Cephalopod Tea Party

Happy Holidays from Cephalopods everywhere!

2011-12-23T09:42:00.000-08:00

Originally blogged at Archie McPhee's Endless Geyser of Awesome (which we at CTP are inclined to suggest is in fact an endless geyser of awesome) - we bring you some Holiday cheer in the form of everyone's favorite tentacled elder god!

They write:

"Faced with the realisation that we suddenly had room enough to put up our own Christmas tree, I was initially at a loss when considering how to decorate it. We have no ornaments and the idea of shopping for them made me drowsy. I can’t remember what first brought to mind the image of a tree covered in tentacles (perhaps it’s best not to ask), but as soon as I envisioned it I couldn’t let go of the idea.

Using an artificial tree, blue string lights, silver garland, one plush Cthulhu (who has been silently biding his time in my home for years), approximately 50 Cthulhu Tentacles, and a little heady chanting (no one wants to upset the Great Old Ones), “A very Lovecraft Christmas” became a reality. I’m rather pleased with the results. Let’s hope the Old Ones are too. I’m beginning to suspect that it writhes when I’m not looking.

Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn."

Happy Holidays to you and yours!

Photo and quoted content © Archi McPhee

A Suction Cup Anthology calling for submissions

2011-11-12T13:17:00.001-08:00

Obsolescent Press sent us a note letting us know that they're collecting submissions for an Octopus themed short story anthology called Suction Cup Dreams: An Octopus Anthology! We know that we've got some creative readers out there (at least if your haikus are anything to judge by).

Stories of any genre or style are desired, as long as they are somehow inspired by or involve our beloved octopodes. Reprints are permissible, and while there is no pay, all chosen authors do receive a contributor's copy of the printed book upon publication. Deadline for submissions is January 31, 2012.

They have a market listing on Duotrope.

You can find out more about the guidelines and Obsolescent press on their webite: http://www.obsolescent.info

Return of Tadly

2011-10-26T11:37:00.000-07:00

Perhaps you remember last year when we introduced you to Tadly Waldorfington?

Well Cleo Dee has written to let us know that there are new improved Tadly plushes available for his fans in her Etsy Shop !

"To pursue his dreams, Tadly Waldorfington left the comfort of his Midwestern home for the convenient base campe of Middlebury, New Jersey. Although he does have the steady companionship of Abigail, he would love to have even more friends around the world to share in his expeditions and discoveries. Please bring Tadly into your home to hear of tales from far-away lands that no human would dare to reach."

And while you're there, check out her assortment of holiday Squid for all your celebratory needs!

All about plush

2011-09-01T14:11:00.000-07:00

We had an email, a while ago asking for more plush octopi. We're pleased to bring you a post full of plush! There's plenty more lovable cephalopod softies mentioned here previously - just click the 'plush' tag to check out a whole school of them!

Leonardo a huggably soft plush dumbo octopus, designed by Lauren Venell. His eyes and suckers glow in the dark folks (which I have to admit, it a little creepy if he's sitting on a shelf staring at you as you try to sleep at night, but he means no harm, I promise). He should be available in stores near you, but if you can't find him you can find the blog post about him here, and ask all kind of prying questions about how to get your tentacles on one!

If sometimes less squishy is more your thing, this felted blue ring octopus is amazing, and much less poisonous then its living namesake. Check out the listing and look at the tiny rows of felted suckers on each tentacle! And he's not the only cephalopod in FamiliarOddlings shop either.

And finally, if you prefer to wear your tentacles out on the town, this hat is definitely a stylish way to do it. This hat is offered as a customizable design, created by Megan Bishop. So not only can you wear your tentacles, you can color match them too!

2011-06-10T22:37:00.000-07:00

WinonaCookie - long time friend of Cephalopods everywhere, has created another whimsical piece of art featuring tentacled sea creatures. As with all her work, its accompanied by a story all its own and describes the habits of the illusive land octopi:

Land Octopi (Cephalopod terranius) who, in the wild, mainly forage among shrubbery for grubs and dropped toffee but on occasion have been known to slither up a tree to help themselves to a plump Airfish or two.

You can read the whole story on her Etsy listing, and enjoy lots of other cephalopod stories in her shop.

And it glows in the dark!

2011-06-01T00:36:00.001-07:00

After a history of showing our dear readers glass sculptures that are well outside the average budget, here is something you can actually afford for a change. And also...it glows in the dark.

EmergentGlassworks on Etsy has a shop full of cephalopod glass works, but well - this one glows in the dark! Which makes it better.

Complete with Tiny Glass Suction Cups Part II

2011-05-02T00:03:00.000-07:00

This 8 inch critter is Torch-worked borosilicate glass made by Matt Entenmann in Oregon. You can see more of his work at threyda.com or purchase one of your own (if you have he budget that is).

Don't remember Tiny Glass Suction Cups Part 1? We don't blame you, it was back in 2009!

Vintage dictionary art print

2011-04-02T07:01:00.000-07:00

Because I'm a writing nerd, I felt this little find was particularly interesting.

From Little Blue Bird Studios, A beautiful vintage book page has been given new life and is now a gorgeous and unique piece of art. This print features a vintage octopus illustration that has been printed directly onto the page allowing the words of the page to merge through the illustration. Lovely and green-friendly art, good for cephalopod enthusiasts and language buffs alike.

You can find more about the prints here.

The Argonaut, or Paper Nautilus

2011-03-26T09:47:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I went to the Museum of Natural History in Halifax, Nova Scotia, not too far from the rural area in which I live, to see the much-hyped (and also quite excellent) display of the giant T. rex, Sue, on loan from the Field Museum in Chicago. After thoroughly exploring dinosaurs, I set off to tour around the rest of the rather small museum.

Despite its small size, the museum has a lovely collection of Victorian glass specimen jars (and others of more recent vintage) filled with wonderful sea things--though they have other collections, it's the sea that occupies most of it, since Halifax is a coastal city. And among those jars and mounted skeletons of assorted whales, I found the prettiest delicate shell (I wanted to write "little shell", but it's not really so small).

It was, according to the interpretive panel, the shell of an argonaut, Argonauta argo. Here's the entire text of the panel (which, as you can see, doesn't say a whole lot):

Argonauta
Argonauta argo
This is a cephalopod, like the squid and octopus, but rare. Female Argonauts make the beautiful, paper-thin shell to hold their eggs. About 80 years ago, Museum Curator Harry Piers collected live ones in Yarmouth Harbour--an amazing find for these tropical creatures. Only a few empty shells have turned up since.

There's also a map showing the argonaut's range and the location of Nova Scotia (apologies for the photograph--I should know better than to go to a museum armed only with my iPhone camera).

Discovering this made me want to do two things: head south to Yarmouth to scour the beaches for argonaut shells (I'm located smack in the middle of NS, but a day trip to Yarmouth isn't out of the question in the summer), and do some research to find out more about this lovely cephalopod.

As it turns out, the argonaut isn't just "like" the octopus, it is an octopus. It's a small, pelagic (that is, open-ocean-dwelling) octopus that, unlike any other octopus families, secretes an eggcase. The largest male argonauts are only about 2 cm (that's not quite an inch) in size, while females can be up to 10 cm (about 4 inches). Eggcases--which are not true shells like that of the nautilus (which was named after the argonaut due to the similarity of their shells)--can be up to 30 cm (almost 12 inches) and are made of calcite. Though the primary function of the argonaut "shell" is to hold eggs, the female remains with it, and will shelter inside inside it.

There are 7 to 11 living species of argonaut (the species status of some is disputed), and a number of extinct species. Unlike most octopuses, which live on the sea floor, argonauts are near-surface-dwelling creatures. And, also unlike many other octopus species, argonaut females can have offspring many times over their lives.

