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The dropping temperatures are the perfect time to add some whimsy to your wardrobe. Wearing more layers, after all, means that there are more opportunities to infuse a sense of fun into your everyday attire. We recently marveled over fingerless gloves that transform your hands into dragon scales, and crafter Lianka Azulay promises to do the same thing for your feet. Through her shop Bonita Patterns, she has created cozy “dragon slippers” that combine crochet with decorative scales that line your ankles.

Azulay specializes in creating the design/pattern while you craft the finished product. After selecting your own yarn colors, the crochet artist has photo instructions to follow. Though that might seem daunting, an intermediate-level crocheter or even dedicated beginner can master the “crocodile stitch” that comprises pattern. “This is a fun to work piece that will impress without stress,” Azulay assures fellow crafters.

Once you’re done, you’ve got booties that are the ideal companions for TV binge-watching—they’ll seem especially snuggly once the snow begins to fall. The fantastical footwear patterns, available for both kids and adults, are now in the Bonita Patterns Etsy shop.

Once you’ve mastered footwear, you can try making a pair of dragon mittens:

Bonita Patterns: Etsy
via [Bored Panda]

A connoisseur of the cute and cuddly, Warren Photographic specializes in commercial shots of nature and animals. The UK-based company boasts an extensive collection of for-print images, and the cuddly creatures they capture grace everything from pet care books and calendars to greeting cards and gifts. In addition to one-off shots and pet portraits, they produce adorable and thematic series, like the playfully-titled Identity Theft.

Taking the idea of “furry friends” quite literally, Identity Theft features pairs of pets who, despite dissimilar biological backgrounds, appear surprisingly alike thanks to their coordinated coats. A kitten hangs out with a hedgehog, a guinea pig meets two ducklings, and a badger nuzzles a border collie in the series that is best summarized as an animal lover’s dream come true. While some of the subjects appear comically confused and expectedly curious, many of them seem a bit more comfortable with their new companion—some even cuddle!

Mark Taylor, the photographer behind the series, got the idea from his mom, whose twinning seal-point Birman kitten and dwarf bunny served as the inspiration. By bringing unlikely animals together, Mark produces unique photographs that celebrate the interconnectedness of the animal kingdom—and, of course, its overwhelming cuteness.

Warren Photographic: Website | Facebook | Instagram
via [Bored Panda]

All images via Warren Photographic.

An elegant exploration of movement, the NYC Dance Project photographically presents the beauty and grace of dance.

The stunning series began in 2014, when Ken Browar, an esteemed fashion photographer, and Deborah Ory, a lifelong dancer with a background in editorial photography, began shooting contemporary dancers for a personal project. Through word of mouth in the dance community and inspiring success on social media, their photography quickly proved popular, and the NYC Dance Project was born.   

In 2015, we interviewed Ken and Deborah to find out more about their artistic endeavor. Touching on everything from their initial inspirations to their theatrical techniques, the conversation offered an in-depth look at their still-new series. When asked about the long-term goals they hoped to accomplish through their project, they excitedly shared that they were “working on putting together a coffee table book of the images and interviews.” Now, just over one year later, that dream has become a reality, as their new book, The Art of Movement, launches in October.

With over 300 pages of content, the glossy hardback features glamorous photographs and intriguing interviews of more than 70 dazzling dancers from around the world—the American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Martha Graham Dance Company, Alvin Ailey, Royal Danish Ballet, and the Royal Ballet are just some of the prestigious companies represented. Shot both in beaming colors and in brilliant black-and-white, the series spotlights the intrinsically artistic nature of dance. Expertly photographed and directed by Ken and Deborah, each subject appears to dance across the page, striking impossible poses with ease and showcasing the skill, strength, and poise that their passion demands. Beautifully portrayed and masterfully captured, the elegant spreads offer an intimate glimpse into the incredible lives of dancers.  

The Art of Movement hits the shelves on October 25. Pre-order the beautiful book here.

Above image: Charlotte Landreau, Soloist, Martha Graham Dance Company

James Whiteside, Principal, American Ballet Theatre

Daniil Simkin, Principal, American Ballet Theatre

Tiler Peck, Principal, New York City Ballet

Designer Stelios Mousarris has added to his Inception-inspired series of coffee and dining tables, Wave City, with a new, sleek black edition coffee table. We continue to marvel at the gravity-defying design, which elegantly curves a fictional cityscape upside down, interpreting one of the most iconic scenes from Christopher Nolan’s 2010 film.

