Thursday 13 October 2011

Fancy some Sugru; or, a giveaway by any other name

Do you know what Sugru is? I know, it sounds like a game, except it isn't really, but actually I have had some fun playing around with it, so maybe it almost counts as a game.


I first came across Sugru (hack things better, as they say) when I went to the Power of Making exhibition at the V&A (which you can read about here). Sugru is quite amazing stuff which you can use to mend or modify all sorts of things, and when the nice people at Sugru sent me some to play about with, and offered to give some away to my readers, well, who was I to say no?

And in fact, mending things apart, I think I have found the perfect stocking filler or budget present for the chaps in your life. When the parcel arrived and the silver package dropped out, the chaps in my life all exclaimed excitedly 'What's that?', 'Can I have some?', and 'Wow, that's amazing!'


I promise you that they never normally say that about the contents of the parcels that arrive for me.

Luckily it comes with a book of hints and tips

The Sugru website is full of pictures and ideas of how you can mend and adjust and improve things with this innocuous-looking material which moulds like modelling clay, and then gradually becomes firm, but in a plastic rather than brittle way. The big advantage is that it sticks to shiny things (unlike most glues which never seem able to stick together the things that you want to mend).

Being a complete girlie, I liked the way it comes in a selection of bright colours, and in spite of being a girlie who gets the Head Chef to do anything in the form of mending and maintenance which does not involve a needle and thread, I decided to improve my world on my own without any male interference.


Tidy wires - the Flylady would approve

And I am so pleased with myself - look what I made.

Girlie desk

A little hooky shelf on the back of Hippolyta to hold those annoying leads which are in daily use, but trail messily on the desk, viz Ipod and camera wires.

I find the sight of muffins most comforting

And I even made a nifty-thrifty little stand to hold my very high-tech portable speaking apparatus while it is charging. I would like you to admire the little wedge I made at the back so that it won't topple over.

Where have all the muffins gone?

(The Head Chef and the General had rather more boyish ideas which involved mending an aerial and something to do with a plug, but being a girl I wouldn't understand that.)

I think I will be buying some Sugru for the awkward nephews and difficult uncles (not personality-wise, of course, uncle, if you are reading this, which is not at all likely) for Christmas - it seems to me the perfect present for any of those chaps whose wants are either silver and matt black, and when asked can't think of anything they want except a BMW, a Macbook Pro, or some inordinately expensive power drill. Sugru seems to hit on all fronts - silver package (they even do a boys' version in black and white, no colours), a bit techie, and very compatible with tools.


So if you would like a nice shiny silver package of Sugru of your own, to play with or to tuck into your man's stocking (that didn't come out quite right, but you know what I mean), just leave me a comment below. No conditions, post anywhere - I'll heave one of you out of the sink next week, or maybe I'll feed you to the dogs, and see who comes flying out of the bowl.

49 comments:

andrea creates said...

lol-tuck into the stocking ;)
anyway- i was wondering what that phone holder was made from in your photo-looks like cool stuff!

Daisie said...

ooooh, I love it, have thought of a million (equally girlie) uses for it already and I haven't even read the little ideas book!! xxx

Kay Guest said...

May I put my name in the hat for this? Even though I am new to you and many others probably deserve it more? Yes? Then, okay then!
This stuff looks as useful as duct tape. Please notice my blog in the future, I must write about my Daddy taping up his calf's legs with duct tape to straighten them out... see what adventures I promise?

Gill said...

I've never heard of this before but it sounds great - I'd love to try some!

Elizabethd said...

I can imagine that I might have a tussle with my husband over this!

greenrabbitdesigns said...

Not sure which is the lesser of two evils, being heaved out of the sink or fed to the dogs, sink I suppose, now that it's so shiny. :)
What marvelous stuff, no way would I be giving it to my man if I won it, I want to play with it myself!!
Vivienne x

Gigibird said...

It'sPlasticine for grown ups!
I was only popping by to thank you for - popping by!

Unknown said...

Nice stuff. I would like to try it :)

Grateful4Crochet said...

my husband makes models and I am sure would love this, so count me in

corina said...

That stuff is amazing! I could figure out a million uses for it, but doubt I would have a chance to use it. Hubby would definitely snap it up!

silverpebble said...

I am absolutely certain that Mr P would be ecstatic to receive a packet of this stuff. He makes things out of resistors and wires. He tinkers with vintage turntables. There's no doubt he would use this for some ingenious purpose. I'm also certain that there are more uses for this stuff than we can all shake a stick at. Please pop me in the Pomona hat. My mind is racing and all my fingers and toes are crossed! Thankyou!

Little Blue Mouse said...

Ooh, please enter me!

And how nice to be able to languish in your lovely shiny smooth sink for a week!

Angela said...

sugru IS brilliant- bob had some as a stocking filler from daughter last xmas and it has proved very useful for all sorts of little jobs.

Mrs. Micawber said...

Count me in! I LOVE making things from clay but have always felt that Play-Doh offered only limited scope. This looks fabulous. I might even share it with Mr. M.