Argonauts (the egg-case-secreting females, anyway) have been known since the 19th century, when they were believed to use their shells like boats and their arms like sails. They make an appearance in Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and some editions have a illustration of the little octopuses surrounding the Nautilus, arms raised as they sail by.

The Argonauta argo shell I saw at the museum is a representative of the largest species of argonaut. Apparently these are the shells that can be almost a foot long. The one I saw was perhaps 4 inches at its largest dimension. It's simple and elegant (other species secrete more elaborate shells), and even though argonauts don't really sail with their arms, the image of little octopuses bobbling near the surface in their pretty little boats fills me with glee. I will certainly be looking out for more information, and don't be surprised if they turn up in my art at some point.

Glorious Octopus Lightbox

2011-03-01T18:46:00.000-08:00

Popping in to share this brilliant work of art I just was lucky enough to acquire. Yes, it's a two-piece rusted iron light box with an octopus carved in it by my friend Todd Barricklow. Sorry, cephalopod fans, it's one of a kind.

Octopus Diptych by day, by Todd Barricklow
Do check out Todd's work on his website - besides making amazing light boxes, he's a wonderful ceramacist, as well as a builder of contraptions for the Handcar Regatta.

Octopus Diptych by night, by Todd Barricklow
Todd is also the creator of the famous Taco Bike, which you may see out and about if you live in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Alexis Berger Designs - Handblown Glass Tentacles

2011-01-24T12:40:00.000-08:00

I had the distinct pleasure of seeing Alexis Berger and her work in person this weekend at the always-splendid Edwardian Ball and artisan showcase in San Francisco. Check out this handblown glass tentacle necklace!

See more beautifully crafted, nature inspired handmade lampwork glass jewelry and personal adornments, reminiscent of Art Nouveau and the Belle Epoch, at Alexis's website: www.alexisberger.com, and visit her workshop on Facebook here!

Eyes of the Cephalopod

2011-01-17T12:57:00.000-08:00

I was looking for reference photos for a stuffed octopus I was making, when I stumbled across some interesting information on cephalopod eyes.

I already knew a bit about how cephalopod eyes are different from vertebrate eyes--the eye of the octopus is often used as an example of convergent evolution (that is, where similar structures evolve from different beginnings due to similar uses)--and I knew that in some ways, the octopus eye works better than the human eye (it doesn't have the same blind spot from the optic nerve, for example), but there are some really cool things I didn't know about cephalopod eyes.

The most obvious difference between cephalopod eyes and human eyes is that cephalopods have horizontal pupils. Not only that, but because the eyes can rotate in a way that most vertebrate eyes cannot, and because cephalopods have a balance organ called a statocyst, they can always keep their pupils horizontal, no matter what position their body is in. This means their brains can always interpret visual information the same way, and not have to account for the position of the eye.

Cephalopod eyes can also see polarized light, allowing them to communicate by creating changing patterns on their skin that we humans can't see except with the help of special cameras.

The difference between cephalopod and vertebrate eyes partly stems from their very beginnings. While vertebrate eyes develop as an extension of the brain, cephalopod eyes started out as light-sensitive skin cells that folded inwards to form the structure they have now.

Both types of eyes developed retinas, corneas, irises and lenses, but the way those structures are arranged and used is different. The light-receptive cells in cephalopod eyes point directly outward into the light, while those of vertebrates point inward, instead catching light reflected off the back of the eye.

Vertebrate eye lenses are flexible and the can can be focused by special muscles that change the shape of the lens. Cephalopod eye lenses are inflexible and have their focus fixed on a relatively nearby point, but can be focused with muscles that move the entire lens closer to or father from the retina.

So there you have another reason why cephalopods are cool: they've got really interesting eyes that are both very similar to ours, and very different.

Image credit: "Difference between human and octopus eyes" by Jerry Crimson Mann, 2005, used under the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0 License and found on Wikimedia Commons.

A little New Year give away

2011-01-17T12:38:00.000-08:00

Thanks to CreativeEtching we've got a little gift to all our readers for the start of 2011! Two cephalopod pins to give away. Be sure to stop by his Facebook page for other giveaways and fun.

I considered what the theme of the contest should be for a good long while before finally coming up with it, and I hope everyone has great fun with it. So.

TO ENTER: You must write a cephalopod haiku, and post it in a comment here. If you don't know what a haiku is, wikipedia has a very thorough article, but the short version is, a poem with three lines of 5, 7 and 5 syllables (technically moras which are slightly different but...). They don't need to be great poems, or terribly clever, you just have to write one!

Don't forget that if you aren't a blogger user or your contact email isn't in your profile you'll need to post it here or email it to us so we can tell you if you win!

No multiple entries this time, dear readers, but multiple Haiku's are welcome. Maybe we'll put together some sort of fine and lovely illustrated haiku post from them later! Winners will be selected in a random drawing (via magical internet randomizers, although I might just write all your names down and have my roommate draw them out of a hat just for the sake of pomp and circumstance). Entry Deadline is Sunday Jan 23rd!

To get you started, here is a haiku that appeared on the twitter feed DailyHaiku-

The octopus' fleeting dream

in the trap

the summer moon

by Matsuo Bashô

Maximo Riera Octopus Chair

2011-01-13T09:20:00.000-08:00

A little pricey for most of our furniture budgets, sure, but this piece bears mention. I cannot get over this thing, no matter how many times I see it online.

From Maximo Riera comes The Octopus Chair, where art meets nature and man meets beast in this gorgeous, masterfully crafted piece. It is first of The Animals Collection, consisting of more than fifteen different pieces inspired by the beauty of the natural world. Painstakingly sketched, assembled, crafted and painted by hand, as Riera says, “The Octopus Chair therefore becomes a powerful intersection of complex human design integrated with nature’s splendor.”

Beautiful, majestic and every bit as otherworldly as the animal itself, I fear I would be too awe-struck to ever sit in it...

You can find more on Maximo Riera, The Animals Collection and The Octopus Chair at his website, MaximoRiera.com

After the presents are unwrapped

2011-01-09T10:23:00.001-08:00

Now that the Holidays are over and 2011 and has begun, its time to consider sending out thank you cards for gifts - especially if you didn't send out Christmas cards this year! Jackie Bublitz, of MetropolisDesigns has just the cards for all your thank you needs. After your birthday, for all your charming wedding guests, or just when someone special needs a thank you cuddle(fish) - nothing shows your appreciation like cephalopods!

I especially enjoy this set because it includes the oft ignored cuttlefish and nautilus.

Tentacle Pendant Necklace Series

2010-12-22T08:43:00.001-08:00

Dark and wondrous, Silent Cheesecake Designs showcases wearable art and curio jewelry, inspired by the natural world. The work of this Los Angeles-based artist features preserved insects, dried flowers, bones, pearls and sea creatures. (All specimens are collected safely and humanely, as outlined in the shop owner's profile.) From octopus tentacles in curio vials, venus flytraps in silhouette pendants and cocktail rings made of bone and glass, Silent Cheesecake offers beautiful and unique accessories for those with a curious sensibility. Having recently received one of the insect curio vial necklaces as a gift, I can say from experience that the work is beautiful, meticulous, and all around just cool.

You can see the full list of all octopus/sea creature jewelry here.

Looking for a Cephaloblogger

2010-12-12T23:57:00.000-08:00

Dear readers, you may have noticed that its been quiet around here. Well a number of our bloggers have recently embarked on new and exciting life adventures, that have left them with much less time for blogging. So the Cephalopod Tea Party is looking for a new intrepid blogger to add to our 'staff' of volunteers. Someone who would like to share their love of cephalopods with the internet. If anyone would like to become a blog contributor, email us, ideally with a few readable complete sentences and some enthusiasm!

