Mac mini wooden organizer stand uses a mini tambour door to hide your stuff

The Mac mini and its more powerful cousin, the Mac Studio, offer an Apple computing experience that prioritizes flexibility and your desk space over functionality you might not even need. Its compact form allows you to place it anywhere you want while also offering the freedom to connect any kind of monitor, keyboard, or peripheral you need to get done. At the same time, however, the mini PC form factor doesn’t have enough space to keep all these external devices always connected, and you will often find yourself repeatedly attaching and detaching bits and pieces as you work. Over time, these dongles, cards, and whatnot start to pile up and make a mess on your desk, which is where this handmade wooden organizer and riser comes in, offering a uniquely elegant solution to keep those tiny objects out of sight and out of mind.

Designer: Kostiantyn Andriiuk

Although Apple designed the Mac Mini and Mac Studio to stand on their own, there are some desk setups and designs that require elevating these minimalist boxes a bit higher. In fact, their small bodies make it easy to place them on top of anything, but that doesn’t mean they’ll look good on it unless that “thing” was specifically made for the mini Macs. This handcrafted riser is made to match the dimensions of the Mac mini and elevates the metal box not just in height but also in style.

Made from Cherry and Alder veneers, the wooden stand exudes a warmth that contrasts with the cold silver exterior of the Mac mini while also perfectly complementing it at the same time. Both pieces carry an air of elegance, despite their different materials and creation processes. While the Mac mini is mass-produced in a factory, each piece of this wooden riser was measured and crafted manually.

The most interesting part of the riser, however, is the drawer inside that’s hidden behind a tambour door. Unlike a simple organizer that exposes its container for everyone to see, you have to slide the row of vertical slats out of the way first before you can pull out the drawer. The mechanism offers functionality that doesn’t take away anything from the design’s aesthetics, a philosophy that is perfectly in line with Apple’s own approach to designing products.

The design for this unique and distinctive tambour organizer stand is fortunately available for everyone to follow, but the painstaking process will probably scare all but the most seasoned makers. That said, it could be a source of inspiration for other accessory makers to make their own spin on the idea, especially the brands that pay a lot of meticulous attention to details, materials, and finishes that would perfectly match an Apple product.

The post Mac mini wooden organizer stand uses a mini tambour door to hide your stuff first appeared on Yanko Design.

Incredibly Realistic Food Candles: Good Enough to Eat?

Because who doesn’t want a bunch of candles they have to be reminded not to eat all the time, Atlanta tattoo artist Chavonna “Bang” Ross created Bang’N Candles, an impressively large line of candles inspired by the food we all know and love. If you’ve eaten it, Bang probably makes a candle version, with over 200 different varieties to choose from. I’ll have the Surf & Turf and a Ceasar salad, please!

All the candles are made from 100% soy wax, and some are even scented like the dishes they look like. Others are just fresh linen-scented. Honestly, that’s probably smart, considering if a candle smells like the hot wing basket with fries, it looks like I probably will eventually take a bite.

I like how the candles come in the appropriate serving containers, too; that’s a nice touch. Touching an open flame? Not such a nice touch. A bad touch, as a matter of fact, but like a moth, I just can’t help myself. No wonder my wife replaced all the candles around our house with those fake LED ones.

[via Laughing Squid]

Freddy Krueger Fire Pit Is the Stuff of Nightmares

One, Two, Freddy’s coming for you… Three, Four, better lock your door… Those simple words still send chills down my spine. After all, Freddy Krueger is one of the scariest villains in the history of horror flicks. Those of us who grew up watching A Nightmare on Elm Street and its sequels had a hard time sleeping after worrying that Freddy might come to visit us in our dreams. Now, Freddy is back and ready to take up residence as a waking nightmare in your backyard. Only this time, he’s on fire!

UK artist Burned by Design makes this custom Freddy Krueger fire pit that’s sure to give your neighbors pause before stepping across the property line. The 33″ tall wood burner features Freddy’s nightmarish visage, complete with scars and burn marks, his beady eyes, and jagged teeth backlit by fire. Flames belch forth from his trademark hat while his steel-bladed glove beckons you to come closer to the flame.

