Categories / Kids

Retro ABC wooden blocks

Retro_blocks Made for kids, these ABC wooden blocks could also add a nice pop art feel to your home.

Available from ethical shopping site Green Apple, the blocks are 1.75 inches square and made from highly renewable and sustainable basswood, coloured with child-safe inks and finished by hand. The set includes 27 blocks providing 4 complete alphabets, 3 sets of numerals, and 27 different animal pictures.

And once your child gets bored of them, you create make a Peter Blake-style installation of your own! The set retails for a very reasonable £15.

Find out more at the Green Apple website

And thanks to Kavel for the tip off!

Categories / eBay watch, Women's Fashion

Isaac Mizahri’s designer Charlie Brown inspired dress

PeanutsIt seems an odd thing to ask, "Have you girls ever wanted to dress up like a stylish Charlie Brown?" but for lovers of the classic comic strip now’s your chance.

Grabbing obvious inspiration from Charles M. Schultz’ Peanuts, Isaac Mizahri has designed this one off sequinned dress which is on sale now on eBay.

As part of the MetLife Snoopy in Fashion project, it’s one of many dresses lending inspiration from the cult classic. All the proceeds go to charity, so you’re allowed feel extra smug on top of all the comments this one could grab.

Find out more at the MetLife Snoopy in Fashion eBay page

Categories / Gadgets and Tech

VW Memory Sticks

VwmemoryMemory sticks are a new invention and you’d have thought pretty hard to give a retro spin, but that is what the manufacturer to these VW Memory Sticks has done.

There are four options available – a VW Camper Van in red or green and a VW Beetle in pink or blue. When in use transferring data, the headlights flashes, which is a nice little feature.

The downside is that they only hold 256 MB which isn’t the most generous at the price of £18.99. They are available to buy from the Lazy Bones website.

Categories / Design and Interiors

“Fabulous 50s Advertising” Calendar

72261_c2007 is fading away and organised types may already want to plan ahead with a 2008 calendar. And what better way to prepare for the future than with a calendar that harks back to the past, as does the "Fabulous 50s Advertising" Calendar.

As its name suggests, each month is illustrated by a magazine advertisements from the 1950s for electrical goods, homewares, and beauty products, and they are rather fabulous.

You can order one for £9.99 directly from the publisher teNeues.

Categories / Cars and Bikes

Yamaha’s retro Sakura motorbike

Yamaha_retro

I’m not usually excited about motorbikes, but if more looked like the Yamaha Sakura, that view might just change.

The Sakura is a prototype, unveiled by the company at the Tokyo Motor Show but based on the Yamaha XS-1, the company’s first 4-stroke model. Saying that, this is a very modern bike – a lightweight 1,000cc air-cooled, V-twin model that really oozes style.

No word on this going into production as yet, but if you know of any similar retro-styled motorbikes, please let us know.

Yamaha website

Categories / Kids

Kombi-Kart – classic wooden go-kart

Wooden_gokart

In more creative times, kids (including me at the time) would make their own go-kart out of old wood, rope, borrowed wheels and a few nails. These days such a vehicle wouldn’t pass many health and safety tests, so you have to buy them – and top of the tree is this Kombi-Kart.

Essentially, this is that same kart from your childhood, but made properly and safely with four sturdy wheels, two fixed axles, steering rope and all the screws and heavy-duty bolts you need to keep it together, even on the bumpiest of roads.

It’s designed for kids of age eight or over, but is strong enough to hold an adult if you’re feel nostalgic. It retails for £149.

FInd out more at the Children’s Furniture Company website