Fairytale Tree House

Get your grubby cloths on, break out a hammer and a saw, pick out a good old sturdy tree and get ready to make your own tree house. Nothing fancy-just a place to hang out, meet with your friends and let you imagination go wild.

A long, loooong time ago when I was a kid my friends and I would build tree houses. They were slapped together planks of wood or any other things we could find that would support our weigh and enable us to construct a floor, walls and a ceiling.

We would spend hours in them letting our imaginations run wild. Decorations and furnishings were what we could draw, paint, pilfer or find. We would scour the neighborhood on trash days picking out whatever we thought we could use.

Get ready to release your inner child and challenge your construction skills, critical thinking, dexterity, patience and attention to detail.

Rolife’s Fairytale Tree House is every young child’s dream come true (no matter if you’re old or not-the inner child still exists).

The kit includes a two-floor open front tree house trunk with lots of interior and exterior details. Take a moment to look over all the goodies in the kit. Marvel at the 3D printed pieces, colorful and crisp printed laser cut fold paper pieces, the precision made parts that snap together and especially the way the whole kit looks when it is completed. Amazing!

Check it out! There are doors, plants, a ladder, mushrooms, steps, all sorts of containers, furniture, wall-hangings, hidden niches, secret corners and more than a its fair share of unexpected surprises. There’s even a swing! So much to see! It’s a tree house masterpiece! Every time I look at it I spot more details.

Relive your childhood with this delightful kit best assembled by those 14 years and older. It consists of 275 parts and the parts are made of plywood, paper and plastic.  It’s super detailed and a load of fun to put together.

The parts come in a large flip lid box with a paper sleeve. On the sleeve are photos of the Tree House along with specs, requirements and recommendations.

Inside the box are four bags of parts, two snap together sections of the Tree House, floor and wall slats, Safety Instructions, Icon Illustration, stickers, paper parts, a Material List and Instructions with numbered parts illustrations.

There are several small tools included but I also like to have an X-Acto knife, a brush with liquid glue, a flat-head screwdriver, a magnifying glass and extra spot lighting. Take your time, check out all the parts, go over the Instructions before assembling, familiarize yourself with the lighting (there’s a lot), take out only the parts you need for each phase and above all have fun!

Friends and family will love putting this kit together singly or in groups. It teaches team work and cooperation.

Rolife has a huge selection of similar kits. Click here to see them, For more photos and a video of the Fairytale Tree House click here and Robotime’s other products can be seen by clicking here.

Romans 12:12Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

 

Monster High World’s Scare

I remember high school being a little ‘scary’ and at times it seemed like it was a huge monster threatening me with homework, tests and some serious social awkwardness.

Monster High World’s Scare brings together the students of Monster High in all their glorious, scary and supernatural presence.

Frankie Stein and Draculaura have big plans when it comes to the World’s Scare.

Frankie Stein wants to do something special to honor her grandfather at the World’s Scare.

She’ll need the help of her friends  to face down some opponents, visit the dead and come to terms with her past. If all goes as planned she’ll send shock waves through New Salem.

In other news the local newspaper gossip-monger has some serious questions to answer while Lagoona Blue prepares for a protest.

Join Frankie Stein, Draculaura, Clawdeen Wolf, Cleo de Nile and Lagoona Blue in a non-stop adventure as they begin a new semester at Monster High.

Kids will get a kick out of the monster chicks as they scheme, preen and team-up in some outrageously funny and monstrous adventures.

The creative team of Jacque Aye and Caroline Shuda, along with IDW, present the latest horrifying hi-jinx of the teenage girl ghoulies.

John 16:33These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

The Jekyll Island Chronicles

From IDW/Top Shelf comes the complete mind-blowing The Jekyll Island Chronicles trilogy in one epic volume by Nedvidek, Crowell, Lowe, Rollins, Nester and Miller..

Travel back to the Gilded Age in this thrilling alternate reality saga.

Imagine a huge cartel of the richest and most brilliant financiers, inventors and thinkers residing on an island.

Their sole purpose is to bring order to a disheveled and chaotic world.

They use their wealth, resources and brilliant minds to create incredible machinery, weapons, transports and other mechanical marvels.

