To s0me extent this blog acts as a store for inspiration. These mind toys are via Dinosaurs and Robots a blog I regularly read.

This 1882 suit was never used and is displayed in all its splendour in the National Maritime Museum in Paris.

These are some of my favourite netsuke from the latest Bonhams auction of netsuke and obi. They tend to either be  beautiful representations of the natural world, to tell a story, or to be very expressive. Or all three of the above!

In this one an old man is opening a box. As he opens it the magic clam within extrudes a cloud of vapour loaded with treasures:

I also really like representations of oni. Here is one resting on a box – you can open it to reveal a little man lolled in a drunked stupor with an upended flask and sake cup falling from his hands.

The next one is either a normal man on a giant overturned sandal, or a tiny man on a normal sandal – you choose ^^

I love this boy holding a mask and the thoughtful monkey. The monkey is examining a grub caught in his fingers.

Finally, I am halfway through writing a piece of erotica and may have had an irresistible idea for a short horror piece. I am superstitiously scared of writing horror. I feel I’d rather create beauty. However, I don’t this the idea will leave me alone so in some form I am going to be doing something with it. Someone tell my muse I don’t do that stuff, mmm k?