Sincerely,
the suddenly overwrought staff

Cephalopod Baby Goods!

2010-11-03T09:36:00.000-07:00

I've been dreadfully remiss in my duties as a CTP blogger, and my only excuse is the growing bun in my oven. Having made hearty promises over on my main blog not to devolve into only baby-related posts, and finding it very very hard ~ be warned, I'm about to take shameless advantage of this blog for a round-up of Cephalopod Baby Goods.

Beautiful Baby Model is the adorable Aniko, daughter of Dr. Insectus
Crocheted Cuttlefish, by JPolka

Madame and Monsieur print, by Ashley G.

Recycled Octopus Blanket, by Twirls and Twigs

Inky Birth Announcement, by A Girl Named Stella

Red Octopus Onesie, by Tiny Vessel Apparel

Octopi and Kelp Hand-Dyed Burp Cloth Set, by LaundryMonster

Galaxy Blue Organic Baby Hat with Octopus, by The Cotton Cupcake Shoppe

Okay, okay, I'll have mercy and stop... but it's pretty hard to resist baby goodies!

In Loving Memory

2010-10-26T19:49:00.000-07:00

It is our sad duty to share with you the news that Paul, the physic octopus, has passed away at the age of 2 1/2 years. As you may remember Paul correctly predicted the outcome of all seven of Germany’s games in the World Cup.

Long time friend of the CTP, Justina Kochansky (Articulate Matter) created this image as a memorial, and we're passing it along. Rest in Peace, Paul.

photo © Justina Kochansky, Articulate Matter.

Letter of recognition from a cuttlefish

2010-10-12T12:55:00.000-07:00

Artist Heather LeMay writes: "Did you know the historical Artist's sepia ink was originally made from ink of the Cuttlefish?" in the description of this fantastic illustration.
We did Ms LeMay, but we think everyone else should get to find out too! Prints are available on Etsy (linked from the image).

22 Giant octopus kites - because 21 just isn't enough!

2010-09-13T16:17:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Cliff for posting this on Facebook so I can put off work to post it here! If you go on to the quieter part 2, you will notice that the giant octopi are surrounded on the outer edges by some wee little ones. Maybe next year they'll get up to 23, and I'll remember to show up in person...

Tiny cephalopods with venom you can't freeze

2010-08-01T13:23:00.000-07:00

A bit late on the uptake I know. But in case you don't follow us on Twitter, its really our duty to mention (even a week late) the discovery of this tiny octopus from Antarctica. Its venom works in sup-zero temperatures. Maybe some day we'll be posting about the medicine someone has derived from this itty bitty cephalopod.

Photo: An Adelieledone polymorpha, one of the four newly discovered octopus species. Credit: University of Melbourne / Reuters (taken from LA Times Article linked above)

For Everyone watching the world cup

2010-06-26T00:01:00.000-07:00

A two-year-old octopus oracle has predicted a German win over England in the latest round of the World Cup. Or, if you're an England fan - the headline reads "octopus predicts English loss". Never underestimate the power of the cephalopod.

EDIT: We just thought you should know, the octopus was right. In case you weren't watching, Germany 4, England 1.

Pardon out absence

2010-06-16T23:49:00.000-07:00

Our bloggers are currently sorting out a variety of technical issues - we apologize for the silence. In the mean time. Look. Shiny.

Ah ha, you fell for it! Made you look!

The Adventures of Tadly Waldorfington

2010-05-07T21:32:00.000-07:00

The Adventures of Tadly Waldorfington - Episode 00 from Scott Benson on Vimeo.

Animated by Scott Benson, in a joint project with Bethany Hockenberry - you can get plushies...and watch adventures (well, so far, adventure singular). Thanks, Scott, for sending us an email and sharing your work!

Pacific Giant Octopus on Stellanova Jewelry

2010-04-23T17:00:00.000-07:00

Tammy Stellanova's desire to be an artist is rooted both in her longtime fascination with the living form (she has a degree in biology from the University of California at Santa Cruz) and her passionate love for comic books and other graphical narratives.

Tammy makes wondrous jewelry inspired by the spirit of the 19th century at Stellanova Jewelry: A Catalogue of Naturalist Curios. Her Pacific Giant Octopus pendant is shown above, but be sure to browse the catalogue for her Nautilus and other delights. Follow her on Twitter: @enolarama.

Girl with Pink Tentacles

2010-04-20T22:33:00.000-07:00

I just posted a feature on the delectable work of Gayla Partridge of 666 Photography over at my main Musings blog, but I always have to save the appropriate images for our tentacle-centric tea party.

{Wardrobe/Tentacles/Photo: Gayla Partridge / Makeup/Hair: Lisa Naeyaert / Model: Mia}
I'm speechless, really. Everything about this image is perfect. You know you'll want to see more from Gayla.

Sealife and silver tiles

2010-04-08T00:17:00.000-07:00

Every now and then, I do a search for cuttlefish on Etsy, because they happen to be my favorite cephalopod and they are far to under-represented in items I could purchase. Today's search yielded these lovely designs by Lemurgirl.

In her other shop she sells lovely pottery, and you can see the ceramics influence in these great tile designs. And come on, a cuttlefish AND a bigfin squid? What more could a cephalopod fan ask for?

Cephalopods prefer higher resolution!

2010-03-26T21:30:00.000-07:00

According to scientists, and this article on MSNBC.com, octopuses really can tell the difference in that picture quality!

Researchers from the Sydney Institute of Marine Science found that by playing video on a liquid crystal high definition televion for gloomy octopuses (Octopus tetricus), they could accurately see how the animals reacted to prey (a crab), a new object (a jar), and a potential predator (another octopus), responses usually only seen in the ocean.

Read the full article here!

If that link doesn't work, try this one.

Image via http://www.botanybaywatch.com.au and their article on Octopus tetricus.
Quoted text © 2010 LiveScience.com via msnbc.com

This article was recommended by Patty! Thanks Patty. If you have something you think we ought to tell the world about, check out the EMAIL link at the top of the right column! Now CTP has an email address all its own, no more clicking to authors profiles to find someone to send your wonderful suggestions and comments to.

Call of Chthulu - the film

2010-03-22T22:11:00.000-07:00

Sure there aren't that many tentacles actually in the trailer, but we all know they're there in the background like a feeling of impending doom. Thanks to Mr. Cassidy for sharing this with me - the way youtube is meant to be shared - outdoors on an iphone!

Follow @CephalopodTea on Twitter!

2010-03-16T00:59:00.000-07:00

Hey, cephalopod peeps! The Cephalopod Tea Party blog is now on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CephalopodTea/. Also, have a cuttlefish photo, because we loves them.

The Most Beautiful Yet Deadly Octopus on Earth

2010-03-16T00:53:00.000-07:00

From the article on the Environmental Grafitti blog: Beautiful and delicate as the coral itself, the four known species of blue-ringed octopus are largely nocturnal, spending their days nestled like land mines in makeshift nests – usually sea shells, but since the advent of man, these flexible invertebrates have made fruitful use of bottles and also cans. Unlike many sea creatures its size (the largest grow to about 57cm), the blue-ringed octopus has been known to become quite aggressive when its seclusion is disturbed – say, by the foot of a clumsy human. It will retract its arms to make its sharp beak protrude in an attempt to discharge one of nature’s most deadly poisons – the deadly toxin tetradodoxin.

