While Etsy does have its charms, when things go ugly, they go very ugly. All of these are truly hideous things that have never taken physical form, and will only dissapoint and anger the recipient. Observe:

Exe Funtown Brooch

G33k Keyboard Choker

Luigi toadstool wacky helmet hat

10 Sad DIY Geek Gifts You Should Never Buy

Instead, (and definitely if you lack the crafty skillz, like most of the preceding folk) shell out some cash for these equally geeky but far more chic choices like:

Circuit Board Business Card Case - Jumbo - $29

Teal Triple Capacitor Necklace - $30

Caffiene Keychain - $22

Yes, those fearsome aliens from Doctor Who can now be your cuddly buddies with a skein of yarn and a bit of time.

Download one of these “EXTERMIKNIT!” knitting patterns in either .doc or ..txt format and start knitting away!

The teeny little arms on these guys cracked me up. Hope you enjoy it too!

[thanks, Wonderland]

Peter Kirn from Create Digital Music pointed to an article reviewing their Make> / CDM / Etsy night in Brooklyn and remarked that the author’s coinage of the term “nerdster” was one he could get behind.

Last night, on the not-so-anonymous urging of a PR company that represents Make magazine, I went to “Handmade Music” at Etsy Labs in downtown Brooklyn…

On handmade music night, super-nerds, artists, and the edgy, in-the-know, 20-something crowd converge on the Etsy labs, drawn by promises of newly-invented instruments, techno music, and free pizza…

(more…)

Paper toys are probably the closest thing we have to delivering 3D stuff over the internet. The only catch is you have to do a bit of cutting and gluing to get to the 3D part.

Mandelbot is a stylish little robot that you can download, print out, and assemble to have a new tiny companion. If small talk bores you, no worries–he seems to have his headphones permanently glues to his ears. Download him and get to work: Mandelbot Paper Toy.

Here’s some links to other cool paper toys we’ve found:

Speakerdog
Download one of many Speakerdogs that have been decorated by designers, or grab the blank one and make your own.

Mr. Robot
Very complicated but cool moving robot who plays a guitar.

Space Shuttle
Technically this is just the orbiter part of the Space Shuttle since the rocket boosters aren’t included, it doesn’t mean building spacecraft is any less fun.

Bill Gates’ House: Page 1, Page 2
Cut out all the different elements of BG’s 50,000 square-foot high-tech home on Lake Washington and assemble them into a palatial Microsoft abode.

The Tardis
The police-box-shaped time-bending spaceship from Doctor Who can now be yours in a paper model form.