Category: WOW

Redditor manne0708 has a passion for jigsaw puzzles unlike anything we’ve ever seen. Within the past year, the Danish student has assembled nearly 74,000 tiny pieces into two gigantic scenes. Her most recent jigsaw endeavor currently holds the title of being “The World’s Largest Jigsaw Puzzle,” and it’s composed of an astounding 40,320 pieces. Once completed, it measured 680 centimeters (22.3 feet) long and 192 centimeters (6.3 feet) wide.

Manne0708’s dedication constructed 10 vignettes from classic Disney films that are each separated by a border of whimsical stars. Together, they form a giant homage to the characters and beloved childhood stories.

Logistics dictated that the puzzle pieces were separated into large bags—one for each film. This made the task of matching the tiny shapes slightly easier, although it was still time consuming—all told, it took manne0708 about 460 active hours of work that was done over the course of about two months.

If you want to try your hand at it, this massive puzzle is available on Amazon.

Here’s the other puzzle manne0708 completed this year. It previously held the distinction of “World’s Largest Jigsaw Puzzle,” and she said that it was harder to construct than its larger successor.

Manne0708: Reddit
via [Reddit]

If you’re a cat owner, you already know that these four-legged friends can shed like crazy. While many of us simply discard of the excess hair, Ryo Yamazaki uses it as a raw material for his feline fashions. The crafty cat lover creates felted hats for his three Scottish Folds to wear!

Yamazaki crafts the bizarre, statement-making pieces in a bevy of shapes and sizes. Some hats are flat beret-style while others are tall and pointed, resembling a dunce cap. In a few instances, the Japanese photographer has even made headpieces with their own set of ears—there’s seemingly a hat for every occasion.

After Yamazaki finishes forming the accessories, he adorns his furry friends—Nyaa, Mar, and Wheat—and snaps their photos. They react as you’d expect; not totally defiant, just a little confused about what’s now gracing their heads. Like many cats, they play along with his unconventional idea, surely making him love them all the more.

Ryo Yamazaki: Instagram
via [Bored Panda]

Russian ballerina Darian Volkova has combined her profession with her passion by embarking on a journey as a photographer specializing in the world of classical dance. The 25-year-old ballerina works as a freelance dancer for touring companies, and was encouraged to document her experiences by her husband, who is a photographer. Not wishing to limit herself as just a dancer, Volkova found that photography was the perfect medium to express her passion for the world of ballet.

Her evocative photos, taken around the globe, give an insider’s view into the life of ballet dancers. Whether it be the anxious, adrenaline fueled moments as they are about to rush onstage or the elegant lines of a ballerina’s body in pose, Volkova breathes life into her images. In a tight-knit community where fellow dancers become like family, she is able to access the spirit of life as a ballet dancer. “I can express something via dance, but photography is another view. Photography is my escape. It helps me fight with tiredness and capture a moment.” Volkova writes. “What is more, it gives me an opportunity to communicate with different people—ballet dancers don’t always have such ability. Thanks to the photography, I can share my own worldview. Here I’m both a photographer and a choreographer.”

As a dancer, Volkova is able to access theaters that would normally be off limits to photographers. Sometimes entering through official channels, and often through insider connections, Volkova’s next goal is to gain access to the famed Bolshoi theater. Ultimately she wishes to capture dancers across the globe, allowing people to see ballet through her eyes.

Darian Volkova: Website | Facebook | Instagram
via [Photogrist]

All images via Darian Volkova.

There are those who want to discreetly enjoy their music, and there are others who want to infuse some fantasy into their listening experience. For the latter group, Chinese retailer Taobao has the perfect product—Elf Ear Headphones. Once these audio accessories are slipped on, they seemingly transform the wearer into a whimsical creature. Attached to the standard silicone buds are long, pointed faux ears that sit atop the wearer’s human ones and make them look distinctly elfish.

The Elf Ear Headphones are a deviation from a conventional set of earbuds—in both their style and purpose. Normally, this type of device is sleek and favors discretion over flash. However, this pointy variety is a statement making trend that has caught the attention of people in China. It offers a balance of functionality and playfulness that combines technology and cosplay into one convenient device.

Elf Ear Headphones: Taobao
via [Bored Panda]

The colorful string explosions of Gabriel Dawe have been mesmerizing us for years. With Plexus 35, the Mexican artist brings his work to the Toledo Museum of Art, making a bold juxtaposition between old and new. The site-specific installation is composed of embroidery threads strung to create an indoor rainbow, one that plays with space—from interior architectural elements to light sources. As light streams through the glass ceiling of the museum, it filters through the colorful threads, creating a holographic look.

