Some random facts about Paul:
1. He can write legibly with both hands.
2. He has been using the same alarm clock for 21 years.
3. He was the lead actor in five college theater productions.
4. He will drink any kind of milk; whole, 2%, and skim.
5. He humored me by sitting through the entire DVD Brady Bunch television series. (Now, that’s love!)
and…
He is the best gift-giver.
No, not because the gifts are sparkly, or large, or expensive. It’s because the gift always has attention and careful consideration behind it.
Unemployment left our wallets pretty thin last year, so we made a pact not to exchange holiday gifts, and just make it all about the kids. Totally fine. But he got me a little something, anyway. And it’s THE greatest gift ever. I was about to get all up in his face for ignoring our agreement…but then three seconds passed and I went back to loving the Hell out of my gift!
It’s a Food Face plate – a high quality ceramic plate, mid-sized, food-safe, imprinted with a blank face to build upon. Plus, check out the box it comes in, adorned with 11 sample faces to inspire you and get your creative juices flowing.
These are some of the faces I made up over the last couple of weeks:
Heath, The Hippee
Gil, The Islander
Aldo, The Italian
Whitey, The Albino
Bert, The Crossdresser
And contributing to the silliness, my kids have made several. These are my favorites:
Haley’s:
Pete, The Teenager
And Trevor’s:
Pig-Pen
Fun, right?
Psst. Hey you…with the kids…grandkids…or young nieces and nephews – this is a fantastic way to try some new foods on the youngsters. I certainly wouldn’t have been so opposed to peas as a child, if I got to pretend they were someone’s hat first.
Now’s your chance to win one. I contacted the makers, Fred and Friends, to see if they would donate one for a lucky reader, and they much obliged. (A special shout out to Ulla Kyling at Anne McGilvray & Company, for her kindness and pointing me in the right direction. And an even bigger shout to Jason Amendolara, the man who designed this brilliant plate, for actually making it happen.)
Most importantly, if you don’t end up winning, you can still purchase this plate. For only $10! Click here for a list of retailers who carry it. And lemme tell you, there are so many other amusing products at Fred and Friends, that you should set some time aside to peruse their entire catalog. I already have a wish list started.
Which ingredient/s or cuisine would you use to make a face? Leave a comment on the blog by this Saturday, 1/16 at Noon (PST) and a winner will be randomly selected. Don’t want the plate, but still have something to say? All nice comments are welcome!
UPDATE 1/17/10
I didn’t want to spend the money at Random.org for 33 contestants, so I had Haley draw names out of a hat. Real scientific, I know. But random, nonetheless!
I scored a second plate, so there are actually two winners. Surprise! The lucky ladies are Jessica and Andrea. Congrats!
Thanks to everyone for playing and coming up with such clever face ideas – I wish I had a plate for all of you. Truly.
{ 49 comments… read them below or add one }
where to buy this?
I have been dying to get some of these. So fun!
I would choose some spinach, macaroni and radishes–endless possibilities!!
This is wonderfully clever–the best toys are always those that inspire creativity in kids. I had every intention of buying one for each of my young nieces, nephews and friends’ kids, but they were all sold out online back in November–such a bummer! Maybe next year :)
He is so adorable. I saw the plate at one Barnes & Noble on a quick visit before the holidays in a nearby city but never saw it at any near my house when I actually went to check out the plate for a closer look. I would use different food every time, but probably start with pasta or cheese for hair and veggies and fruits for the face. He brought back memories of Mr. Potato Head when I saw the plate, but this looks so much easier and more creative.
Kelly – Okay, if I can make someone laugh until their in tears, my day is complete! I love Aldo, too.
Jamie – Hi Doll! I love that you popped on over. Of course you would make something sweet…I would expect nothing else. And your creation would be gorgeous, no doubt.
Jackie – Hi Jackie! So glad you found me. An entire blog devoted to this plate? How fabulous! And what fun it will be in several months to look at your collection. Really great activity to do with the kids.
I just stumbled on your blog. I got one of these plates for my daughter for Christmas and it has been so much fun to make fun face creations! I started a blog (http://funfoodface.blogspot.com) a few days ago to show the plates I have made for my daughter. I am constantly washing this plate because she wants to use it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!!! My last post on my blog was about your contest and I included some of your photos (is that okay with you? If not I’ll remove the post). Thanks! You have a GREAT blog!