Created from wood, steel, and 3D printing, the limited edition piece’s black matte finish lends a film-noir feel. It’s not difficult to imagine figures in dark trench coats and fedoras hustling through the dark, ominous streets, surrounded by endless rows of skyscrapers. The steel frame gives sturdy support to the dangling skyline. This limited edition table has an entirely different feel than its natural finish counterpart, with the continuous curve allowing light to filter through the cityscape, thus playing on the light/dark contrast inherent in the black design.

The table measures 40 inches (100 centimeters) long, 20 inches (50 centimeters) wide, and 18 inches (45 centimeters) high, leaving plenty of surface space for coffee table books and a game of cards. Mousarris’ entire line, including the black Wave City coffee table, is available via his website.

Stelios Mousarris: Website | Facebook
via [designboom]

All images via Stelios Mousarris.

Artist Debra Bernier creates fanciful sculptures from the nature that surrounds her in Victoria, Canada. Working with driftwood, Bernier studies the shape and form of each piece, carefully carving out or adding to the natural material to form these delicate, feminine figures. “When I work with driftwood, I never start with a blank canvas. Each piece of driftwood is already a sculpture, created by the caresses of the waves and wind,” Debra shares. “The wood tells a story and I try to think of its journey as I hold it in my hand. I extend or shorten the curves and contours that already exist into familiar shapes of animals or peoples’ faces.”

Debra’s work is not limited to wood, as she often incorporates shells, clay, stones, and other found objects to compliment her figures. Like nymphs sprouting in the forrest and along the seashore, the sculptures are a true fusion of humanity and nature, often evoking themes of fertility and motherhood. The incorporation of shells, a symbol of fertility in many cultures, helps draw out this association. As a modern-day reinterpretation of prehistoric stone Venus figurines, these talismans evoke calm contemplation, which Bernier expertly captures in beautifully framed photographs. “The finished pieces are a reflection of not only my life, my family, and children, but of an eternal, sacred connection we all share with nature,” she says. You’ll certainly never view a piece of driftwood the same way again!

Both original artwork, as well as prints, are available via her Etsy shop.

Debra Bernier: Facebook | Etsy
via [Little Things, Bored Panda]

All images via Debra Bernier.

The elixir of life may very well exist in a small Italian village called Acciaroli located south of Naples and the Amalfi Coast. While known for its quiet fishing villages, beautiful historic buildings, rolling hills and dramatic coastlines, Acciaroli is also home to an unusually high number of centenarians, with an incredible one in 10 residents living past the age of 100. Researchers from Rome’s La Sapienza University and the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) teamed up earlier this year to study residents from Acciaroli in hopes of better understanding the secrets to longevity and vitality.

There are around 2,000 centenarians, out of a population of 60,000, in the region of Cilento where Acciaroli is based. This ranks it alongside other places with similar numbers for longevity, such as the interior of Sardinia in Italy and the island of Okinawa in Japan.

The researchers analyzed blood samples from 81 elderly people in the region and found that they had remarkably low levels of adrenomedullin, a hormone that helps with blood circulation and assists in feeding nutrients to the body while efficiently taking away waste products through the capillaries. As a result, elderly residents had levels similar to those in their twenties and thirties.

Above photo credit: Angelo Babbaro

Photo credit: Giuseppe Maria Galasso

While scientists are still trying to identify the exact attributes of these residents that may lead to longer lives, it is believed to be a combination of a healthy diet (based on vegetables, herbs, and fish), along with ample exercise and genetics. The elderly people exercise regularly by gardening, trekking steep streets, as well as eating plenty of olive oil, locally-caught fish, and home-reared rabbits and chickens. They also add local herbs to their meals. Rosemary is thought to help with brain function and according to Dr. Maisel, a cardiologist from UCSD, the type grown in the region may be unique. “When we tested it, we found a dozen different compounds in there.”

Locals also seem immune to certain common diseases found in other parts world. “We found that they don’t have the sort of chronic diseases that we see in the US such as heart disease, obesity and Alzheimer’s,” said Dr. Maisel. “We noticed that they don’t suffer from cataracts. Most people in the US, if you are over 80, you have cataracts. We saw none.”