Just as there is a cadre of individuals who want only peace and prosperity for mankind there is also a group of individuals hellbent on the destruction and subjugation of mankind.

In the oversize softbound graphic novel The Jekyll Island Chronicles an impressive group of writers and artists created a massive trilogy contained in one volume.

The sheer volume of work is awesome in its scale. I know how much work it took to compile and complete this massive body of work. Great art, a solid story, interesting characters and top tier design all compile to make The Jekyll Island Chronicles a spectacle.

John 16:33These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Warbirds P-51 Mustang III

War has a tendency to create leaps in technology.  Word War II is a perfect example.

Up until that point most aircraft with two or three wings were used mostly by sharecroppers, thrill seekers and a few select government contract workers.

When the war hit Germany, Japan and The Untied States developed state-of-the art combat aircraft.  One such fighter plane was the P-51 Mustang III.

At the dawn of World War II America was woefully far behind as it pertained to its war machine.

It artillery was dated, it’s aircraft primitive as compared to the Axis powers, its Navy consisted of too many old battleships and even its infantry weapons and transports were mostly leftovers from World War I.

With the attack on Pearl Harbor and the threat of Nazi Germany America was forced to upgrade its military hardware including its aircraft.

The Corgi aircraft miniature duplicates comes in in a square display box with a clear plastic panel in front.  The box can stand or hang from a hook.  It has a side flap secured with tape.

The plane and its stand (in two parts) slide out in their form-fitting cocoon with a slip on top.

The pieces fit snuggly so be care removing the aircraft.

The stand’s base is a clear circular structure and the stand arm is silver and attaches both to the base and underneath the aircraft giving the aircraft the appearance it is flying.

The aircraft itself is a single prop with four blades in black.

It is a single passenger craft with only room for the pilot.

It has a two-piece windshield with one section covering the majority of the cockpit and the lower three small panels with reinforcement in the front.

The Mustang is painted green with three white strips and two black strips on each wing and with three white strips and two black strips on the rear of the plane just before the rear wings, with have one white strip each. 

Blue circles with red center circles in their middles decorate each wing (upper and lower) both sides of the rear of the plane and a red, white and blue symbol on the side of the rear-stabilizing wing.

A white tip on the front, several number and letter decals, twin exhaust strips on each side of the engine compartment, a single black antenna behind the cockpit, twin closed wheel wells and an airflow section below the plane make up the balance of the aircraft.

Both interior and exterior details are historically accurate right down to the seams and wing flaps.  

Paint application is very precise, clear and clearly defined.  The metal diecast Mustang looks like the real thing.  You can practically hear the engine humming and the propellers rotating.

Beautifully crafted the Mustang makes for a fine addition to anyone’s model aircraft collection. 

Jeremiah 29:11-14For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Columbia Pictures

It’s hard to believe that Columbia Pictures has been around for just a little over 100 years.

During that time it has released dozens of classic films and still does to this day.

Join author Jim Pauley, Globe Pequot and Lyons Press in celebrating a century of Hollywood motion picture magic from the studio in Columbia Pictures.

The oversize hardbound book with its flashy dust cover is filled with historical written context. The book is jam-packed with dozens of black and white and color photos of the studio grounds from its beginning to expansions with film locations, studio set-ups, set pieces, actors and actresses and production staff, behind-the-scenes glimpses and so much more.

Be sure to look over the aerial shots, themed backlot buildings, the makeup and wardrobe departments, the selection of the Miss Columbia model, location shooting and schematics and blueprints.

It is so much more than just a glitzy look at the stars of the studio through the decades. It is a candid peek behind the cameras and glamour of one the most successful studios in Hollywood history.

Film buffs, wannabe product staffers, budding actors and actresses and anyone interested and fascinated by the history and working of the film industry will love this book.

Proverbs 12:20Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is joy.

Panda Hot Pot

There’s nothing quite like some genuine Chinese food to perk you up. What is it about such simple food that is so comforting and delicious?

Rolife’s Panda Hot Pot kit brings Chinese food home in a delightful and highly detailed kit with laser cut paper pieces, 3D printed food and decor and colorful and clever cut and fold paper product containers.