If you’ve got about $1500 burning a hole in your pocket, you can order your own Freddy Krueger fire pit from the Burned by Design shop on Etsy.

[via Laughing Squid]

Retro Arcade Squirrel Feeder: Insert Coin for Nuts

Most people treat squirrels like unwanted pests. But if you’re among the animal lovers who prefer to feed the squirrels in your yard, you might want to get a squirrel feeder. And if you love classic arcade games, you’ll want to get this squirrel feeder that looks like a miniature arcade cabinet.

Etsy seller The Tree Rat Symposium makes this tiny arcade machine with its CRT display ripped out and replaced with a place for storing nuts and other snacks for squirrels. Now, if I were a squirrel, I might be disappointed if I saw a “Squirrely’s Arcade” machine and got to it only to discover I couldn’t play Pac-Man or Robotron 2084. But then I’d be like, “but snacks!” and forget all about the crushing disappointment of not being able to spend those quarters burning a hole in my furry squirrel pocket.

My only concern about this thing is that the squirrels will start lining up to play, and then I’ll have to build an entire squirrel arcade with 10 of these things, some squirrel pinball machines, and a squirrel bill breaker. But if you’re not worried about such things, you can grab one over on Etsy for $34.

Cleverly Crafted Tom & Jerry Flattened Tom Stair-Runner Rug

Inspired by a scene from a classic Tom & Jerry cartoon where Tom gets crushed paper-thin on the stairs by a giant Jerry, artist rugsoda has created an almost identical likeness of Tom in the form of this ‘Flat Cat’ stair-runner rug. It’s the perfect rug for letting guests know there may be a mouse ready to bonk you on the head with an oversized mallet around any corner.

Each $200 rug is handmade and measures 22″ x 55″, the perfect size to recreate flattened Tom from the cartoon scene, and I just bought one. Should I be really be buying $200 rugs? My wife says no, but my bank account says PAYMENT DECLINED: INSUFFICIENT FUNDS.

There’s no denying the flattened Tom rug is cool, but what I’d really like to see is a flattened Wyle E. Coyote rug and a coffee table on top that looks like an ACME anvil. How amazing would that be? Shoot, with ideas this good I should probably get some interior design business cards printed.

Apple-inspired hand tool designs that will be every woodworking enthusiasts dream come true!

As a woodworking enthusiast who always seizes the opportunity to create a niche sculpture, furniture piece, or fencing for the outdoors, the tools used are as essential as the skilled hand. One usually would shirk away from displaying the good old hammer, screwdriver, tape measure, or the plier on the living room table or your desk. But the handmade tools collection by Tej Chauhan crafted in collaboration with Finnish brand Fiskars for Handmade Wallpapers is a refreshing change to that contemporary belief.

Rather than sitting in the toolbox, this set of designer woodworking/hand tools is good enough for showing off when not being used for the next eye-candy creation or simply after a regular handyman task like fixing the kitchen’s leaking tap. The idea here is to highlight the beauty of everyday hand tools like a hammer or a plier in its best form possible. Each design improves the tool, making them the next generation – a version 2.0 of the tools. The pencil has a built-in bubble level to check the straightness of any surface. The hammer’s sharp end gets a more rounded, ergonomic design that helps you pull out the stray nails without causing any self-injury. Even the plier comes with a strap, so you don’t accidentally drop it on your foot. The tools carry an integrated aesthetics, making the wood and metal appear seamless. The powder-coated finish ensures the tool does not rust and become dull over time. In fact, given their minimal look, these tools bring to mind Apple’s design language – making these the Apple of the tool world.

Conceptualized and designed keeping in mind the modern aesthetics that the consumer demands in their every walk of life, the collection is nothing short of stunning. The use of white and fine craftsmanship to shape these tools speaks a lot about how we perceive everyday objects.
Tej has in a way infused new life in the collection of hand tools designed here with the utmost care and attention to detail. When you need to carry them to your next fixing task, the leather carry bag is the perfect accessory to complement the style. So, don’t you already want to have this on your list of things to own? I certainly do!

