Bigger, Better and Beautiful

As you all know, Hello Monkey are busy as busy bees, and if we're not making and selling all sorts of wondrous and amazing things then we're designing new wondrous and amazing things! But we don't just make any old thing, no. We put on our thinking caps; in my case a very fashionable black beret (oh yes), and we craft and sculpt and put our fingers on our chins while we look up into middle distance at nothing in particular until we have something that is, just, perfect.

And now we've done it, the above print is now on sale on A3 satin finish paper at Notonthehighstreet.com! So have a look and let us know what you think.

Toodles.

My Kingdom for this throne!

Just look at this! I mean, just look at it! Isn't it the most hoobly groobly thing you have ever seen? If I were king... nay, Emperor, this would be my throne! Except I would make it taller by Royal decree so I could swing my legs and I'd have to really pull myself up to get onto it, properly stomach scrabble and swing my leg over to get purchase. So, of course, no one would be allowed in the throne room until I was sitting comfortably. And all would bow before my awesome taste in furniture and design, and if you wanted to talk to me you would have to sit next to me on the throne which would be really hard as you wouldn't have as much room to stomach scrabble up, so eventually all my subjects would have to hire they're very own acrobat to speak to me and be a Royal go-between as no-one can get up there themselves.

And yes, I would pay more attention to those whose acrobat could do the best backflip onto the space next to me, of course!

Turning Design Up To 11

I wanted to talk about the above today, a little thing I saw while doing my usual internet morning hunter gathering. And while it's usually titbits, morsels and the occasional metaphorical flapjack of delightfulness, today I was presented with what must be the design equivalent of a chocolate bar with seeds in it. Yes, you read that right, seeds! Sure chocolate is awesome and seeds are healthy snacks in their own right but together? Come on, that would be like putting raisins in popcorn; it's not El Bulli or Blumenthal crazy, but it's definitely up there.

I must've looked at this picture for 15 minutes in a stupefied drool before I was finally able to lie back and pretend that I had this mug with drink in my hand; though my philosophical meandering had left me confused. Just how do you drink from this thing without pouring lovely hot sugary tea all over your unsuspecting lap?

The answer is a simple one, you don't. Or rather, you start thinking differently about something you never thought differently about before and in doing so take a step to the side and start thinking creatively (and twist your hand slightly so you don't spill your drink).

It occurs to me that this 'Lap Mug' is what creativity and good design is all about. Sure, it may not be the most efficient or well engineered thing in the world (in fact this mug may work better as a 'chest mug' for easy sipping in bed), but you will have a lot of fun with it, you will move forward in the world and can show everyone that 'good design' should be as unexpected as it is expected and is like drinking a pint with a straw; it's sometimes unconventional and awkward, but it's fun and new, and if just one other person does it you're a winner!