Merry Christmas!

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas and all the very best for the New Year.

Thank you for your kind support during 2007.

Please note that Acorn Studios will be closed from Dec 23 - Jan 2... time to rest up and eat cookies (I think I ate about 15 today).

image via foldingj

Ask.com search suggestion contest

After observing the bizarre search suggestions that ask.com gives for searches, the folks over at Evil Mad Scientist ran a contest to find the most amusing, inappropriate and even frightening suggestions about what you might want to search for. Here's some of my favourites from their winning entries:

^ Huh! Anyone know where jeeves went? Must be a lot of people asking....

^ Well, err, I don't use Ask. But I'd never ask Ask if anyone else does!

^ And you typed this question how??

For all the winning entries, take a look here

Space Invaders Knit

Too late to buy something for your geeky friend? Why not knit them a space invaders toy? If you have wool that is, and can knit. Pattern available here.

Etched Apple Laptop

The folks over at MAKE made this laptop mod during their Christmas party! Who don't I go to parties like this? Sounds like my kind of afternoon :)

Diskette Notebooks are back in stock

I've been sold out of most colours of diskette notebooks for ages. But finally I have a whole load of new colours available - YAY!!

red
yellow
orange
light blue
dark blue
pink (only one - I've never seen pink diskettes before!)
purple
light green
dark green
black
grey
white

Finally Done.... almost

Boy! It's been quite a few days, have you missed me?

I shipped the last of my orders this morning (ones that came in yesterday and today) and I think that's officially it.... I'm now on vacation!!

Well sort of. It would appear that lots of local people would still like to give GEEKWARE to their loved ones this Christmas. So for the 1st time EVER, I've decided to have an open house on Saturday for one last chance to pick up some Christmas goodies.

I'll make a proper post about that later today, once I've made a nice graphic and figured out the details :)


It was my b-day yesterday. I had a lovely day chatting to family and friends on the phone, followed by a nice dinner and a movie and the season finale of Project Runway Canada (I knew he'd win!).

Fave prezzie:


This 150 piece rotary tool kit from Mastercraft. I love everything Mastercraft. Everything from tape measures to band saws in my place is by Mastercraft.

Yeah - I'm such a girlie girl (not!)

I opened it at midnight and spent the next hour trying to figure out what I'd do with all these gazillion attachments. Love it!



Also got this great set of Mastercraft drill bits, to replace all the ones I keep losing or snapping in my crafty ventures.

The Story of Stuff

The Story of Stuff is a neat little 20 minute film that explains everything thats wrong in the world. Well not quite everything, but it contains some shocking facts about gluttony and consumption.

Thanks Jodi, good find!

Mac Love-Fest: The original Macintosh User Manual

A nostalgic look back at this original Macintosh User Manual in full page by page glory. Enjoy!

Via: SwissMiss

Pop Can Wreath

Nice! Obviously not a picture from up here because there would be a foot of snow in the background (we had to shovel the sidewalk TWICE today!! grrr )

via: Craftster

'Book' Shelves

So Clever! Love the selected book titles! Head on over to This Into That for more amusing 'book' shelves. Check out the 'About the Art' > 'Procedures' page - it's very funny.

Monitor Mod - Hamster Cage

A nice idea, although does anyone else notice how old that water looks, or the sawdust going all over the desk? I hope that's not the guys lunch sitting right in front of the cage!

The guys over at nogerms would freak if they saw this :)

via: funfever

Edited to add: I've been informed that this is not an appropriate cage for a hamster so please do not make this mod for a live animal. Maybe a dolls house, or a make-your-own-cubicle for your dilbert cutouts, but not for hamsters. K, everyone clear on that?

Geek Tattoo

Someone likes HTML a bit too much eh?!

via: funnyhub

Computer Case Can Dispenser

A clever computer mod - recycling a case into a (beer?) can dispenser!

Via: Computer-Plus

CD Spindle Earring Holder

A great way to recycle an old CD and a CD spindle. Full instructions and more picture available here.

What's on my Christmas List?

I really like these mini-clipboards by Debby Arem of Maryland USA. They are the perfect size for post-it notes or small to-do lists and they are even magnetic to stick on my fridge!

