Congratulations Heidi, Michelle and Jess! You’ve all won your choice of starfinders or starfinder digital kits in my October/November blog giveaway, and will be contacted shortly! :)
There were 12 entrants… A modest sum, but it meant that each person had a 25% chance of winning! :)
Make sure to check back! The next giveaway will be announced soon!
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I’m feeling generous, so my Black-Friday-Cyber-Monday Sale has been extended! All starfinders are BOGO, and all other items ship free through Friday, December 11th! Get ‘em while you can, because this kind of sale doesn’t come around often!!
And while you’re at it, this is the last day to enter my blog giveaway! Three winners will receive starfinders or starfinder digital kits! Simply show me your science-ey crafts! Contest closes at midnight.
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*contented sigh*
I just want to thank everyone for the massive influx of business lately! I’ve sold more than twenty starfinders in the last two weeks, along with a handful of other items! With all of this business, I had to find some new way to keep track of everything — what a wonderful excuse to make a chart!
Here’s a little peek. I feel so fancy!
My fancy new chart!
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Thus begins the Funktapus Designs holiday sale! Make sure to place your order before midnight Monday, because all starfinders are buy one, get one free and all other items ship free! No coupon codes or refunds necessary!
Just one of my many sale items!
Posted in My Etsy | Tagged Etsy, holiday, sale | 1 Comment »
The deadline for my very first Funktapus Designs blog giveaway is almost here! Show me your best science-ey crafts and three randomly chosen individuals will receive free starfinders or starfinder digikits — your choice! All entries must be original works… Please comment on this or any other giveaway post with your name, email address and at least one photo of your entry! The original end date has been extended to December 1st, and winners will be chosen December 2nd!
Posted in My Etsy | Tagged Etsy, giveaway, science | 9 Comments »
I’m home for the holiday, which means I was finally able to make the painstaking (but worthwhile!) trip to American Science and Surplus! This is my absolute favorite store, and it is unique to the Chicago/Milwaukee area. There are only three locations, and the closest to us is in West Chicago. From the highway, it is small and nondescript. At best, it looks like an old, quirky toy store. Inside, however, it is cheerful and awash with well-intentioned eccentricity, piled to the ceiling with one-of-a-kind kits, models, superb telescope and microscopes, capacitors and resistors, old army goods, chemistry sets and individual pyrex flasks and test tubes, art supplies, carnivorous plant seeds, puzzles, bits of old Halloween costumes, high-powered magnets, fossils and rare earth, lab coats and witty t-shirts! Not only is the place utterly unparalleled when it comes to variety in quirky science, but the prices are unbeatable!
So I guess I should say a few things up front:
1) I love good deals. And bulk goods.
2) I am officially obsessed with specimen jars/bottled curiosities (see my spotlight on Miniature Rhino), and I am thinking I would like to make a huge ornament collection of the tiny odds and ends I’ve found in my thrift store escapades in combination with some interesting pieces from nature. I don’t actually have any holiday decorations yet, and I would LOVE to be able to decorate a tree with little specimens and trinkets!
3) I have really poor impulse control when it comes to science and scientific goods.
…This is how I came to leave the store with six-hundred and thirty-eight glass vials in tow. In my defense [as a dirt-poor college student], each bulk bag was $16, and I had a very generous coupon. I also got some funky little drawstring linen bags that say “Symbiotics: Female” on them and look like they’re meant to hold little specimen jars!
How could I resist this?
Oh, and some Sharks’ Teeth!
In short, I had way too much fun. After several hours of running around bellowing excitedly, I finally agreed to leave at Ed’s increasingly listless behest, my massive bag of vials swinging ominously as I skipped. Now it’s time to start assembling my curios and bottling them!
As a footnote, if you like specimen jars, you’re going to love the Specimen Jar Notecards that I plan to introduce in my Etsy shop next week. Check back!
Posted in My Favorite Things, Silliness | Tagged adventures, science | 5 Comments »
I first noticed Miniature Rhino (a.k.a. Jessica Marquez) when her one of her gorgeous embroidered constellations came up in my search for astronomical items on Etsy, and I’ve had her bookmarked ever since! Jessica’s items are not only visually appealing, but have that perfect (and elusive!) Victorian Science vibe that I find so inspiring! She is also the artist behind this stunning visual photography! Here are a few of my favorites from Jessica’s shop…
My very favorite piece from Jessica's shop, although they sold out before I had a chance to buy one!