Photo credit: Giuseppe Maria Galasso

It was in the Cilento peninsula that Ancel Keys, an American scientist, also first identified the health benefits of what came to be known as the Mediterranean Diet. Keys’ recommendations advised plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, fish, and generous quantities of olive oil. Based on his research in the 1950s, he and his wife wrote best-selling books on the subject—Eat Well and Stay Well and How to Eat Well and Stay Well the Mediterranean Way. Keys lived in Pioppi, another coastal village in the Cilento region, for 28 years and passed away in 2004—just two months short of his 101st birthday.

The same researchers now hope to embark on a more comprehensive study of all 2,000 centenarians in the area, and create tools based on their lifestyles as suggestions and guidelines for how to help others age well.

Photo credit: Aproache2012

via [Inhabitat, The Telegraph]

Christopher Duffy of Duffy London designs furniture that infuses a sense of whimsy and wonder into each unconventional form. Over the past few years, he and his team have created imaginative tables that are supported by both balloons and falling dominoes. Now, Duffy London has expanded their array of stunning pieces with the Abyss Horizon table, a design that recalls the deep, seemingly endless depths of the sea.

The circular table features layers of stacked wood that resembles a 3D geological map. As the organically-shaped tiers descend, the bluer they appear. “I was looking into sheets of thick glass at my glass manufacturer’s factory, and noticed how the material darkened as they added more layers—the same way the sea does as it deepens,” Duffy recalled of his initial inspiration. “I wanted to use this effect to replicate a real piece of the Earth’s sea bed. Like a mythical power had lifted a perfect rectangle straight from the Earth’s crust to use as his personal ornament.” To further this illusion, the base of the table is jagged and rocky, as if it were just exhumed.

Abyss Horizon is limited to 25 editions. Each table is handmade to order and can take up to 20 weeks for delivery.

Duffy London: Website | Instagram | Facebook
via [designboom]

By transforming space into place, a densely populated area of Bangkok, Thailand has regained vital community meeting places in the form of oddly shaped soccer fields. The Khlong Toei quarter of the city was lacking in areas for neighborhood teenagers to congregate for safe and productive gatherings. Ingeniously, AP Thai, in collaboration with CJ Worx, gave trash-laden, asymmetrical tracts of land a makeover, transforming them into areas where locals could play soccer, Thailand’s most popular sport. Local teens, who may live in the same apartment block, but never interact due to a lack of community space, now have the chance to mingle and show off their skills on the field, increasing the community bond.

While Khlong Toei is believed to be a neighborhood without any usable space, AP Thai found this was not the case. “We strongly believe that ‘Space can change one’s life’ and seeing the community brought together to enjoy [the fields] meant that we achieved our goal.”

For some inhabitants it was difficult to conceive of playing soccer on such a strange field. In reality, their forms opened up new perspectives—and not only about the game. The concept of “useless” or “wasted” space has been inverted, showing that outdoor recreation can be inserted into the urban fabric in even the most unexpected environments.

Another field, before:

After:

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

The shape of the field doesn’t take away from a fun, communal game of soccer.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cf3Cjpn9qHY?rel=0&w=750&h=422]

AP Thai: Website | Facebook | Instagram
via [designboom]

Portuguese artist Bordalo II has had a busy summer as he sped from Aruba to Estonia installing his animal sculptures in public locations. A close look unveils the fact that these creatures are uniquely formed from reclaimed materials. In the hands of Bordalo, tires, car bumpers, door panels, and entire vehicles are cut and shaped to create the final sculpture. While many artists’ first stop in town may be an art supply store, he instead makes his way to the local junkyard, sourcing material in a manner that shows his visionary eye for what these scraps can become.

The media itself is central to Bordalo’s mission. “The idea is to depict nature itself, in this case animals, out of materials that are responsible for [their] destruction,” he shares. “Sometimes people don’t recognize that their simple routines are too much, we are using too many resources too fast and turning them into trash, waste, and pollution.”

In addition to a stop in Arkansas for The Unexpected, the artist completed several works in Aruba for the Aruba Art Fair. A brown pelican—an animal removed from the endangered species list in 2009—is affixed to a rusting ship and bobs in the clear waters, mirroring the plethora of pelicans found on the Caribbean Island. In Estonia, the artist created a flying squirrel—a rare mammal in Europe that is only found in Finland and Estonia. In recent decades, the flying squirrel has seen its habitat disappear due to deforestation, causing an alarming decrease in the population. Thus, Bordalo’s public sculptures provoke the viewer beyond their aesthetic beauty, pushing contemplation about how human actions impact local fauna.

