and now, your daily dose of cute - UPDATED
Anne's friend e-mailed her a bunch of amusing and adorable pictures of animals made from various vegetables, including this one, which was my favorite of the lot.
Yeah, that's a flock of sheep made from cauliflower, cloves, olives, and black-eyed peas. Awesome.
The images her friend sent didn't have any credits or attribution, so if you recognize this and know who should get credit for it, let me know in a comment and I'll update.
Update: WWdN reader Lebachai says that this image comes from a book called Food for Thought by Joost Elffers and Saxton Freymann. It's an educational book for preschoolers and first graders (though this 34 year-old thinks it looks pretty wonderful) that teaches counting, numerical concepts, shapes, colors, letters, and other stuff that little ones love to learn about.
note to self for next dinner party: make cute animals out of veggies.
kinda reminds me of making "ants on a log" as a kid. only these sheep are much cuter. and a bit more sophisticated. but then again, who needs sophistication when there's peanut butter involved!
Posted by: erin*carly | May 10, 2007 at 07:46 AM
This picture is from Food for Thought. I read it to my son all the time...it's part of the counting section. Check out the other books by this team also--just as fun!
Posted by: Lebachai | May 10, 2007 at 07:54 AM
Very neat. I wonder if they get eaten in the end. (is eaten a word? I guess if my wife can say boughten I can say eaten.
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Posted by: tjp | May 10, 2007 at 07:57 AM
Absolutely, "eaten" is word, and is even the correct usage in your sentence.
"Boughten", however, is not a word.
Posted by: Drev | May 10, 2007 at 08:51 AM
Wil, that looks to be from a Saxton Freymann / Joost Elffers book. You might like Dog Food. :)
Posted by: MaryMactavish | May 10, 2007 at 08:52 AM
Those are awesome sheep!
And "boughten" is totally a word if you're from Central Pennsylvania. So is "outen," as in "to turn off the lights."
Posted by: JM | May 10, 2007 at 09:52 AM
Spooky.
That picture is almost precisely the mental image I inevitably end up with about three quarters through a game of Settlers.
Posted by: Matt D | May 10, 2007 at 10:16 AM
The artists name is Saxton Freymann (http://www.rit.edu/~ksh8863/saxtonfreymann.html), and is the co-creator of some of our favorite children’s books (http://www.arthuralevinebooks.com/author.asp?authorid=3).
Akiko Ida and Pierre Javelle (a French pastry chef/arts photography team) also do simply amazing stuff with food sculpture. Visit http://www.minimiam.com/ to see more (Warning: requires Flash 9)
Posted by: PaulB | May 10, 2007 at 10:32 AM
It's amazing art. I know it was designed for a child's book, but that doesn't take away from it's creativity. You almost can't tell that the sheep are edible.
Posted by: Tara | May 10, 2007 at 11:12 AM
i think i shall go make some
Posted by: threechordme | May 10, 2007 at 11:48 AM
Matt D: Are you a sheep collector, too? Somehow, in about four out of five games of Settlers I play, I end up with more sheep than I know what to do with. I set a new personal record recently with a hand of ten sheep and nothing else...
Posted by: Darth Paradox | May 10, 2007 at 11:52 AM
When we play Settlers, we have a name for hogging all the sheep.
"Channeling your inner Kiwi".
heh.
Posted by: fairnhite451 | May 10, 2007 at 12:40 PM
MattD and fairnhite451,
What is this game you are referring to (Settlers)?
Is there a link or something online I can read about it?
Btw, I like that "channeling your inner Kiwi".
Posted by: SantaFlash | May 10, 2007 at 12:48 PM
Yeah, and I'll note that sheep-collecting when one is wearing a kilt makes things a little more interesting too.
Posted by: Darth Paradox | May 10, 2007 at 12:58 PM
SantaFlash, that would be the classic German game, Settlers of Catan, which is often mentioned around here.
You advance your little country by trading the goods your region produces for goods the other players have. Or you can squish 4 of any type of thing into 1 of another type of your choice (this is the least profitable trade in the game). I've built many a city out of nothing but 20 sheep, turned into stone and grain. Poor things.
Posted by: Claudia | May 10, 2007 at 05:06 PM
That is adorable! I don't have kids and it makes me want to buy that book. LOL
Posted by: Syndelin | May 10, 2007 at 05:46 PM
WWdN:`$ Sudo post similar pictures
Posted by: One Salient Oversight | May 10, 2007 at 06:43 PM
Here in the UK the food for thought images are best known as greeting cards that are available in pretty much every stationary shop. They rock and are awesome birthday cards :)
-x-
Posted by: Satijne | May 11, 2007 at 03:12 AM
'Bout time someone found a practical use for vegetables.
Posted by: LinksMonkey | May 11, 2007 at 08:00 AM
That is so cool. I'm going to have to look for that book for my little one.
Heather
Posted by: Heather | May 11, 2007 at 12:07 PM
Those are so cute! I still don't think it will convince my husband to eat cauliflower though.
Posted by: Lynda | May 11, 2007 at 01:10 PM
I "memed" you asking "what magazines do you read" I've never memed anyone before but I hear it's what all the kids are doing these days.
Todd from plan4.tv
Posted by: D. Todd Erickson | May 11, 2007 at 04:12 PM
Wil,
I'm surprised there's no mention of your cameo appearance on PvP!
http://www.pvponline.com/article/3307/tue-may-08
Genius!
Posted by: Steve Keen | May 11, 2007 at 06:34 PM
Very cute indeed. Not much of a close second, but I made cauliflower sheep for an animated short - just seems to be the right veggie for sheep!
I think the kids need this book...
http://www.oedipusthemovie.com/
Posted by: proptart | May 11, 2007 at 08:43 PM