Monday miscellany

Recycled paper bag - the paper is tyvek, "hand dyed with acrylic colours".
By Dana Poles; available here

More on the theme of "Christmas presents you didn't know you wanted or needed" - 10 of the world's best maps (here), starting with this waterproof, crumplable one -

But why stop at a map? A trip to Barcelona would be an even better present! (The metro map of Moscow is appealing - available via lineposters.com)

Design principles are explained in Molly Bang's "Picture This: How Pictures Work" - available as a book, or if you need it now, various manifestations are available as a powerpoint (via bookcandy.typepad.com/files/engl-3840-bang-principles.ppt, for instance) or pdf (via http://www.nhsdesigns.com/pdfs/graphic_ss_picture-this.pdf; the principles start on p14; take the quiz on p34) - why not try the assignment?

Do try this at home