mad mushroom man's Pac-Man-like eyes razor-sharp teeth.

Sadly, the t-shirt Taub is wearing in the photo above isn't yet available via his etsy shop. If you're itching to buy something of his, though, may I suggest picking up one of his "Arsenal of Power-Ups" prints?

See also: More of 1oddgent's art

Hooked on Pikmin?

If so, you might want to nab one of the Pikmin crochet patterns that are currently being sold (for $5 each, here) via Annie Johansson's (aka Liebe9's) etsy shop.

Here's what the final products look like, by the way. Aren't they adorable? I think I like the Dumbo-esque yellow Pikmin the best, although all three of them are so cute I could puke.



I don't know a "chain stitch" from a "single crochet," so I'd personally prefer it if Johansson sold completed crocheted Pikmin characters, but I can understand why she doesn't.

Johansson does sell "already made" Ocarina of Time amigurumis (for $35, buy one here), though, so if you just have to own some sort of game-related craft, they're probably your best bet for the time being.

I love air, too, Susumu Hori

You know how I mentioned a few days ago that I'm itching to finally play a Puzzle Bobble title? Well, I'm feeling similar "symptoms" in regards to the Mr. Driller series--especially after laying eyes on the following illustration, titled "i <3 air," produced by artist Dan Taub (aka 1oddgent):



Framed copies of this cute-as-buttons print can be purchased for just $20 from the 1oddgent etsy shop. Also available for a song from said shop: Framed copies of a similarly fantastic Tanooki Mario print.

Cute metroids

Hmmm, is "metroids" the plural of metroid, or is "metroid" the plural of metroid?

Whatever. That isn't the point of this post; the point of this post is to make as many people as possible aware of the amazingly cute metroid plushies produced by deviantartist and etsy seller misscoffee.



The larger metroids (metroid? ahhh!) are four inches tall and six inches wide, by the way, and can be purchased, for $11 plus shipping, here. The smaller metroids--which are brooches, actually--are two inches tall and about three inches wide and can be purchased here for $7 plus shipping.

To see more of misscoffee's sickeningly sweet creations, check out her deviantart gallery or her etsy shop.

'No matter what happens to you ...'

While we're on the topic of Final Fantasy's white mage, this androgynous character is the subject of a cute Valentine's Day card that's being sold by etsy seller kiracards.

The front of the card features the white mage's "perished" sprite and the following words: "No matter what happens to you..."

Flip it open and here's what you find:



My favorite aspect of this particular card is that it's appropriate for anyone. If you're a gay man and you want to give it to your same-sex sweetie, for instance, you imagine that the white mage is a guy. If you're a lesbian, on the other hand, you imagine that both the black and white mages are ladies. And if you're straight? Why, you imagine the white mage is a guy and the black mage is a gal (or the opposite, if you want), of course.

Who's to stop you?

(Via gonintendo.com)

I'm not daring enough to wear this, but I want it anyway

Can you think of a better way to beat the winter cold than by wearing a Piranha Plant scarf? I can't.

Actually, I take that back. The only competition the scarf above, which was made by etsy shop owner enemyairship (aka anenemyairship on Flickr), has in the "coolest scarf ever" category is this Noby Noby Boy scarf.

Here's another shot of the Noby Noby Boy scarf, and here are two more shots of the aforementioned Piranha Plant scarf.

I'd definitely buy one of these if I were a button-wearing kind of guy

If you're a fan of The World Ends With You (and who isn't?), you've got to check out the BokuButtons Etsy shop.

I can't decide which $1 pin I like more--the Joshua one below (buy it here) or this Neku one.

The BokuButtons folks also have pins featuring characters from the Pokemon and Zelda series. (They had a sickeningly cute Professor Layton pin on display yesterday, but it seems to be gone now. Drat!)

(Via tinycartridge.com)

'Pixel Cake'

Anyone who played and enjoyed--or should I say endured--Capcom's Mickey Mousecapade as a tot should recognize the subject of the following painting, produced by Atlanta-based artist Ashley Anderson.

"This image is from a videogame I owned as a kid," Anderson says on etsy.com (where the 12-inch-by-12-inch piece is being sold for $80). "I feel a special, almost visceral bond with this health power up, partly from playing the game it was in and part(ly) from my affinity for cake."

See also: 'Dark Cake'

I can relate

The following "quasi-self-portrait"--titled "1985"--produced by Los Angeles-based artist Mike Mitchell has me feeling a bit nostalgic today.

If you like Mitchell's style--and, honestly, how could you not?--be sure to check out his deviantart gallery, his Etsy shop and his tumbleblog.

Oh, and if you're also feeling a smidge nostalgic today, check out these Super Mario Bros. 25th Anniversary wallpapers and this Super Mario Bros. 25th Anniversary interview (between Shigesato Itoi and Shigeru Miyamoto).

(Via superpunch.blogspot.com, by way of gonintendo.com)

It's pink, so of course I like it

Yeah, you heard that right--I like the color pink. You gotta problem wif dat? (That's me trying to affect a thuggish accent, by the way.)

Another reason I like the following piece: It's pixel-y and its design was pulled from that all-but-forgotten NES classic, Contra Force. Oh, and it has a fabulous name: FrankenBury, the WIDOWMAKER. (Caps courtesy of artist Ashley Anderson.)



What's the point of an acrylic-on-poplar pistol, you ask? According to Anderson, you can "wear them on your belt to a Contra Force party," or, even better, you can "hang them on your wall beside your real glocks and desert eagles." Unfortunately, he adds, "you will be hard-pressed to roll up on some fool and straight blast them with these guns."

Still, if I had the dough I'd totally drop $50--Anderson's asking price over on etsy.com--on one of these fierce sculptures.

See also: '10048'

Please excuse me as I drool all over my keyboard

If I had a cellphone (I know...), I'd buy one of these Classic Mac felt cases, created by Etsy seller RabbitRampage, in a heartbeat.

Instead, I'll just stare at it--and this similarly slick GameBoy felt case--longingly.

See also: 'You know, I think I need a new mouse pad ...' and 'That's nice. Now where's my Game Gear soap?'

You know, I think I need a new mouse pad ...

Etsy.com seller 8-Bit Memory has added a slew of NES mouse pads to its shop. My favorite design so far is the following:



I like this Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!!-inspired pad, too.

Check out 8-Bit Memory's other NES mouse pads here.

That's nice. Now where's my Game Gear soap?

Or, even better: Where's my TurboExpress soap?

OK, so Etsy.com seller Two Eggplants doesn't make Game Gear or TurboExpress soaps, but she does make GameBoy soaps--and darn good ones from the looks of it.

She also makes PSP and Wii remote soaps, but I think her dulce-de-leche-scented GameBoy soaps are the best of the bunch.

(Via tinycartridge.com)

Who couldn't use a USB flash drive made out of a GameBoy Advance cartridge?

Especially when the cartridge used to create said USB drive is the Japanese version of Mario vs. Donkey Kong.

That's just one of the cute game-related creations I found while scanning etsy.com a few minutes ago.

Nearly as cute: this desk clock, made with a re-purposed Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt cartridge. And then there's this needle-felted Green Slime figure. (I've always had a thing for Dragon Quest's slimes.)

See also: 'The perfect gift for the stinky gamer in your life'