Don’t tell my husband but I think I just fell in love with yours! This plate is so much better than sparkly, expensive jewelry! I love the faces – all of them. I love the peperoni zits! What would i use? Chocolate pudding and whipped cream? Throw in some jarred cherries maybe, some chocolate chips. Or savory? Gosh, the choice is endless!
Hi — This was so funny – I laughed until I cried. Then I showed my husband and he laughed and laughed too. Aldo the Italian is the funniest!
corgimas – Oh ya…right smack dab in the middle of the 80′s. Awesome. And you can never go wrong with fruit slices made of pure sugar and mango.
Astrid – Hey there, Astrid! Always love when you chime in. Your creation would be nothing less than fantastic.
Tracy – Very cute. So many people have mentioned spaghetti…I feel lame that I didn’t do one like that!
oh so cute! i would love these plates. so much fun for me & my family!!!
definitely spagetti noodles for hair and a swirly mustache. with two big meatball cheeks and a rosy red tomato sauce nose. ha ha
I would have so much fun with this!
Apple slices for a cool hat
Nuts for earrings
String cheese for wisps of hair!
These plates are absolutely adorable!
The JEM version….remember the cartoon???
Star fruit slices all around and shredded mango for the hair
Laura – I agree. Any tool to get our kids interested in something other than cookies is a great thing!
Casey – Hi Casey! A children’s library? Fun. I wonder if we could finagle a group discount on these plates? Hmmm.
Shelley – Fantastic ideas. If you win, you must make them, take a picture, and send to me so I can post.
curly pasta for hair
meatball for nose
rosted red peppers for a gotee
and halfed roasted tomatoes for ears.
or
mashed potatoes for a beard
string beans for mustash
and roastbeef for hair
halfed roll for ears
my 9 year old would love this plate, shes is the real creatiave personality in the house!
I work at a children’s library. This will be a hit amongst all the kids at snack time! Great idea!
What a cute idea and how timely for us! I just ordered a book to help make sure our toddler is getting a balanced diet so anything that would make that task easier would be welcomed in our home! I’d probably start with things I know she would enjoy…..pasta, cottage cheese or some fruit and try to sneak other healthy things in there too!
Lo – It definitely makes meal time even more fun. But it doesn’t really discourage the eating…we still managed to clean the plate every time!
Judy – Hi Judy! Thanks for passing the link along. Paul asked me which is my favorite and I couldn’t choose. Although I have a special liking to Haley’s and Trevor’s since theirs are so freestyle and flawed, in the best way. I’m such a mom.
Deb – Ramen noodles, yes! Good one.
Livia – Greetings, Livia! Thanks for stopping by!
Oh man! Wish I had thought of this! cute, cute, cute!
Such a great present and fun plate. I think some curly cooked ramen noodles would be a fun hair and beard–sort of a “Father Time” thing maybe. ;-)
Oh my gosh, I LOVE this! I just sent a link to your blog to my best friend who has a finicky four year old. Whitey the Albino is adorable. (Well, they all are, he’s just my favorite.)
Omigosh, it’s positively wonderful!
What a great gift… and it’s really one that keeps on giving! I’m thinking Peef and I would have just too much fun with plates like this at dinner time.
Who knows? This could be a good way to get those new year resolutions in place… we’re so busy playing we forget to eat!! :)
Natashya – yet another reason pasta is so versatile.
Jen – ;-)
Lora – don’t feel bad…I think I have the only kid on the planet who doesn’t like Mac n Cheese. Or mashed potatoes.
Andrea – Love it! Aaargh.
Carolyn – Not bad at all!… but look who you’re asking ;-)
Mom – Maybe this is something you could do with your students?
Heather – Another great idea! Taco salad, yum. I’ll do this one with Haley.
Dad – Hee hee. I got myself a good one, huh? Nancy Pelosi…maybe she can go join Palin on Fox news and I would never have to listen to either one of them again.
Melissa – Absolutely!
This is so cute. It is just an inspiration to try out more things in the kitchen and get creative with your food.
There’s absolutely no way I could be as creative as you or Paul … or even Haley and Trevor. Well done, and great pix, too. To quote the kid in The Incredibles, “That was totally awesome!”