The kit is so realistic looking that you can practically smell the food, feel the tiled floor under your feet and the soft padded seats as you sit down to a scrumptious meal.

If you love miniatures, small product reproductions, model kit making and a real challenge to your assembly, dexterity and critical thinking skills this is the kit you need.

It’s more than just about the food-it’s the atmosphere. I simply love the signs (which I can’t read), the decor, the selection of goodies and overall look of the furniture, attention to detail and the friendly vibes.

Rolife’s Panda Hot Pot kit has all of that. It consists of a Panda tile floor, tile, slat and decorated wall panels, Panda Hot Pot signs on the walls, a three-tier, red food tray with food, a small black table with a wide cream-colored top covered in exotic food of all types, twin bamboo chairs, menus, a two-top counter with dipping sauces, condiments, a cooler with beverages, and lots of other little goodies decorating the Panda Hot Pot. Check out the clever lighting.

Three is soooo much to see.

The kit consists of 127 pieces, assembles in just a few hours, is rated for those 14 years and older and includes LED lighting.

Before beginning to assemble the kit be sure to check to make sure all the parts are included, look over the highly-detailed, photo and numbered Instructions, familiarize yourself with the lighting and takeout and use only those parts necessary to do each step.

Tweezers come with the set and I recommend to have on had a flat-head screwdriver, an X-Acto knife, a pointed tool, liquid glue with a brush, a magnifying device and some sort of strong lighting.

The kit comes in a heavy-guard and slip-lid cardboard box. All sides of the box feature photos of the Panda Hot Pot and on the back of the box are lighting, cautionary and assemble tips, protection and multi-kit assembly instructions. Parts are made of ABS, PVC and paper.

Inside the box are nine parts bags, floor and wall slats, stickers, paper products, Instructions and a Material List.

Follow the Instructions step-by-step and before you know it you’ll have your very own Panda Hot Pot. What’s cooking?

If you want to see more of Rolife’s kits click here, for a close-up of the panda Panda Hot Spot kit with a video and photos click here and to see what more Robotime has to offer click here.

Romans 5:2-5By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Hegarty On Creativity: There are No Rules

What is creativity? I get asked that quite a lot. It’s hard to explain. I’ve been an artist and designer since I was a kid.

I write. I draw. I visualize. Think outside the box. Etc. Etc.

Creativity is a strange beast. It beckons you and taunts you. It never leaves you alone. It is both a comfort and a curse. It’s almost addictive. If you have it, it never gives you a moment of rest. It is a friend and taskmaster. It is based as much on failure as it is on success.

I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Advertising creator John Hegarty and Thames & Hudson take on creativity in a fascinatingly small, hardbound book Hegarty On Creativity There are No Rules that takes the mystery out of creativity.

The book explains the driving force behind creativity, ideas, the blank page, fearlessness and other important components of creativity.

If you feel that subtle touch of creativity creeping up on you and you’re not sure what to do about it, this book is the perfect guide to what you can expect.

Look for all sorts of insightful tips, clever spot illustrations and a few tidbits of personal experience.

Luke 1:37For with God nothing shall be impossible.

Red Shirts

In the Star Trek Universe’s Starfleet the last person you want to be is Red Shirt wearing member of security.

Red Shirts have a tendency to die-frequently. They have the unfortunate habit of getting killed off by aliens, blow-up, phasered and generally getting mauled, dismembered and killed.

In IDW/Top Shelf’s Star Trek Red Shirts graphic novel by Christopher Cantwell and Megan Levens a small band of veteran and cadet Red Shirts find themselves stranded on the icy planet Arkonia 89.

Their mission is to hunt down and stop spies from stealing Starfleet secrets. Who are the mysterious adversaries? No one knows for sure-at first.

All the Red Shirts have to do is survive the planet’s many dangers, get rescued and report their findings back to Starfleet. If only it was that easy.

Readers are introduced to the members of the Red Shirts-all with their individual strengths, talents and capabilities. But will those attributes help them survive and can they learn to support one another when danger beckons?

Readers get to witness some of the most brutal, horrendous and dangerous encounters Red Shirts have ever faced. And, in spite of it all they never give up on their mission-despite the danger, death of their comrades and betrayals.

