Man Made DIY

"Just because something makes you smile or laugh ... doesn't mean it's a joke."

Word to the skeptical: don't be. Artisinal pencil sharpening is a very real thing. You may have heard of David Rees, a political cartoonist who also runs ArtisinalPencilSharpening.com, a site where you can send in a pencil (or David can provide one) and he'll sharpen it by hand, for $15.00.

Now, David has released a book How To Sharpen Pencils: A Practical & Theoretical Treatise on the Artisanal Craft of Pencil Sharpening for Writers, Artists, Contractors, Flange Turners, Anglesmiths, & Civil Servants (with a forward by John Hodgman), and is currently on tour with workshops and sharpening services, often on the same bill as some awesome comedians.

If you get the idea of a hand sharpened pencil, but aren't quite down to pay $15.00 for the service, David has graciously provided his technique. For free.

It's the kind of… read more

(Classic Rap pencil set - $6.00)

These playful pencil sets created by One Up Designs made me laugh. The sayings on the side of each pencil, which are inspired by popular culture, are actually quite subtle. But those who spot "The Dude abides"on the side of your pencil will definitely get a kick out of it.  

It's been said that some of the best songs are those that sound like you've heard them a thousand times upon first listen. Reliable, fresh, yet totally familiar and I-wish-I-thought-of-that invoking.

Belgian artist Ben Heine's series "Pencil Vs. Camera" is sorta the visual equivalent. We've all played with subsituting objects in photos, but it's never been done like this, or this… read more

I've always enjoy the ambitious experiments of designer Dominic Wilcox, who, lately, has taken on a thirty-day speed creating challenge that has resulted in some fun projects: thread-wrapped grapes, onion ring fabric, and inflatable socks. 

But I'm particularly loving the practicality (?!) of this colored pencil shelf. Dominic says, "I made a shelf from coloured pencils by glueing them together. I was suprised at how strong it was using two layers of pencils....The shelf brackets are made by cutting a single pencil case into two parts and glueing together. The sliding doors hide the screws." 

What better to go with your Mario and Luigi-themed filing cabinets than a handmade warp pipe pencil cup?

Not much we can think of.

This design used plastic needlepoint canvas, which I haven't seen since the horrific Kleenex box covers my grandma had in… read more