This miniature cabinet of curiosities has that wonderful old-world science-ey charm!
These schmetterling (butterfly) pins are incredibly unique and colorful!
That being said, if I ever have a house of my own, I know where to look for decor! Make sure to check out Jessica’s shop, and check back here for more Etsy Science!
Posted in My Favorite Things | Tagged Etsy, favorites, science, spotlight | 1 Comment »
After a busy (albeit wonderful) month, I’ve finally found a the time to introduce a new item — a four inch version of my popular Vintage Chic Paper Starfinder! These minis are just a tiny bit sturdier, and (although I wouldn’t recommend them over the eight incher for anyone super nearsighted) make the perfect stocking stuffer for that nerd in your life!
My new Mini Vintage Chic Paper Starfinder!
Be sure to get yours ASAP! Orders placed before December 12th are guaranteed in time for Christmas!
Posted in My Etsy | Tagged Etsy, new, science | Leave a Comment »
I’m just going to say it… I am a HUGE botany nerd, and terrariums most definitely make me do a little happy dance inside. That’s why I was so excited when I saw this article on Design Sponge about using exotic carnivorous plants to add some intrigue to your terrarium. The blog details which plants to use, where to find them, and how to arrange them for maximum aesthetic appeal. Unfortunately, there is one very weighty factor to consider when purchasing a carnivorous plant that conspicuously (at least to me, the nerd) escaped mention: its origin.
It should go without saying that carnivorous plants are special… They do, after all, subsist on a diet of water, sun and animal life forms. While these species do not vary all that dramatically from other flora (apart from the obvious mechanisms which allow them to trap and digest complex organisms), they are biologically outnumbered and, often, quite rare. There are more than 250 million known species of flowering plant and a mere 630 of these are carnivorous. For this reason, they are often in high demand.
Many nurseries grow their plants from seed, but a great number prefer not to deal with the long germination period and slow maturing process that is characteristic of most carnivorous species and instead poach them from bogs and other natural habitats. Even when a species is known to grow in multiple sites, the destruction of a single place of natural occurence can leave the plant teetering on the verge of extinction. In fact, most conservation workers no longer reveal the locations of any carnivorous plants found in their areas of jurisdiction. Indeed, this is the case at the Volo Bog (Illinois’ largest open water “quaking” bog), where I volunteered my time as a native plant gardener for several years. A specific variety of Pitcher Plant now known only to said bog is under great duress thanks to poaching in other sites across the United States.
Of course, not all poachers have financial motives — many tear these plants from bogs and swamplands simply to indulge their botanical hobbies. Should you ever come across a carnivorous plant in its natural habitat, do not disturb it under any circumstances. You just never know when you’re putting an entire species in peril.
Beyond this obvious measure, ALWAYS read the label before you buy the plant to ensure that the supplier is a reputable one. Look for key phrases like “cultivated in” or “grown from seed in” and an address for a specific location. Call the company if you are unsure, or consult the carnivorous plant purveyor to find out who supplies their goods. If you have legitimate reason to suspect poaching, inform your state’s Department of Natural Resources, as many states now stick poachers with as much as $2000 in fines.
Aristolchia (The Highland Pitcher Plant)
That being said, grow happily and responsibly!
Cheers,
Becca
Posted in Observations | Tagged science, terrarium | 3 Comments »
For those of you that haven’t quite figured out what sorts of crafts are welcome in the giveaway, here are a few examples of my favorite scientific items on Etsy!
1) CraftyHedgehog’s Biology 101 Knit
This wonderfully intricate frog dissection-themed knit really inspires me!
2) Seapod’s Amoeba Brooch
Seapod's shop was my very first Etsy experience, and it was love at first sight! This tastefully simple biological brooch always makes me smile.
3) Toybreaker’s Chemical Warfare Tie
This incredibly unique tie features text from a military chemical warfare manual! I actually got one for my boyfriend this past Christmas and it is really striking!
4) Metalology’s Constellations Earrings
These earrings ooze astronomical style, and there's a necklace to match!
5) ShopGibberish’s Periodic Table Pendants
These pendants are super cheerful, and there are so many elements to choose from!
Of course, there are countless scientific areas of study beyond those represented above. Feel free to think outside the box! Zoology, Mycology, Anatomy… You name it! Get creative, and definitely give the wonderful shops above some lovin’… :)
Posted in My Etsy, My Favorite Things | Tagged Etsy, favorites, giveaway, science | 7 Comments »