Red Shirts have always been kind of an inside joke to fans of Star Trek. In this graphic novel the Red Shirts get the respect they deserve.

Psalms 31:24Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.

Artificial Intelligence All-In-One

You read about, hear about it and see it on the news everyday. It’s the latest buzz: A.I.-Artificial Intelligence.

It’s causing quite stir. People are fearful of it. They are loosing their jobs because of it and worse yet programmers and computer specialists are puzzled by it.

How does a computer program learn? How is it able to program itself and leave it’s creators puzzled as to how it is doing it?

A.I. spans business, education, mass media and almost every aspect of life.

I like watching YouTube. In the last year I have witnessed A.I. able to create incredible lifelike videos, bring the past alive through sophisticated coloration and animation techniques, create music and songs and here’s the amazing part-I asked A.I. to write a review of my blog.

It did it five seconds and it was a very concise and fact-filled review. Wow!

Is A.I. a precursor to the thinking machines as depicted in The Terminator movies or in The Matrix? Hardly-but slightly.

In Wiley Brand’s Learning Made Easy Artificial Intelligence All-In-One For Dummies book, written by Chris Minnick (and others), seven books in one delve into what makes A.I. tick.

The collection of the seven books examines Understanding A.I., A.I. Techniques, Productivity, Content Creation, A.I. At Home, A.I. Coding and Custom A.I. Solutions.

The book provides an exhaustive examination of A.I. from all sides with loads of information, tips, tricks, applications and more.

It’s time to embrace the future.

Ephesians 2:8-9For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Ghoul

To be honest was I put off a little by Kasey Iris’s Ghoul graphic novel published by IDW/Top Shelf.

At first I wasn’t sure what to make of it. It certainly isn’t your ‘normal’ graphic novel. The art-style is unique, a little unsettling and yet somehow it draws you in.

It’s both charming, comforting, spooky and a little unnerving.

Rendered in heavy black lines and lots of blacks overall will various shades of deep red, the art has element so of Manga-but not quite.

It kind of grows on you-it did me.

The writing style is spontaneous, almost flow of consciousness and minimal. The emotions of the characters are amplified by their words and expressions.

I like it.

Ghoul centers around Lyn who as a child loved her dear friend Meg. But then Meg is gone. Death? Moved? I’m not really sure.

Lyn moves away to a condo of the Forest Court Apartments.

One day she finds a comic book and to her surprise a character from the book: Ghoul, suddenly springs to life.

From that point on Lyn’s life is a roller-coaster ride to the bizarre as she and Ghoul discover some disturbing secrets about her neighbors. Secrets that cross-over to the supernatural and life after death.

If you want to read a graphic novel unlike any other then I highly recommend Ghoul. But, be warned. It will draw you in, play with your emotions and surprise you at every turn.

Romans 14:8For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.

Riddle Of The Sphinx

Ever since I was a young kid and visited the King Tut exhibit I have been fascinated by the mysterious, mystical and ancient Egyptian culture.

Egyptians of old were masters of puzzles, tricks, illusion and deception.

Learn how to quiz like an Egyptian by utilizing this fascinating ancient Egypt Puzzle Book from author Trevor Maylor and Thames & Hudson.

Anagrams, Egyptian gods an goddesses, the past and present, hieroglyphs and even the Valley Of The Kings help you through your quests with puzzles, questions, tips, answers and hidden clues.

Look for lots of archival photographs, illustrations and information not only about solving puzzles but interesting facts about ancient Egypt.

It’s a real brain teaser and twister and you’re invited to come along to solve the mysteries.

Matthew 21:22And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

Venom The First 40 Years

It’s incredible to think that one of Marvel Comic’s most popular characters started out as an alien piece of clothing in the original Secret Wars max-series 40+ years ago.

Venom originated on an alien planet when Spider-Man found himself with a shredded outfit and discovered (what he thought) was an alien fabric that instantly wrapped itself around him. It was black with white spider symbols.

Not too long afterward when back on earth Spider-Man (Peter Parker) discovered that the ‘uniform’ was actually an alien symbiote.

Even more shocking was that the symbiote was using Spider-Man’s body at night when he was asleep to roam the city.

Unnerved, Peter contacted the Fantastic Four’s Reed Richard. Together they went about to force the symbiote to detach itself from Peter and place it in a container.