Another Debby Arem creation - circuitboard mousepads! I think this would look great next to my computer :)

Solar-powered garden light set. 10 hours of LED light, no wires to fuss with, and stainless steel - what more would I ask for? I hope someone buys me these slick lights for the front yard (hint hint dad...)

1983 Apple IIe Cufflinks

Remember the Apple IIe I found recently from 1983? I have made something from it !! Only one project so far, but I'll see if I can salvage any other parts for future projects.

Mac Cufflinks available here >

Last Show of the Year!

(Click flyer to view larger)

Thursday and Friday 10-2 in the Alberta Legislature Grounds pedway (the floor below the Legislature Gift Shop).

This is more a traditional craft show, featuring: homemade jams, Christmas decorations, knitted goodies, hand-blended teas, and of course..... GEEKWARE!

Hope to see you there during your lunch break for some retail therapy!

Mac-Girl-Set

Been working on some Mac keyboard creations today for a local customer. The brief was "Anything you think she'd like that is MAC-related, here's my credit card #". (I love orders like this where I can be really creative!)


I got inspired to try a new style of necklace for this order. Took a bit of trial and error, but I'm really pleased with how it turned out, and I got to test out some new stainless steel necklaces too.


Paired with MAC-earrings and a return key keychain, I'm offering 2 additional sets of these for any other MAC fans out there.


I'll try and make more MAC-ware along these lines in the new year too.


MAC-Girl-Set available here >

Mac Pins - 11 added

I've found 11 more apple keys and am currently cleaning them up to make them into Mac Pride Pins today.

They are re-added to the website and available 1st come 1st served.

Gosh you Mac fans sure love showing your pride!!

Bye Bye Royal Bison

It was great to meet so many familiar faces and new friends at the Royal Bison show this weekend. You braved the -29C windchill, that's dedication!

I love hearing the remarks from customers browsing my booth. Usually the exclaim "OMG this is so awesome, so-and-so would love this!".

About every 25th person asks if I have the 'any' key in a Homer Simpson voice. LOL.

About every 200th person wants to chat about circuit boards and tell me exactly what computer each pieces is made from! (gotta love their enthusiasm :) )

And then there's the random comments that make me smile inside, such as:

Lady: "dad would like this for the basement, he uses these"

daughter: "mum, that's a notebook!" *picks up floppy disk notebook"

Lady: *walks away embarrassed*

Man: "is this a map of Edmonton?" *picking up circuitboard business card holder*

Man: "you should put an X on there to show where we are"

I love all your comments, what would I do without you?!

Royal Bison This Weekend

Here's the scoop:

What: Royal Bison Craft & Art Fair

When: DEC 1st and 2nd, 10am - 5pm

Where: 8426 - Gateway Blvd (Cosmopolitan Music Society Building), Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Entry: $2 (little kids get in free)

There will be some FABULOUS up-and-coming designers at the show - this is not your typical craft show that's for sure! Come shop Geekware by Acorn Studios , stock up on Christmas presents or just drop by to say 'hi'.

I'll have quite a few items not on the website, including keyboard cell phone charms, keyboard key racks, geeky 'spaced out' mirrors and more!

Look ^ we even get nice weather for the show - no snow and it's above minus 20C in the daytime!

Hope to see you there :)

Geeky Cat Bed

Isn't this adorable? An old monitor turned into a geeky cat bed, complete with cushion. This is definitely something fun to spoil your kitty with!
Only $40 here.

Apple IIe

Look what I found! Very excited about this - I've never seen an Apple IIe before!

I'll clean it up tomorrow and decide what to make with it. Maybe cufflinks from the apple keys? Any ideas for the apple logo in the last picture?

According to this site, the Apple IIe was released in January 1983 and it came with........ wait for it....... 64 KB RAM *snicker*

WiiMote Cabinet

It's not only a great homage to the best controller device ever created, it's actually functional. Nice work Craig!

via: NintendoFanBoy

Who needs a real Christmas tree...

...when you can have a bookshelf tree instead!

via: swissmiss