Katy Cameron said...

Oh you know my dad would love that. Actually, it's my grandad that would really have loved it, but my dad occasionally shows that he is his father's son after all, and i think this might be one of those times!

Mrs. Micawber said...

P.S. I'd never even heard of Imagist poetry - uneducated me. (I don't read much poetry, preferring novels or biographies or travels.) I did read up a bit on Imagism just now (blessed Internet - an etherial encyclopaedia at one's fingertips) and was interested in their goal of sharpness and concision. Thanks for the recommendation - I'll order some from the library and dip a toe into new literary waters.

Sam said...

Great idea for stocking stuffers!

A bird in the hand said...

Dogs wouldn't feed on me, they love me!!! anyway, can't resist this magical substance, so please pop my name into the hat (sink?).

Chiska said...

Thanks for introducing me to this. I hope I get heaved out of the sink. :)

dragonfly said...

Never heard of it but I'm thinking it could be a good stocking filler for the teenager. Or I could just hide it in my desk and he could help himself like he does with everything else ; )

Jenny said...

Oooh that looks like cool stuff, sure I could put it to good use if I were lucky enough to win some :) thanks for your lovely comments on my blog too, Jenny xx

OliviaH said...

Good spot! Already looking round to see what might be hackable...

Peeriemoot said...

I'm lol-ing at 'very high-tech portable speaking apparatus' - mine (equally hi-tech by the looks of it) is getting renamed :-D.

HOPE said...

Amazing...Would LOVE to try this...my brain is already spinning with ideas...mmm?

Thank you for the opportunity.

My husband builds model aircraft and military vehicles..he'd like it for sure as well.

Blessings
HOPE

Reading Tea Leaves said...

Pop me in the hat please Pomona. Himself would be quiet for hours finding uses for this magical formula!

Jeanne
x

And this would be . . . . said...

This stuff looks amazing. I would love to win some as this would go to my brother....who is horrible to buy for as he has everything! THanks.

Annie said...

Brilliant stuff ! Yes, please do throw me into the sink or to the dogs in case my name comes up. And thank you for the get well wishes ... I could have done with some Sugru to play with while I was feeling too poorly to read or knit (damned week long migraines!)

Crafty Green Poet said...

now that sounds like a magically useful item!

Karen said...

I would love the chance to play with this stuff. There are a couple of things I would like to try to use this product. Thanks!

VintageVicki said...

Never heard of that stuff before but can see it appealing to all 3 males here and me actually.

Would love my name to go into the bowl/hat/odd sock and hope ladyluck is on my side :)

And this would be . . . . said...

PS - Just ordered some incase I don't win (but fingers are crossed)...my mom would love this stuff too!

Sasha said...

Genius! I have no clues for DH's stocking this year, so keep them coming.

Anonymous said...

AAAH! Thank you!I spotted this somewhere on the internet and then forgot what it was called! Fantastic. I'd love to win this!! AnnaC

Sue said...

This looks wonderful stuff, I would love to have a play with some, but I think everyone will be fighting over it in my house! So many ideas on the website too, I cannot believe how strong it is. Will definitely add it to my christmas shopping list!

Floss said...

Oh yes, this is a real man-gift! Thanks for drawing it to our attention and I would love to enter the giveaway.

Inspiredbyfelix said...

What to buy the man who has everything?! You've got the answer! looks like wicked stuff, so much potential... :)

Linda said...

mmm-interesting ... I know some chaps who would find this stuff fascinating - keep them quiet for hours it would.;D xxx

LethargicLass said...

I love that they thaught of colour... it makes all the fix-it stuff much more pleasing :)

Jodi said...

mmm sounds like amazing stuff. Already thinking of things to do with it.

Sandi said...

"I'll heave one of you out of the sink next week, or maybe I'll feed you to the dogs, and see who comes flying out of the bowl". Now that made me laugh. What handy 'stuff' this Sugru is, and interesting.
x Sandi

Sandi said...

"I'll heave one of you out of the sink next week, or maybe I'll feed you to the dogs, and see who comes flying out of the bowl". Now that did make me laugh. This Sugru looks quite interesting and handy too.
x Sandi

Barbara said...

Sounds interesting and like fun to experiment with.

Elizabeth Musgrave said...

Yes please. I have one of those awkward to buy for men right here and he would love it!

Beth said...

As much as the man in my life BREAKS things it would be handy for him to have something to actually fix it!
Thanks!

Jak said...

As I'm the 'fixer' in this house, I'd love some of this for my toolbox.
Jak x

Helen Philipps said...

This product looks extremely useful and I would love to have some myself, though if I won the giveaway I might just give it to my hb who would also love it! I liked your amusing post about it too, Pomona.
Helen x

Head Pin said...

Wow...it sounds fascinating. Pick me sink...or dog lol!

Bree said...

Looks like fun stuff to play around with! I really like the little hook you made.

Anonymous said...

Wow - EXACTLY what we could use around here! Not sure DH would get his hands on it though, I think the girls may have other plans...

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