Tetradodoxin is the same deadly ingredient found in the flesh of the pufferfish. In the blue-ringed octopus, it is generated by bacteria that live symbiotically within the host creature’s salivary gland. Following a bite, the toxin will usually kill a human – a being many times the size of the octopus – in a matter of minutes. No effective antidote is yet known. The octopus uses its beak to crack the carapace of crustaceans and the shells of mollusks, afterwards injecting its deadly saliva into the prey’s body. It will suck the soft flesh through the hole it has made, leaving behind an empty shell.

Even amidst the endless variation of the animal kingdom, rarely has death been packaged so attractively. Like many of its relatives in the group Cephalapoda (literally meaning ‘head foot’, due to the apparent body structure of octopodes, squid and others), the blue-ringed octopus boasts a flamboyant colour scheme that changes according to its mood. The meanings of cephalapod colouring are complex and not always well understood, though scientists are slowly coming to the conclusion that they are part of a sophisticated communication system that operates between these intelligent animals.

Human-Faced Cephalopods by Scott Radke

2010-03-13T09:49:00.001-08:00

I just wrote up a post on the incredible sculptures of Scott Radke on my main blog, and was pleased to discover a fair number of his creations are of a cephalopod-ish nature.

(Squid #1, 2008)
For more of Radke's critters, check out my post Pretty and Dirty Together, or rummage about on his lovely Web site.

(Octopus #3, 2006)
Amazingly expressive and rife with tentacles. What more could we wish for?

The Curious Sofa

2010-03-01T18:26:00.000-08:00

I think Anthropologie hates me...because they have just stocked the most incredible sofa in the world, and made it completely unfathomably out my price range.

And there is incredible inky indigo tentacle wallpaper, too.

And if that's not enough, there are squid drapes, as well.

I die of want. Via the always wonderful Steampunk Home...

New Cephalopod Lover.

2010-02-26T17:58:00.000-08:00

Teary-eyed congratulations to CTP friend and fellow Etsy Steam Team member In Sectus, who just welcomed a new little girl to her family, sweet Aniko...

Clearly she's already got impeccable taste!

In Sectus' shop is a bit quiet at the moment, but well worth a visit when it's back up and running...

Adventure of tentacles and type.

2010-02-22T23:11:00.000-08:00

Just sharing this image, which drifted to me via a friend. Part of a very creative ad campaign for the Prague based Anagram Bookshop. If anyone knows when this ad campaign came out, let us know because I sure don't!

And We Mean Giant Squid Necklace

2010-01-30T10:40:00.000-08:00

Via Laughing Squid...

Paris-based jewelry design team Hanna Bernhard has created a truly giant squid necklace, over a foot long.

Can't say it's my cup of tea, but it sure is big. More rhinestone cephalopods and an interview with the artists here.

Photographic Art of the Tentacle

2010-01-02T21:50:00.000-08:00

A friend recently linked me to the stunning photography of Elisa Lazo de Valdez.

In this series of black and white photographs, the artist uses the female form and the tentacles of an octopus to create beautiful and unique compositions. You can check out the full series of prints in her Etsy Shop!

Vote for Tentacle decor!

2009-12-31T18:01:00.000-08:00

Here's your chance to promote tentacles as household decor! From Etsy's latest voter:

We're having an imaginary New Year's Eve party, and you're all invited! Where? In a fabulous Swedish home. Last week we asked you to nominate your picks, and now you can vote on which items get featured.

And look what one of the choices is:

Household Tentacle by ArtAkimbo:

Voting ends in 14 hours - go here to make your cephalopod-loving voice heard!

Octopus on the Run

2009-12-16T10:48:00.000-08:00

Someone caught footage of an octopus running on the ocean floor while trying to carry a coconut. Brilliant.

"Underwater footage reveals that the creatures scoop up halved coconut shells before scampering away with them so they can later use them as shelters."

Read the BBC story here.

Tentacle candy for the gummy conoisseur

2009-11-28T17:57:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine in LiveJournal land pointed me towards this sweet rubbery confection.

Made by Flix Candy,

It is part of the Horror Flix Mutant Gummy Creatures line along with “Attack of the Giant Centipede” and “Revenge of the Giant Earthworm,” and all three are available at Walgreens.

Pixel Squid Knee-Highs!

2009-11-18T17:21:00.000-08:00

Need I say more? What could be better?

Pictured in the wild on the lovely legs of Theremina, co-founder of my favorite blog EVAR, Coilhouse. Note also her squidly plushy friend.

Here's a close-up of Clicky, the Pixel Squid.

Get your own from the Diesel Sweeties Pixel Socks collection, designed and made by rstevens in collaboration with Sock it To Me out of Portland.

The Sailor's Valentine

2009-11-13T17:16:00.000-08:00

I have much love for the bizarre and otherworldly dioramas of LA underground artist Elizabeth McGrath. And this may be one of my favorites... The Sailor's Valentine, from 2001.

I love this wide-eyed tentacled undersea princess with her spiny bloody little friend. What could her story be? Let's get closer...

Read more about the amazing Bloodbath McGrath in this feature on my blog. She's chock full of creepy goodness.

And the Winners are....

2009-11-11T11:32:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the late posting, compiling the list and drawing the names happened later then I expected yesterday.
Mad Marley Grey wins pin #1
Jason wins pin #2
And
Sara wins the pirate print!

Congratulations to the winners!
Thanks to everyone who entered, and to everyone who posted cool links, drawings, and especially to those of you who told us what your favorite past posts have been. Its always interesting to find out what our readers like best! Soon we shall make a post showing off all the art you sent us, but I felt that it should have its very own post, outside of the results, to really properly show off all your excellent works.

Cheers!

Something to start your week off right

2009-11-09T11:57:00.001-08:00

Sent in by Darien, its a real thing people. You can really go buy a tool that turns your hotdogs into octopi! To be fair, this really needs no further explanation. Yum.

Last day to enter the 100 Followers contest! If you're wanting to sneak in at the last minute, honestly I'll just allow anyone who posts before I wake up on Tue morning to squeak in ;-)

100 Followers Under the Sea

2009-11-02T19:16:00.000-08:00

Some of you may recall, that upon reaching our 50th 'follower' we held a contest. Its time again for us to bring out the prizes and offer up a chance at winning through simple participation! Entry is simple, and there are multiple ways to enter. For completing each qualification you will receive the ethereal internet equivalent of 1 raffle ticket, the more tickets, the greater your chance of winning!

Quests to Complete:

1) Comment here, in response to this post. Tell us your favorite Cephalopod and why. You may be as general (the cuttlefish) or as specific (Enteroctopus dofleini - the Giant North Pacific Octopus) as you want. You are not even restricted to living things, its possibly you have a stuffed octopus named Harvey who is your very favorite cephalopod ever and we're okay with that too! But you MUST tell us WHY it is your favorite!

2) Draw us something! It does not matter if you are Da Vinci or someone's three year old neice, if you draw with finger paint or photoshop, and there will be no judgement rendered upon art, only happy cheers of joy that you care. Just like last time, we will feature any art we receive in a blog post here.

3) Tell us what your favorite post we've ever made was. Maybe you got an idea, or learned something new or went out and bought something. Maybe you just thought that one time when we posted that youtube video was really awesome. Just tell us about it!

Please note (and this is important) - if your email is not in your profile (the one we can get to by clicking on your name in the comment box) then please include it in your comment! We MUST have a way to contact you or you might not get your prize.

The contest will run through Monday Nov. 9th. Prize drawing will take place the following day. Prizes will be added and updated during the course of the week!

PRIZES

Two tentacle pins! (drawn for separately)
Each pin is cast from an original twisty tentacle sculpture by Sarah Dungan, in cold cast bronze. Antiqued and buffed to bring out the details in all those little suckers. Gentlemen, you may request they arrive as a tie-tack instead!