Above: Flamingos at Festival Iminente in Oeriras, Portugal

Fox in Forth Smith, Arkansas for The Unexpected Festival

Pelican in Aruba for Aruba Art Fair

Weasel in Hamburg, Germany for MS Artville

Weasel, work in progress

Yuwana in Aruba for Aruba Art Fair

Flying Squirrel in Tallinn, Estonia for JJ -Street Baltic Session Street Art Jam

Bordalo II: Website | Facebook | Instagram
via [Colossal]

It’s hard to understand just how big (or small) something truly is, especially when it appears in an unfamiliar context. Kevin Wisbith has put some exceptionally “large” things into perspective by placing them into situations where we have a better grip on scale. So for those of us who cannot conceptualize the true width of a B-2 Bomber or the world’s largest oil tanker, Wisbith’s comparisons will provide clarity and even surprise you.

The series of 10 images is called A Quick Perspective, and it’s a digital compilation featuring architecture, nature, science fiction, and design. Wisbith has done the math and seamlessly combined two disparate subjects for a head-scratching effect. Even if you have a vague idea of something’s size, seeing it in another context will change your perception of it. The Death Star, for instance, might seem massive on film, but it’s only a quarter the length of Florida. On that scale, it’s much less menacing!

Check out A Quick Perspective, with Wisbith’s original captions, below.

Above: The 2.6 Trillion Dollar Rock
The Dionysus asteroid is part of the Apollo asteroid belt. The Dionysus asteroid is estimated to be 1.5 km wide or 4921.26 feet. The value of the resources estimated to be within the asteroid is around $2,600,000,000,000. If the asteroid was placed above the Golden Gate Bridge, it wouldn’t even surpass the bridge span.

The Death Star
Although the Death Star doesn’t exist in reality, it’s truly the biggest and most bad-ass machine ever conceived. The Death Star’s estimated width is around 99 miles across, or around 1/4th the length of Florida.

The Mir Mine
The Mir Mine located in Russia is one of the deepest mines in the world. The official depth is 1,722 feet deep. If the 2nd tallest building in the United States, the Willis or Sears Tower which is 1,729 feet tall was placed in the mine, the tip would only stick out 7 feet past ground level.

B-2 Bomber
The B-2 Bomber is one of the worlds most advanced and most expensive airplanes in the world. What most people don’t realize is how big these things really are. The wingspan of a B-2 is 172 feet which is 12 feet wider than an NFL football field.

Worlds Largest Oil Tanker
The largest oil tanker ever produced was the Seawise Giant which spanned 1,504 feet. If placed in the main lake in New York’s Central Park it would only have 350 feet of extra room on the front and back.

The Titanic
When it was built the Titanic was one of the largest ships built. It’s total length was 882 feet and 9 inches long. Since then ship building has come a long way. The United States aircraft carrier the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan is 1,092 feet long. If the Titanic was placed on the deck of the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan the ship would have 210 feet of deck room left.

The M-1 Rocket Motor
The M-1 Rocket motor was designed back in the 1950s for the NASA space program and would have been the biggest motor ever built had it been constructed. It’s designed diameter was 14 feet, or wide enough to fully cover a Smart Car with 2 feet to spare on either side.

The Pulmonoscorpius kirktonensis or (Breathing Scorpion)
Prehistoric bugs were larger than average day bugs due to the higher oxygen levels. The Pulmonoscorpius kirktonensis was a species of scorpion that grew to 24 inches long, or the size of a normal house cat. Personally, I’m glad I these things don’t exist anymore. I’d never go outside ever again if they did.

Largest Radio Telescope in the World
As we continue the hunt for extraterrestrial life, we continue to build bigger and bigger telescopes. The biggest radio telescope to date is the Chinese Guizhou province telescope that is 1,600 feet in diameter. If placed in downtown Las Vegas it would cover half of The Mirage, all of the LINQ, all of Harrahs, and most of Venetian.

Burj Khalifa
The Burj Khalifa is currently the tallest standing structure in the world. It measures in at 2,722 feet tall. If placed in New York it would stretch almost 1,000 feet past the One World Trade center and almost 1,300 feet taller than the Empire State Building.

Kevin Wisbith: YouTube
via [Colossal, Imgur]

All images and captions via Kevin Wisbith.