Unique, Geeky Goods from Calamityware

This post has been long in coming, but I promise this is something good.

As you know, I'm a sucker for geeky knickknacks and am always on the look-out for things that are fun and unique. I also love things that are subtle, that prompt a second look.

So when I saw Megan (the Nerdy Girlie) instagram her Things Could be Worse Calamityware mug, I was smitten! I love that it looks like classic porcelain, but if you take a good look at the design, you can spot dinosaurs, monsters, UFOs, and more!

A photo posted by Megan Elvrum (@thenerdygirlie) on Apr 25, 2016 at 9:14am PDT

You can imagine how excited I was when Calamityware contacted me and asked if I was interested in posting about their products. Spoiler, I said yes!

(Disclaimer: Calamityware sent me some items in exchange for a blog post about them.)


Earlier this summer, they sent me 2 things. The first is part of the product line that gave Calamityware their start: a porcelain plate featuring a monstrous surprise in its design.

This is Calamityware Plate 7: Tentacles. I love how from afar it looks like regular fine china, but up close, it is filled with awesome little details.


I mean look at those tentacles, that man running away across the bridge, the chill black cat. The border pattern is just gorgeous. And yes, these are actual dinner plates. You can eat off of them or display them.


Also, you may have noticed this is Plate 7, and that's because it's part of an entire series of plates featuring different calamities - pirates, volcanoes, giant robots, and plenty more. In fact, one of their newest plate designs features a plague of frogs. Ribbit.

The other item Calamityware sent me was something you might recall seeing if you follow me on Instagram. It's the BADbandana 3: Spirited Bones!

A photo posted by alice (@akangaru) on Jul 19, 2016 at 10:10am PDT

The Sister instantly picked out this dancing skeleton print when I showed her the different styles of BADbandanas that Calamityware offers, and I have to say these bones are even more delightful in person and up close. Again, the design is so detailed and whimsical. I love that there are animal and monster skeletons enjoying the festivities too! It makes any outfit just a little more awesome.


The squares are large, and while the fabric is a little rough when it's brand new, a few washes softens it up nicely. The bandanas also come in packs of 3! So you can get 3 of the same design or a mixed design pack. And 3 bandanas means everyone in the family can have one to rock.



So, if you liked any of these items, check out Calamityware for more products with quirky, unique art. I think they even have a sea monster shower curtain on the way! Basically, when the time comes for me to shop for a nice set of dinner plates, I know where to look for ones with personality.


Hope you enjoyed this little feature on a small business putting silly and adorable art into the world!

Q4U: What do you think of these designs? Would you buy a set of calamitous dinner plates?

Home Away from Home

Recently, the dog-sitter finding site Dog Vacay reached out and asked me to share a place I considered a "home away from home." They look like a bunch of fun peeps (just look at their blog!), so I thought I'd respond to their request. (Also, I guess this proves that I totally post about Loki too much, hah.)

I actually spend quite a bit of my down time in various spots around my actual home because most of the cafes near me are either Starbucks or kind-of-loud boba tea places and I don't actually spend that much time at my local library. So I wouldn't consider any of these places "home away" spots.

Which makes me a little sad just because back in college, I used to spend so much time in cafes, which were also crowded but seemed more cozy. Maybe it was because there wasn't loud music playing or maybe it was because there was a different sort of energy - the kind only to be had when there's a college crowd crammed into a small space. Or maybe it was the indoor/outdoor set-up of my favorite cafe. I don't know, but I always enjoyed the vibe I had there whether I was studying or just there to chat with my friends.

Since I went away for college, the 4 years I spent up in NorCal sort of made the area my home away from home. I still hold fond feelings for the Bay Area when I go up there. People say your college years are some of the best years of your life, and while I'm not sure about that yet, there was something kind of wonderful about all those moments spent lying in the grass on the lawns or reading under trees or while sitting on the steps outside stately-looking buildings.

My return to campus a year or two post-graduation.

Nowadays, my "home away from home" is a little more abstract, but it's one my fellow bookworms will recognize and totally understand.

My already way too full bookshelf.

It's books. It doesn't really matter where I am as long as I have a good book with me because I can let myself get lost within those pages. I don't really need anything else, though I do favor a particular corner of the couch. :)

As for Loki, he's been lucky enough to have people come over to take care of him when I'm away. So he has not yet had to have a home away from home. BUT if he did, I think Alz's yard would be the closest thing since he's played there a couple of times and Alz is his favorite sitter. (That's why she's his godmother.)

Loki with Alz's feet in the background.

Thanks to the lovely people at Dog Vacay for reaching out to me for this project! And if Loki ever needs a sitter, maybe I'll check out their site for options! And if you're looking for a dog sitter, they might be an option for you too!

Q4U: So, is there somewhere you consider your home away from home?