ADDED: prize number 3, pirate and tentacles mini print. 8.5 X 5.5 inch print of a pirate ship and its eventual DOOM!

Doctor Grymm's Squid Attack!

2009-11-02T01:26:00.000-08:00

photo © JMARSDesign 2009-2010

As pointed out by a reader, take a look at these fabulous goggles by Doctor "Joey Marsocci" Grymm. He describes them in his blog:
"I am actually quite happy with how they look and I think they are the most wild pair of goggles I have made. reaching tentacles and sharpened teeth hold the lenses permanently in place. The green and copper accents are painted with an inky wash that bring out the scarred and wrinkled skin texture. I hope that this pair brings a few unsettling looks from guests at the Museum."

These goggles, along with a large variety of other fantastic steampunk devices and inventions are on display at the Museum of the History of Science, in Oxford. Anyone in the area should definitely swing by and check it out!

Another landmark number, another little contest

2009-10-31T13:46:00.000-07:00

Some of you, our dear readers, may remember that we ran a little contest upon reaching the exciting landmark of 50 followers.

Well now we rest upon the cusp of an even greater moment, we are but a carpool away from reaching 100 followers. Having learned my lesson, I now fully expect you to recruit 4 friends within the next 6 hours or so.

This time we welcome prize donations from anyone around who has something they'd like to offer. But regardless, there will be some little tentacle pins up for grabs, along with some other cool prizes. So, the race to 100 begins NOW!

UPDATE: Thanks everyone! I knew you could pester your friends to do things quickly ;-) The contest will start tomorrow. This time prizes will be added throughout the week as more and more people enter, just to keep things exciting.

Tea Party

2009-10-30T00:27:00.000-07:00

Made by Liz of R Honey Pots, its just what you need to have a cephalopod tea party! Check out Liz's gallery for some other tentacled tableware including plates and mugs. And once again our squid hats are off to R Honey Pots for making the extra effort to include some less popular cephalopods - we know octopi are awesome folks but squid, cuttlefish and nautilus need some attention too!

(Sent to us by Elizabeth, thanks! If you see something you think we ought to feature, just send us a note.)

Kraken Rum - myth or monster?

2009-10-27T14:33:00.001-07:00

There has been some buzz lately on the interwebs regarding this particular up and coming beverage. But it remains somewhat ellusive.
You can read up on the kraken (and the rum) on its website where you can also watch some informative films about kraken legend and biology. Yet, the store locator appears to be defunct.
You can see some lovely photos of its equally lovely packaging over at notcot.com, more photos infact then are actually on the rum's own website.
But where can you buy it? The collective consciousness of the internet does not seem to know!
Rest assured the moment it can be obtained, this correspondent will give you a review of more then just its packaging!

Update - Oct 27 at 7:51pm:
Oh how the internet has corrupted us. Had I merely taken my phone and called the nearest seller of fine beverages I might have discovered immediately that they have Kraken Rum on their shelves at this very moment. Gentle readers, soon you shall have you proper rum review!

La Calavera del Pulpo

2009-10-22T09:34:00.000-07:00

The talented and curious Phineas X. Jones has introduced a delightful new silkscreen. From his site, Octophant.us:

My contribution to a Halloween/Dia de los Muertos show. Just because an octopus doesn't have a skull, doesn't mean he can't celebrate too. (This print has no fewer than four metallic and/or gloss screens involved and is therefore impossible to represent properly in a photo. It looks so much better in person. I swear.)

Victor Hugo's Octopus, Bearing the Initials V. H.

2009-09-29T23:21:00.000-07:00

Via A Journey Round My Skull: Victor Hugo, circa 1866; pen, brush, brown ink and wash on cream paper. It can be found in Shadows of a Hand: The Drawings of Victor Hugo. [...] Hugo pasted this drawing into his own manuscript of Toilers of the Sea, where it corresponds to the following text:

At night, however, and particularly in the hot season, she becomes phosphorescent. This horrible creature has her passions, she awaits her submarine nuptials. She adorns herself, setting herself alight and illuminating herself; and from the height of some rock she may be seen in the deep obscurity of the waves below, expanding with a pale aureole -- a spectral sun.'

Squid Dreams at Balsa Man

2009-09-25T09:44:00.000-07:00

Most people know about that giant art festival in the desert. But did you know there's a miniature version called Balsa Man that happens annually on the same night? Not only do they burn a tiny man, they give tiny art grants for tiny art projects, on a scale of one to twenty dollars. One of this year's prize-winners was called Squid Dreams.

Photo by sandwichgirl
Artist Justina Kochansky, who fabricates tiny squid panoramas, was awarded a $10 grant to create an installation with a tiny squid dreaming of larger things...

Photo by artist Justina Kochansky
Check out Justina's photo stream on Flickr for her sculptural web comic Articulate Matter, which is largely based on various squid adventures - and check out the Balsa Man Web site, a hilarious send-up of the larger event, with detailed documentation and rules like the photo policy, which claims rights to all thumbnails of event.

Photo by Jacob Davies
You can also see more fun Balsa Man pictures here. And you can purchase original sculptures and prints of Justina's work from her Etsy shop.

Photo by artist Justina Kochansky
So precious. Sweet squidly dreams!

Octopus Bling (continued)

2009-09-16T00:04:00.000-07:00

Swiped from Etsy.com's from page, check out Fleather's gold plated gem set eyed octopus rings!
These rings are from the shop's 'Rabidfox' line of jewelry (which features a few more cephalopod creations including one very large Tentacle). The line is cocreated by Linda Smyth and Rebecca Pulver, and devoted to the animal kingdom in general.

A Plethora of crochet patterns

2009-08-20T20:48:00.000-07:00

In her Wunderkammer shop on Etsy, jpolka offers crochet patterns for just about every cephalopod you can think of, and some other sea life as well. Anyone handy with a crochet hook should hop over and check them out, who can resist a big plush cuttlefish?
And if something simple and...free...is more your speed, check out her blog for a lovely pattern for a teeny tiny little octopus!

Collection of Japanese Paintings of Cephalopod Toys

2009-08-14T13:07:00.000-07:00

Roly-poly toy // Bottom: Bell/whistle (both from Aichi prefecture, 1932)

The Ningyo-do Bunko Database is a huge online collection of watercolor paintings by Kawasaki Kyosen (1877-1942). The collection consists of over 5,000 still-life images of antique toys and folk crafts from across Japan, including a few lovely octopus-themed items. [Nota Bene: The text is all in Japanese.]

Via Pink Tentacle.

A Tentacle to Rest Upon

2009-08-13T15:01:00.000-07:00

There are many reasons to love Anthropologie (although I can never afford anything there)... and I found another one today: this reversible linen octopus pillow by Thomas Paul.

It's got the same design on the back side in reverse, and there are whale pillows, tall ship pillows and anchor pillows in the same style to complete your nautically-themed couch.

If I had $118 to spend on a pillow, it would surely be this one.

USB Squid

2009-08-11T23:49:00.001-07:00

What safer way to store your files then...in a squid? Sarai0989 makes and sells darling little felt USB jump drive covers in her Etsy shop. Available with or without a USB drive inside.

Japanese Cephalopod-Inspired Playground Structures

2009-08-10T21:37:00.000-07:00

Japanese cephalopod-inspired playground structures! See more here.

Henna-pus?

2009-08-06T09:50:00.001-07:00

My friend Darcy Vasudev is a brilliantly talented henna artiste... behold this amazing henna tattoo of an octopus she did for a very hip customer.

Check out more of Darcy's work at her Web site Henna Lounge, or on her Flickr page.