Dawe’s Plexus series grew out of his love for embroidery, yet frustration with the time it took to create a finished product. For him, the use of textiles in his work is also a subtle way to look at notions of gender identity. “The Plexus installations started as a big experiment using the core material of my work with embroidery. Because of the material, there is a subtext of gender politics in them, albeit subtly,” Dawe shares. “Very early on, I realized that these architectural structures made out of sewing thread were very ethereal. It was almost as if they were rays of colored light frozen in space.”

Using the full spectrum of color as a point of departure, the Toledo installation is the first in which the artist has played with breaking up the colors. “Sometimes I use only a fraction of the spectrum; others I choose a different starting and ending point which goes against what you’d find in nature if you were to break up light with a prism,” he explains. “Lately, I’ve felt the desire to break it up even more, and the piece at the Toledo Museum of Art will be the first piece where I really explore the breaking up of the spectrum.” With its location in the museum’s Great Gallery, the installation takes on added importance, surrounded by the works of masters such as Peter Paul Rubens. Dawe’s installation, Plexus 35, will be on view at the Toledo Museum of Art until January 22, 2017.

Gabriel Dawe: Website | Facebook | Instagram
via [Colossal, Toledo.com] 

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Every day at lunchtime, 9-year-old Holden Elderkin gets a fun lesson about inspiring women in history via lovingly drawn napkins from her mom. Celebrating the strong, bold, and influential women of our past and present is an idea that came to Meaghan Elderkin after her daughter’s reaction to the recent presidential election.

Elderkin, who has been leaving lunchbox notes for her daughter since preschool, had designed a celebratory napkin on November 8 in anticipation of a Clinton victory. “It was of a dancing squirrel in a leotard (a la Beyoncé in the ‘Single Ladies’ video) that said ‘Who Run The World? Squirrels,’ ” Elderkin shares. Both mother and daughter took Clinton’s loss hard, sparking a new, creative idea—something to give both mother and daughter comfort.

“I decided to draw her some pictures of strong, brave women with some of their more notable quotes,” she says. “The first round of napkins I drew, the women were somber looking, and I couldn’t even bring myself to draw them with their eyes open. I felt as if we, as a country, had let them down, and I think subconsciously I was trying to protect them from seeing what we had done. But after a few days of moping and wallowing, I decided to take my own advice, and I redrew them. Bigger and more confident, and with their eyes open.”

Authors, aviators, actresses, activists, and politicians—the range of women drawn show that strong females are involved in every facet of life. Their inspirational quotes act as a call to action and reminder that empowered women, though they may face obstacles, can conquer anything. Napkin drawings are a tradition started by Elderkin’s mother, who used to draw on her lunch napkins—making it natural that she would continue the ritual with her own daughter. Elderkin, who is a freelance illustrator and fine artist, shared her work in the Pantsuit Nation Facebook group, where she was overwhelmed by the supportive responses.

“I had only been invited to join the Pantsuit Nation group a few days before and I’m not sure that I realized how many people these napkin drawings would reach, or how enthusiastically they would be received,” Elderkin says. “I hadn’t realized that I as a mother, had a loud enough voice to make any sort [of] difference and it made me see that even the smallest acts of encouragement are worth doing.”

Look below for more of Elderkin’s empowered female heroes.

Above image: “The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity.” Amelia Earhart (1897 – 1937). First female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, member of the National Woman’s Party, and early supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment.

“I’d rather regret the things I’ve done than regret the things I haven’t done.” Lucille Ball (1911 – 1989). Legendary comedienne and first woman in television to be head of a production company.

“When they go low, we go high.” Michelle Obama (1964 – ). 44th First Lady of the United States, and first African-American First Lady.

“I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.” Louisa May Alcott (1832 – 1888). American novelist best known for her novel Little Women.

“…if you’ve listened to them carefully and you still think you’re right, then you must have the courage of your convictions.” Jane Goodall (1934 – ). British primatologist and world’s foremost expert on chimpanzees.

“…if we want scientists and engineers in the future, we should be cultivating the girls as much as the boys…” Sally Ride (1951 – 2012). American physicist and astronaut who, in 1983, became the first American woman in space.

“Beware, I am fearless and therefore powerful.” Mary Shelley (1797 – 1851). English novelist best know for the novel Frankenstein.

“We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced.” Malala Yousafzi (1997 – ). Pakistani women’s rights activist and youngest-ever Nobel Prize winner.

“It took me quite a long time to develop a voice, and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent.” Madeleine Albright (1937 – ). First female United States Secretary of State.

Meaghan Elderkin: Website | Facebook | Instagram
via [Babble]

All images via Meaghan Elderkin.

