One of My Favorite Plaques

Today we are proud to introduce our new Nautical-themed collection of signs. You can check out the collection here. There are a lot of top signs in this group, but I have to say (as a Maryland native) my favorite is the crab plaque followed by the whale house numbers plaque— one of our most unique signs. If you are a fisherman, outdoors-man, whale lover, fish keeper, or sailor—then you are sure to find something very appealing in this new category. Swing on by and give it a look!

To celebrate this new nautical themes category, I bring to you the top 5 longest living sea animals on Earth.

Lake Sturgeon

#5) The Lake Sturgeon. Lake Sturgeons are the longest living freshwater fish on earth, often eclipsing 100 years of age. These fish once massively populated the great lakes, but due to overfishing and stunningly slow sexual development (30 years) they are now protected by DNR agencies.

Just Look at The Rockfish's Blank Stare

#4) Rougheye Rockfish. This small fish (38 in.) has an average lifespan of 20 years.Researchers say that if given the proper situations, it can live up to 140 years. Why then, does it only live to 20 on average? Because it suffers from the 3 S’s: slow, small, and stupid.

A cluster of Red Sea Urchins

#3) Red Sea Urchin. The porcupine of the ocean. Red sea urchins can vary in color from red to dark burgundy. They have no visible face, instead hiding beneath their spikes where their mouth and teeth reside. Urchins have been known to live for over 200 years.

Bowhead Whale with Calfs

#2) Bowhead Whale. The bowhead whale is considered to be the second most massive animal on the planet (second to the blue whale) and is the world’s longest living mammal, living from 150-200 years. Estimates report a former population of around 50,000, but due to whaling that number has been slashed in half.

#1) The Ocean Quahog. A clam. The Ocean Quahog is known to live for up to 400 years. Certainly a very long time for such a boring animal. To put the quahog’s lifespan in perspective, if a quahog reached its life expectancy today (and died) it will have been alive for about 150 years when the American Revolution started.

The Longest Living Animal on Earth

Very Similar Features as the Bungalow

Architecture, like music, art, fashion, culture, technology, and philosophy constantly evolves. It evolves to reflect the zeitgeist of its time. Take Gothic architecture for example: God was almost universally deified in medieval Europe, therefore, architects created massive cathedrals to glorify him. Look at music as another example: punk rock was a direct rejection of the Pink Floyds and king crimsons (prog-rock) of their time. The zeitgeist of an era often rises as a rejection of its precedent. It is in this philosophy that the craftsman movement was born.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8HnwLDz4HA

Before the craftsman era Victorian style ruled the roost, a period known for being over-styled and excessive. Mid 1800s Britain also marks the emergence of factories and thus, factory workers, who were often subjected to less than humane conditions. In 1901, when the craftsman era started to percolate (it had been brewing for about 20 years prior) that all changed. Continue reading →

Plain, Simple,and Attractive--Hallmarks of Stickley's Style

Craftsman vs. Victorian. Simplicity vs. excess. New school vs. Old school. These paradigms always seem to be at odds, never more so than in the early 1900’s. Before then, the Victorian style of excessive decoration was the norm; but in 1901, Gustav Stickley (1858-1942) introduced a style that would change the way homes appeared for the next 50 years. When Stickley saw Victorian homes, he did not see them as beautiful, he saw them as being excessively ornate. To him, Victorian owners decorated lavishly because they were hiding personal deficiency. A home is a refuge—a place of solace and solitude; not an excessive building whose beauty the owner hides behind. Our featured sign of the week, the Stickley address plaque, is a great example of the craftsman style and demonstrates the simplicity of Stickley’s vision.

Gustav Stickley was born in Osceola, Wisconsin where he grew up as a farm-boy. When he reached 18 years of age he declined formal education, choosing to work at his father’s stone-masonry instead. He worked with his father until 1876 when he moved to Pennsylvania to work at his uncle’s chair company—Stickley’s first experience in the furniture industry.