Lovecraft and I-40

2009-08-02T13:24:00.000-07:00

The power of Cthulhu is awakened in a small midwestern town by a couple of bored teens and a library book from the restricted section. While everyone's favorite cephalopod-diety is more an omnipresent power then a character - the artist Fiona Staples slips a tentacle into the layout now and then, to remind you who is really in control of the situation.
Its written by Aaron Williams and running for 6 issues. If you go and buy them, maybe it will run for more!

This post is dedicated to our 'arch-nemesis' Canadian Cave of Coolness. This proves nothing CCoC...nothing.

Octopus Escape

2009-07-31T17:16:00.000-07:00

Talk about morphing - a 600 pound octopus shape-shift itself to wriggle through a passageway the size of a quarter!

Via National Geographic.

Illustrative Jewelry by Mary Louise

2009-07-30T19:29:00.000-07:00

More gorgeous work from Etsy's Mary's Treacle, this time an albino octopus cameo necklace with antiqued brass chain and lobster claw clasp.

From the shop description: The cameo was made by using a tiny print of my original illustration done in gouache. I backed it in wood veneer then covered it in Resin to protect it.

Artist Mary Louise offers free shipping on all Treacle jewelry. Visit her blog, The Sticky Vat, here.

Happy Octopus Prints

2009-07-27T16:19:00.000-07:00

As follow up to the angry cuttlefish prints, continuing to express our love for hand printed cards and art, we present Michelle's Octopus print. You can purchase him and other paper goods at her Etsy shop Little Paper Dog.
It must be said that it helps that orange just happens to be this blogger's favorite color...

Brandi Milne does Sea Creatures

2009-07-22T22:45:00.000-07:00

I've been a very negligent contributor here for the past few months, I admit ~ my whirlwind of a life gets in the way too often. But here's an offering that will make up for my lack of octo-love-gathering.

The Saddest Lullaby
There are myriad reasons to love LA pop surrealist artist Brandi Milne, but her brilliant paintings of tentacled sea creatures are what I'm excited about today.

Mermaid 3
Brandi's work is amazing to me - cartoonish, yet elegant, childlike and playful, yet dark. I get lost in her saturated, dripping world of candy and decay, and I like it.

There in Time
You can even get her brilliant artwork on a sticker for your iPod or laptop through the fabulous Gelaskins!

Let Them Eat Cake Laptop Sticker

You know you need this, right?

1892 'Hideous Sea Monster Of The Deep'

2009-07-21T18:41:00.000-07:00

Immense Polypus Met By The Steamship "Alecto" is an amazing steel-engraved plate from the SurrenderDorothy Library of Natural Wonders on Etsy.

From the item description: The stunningly detailed and totally wonderful captioned plate was found hidden away by a good friend & long-time serious collector of classically beautiful Victorian engravings.

Flying Jumbo Squid Invade California

2009-07-21T18:40:00.000-07:00

Watch the video and read more here: 'Flying' Jumbo Squid Invade California...

Shared via AddThis.

The Metallic Silhouette of a Tentacle

2009-07-13T23:30:00.000-07:00

Jane E. Roberti creates these fabulous pieces of metal piercing in her studio in Chicago, and sells them in her Etsy Shop. Our squid hats are doffed to her for including squids as well as the ever popular Octopi in her collection!

I Love Teuthology

2009-07-08T20:45:00.000-07:00

I Love Teuthology wearables on Neatorama: Giant squids, the only known predators of sperm whales, are strange and mysterious creatures that have captured sailors' wild imagination since humans first forays into the ocean.

If you are as fascinated with Kraken as we are or love reading "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" - not to mention if you actually study teuthology (yes, that's the study of cephalopods), then this is the perfect T-shirt for you.

Design by Nathan Mazur.

Holiday Tentacle Stocking

2009-07-07T21:05:00.000-07:00

It's never to early to start planning for the holidays, and Etsy seller creeplings has just the thing in their shop: Tentacle Stockings, crocheted wonders of the deep.

From the pictured item description:
Handcrafted from the finest 100% acrylic yarn, this Tentacle is perfect for filling with a multitude of little gifts and candy. Holiday Tentacle Stockings come in a variety of deep-sea colors. This one has a white front and a black back with white pinstripes.

Wire Knitting Cephalopods

2009-07-04T12:36:00.000-07:00

There are so many creative people out there. First a recycled chopstick octopus sculpture, now a knitted from recycled electrical wire octopus!
John Binet-Fauvel, of Wales, creates his sculptures from wire recycled defunct electrical appliances, making a bendable, posable, knitted piece.
You can see more sculptures in his Etsy Shop.

The Cephalopods Can Hear You

2009-06-29T20:26:00.000-07:00

Octopus and squid can hear.

The discovery resolves a century-long debate over whether cephalopods, the group of sea creatures that includes octopus, squid, cuttlefish and nautiluses, can hear sounds underwater. Compared to fish, octopus and squid do not appear to hear particularly well. But the fact they can hear raises the possibility that these intelligent animals may use sound to catch prey, communicate with one another or listen out for predators.

The question of whether cephalopods can perceive sound has been controversial since the early 20th Century. Some experiments suggested that blind octopus seemed able to locate the sounds produced by boats or by tapping on the outside of a tank. But most cephalopods lack a gas-filled chamber, such as the swim bladders that fish can use to hear. That suggested they could not detect the pressure wave component of sound.

However, sensory physiologist Hong Young Yan of the Taiwan National Academy of Science in Taipei, Taiwan suspected that octopus and squid might use another organ called the statocyst to register sound. The statocyst is a sac-like structure containing a mineralised mass and sensitive hairs. Fish also use it to detect sounds, and in previous research, Yan showed that prawns can use their statocysts to hear. "So we extended our work from prawns to cephalopods," says Yan.

Yan's team tested the auditory capabilities of two species, the Common octopus Octopus vulgaris and the squid Sepioteuthis lessoniana, often called the Bigfin reef squid. They discovered that the octopus can hear sounds between 400Hz and 1000Hz. The squid can hear an wider range of sound from 400Hz to 1500Hz, they report in Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part A. "That indicates that squid have a better hearing capability than the octopus," says Yan. "Interestingly though, both species hear best at a frequency of 600Hz."

Yan's team had to overcome particular technical challenges to investigate the cephalopods' hearing ability. The usual way to prove that an organism can hear is to measure how its nervous system electrically responds to sound. But that can involve directly attaching electrodes to exposed nerves, an invasive procedure that could harm delicate cephalopods. So Yan invented a non-invasive method, which involves placing electrodes on an animal's body to measure the electrical activity in its brain. In this way, he could measure within just a couple of hours whether the brain of an octopus or squid responds to sound.

The discovery could open up a new understanding of cephalopod behaviour. "The key question which I would like to investigate is what kind of sounds are they listening to?" says Yan. "Perhaps they listen to sound to evade predators and can eavesdrop to sounds made by their prey. Or, perhaps they even could make sounds to communicate among themselves."

See the rest of the article here.

Portrait Ms. Cephalopodina Brooch by Paraphernalia

2009-06-26T01:26:00.000-07:00

Paraphernalia's new Portrait Collection of brooches features beautiful vintage illustrations of Ladies sporting particular sartorial choices. Paraphernalia designs beauteous and wholesome adornments for both Ladies and Gentlemen, inspired by both vintage illustrations and 19th century magicians. Their work celebrates the odd, unusual, uncanny and bizarre.

Ms. Dina is a young Greek heiress raised to the highest standards, although she refuses to behave as a proper lady. She can instead be found exploring the deep caves and crevices under the sea that watched her being born. Find her here.