Later it would escape, attach itself to Eddie Brock-a reporter who hated Spider-Man. Together they would become Venom one of Spider-Man’s most dangerous foes.

Later still Venom would take on the mantle of anti-hero, spawn Carnage which bonded to a serial killer, encounter other symbiotes and see the creation of an Anti-Venom. He would travel to the stars, bond with other individuals and eventually establish an uneasy alliance with Spider-Man

Venom has starred and guest-starred in numerous series and has successfully made the transition to animated series and movies.

In Venom The First 40 Years, from Titan, his entire history is recalled broken down in the following categories: Comics, Creators, Allies, Enemies and Culture.

The book is full of comic book interior and cover art reproductions, a timeline gallery and fascinating text and examinations of each decade of Venom’s appearances in comic books.

The thin, deluxe hardbound book is beautifully designed with a striking cover and interior brilliant color art made even more so by the gloss pages.

Venom fans are sure to enjoy looking through each and every page, soaking up the images and learning all about their favorite alien symbiote.

Psalms 56:3-4What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.

Creative Demons And How To Slay Them

Speaking as a creative person it’s real easy to get discouraged, have self-doubt, fear failure and have dry spells where ideas and inspiration seem to disappear.

Dealing with and overcoming what I call the ‘demons of discouragement’ can be a chore.

In Creative Demons And How To Slay Them is by Richard Holman and published by Thames & Hudson with illustrations by Al Murphy.

Inspired by tales of art, philosophy, neuroscience, music, nature and culture the author suits you up in strong mental armor so you can slay your own creativity demons.

Many famous creative folks provide some real-life learning experiences on how to overcome criticism. self-doubt and all the other little tricky obstacles creative demons deploy.

Hebrews 11:1 – 13:25Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

The Art Of Star Trek Lower Decks

Fans of Star Trek are familiar with the phrase, “Where no one has gone before.”

In the various Star Trek series and movies that phrase signifies the exploration of outer space. But, with IDW/Top Shelf’s new deluxe hardbound book: The Art Of Star Trek Lower Decks, by Megan Trevino it means something else entirely.

In the book readers are introduced to the fantastic animated Star Trek series Lower Decks. The series explores the coming and goings of the crew members who live and work on the lower decks of the starship U.S.S. Cerritos.

Laced with humor, some impressive story-lines, lots of character-driven action and conflict and filled with off-the-wall homages to classic Star Trek TV shows and movies the series has garnered a loyal following.

The book is absolutely jam-packed with concept and fully-rendered illustrations and paintings of character designs, sets, planets, spaceships and every aspect of the series.

Each season is fully covered and look for lots of insider information, cast and production crew commentaries and other special insights about the popular series.

Like me you will be blown away by the immense amount of work and creativity that went into creating and airing the series. Lower Decks is its own unique series filled with homages to the live action series and laced with ‘Easter Eggs’.

For an insider look at a Star Trek TV series like no other pick up a copy of this book today.

1 Corinthians 16:13Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

The Art Of Classic Sci-Fi Movies

The very first science fiction film I ever saw was The Time Machine way back in 1961. 

 

It mesmerized me and over the following years I watched more and more classics like The Planet Of The Apes, 2001: A Space Odyssey, First Men In The Moon, Mysterious Island, Fantastic Voyage and dozens more up until the present.

At home I would watch other classics from the 1950s such as Journey To The Center Of The Earth, 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, The War Of The Worlds, Forbidden Planet along with with schlockly ‘B’ sci-fi films.

As a retired graphic designer and artist I have always been fascinated with the promotional material of classic science fiction films.

In The Art Of Classic Sci-Fi Movies from Globe Pequot, Applause and editor Adam Newell, the long and and imaginative promotional art of science fiction films are examined. It starts with the dawn of the movie industry.

Full-color and black and white reproductions of posters, placards, newspaper advertisements and other printed memorabilia complemented by text about the individual films, take readers on a imaginative journey through the decades.

It’s big, it’s bold, it’s amazing and it can be all yours with this oversize hardbound book so packed with visual goodies and memories you’ll spend hours pouring over its pages.

Psalms 4:8I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.