Designer: Tej Chauhan

Mount a Life-size T-Rex Head Trophy on Your Wall

Are you one of those people who loves to mount animal trophies on your wall, regardless of whether or not you actually were the one who slew the beast? Then have I got a prize for your collection! This T-Rex trophy head will make a great addition to any wall and requires no actual dinosaur hunting.

The guys at Etsy shop Cakeboard Designs sell this resin and fiberglass dino head for the low, low price of $1199, which is a bargain when it comes to full-size dinosaur trophies. It measures 42″ high by 36″ wide by 53″ deep in case you’ve got your tape measure out and are checking your available wall space. Just look at this thing with all of its pointy teeth and beady green eyes. But you’re not gonna get me now, T-Rex. Nope, you don’t even have those tiny arms to flail around hopelessly.

If the full-size T-Rex is too big for your wall or wallet, Cakeboard also makes a small (14.5″h) version that’s just $100. They also sell a 3-foot-long compsognathus statue and a giant 20-foot-long postosuchus for true dinosaur connoisseurs.

The Life-Size Uncle Fester With Lightbulb In Mouth Lamp of Your Dreams

This is the life-size Uncle Fester Lamp created by Etsy seller ShrewdApe, based on Jackie Coogan’s Uncle Fester character from the 1964-1966 television series The Addams Family. Obviously, I very much need this staring at me from the dresser while I get ready for bed every night.

Using photo references, ShrewdApe first sculpted Uncle Fester’s likeness from clay, then made a plaster mold of that sculpture to cast the silicone skin you see here, which was placed over a foam core. He then painted the head and added eyelashes and custom made resin/epoxy eyeballs to finish the incredibly lifelike look. Although do you think it might be TOO good looking? I’m just really not trying to wake up in the middle of the night to discover my wife has run off with the lamp.

The only kicker? The piece costs $2,710. Which, the last time I checked my wallet full of dust bunnies, is a little bit outside my lamp budget at the moment. As much as I really do want it, if my chances of ever owning this lamp were a carnival game, that carnival would have left town a week ago and already be erecting its tents in another state.


[via This Is Why I’m Broke]

Treat Your Dog to a Custom Leather Suit of Armor

Depending on the breed of dog you have, they can look pretty tough all on their own. But if you’ve got a chihuahua or a pekingese and are looking to give your furry pal a meaner look, then may I suggest some leather dog armor.

Whether your you have a little yappy dog or a big old lap dog, Portland, Oregon’s The Kings Shilling will happily make your dog a custom suit of leather armor, fit just to their size and shape. Equipped with this armor, nobody is gonna mess with you or your dog at the dog park, or taking a walk through rough neighborhoods.

I like to imagine an army of dogs dressed in armor, ready to do battle against an army of similarly-equipped cats. Depending on the size of your dog, you could spend as little as $150, while armor for larger breeds can cost $600 or more. You can place your order over on Etsy. Now when is somebody going to make swords and battle axes for dogs?

3.5″ Floppy Disk Coasters Protect Tables with Pixels

You know what makes a good drink coaster? A good old 3.5″ floppy disk. But real floppies have moving parts and irregularities that can make them less than ideal surfaces for balancing some glasses. Never mind that they just don’t look as cool as these colorful pixel art floppy coasters.

Artist Tsvetelina Mihaylova aka PXLprincess makes these 3.5″ floppy coasters entirely from fused perler beads, and they look great. They come in way more colors than I remember in my old library of floppies. I seem to remember a sea of black and blue plastic neatly loaded into these tubs that held maybe 50 disks each, with lots of chicken scratch scrawled onto the labels. And remember having to install software that came on like 20 disks? I don’t miss that.

You can grab some pixel art floppy coasters over on Etsy for about $4 a piece. Just don’t try and stick these floppies into your old disk drive. I can’t imagine that would work out well. And remember, Don’t Copy That Floppy!