Cephalopod Art by Char Hall

2009-06-19T13:42:00.000-07:00

Sacramento-based artist Char Hall is available for custom tattoo design and inking through Side Show Studios. Be sure to check out the other enchanting creatures Char creates here as well.

Lettering artwork by Belarusian illustrator Fiodor Sumkin

2009-06-19T13:06:00.001-07:00

Lettering artwork by Belarusian illustrator Fiodor Sumkin, via Lettercult.

Gimme Gimme Octopus

2009-06-18T14:20:00.000-07:00

For your daily dose of bizarre, I give you Kure Kure Takora (Gimme Gimme Octopus), a 1970's Japanese children's show. Via Twitter's @TheDarkEngine.

Octopus Lego

2009-06-18T12:22:00.001-07:00

VelvetMechanism on Etsy recently pointed out to me these charming octopus legos. She uses them to create awesome 'geek chic' necklaces. But if you're just wanting to build something with some cool legos, swing by Ebay, where a quick search proved that they come in Glow in the dark varieties as well as black and red.

Because no lego set is complete without a cephalopod!

Angry Cuttlefish Prints

2009-06-10T21:38:00.001-07:00

Cuttlefish cards by The Crafty Hag on Etsy. He looks so ANNOYED its adorable. Angry little cuttlefishes (or is it cuttlefish and ... cuttlefish?). We knew CraftyHag was our sort of artist by the octopus in the shop banner!

Octopuses given Rubik's Cubes to find out if they have a favourite tentacle

2009-06-08T18:45:00.000-07:00

Marine experts have given 25 octopuses a Rubik's Cube each in a study aimed at easing their stress levels in captivity.

Scientists believe the intelligent sea creatures have a preferred arm out of eight that they use to feed and investigate with. They are now testing this theory with a month-long observation project in which the octopuses will be given food and toys to play with. They will then record whether the creatures use a specific limb to pick up the object or if they are octidextrous. It is hoped the results of the Sea Life Centre study will shed light on 'handiness' in the animal kingdom.

Claire Little, marine expert at the Sea Life Centre in Weymouth, Dorset, said the study could eventually help to reduce stress among octopuses. She said: "It will be very interesting to see the results. Uniquely, octopuses have more than half their nerves in their arms and have even been shown to partially think with their arms. We hope the study will help the overall well-being of octopuses. They are very susceptible to stress so if they do have a favourite side to be fed on, it could reduce risk to them."

The octopus research will take place in the 23 branches of the Sea Life Centre attractions Britain and Europe. [...] The results will be analysed by Sea Life Centre biologists and the results will be announced in the autumn.

Full article here.

Wedding Cake for Cephalopd Lovers

2009-06-08T09:30:00.000-07:00

One of my oldest and dearest friends, Suzanne, is a baker extraordinaire. A maker of pastries and cakes most delectable, she recently made this most marvelous cake that I thought deserved mentioning. May I present the Octo Cake

Though she lives and bakes in Seattle, WA, she does have a shop on Etsy - so pop in and give her some yummy loves. Note: if you click on the items in her shop, you'll see pics of different cakes. Personally, I think she should also list her wonderful cookies and other pastries that would be more readily available to ship priority, but one step at a time.
.....

Octopus PreHistory

2009-06-06T18:16:00.000-07:00

From National Geographic's website, a bit of cephalopod prehistory!

"It's about as unlikely as capturing a "fossil sneeze," but researchers have found the second known set of octopus fossils, a new study says. "

Because its all soft body and no bones, its incredibly rare for cephalopods to leave fossil evidence of their passing, photo and article are definitely worth a look.

Photo © National Geographic

Sir Squid Tee

2009-06-02T19:29:00.000-07:00

Every squidophile should have one of these:

Chopstick Octopus

2009-05-28T20:33:00.000-07:00

Recycle artist Masataka Koike creates realistic-looking marine life sculptures from used wooden chopsticks. This octopus, which took eight months to complete, is made of 2,000 chopsticks.

Via Pink Tentacle.

Life Imitates Life: The Mysterious Mimic Octopus

2009-05-27T01:01:00.000-07:00

While persons with dissociative disorders, or multiple personalities, have been known to have as many as 100 personalities, they have not been known to morph into totally different creatures -- except in the movies, of course. But one cephalopod, the Indo-Malayan octopus, totally transforms itself into at least 15 different sea animals. So far, at least, the Indo-Malayan octopus is the ultimate biomimic -- life imitating life.

There are two very striking observances made of this sea character, the Indo-Malayan octopus. One is that some of the 15 species of sea life are likely never to have been observed by the octopus, and the other is that when facing a predator, the octopus will become that predator's most fearful predator. How does the octopus know how to become something that it has never observed? How does it know what is most feared by its own predator?

Many more amazing photos of mimicry at the original article, Life Imitates Life: The Mysterious Mimic Octopus.

Via InventorSpot.

A Bright Field of Squidlings

2009-05-22T10:02:00.000-07:00

Princeton University has announced the winners of the 2009 Art of Science competition. First place this year was awarded to Celeste M. Nelson for this gorgeous, bright field micrograph of squid embryos.

Art of Science/2009 Gallery [Princeton University]

Via Ectomo.

Poulpe Pulps

2009-05-16T19:57:00.000-07:00

If you've ever wondered if anyone was dutifully archiving all the pulp fiction book covers that include creatures of the tentacled variety ~ wonder no more. Francesca Myman has got us covered with her Web site, Poulpe Pulps.

Her collection is astounding, truly. And it keeps growing with reader submissions. In Francesca's own words: You will find that this is a reader-driven site, and one way to make my day is to email me with information about another delectable cover you've found. The eternal gratitude of the Mistress of the Tentacled Oblivion has many, many benefits.

Start hunting for more covers to feed her archives, cephalopod-lovers!

Creatures of the deep: What lurks in the depths of the ocean?

2009-05-13T17:35:00.000-07:00

Histioteuthis bonelli (jewelled squid)

Histioteuthis sp.

The Census for Marine Life, a global network of researchers in more than 80 nations, estimates that about 230,000 species of marine animals have been described, and that there could be a total of between 500,000 and 10 million species in the sea. The Telegraph recently posted a selection of amazing marine photographs, "Creatures of the deep: What lurks in the depths of the ocean?" (including the two squid above).

Cephalopod Fan Art

2009-05-12T17:29:00.000-07:00

What, its been a week you say? And its not even Monday? Sorry for the wait, but here are the Cephalopod arts submitted by our wonderful readers for the contest!

This one, by Mad Marley Grey, is my favorite. Why? Because its a Tea Party! Check out the slick Octopus tea set. Where can I get one of those?

Tom Banwell's attack on the airship Gryphon.

radioohgirl took her Ocotpus outside for a walk.

And nonspecific, that's actually pretty creepy...spider cross with an octopus indeed!

Thank you everyone for playing along, we hope you had fun! Seeing all the art sure was fun for us.

Little Fun with Noadi's Steampunk Cephalopods

2009-05-10T11:14:00.000-07:00

My friend Sheryl Westleigh has a delightful Etsy shop, Noadi's Art: Unique Sculpture and Handmade Jewelry Designs in Polymer Clay and Mixed Media. She is inspired by a love of marine animals (especially the cephalopods), science, and all things weird and wonderful. If you like cuttlefish, octopus, trilobites, or other strange creatures she's got something for you. Recently, she's added to her line some sweet steampunk designs.

From her blog:

So I just got done making, photographing, and listing a bunch of new steampunk cephalopods jewelry in my Etsy Shop. Along with the distressed gray metal look I had been doing I created a more fanciful and feminine steampunk look in a deep burgundy red with antique gold edging that makes it look gilded. I'm very happy wiht how these turned out and how popular my steampunk cephalopods have been recently.