As the weather outside grows blustery and cold, it’s the perfect excuse to indulge in hot chocolate. Of course, these sweet drinks aren’t complete without marshmallows, and chef Dominique Ansel is taking the annual treat a step further with his fluffy confections that bloom. Yes, that’s right—marshmallows that unfold and grow before your eyes, like a delicate flower that reveals its beauty petal by petal.

To create this bit of culinary magic, Ansel cut the marshmallow into a daisy-like shape and bundled it with a thin ring of white chocolate. When the marshmallow is dropped into the warm beverage, it melts and the flower begins to unfold—the effect is both mesmerizing and delicious.

Ansel’s handiwork is available at his bakeries in Tokyo, New York, and London. He’s also the creator of the famous cronut (an ingenious hybrid of a croissant and donut), which seems like the ideal companion to this indulgent drink.

Here are the marshmallows in action:

Video credit: @obsfood

Once opened, it looks almost too good to drink:

Photo credit: @sherri_orrapun

Here, the hot chocolate is paired with a cronut.
Photo credit: @sarahemed

At the Dominque Ansel Bakery in Japan, the marshmallows are made colorful.

Dominique Ansel Bakery: Website | Instagram | Facebook
via [Hello Giggles]

All images via Dominique Ansel Bakery unless otherwise noted.

How many times have you forgotten to water a plant, only to remember once its leaves are starting to wilt? Studio Lorier has created a solution to this common problem with their self-watering planter. Called Natural Balance, the elegantly-designed flowerpot feeds your beloved flora while offering you a helpful reminder for when it’s time to water them again.

Natural Balance conceals its function in a graceful, minimalist-style vessel. It has an integrated water reservoir that keeps the soil hydrated, separated from the pot by a water-permeable divider that allows the liquid to gradually pass through and only as the plant needs it. (This also prevents it from soaking the soil and potentially harming the plant.)

Studio Lorier makes it easy to remember to refill the planter. When full of water, the pot sits level, but as its reservoir empties—positioned on one side—the weight distribution becomes unequal and tips the Natural Balance backwards; this lets you know that it’s time for more water.

To raise funds for production, Studio Lorier is taking pre-orders of Natural Balance through Kickstarter.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vhbtp-x4kg&w=750&h=422]

Studio Lorier: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Kickstarter
via [NOTCOT]

In Europe and North America, it’s estimated that 1 in 20,000 people are affected with albinism. Israel-based photographer Yulia Taits gives a face to the rare congenital disorder in a series titled Porcelain Beauty. Placed against a white backdrop, men, women, and children act as models to demonstrate their unique beauty. In addition to its aesthetic impact, the imagery helps fight against stereotypes of albinism. The commonly held belief that every person with albinism has red eyes is also debunked, as we see the pale grey or crystal blue gaze of her subjects. The overwhelming support of the models and their parents provided Taits with extra motivation in the project, which allowed her to connect with these amazing people.

Different tints and shades of white are highlighted in the photographs, in which the models are often accessorized with white props. In this way the rich complexity of albinism is reinforced visually. “This beauty is so pure and amazing for me, as if it was taken from fantasies and fairy tale legends,” Taits writes. “As a photoshop artist, I have a passion to create fantasy worlds through my work and artistry. This series was an amazing experience for me because I could create this beautiful photography without Photoshop. What transpired was pure natural beauty.”

Yulia Taits: Website | Facebook | Instagram
via [Bored Panda]

All images via Yulia Taits.

Parenting isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, no matter what idyllic social media posts might have you believe. This responsibility comes with a unique set of challenges, the kind that London dad Simon Hooper is open, honest, and hilarious about on Instagram.

As a dad to four girls (all under the age of 10), Hooper and his wife Clementine have their hands full. Their parenting is ripe with memorable moments that he documents, while also captioning each amusing photo with a dose of reality and biting wit. From birthday parties to bedtime, Hooper remarks how the job of daddy has changed his way of thinking. “I’m like a walking encyclopedia of baby product info,” he wrote in one of his captions. “I used to use my brain to solve global corporate wide problems. I now use it to calculate bulk buy discounts.”

Hooper hopes that his candid posts are relatable to other moms and dads. “In general my whole account is to show a realistic view of what parenting is like from a parent’s perspective,” he told The Huffington Post. “There is way too much sugarcoating when it comes to parents, so I wanted to share what it’s really like and provide a bit of humor at the same time.” He sums it up best by saying that no one is alone. “Everyone is dealing with the same issues in this journey called parenting.”

Simon Hooper: Instagram
via [The Huffington Post]