Indie Squid Kid

Back at the beginning of the year, I wrote this post about some octopus-themed products I spotted at my local Anthropologie store. In the last month or so, several new products have been making the rounds within the Tumblr-o-sphere (well, the parts of it that are obsessed with cephalopods at least), and I figured it was time for a follow-up.

These are all rather, um…high-end, and I’ve listed them in order of ascending price. Once you get down to the amazing octopus sofa, forty-eight dollars for a metal coat hook won’t seem so bad…

Eight-Arms Hook

Let spindly tentacles grab your jacket as you walk into your foyer or your robe as you enter the bath.

• Hardware required
• Aluminum
• 8.75″H, 8″W
• 1.5″ projection
• Imported

$48.00 from Anthropologie.com

Deep Sea Curtain

Inky octopi slink across neutral linen-cotton window coverings. An Anthropologie exclusive, designed by Thomas Paul.

• Tunnel tab construction
• Linen, cotton; cotton lining
• Dry clean
• 50″W
• Imported

$208.00-$268.00 from Anthropologie.com

Amelie Sofa, Fathoms

A sinuous deep-sea dweller slinks across our firstborn sofa, rendered in intricate crewelwork by Parisian artist Nathalie Lete. Carved ocean flowers garland the ebony wood frame.

• Belgian black finish
• Eight-way hand-tied seat construction
• Linen upholstery
• Hardwood frame; poly dacron, cotton padding fill
• Professionally clean
• 39.5″H, 71″W, 35″D
• 20″H
• Handcrafted in USA

$3,489.00 from Anthropologie.com

Octopus bar, originally uploaded by Kraken Mosaics [Eve Lynch]. © Eve Lynch – Kraken Mosaics

Eve Lynch is an artist from Fort Myers, Florida who specializes in mosaic and polymer clay sculpture. Subjects of her fabulous creations include: zombies, skulls, aliens, clockwork hearts, and, of course, cephalopods, cephalopods, and more cephalopods!

The Octopus bar (aka, “The Kraken”) is definitely my favorite piece. Made in 2006, this 11′ x 3′ mosaic installation is comprised of ceramic tile, vitreous glass, glass gems, millefiori and glazed earthenware. I don’t know how much a commission on this scale would cost, but how awesome would it be to have something like this your kitchen?

See more of Eve’s work (you can even buy some!) at KrakenMosaics.com.

I never thought I say it, but Gama-Go, please stop making so many awesome squid things!!! Seriously, I can’t keep up!

“Squid Wreck” costs $12 and comes packed in a custom box. Other pint glass designs include “Yeti Forest” and “Whoooooooo”.

If only I had a job, I would totally purchase this glass and fill it with delicious beer…but you should still buy it now from Gama-Go.

A few more cephalopod sightings from my local Super Target…

“Little Squirt” bathrobe and towel set from Carter’s® Just One Year® (a Target exclusive brand).

“Love the Ocean” romper by OshKosh B’Gosh® Genuine Baby

“Double Dutch Apple” detangling spray by Suave Kids®

(These last two were sighted by Ryn.)

photo by Jill Lauson

This table with a stylized squid design was made by Jetty Lauson two years ago…when she was eleven! I wish I had been able to do something this creative and cool when I was eleven. (Well, I did make a series of crudely drawn slug cartoons, but they sure aren’t anything anyone would describe as artistic.) Jetty could totally be selling these on Etsy!

Thanks to Jetty and her mom Jill for sending me this photo and letting me share it with all of my ISK readers.

©Katie Deedy

Design: Captain Smith
Color: Promenade (additional colors available)
Price: $180/roll; $48/sheet

Visit Grow House Grow! to purchase this and other beautiful and unique hand printed wallpaper designs.

Sighted by Natalie

Target has always been good for the occasional cephalopod-themed product, but lately I seem to spot a new one every time I go there (which, for some reason, seems to be a least once a day ever since I got laid off last month). Here is an assortment of recent finds:

Little Tikes® Party Machine bubble blower

Disney Club Penguin "Squidzoid"

I know that Club Penguin is a MMORPG for kids, but I have no idea why this penguin is wearing a squid costume. I approve, of course, I just don’t get it.

Circo® Sealife Collection waste can

This same one-eyed, seven-legged pirate (presumabely) octopus adorns a whole series of new items from Circo: shower curtain, beach towel, bath towl, kids’ apron, kids’ dishes, etc. The collection also features cute little whales, sharks and submarines.

Yeah, I know, I’m a few days late, but Happy New Year!!! I probably say this every year, but I have a feeling that 2010 will be the Year of the Cephalopod. (Well, I don’t say that about 2010 every year, but you know what I mean.)

My week offline, while a pleasant change of pace, has resulted in a large backlog (well, larger than normal) of material for the blog. So, let’s start with a trio of octopuses I spotted at the Antropologie store at my local mall.

These De Vincennes Dinner Plates are Antropologie exclusives by artist Nathalie Late. They are $24 each and are also available at the Anthropologie website.

Pictorial Webster’s: A Visual Dictionary of Curiosities by John M. Carrera.

When I was a kid I was always fascinated by the illustrations in the dictionary. I used to make up stories, often about a zoo that put all their animals in alphabetical order and you traveled through it in a series of similarly organized vehicles. Anyway, this book contains over 1,500 engravings from 19th century editions of the Webster’s dictionary. And yes, they are arranged alphabetically.

List price $35.00. Also available at Amazon.com.

Lastly, we have The ABC of Animals Activity Book by the North American Bear Company. It contains a cute little plush animal for each letter of the alphabet. O is, of course, for Octopus, and well…that’s all that matters isn’t it?

List price $75.00. Also available at Amazon.com.

This cool hand-thrown ceramic mug was a gift, so I don’t know who made it or where it came from. The octopus that encircles the mug is reminiscent of designs found on certain pieces of Minoan pottery from the Bronze Age.

ICAD: T minus 4 days and counting!

toothpaste for baby molluscs?, originally uploaded by Cryptonaut.

From this past weekend’s trip to Babies R’ Us—J/A/S/Ö/N brand infant toothpaste.

It’s Canadian! It’s strawberry flavor! It has an (extremely inaccurate) octopus!

IT LITERALLY HAS MY NAME ON IT.

Also, despite the fact that she is hawking bubblegum-flavored toothpaste, Hello Kitty cosplaying a snail is perhaps one of the cutest things I have ever seen.