I decided I wanted to do a slideshow of them and this is what I created using animoto.

Piglet Squid

2009-05-08T11:21:00.000-07:00

This cute little guy swims upside-down, making its tentacles appear to be growing out its head, and making its head look like a chubby, limbless body.

This "happy" specimen has developed what appears to be a smiley face, caused by a particular alignment of skin pigments.

Read more and view more squidly photos at Seawayblog.

Cilia - Octopus Cecaelia Art Doll by dollings

2009-05-04T16:29:00.000-07:00

Etsy artist dollings has this enchanting creature available in her Etsy shop.

From her description:
And there appeared a very terrible sea animal... ...that evening we had very bad weather.

Cilia measures almost 5 inches tall, and approximately 9 inches wide from one tentacly bit to another. She is entirely sculpted of polymer clay which has been carefully hand painted and sealed. Her tentacles are attached with eye-pins to allow some freedom of movement and rearrangement, and her arms are jointed simply with wire at the shoulders. Cilia's hair is individually boiled dreadlocks.

And the Winners Are!

2009-05-03T12:31:00.000-07:00

With random numbers selected from random.org, congratulations to:

Artsnark! Winner of the kraken print. And...

candiacrew.com! Winner of the octopus necklace.

Thanks to everyone who entered, and special extra thanks to everyone who posted art! I'll be putting up a post on Monday featuring all the images you posted for us!
Today, however, I thought we'd feature the winners favorite cephalopods. After all without them we'd be having a tea party all by ourselves wouldn't we?

The chambered nautilus, which drifts backwards through the ocean wearing a shell with chambers filled with air that keep it floating right side up! Many credit it with being the inspiration for the design of the first submarine.

The 'dumbo' Octopus, a deep sea octopus living around the thermal vents hundreds of miles from the coast and thousands of feet below the ocean surface. Its 'ears' are actually fins that help propel it through the water. So rarely photographed that google image searches first page of entries contains only 3 images repeated for the entire page. Enterprising researchers took a video of one swimming however, which you can watch HERE set to ballet music.

Thanks everyone for making the Cephalopod Tea Party's first contest a success!

There's MORE of them!

2009-04-30T15:37:00.000-07:00

Some of you may recall that some time ago, we blogged about a cute overload octopus post. Googling for something else entirely unrelated, I have discovered the November 2008 National Geographic article from whence the cute little image came:
Many Octopuses Share Antarctic Ancestors, Research Finds

And there are MORE OF THEM!

Juvenile representatives of the Antarctic and deep-sea genera of octopuses. Clockwise from top left , (1) Pareledone charcoti, a shallow-water species from the Antarctica Peninsula, (2) Thaumeledone gunteri, a deep-water species endemic to South Georgia, (3) Adelieledone polymoprha, a species endemic to the western Antarctic, (4) Megaleledone setebos, a shallow-water circum-Antarctic species endemic to the Southern Ocean.

Photo credit: I. Everson (T. gunteri), M. Rauschert (M. setebos), L. Allcock (P. charcoti, A. polymorpha)

(photo borrowed from blogs.nationalgeographic.com, with original credits)

And a reminder, the contest ends on Saturday, so get those entries in!

Octopus on your back?

2009-04-27T12:29:00.000-07:00

A charming illustration by Lois van Baarle, an animation student living the the Netherlands. Stop by her gallery at http://loish.deviantart.com/ where you can also purchase a print of this lovely tentacled fellow.

The Mark of 50 - Contest

2009-04-25T13:33:00.000-07:00

Well that was fast! Thanks to everyone who commented, twittered, sent emails to their friends and offices, and in general ran for the 50 follower mark. Honestly ya'll I sort of expected to have some more time to prepare! But don't let that worry you, we're totally ready!

So, as promised, there is a contest, starting now! It will run for a week, ending next Saturday (May 2nd) because I like easy to remember lengths of time.

PRIZES!

An octopus, resin cast from an original sculpture and polished and finished to look like antique ivory. Hung from a red polyester cord tied in a chinese knot. (If you win and are very anti-red, the cord can be replaced with black).

An 8.5" X 11" print of a very unforunate disaster at sea. Printed on velvet art paper, in vibrate 5 color Epson pigment printer inks.

RULES

Prizes will be awarded raffle style, by a random number generator selecting from all the entries. There are multiple ways to enter, depending on how industrious you feel. Please note that if you do not have an email listed in your blogger profile you will need to include some way to contact you in your comment!

One entry is you: comment here, tell us about your favorite cephalopod and why you love them.
One entry if you mention us and this contest in your own blog. There's a couple of charming little banners you can use on the side bar, and feel free to borrow the contest banner if you like!
One entry if you (this one is super fun) draw us a cephalopod and link us to it! We'll put up a lovely little gallery of them, and do a blog post highlighting our favorites. This is silly and fun, and your artistic ability must only be such that you can make marks on paper. circles, with squiggly lines and a smily face are perfectly acceptable!

If we reach 50 entries, I'll scrounge around for an additional prize!

Annnnd...GO! Have fun!

Shelagh Power-Chopra of the Cabinet of Curiosities Etsy Team

2009-04-24T14:44:00.001-07:00

Cabinet of Curiosities Etsy Team member Shelagh Power-Chopra has some darling sea creatures (including the cuttlefish dandy above) in Almirah, one of her Etsy shops. From the shop description: "Almirah means cupboard in Hindi. This almirah will be filled with many wonderful and strange curiosities along the lines of the wunderkammer or cabinet of curiosities..."

Other cephalopods currently for sale include squid and nautilus. You might also wish to visit Power-Chopra's website, Said Objects.

Motivation - Contest At 50 followers

2009-04-24T11:48:00.001-07:00

Update: Only 5 more to go, and its only been...what 3 hours? Good show people! (LJ readers, we love you to, we promise!)

In order to motivate you, the masses, to click the follow button and therefore boost our little tentacled egos by your public show of readership, there will be a CONTEST with PRIZES beginning upon the moment we reach 50 public followers.

Additional prizes will probably be added based on the number of people who participate, and the contest will likely be a simple sort of blog contest with some simple comment instructions, and additional entry points given for helpful shameless advertising.

So get to it! Invite your friends, swap your following from private to public, click that follow button for the very first time, or send me a message complaining that you read the LJ feed and can't follow and I'm being entirely unfair! Hop to it folks!

Disclaimer: The images above represent possible prizes, in that they are all things I have in my possession that I have made and can therefore give away. They do not represent the exact prizes, or the only prizes that might be available.

Fleece Tentacles

2009-04-22T14:54:00.000-07:00

I'm a sucker for all things soft and snuggly. And Lexi makes some exceptionally snuggly looking cephalopods indeed. Check her out athttp://treesofmachinery.deviantart.com/ and on Etsy.

The Littlest Sea Monster

2009-04-20T19:48:00.000-07:00

Wrinkled Hermit on Etsy, in a very unassuming little shop, has this little sea monster for sale. Someone should buy him. He obviously needs a friend.
If I had $20 in my paypal account at this moment...he might be on my wall! But luckily, I don't and you have a chance.

The King of the Ocean

2009-04-15T13:27:00.000-07:00

Perhaps you thought that, as a lion is 'king of the jungle' then a shark would perhaps be king of the ocean. Or maybe you bought that whole story about a merman king. Well I'm here to prove you wrong. But you don't have to take my word for it, just stop by King's Fish House in Huntington Beach, California for proof.
The octopus IS King of the Ocean.

Editors note: This reporter has never dined at King's Fish House, and knows nothing about it, other then the fact that she managed to be stopped at a red light, with a camera, beside the sign. Fate indeed.