Stickley soon formed his own furniture company (which folded), and eventually became the co-founder of a new furniture company using his own ideals during the creation process. Stickley’s furniture ideals made their first appearance in an experimental furniture line called “the new furniture”—an immediate success. With the popularity of Victorian style fading, Stickley published “The Craftsman,” a magazine dedicated to the arts and crafts movement—further the diminishing Victorian’s tired style. The rest, they say, is history.

It is in the spirit of Stickley’s architecture that we made the Stickley Modern Advantage Plaque. This plaque is plain in design: no border, no graphics, and no excess. If you are an owner of a craftsman home, bungalow, or any modestly styled home, then this is the sign for you.

The Dramatic "Carson House"

The Victorian Era spans from early 1820 to about 1900—roughly the years of Queen Victoria’s reign (1837-1901). The Victorian Era is known for being an age of innovation and wealth: photography was invented, Darwinism was founded, Neptune was discovered, and woman writers gained public attention. Despite being an era of prosperity, living conditions did not necessarily improve universally. Coal mines were at large, the Irish potato famine struck, and the US suffered the Civil War to name a few. Culture has adopted and developed many Victorian innovations, like photography and home electricity, but the lasting image of the Victorian era is in its excessive architecture style.

The beginning of Victorian style architecture is difficult to date accurately because the neo-gothic style predates it so closely. The gothic influence on Victorian homes is plain. It draws upon the ornate, busy-looking exteriors of gothic structures. But the design extends farther than that—there are key visual cues that separate the exterior of Victorian homes from others, to name a few:

Note the Turret and Geometric Construction of this House

• Ornate facades, unlike colonials
• Gabled roofs
• Reject the colonial style of symmetry
• Most are 2-story, sometimes 3
• Most have roofed porches
• A turret with a spire attached—the defining image of Victorian homes

The interior of Victorian homes are typically as decorated and ornamental as the outside—reflecting the lavish economic climate at the time. Rooms were often built very far from each other—giving the homeowners a sense of privacy. Eventually, the Victorian style fell out of favor in part because homeowners sought a more personal and close feel with their families—something Victorian houses cannot offer. Among others, Victorian interiors are most well know for:

Lavish Decoration

• Excessive ornamentation
• Rich, dark colors like ruby red or forest green
• Rooms crowded with furniture
• Fireplaces filled with dry flowers (I don’t understand it either)

Atlas Signs and Plaques works to accommodate owners of all styles of houses. If you are a Victorian homeowner seeking a sign for your Victorian house then look no further—our Classic Arch Address Plaque is the absolute best matching Victorian sign that we offer. The design is not as lavish as most Victorian homes—but the arch in the middle of the sign is very indicative and reflective of the Victorian style—a perfect match.

A Great Compliment to Any Victorian Home

Many Victorians Resemble Castles

Like most movements, the Victorian style was rejected by architectural critics but was loved by the public consumer. It’s easy to see why—Victorian homes have a deep beauty to them. They command a striking sense of awe and wonder simply by their appearance. If every house has at least 1 mystery, a Victorian has 3.

Last week I found myself walking through the aisles of Best Buy and noticed some pretty interesting things. First, my $250 phone (which was new 7 months ago) now costs only $59.99. Moral? With technology, you can buy something brand new in the store and it will be outdated by the time you get home. Anyways, I soon found myself in the TV section where I was blown away by the sharp, crisp display of plasma televisions big and small. Then I came to the 3DTV display, complete with 3D glasses and a cozy seat to rest my weary legs. Having never seen anything in 3D before I was excited to experience the phenomenon for free. The result? It’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen: images do jump out at you, but they are blurry and, frankly, a little cartoony. So here’s the question of the day: is 3D a gimmick, or is it here to stay? Answer: 3D is a gimmick that is here to stay.

Part of the problem with 3D movies is that the technology is nothing new to consumers. 3D movies have been around since 1922 and have never really achieved great success, despite concerted efforts from developers. But, with the way that home technology is spreading (in terms of cost and availability) one would be foolish to state that 3D will simply fail this time around (like HD DVD). Instead, it will remain a viable entertainment option for those affluent enough to afford or those curious enough to invest in it—but 3D is not ready to take over home entertainment the same way Blu-Rays have, or DVDs before them. Here’s why.

Continue reading →