The only things I can match are: (1) I can eat with both hands; (2) I’ve used the same alarm clock since 1957 as a paper weight; (3) When Paul asked for your hand in mawwage, I told him he had to take all of you or nothing. I’m so glad he accepted the challenge.
P.S. Take two curled pieces of red peppers and put one above each eyebrow. Then a wedge of same for goatee beard. Licorice for a mustache. And there you have the devil with horns … or Nancy Pelosi trying to lower her eyebrows and smile.
I love this plate! What a great idea! I’d do taco salad theme with refried beans for hair, olive eyes, tomato mouth, spanish rice gotee and tortilla chip ears. ;)
What a great idea to introduce new foods to kids. How do you find this stuff? I’ll have to put on my creative thinking cap to come up with something unique, so I’ve got my work cut out for me today!
This is too adorable! I wish I had one of these growing up. Heck, even as an adult, I still long for one. Is that bad? ;)
I’m thinking of a pirate, with onion rings for earrings, wilted spinach arranged as a bandana, and a full beard and mustache made with fusili (not sure of the spelling at the moment) tossed in marinara sauce–he’s a former red-head, you know.
Props to Paul. got to love those creative shopper types. Glad the plate is inspiring the kids to have fun with food. I might add an applesauce beard, hoping to convince my youngest to like applesauce. Seriously, I may have the only kid who won’t eat applesauce! String cheese is a staple here, so maybe use it as the ‘fro. Who knows!
OMG these are so great! How fun!
I so look forward to your posts every week! Seriously! I see Very Culinary in my in box, and it immediately puts a smile on my face.
I love it! What a great present.
I would give him an ornate pasta hair/facial hair ensemble.
Marissa – Mashed potatoes were definitely on my list to play with if I was going to create more plates.
Natasha – A fairy?! CUTE. Now that I think about it, I’m surprised Haley didn’t somehow create Sleeping Beauty.
Ashten – I love brussels sprouts. Good one!
Joanne – Ooooh, I like it. Maybe I’ll even have a coffee table book. I’ll tour the country and give presentations, encouraging people to play with their food. Ha!
Kim – He is. He really is.
Paul – And there you are…the real star of the show. YOU ARE THE BOMB.
I would have given my plate to Amy, but the food was gone before she could take the picture.
I know what’s on your wish list, but I want the drum stick spoons. Those are totally rad.
Thanks, babe. You’re the best. I’d watch any series of horrible television just for you. You don’t need to cook or nuthin’.
I am too sleepy to create this morning, but I just wanna say I LOVE THIS. Good man, Paul. Good man.
Paul sounds too adorable! I love these dishes. Even more than that, I love your creations. You should have been an artist. Maybe for your next career :p
I can see it now…these will be hanging up in MOMA some day. An abstract representation of our relationship with food. Or something like that.
These plates are soooo cute! I think brussel sprout hair should be next :).
So neat! I love all your food face creations! I would somehow need to make a fairy for my daughter :)
I love this so much I’m definitely thinking mash potatoes would be perfect for some hair
Melissa – I know that magnet “toy”, yes! I had one, too. I also think this guy kinda sorta looks like the dude from the game Operation, minus the hair.
Jessica – Well, that’s the idea. But if not, it would still entertain and occupy her for a little while…almost as valuable with a 3YO!
aw, what a cute idea. I’m looking at this right now with my 3year old daughter adn she keeps saying how she “needs” that plate. I wonder if it would encourage her to actually EAT…LOL.
I LOVE IT!! This a fun and wonderful idea. Go Paul. (And he’s ambidextrous, wow…)
It looks just like that magnet to metal shavings thing I had as a kid and the face even looks the same. I want to look through the rest of the site. It’s making me smile!
You all flatter me!! I just think this plate delivers…for anyone. You can’t help but be creative once you have the food in your hands and face staring at you.
LMAO. The names you chose are just as creative as the faces you made. You are so hilarious. And Paul… Well he sounds pretty awesome. I think my favorite plate might be Trevor’s though ;-)
That is the best gift ever! Seriously hours of fun.
Ditto on Tina and Dani’s remarks. Wow, you are so creative. I would never be able to come up with such great faces. Really super cute, Amy. I don’t need to be part of the giveaway either though since everyone I know is older…although, as you have proven, you don’t need to be a child to enjoy this.
I don’t know who’s more creative – you or the kids! I think I’ve mentioned this before – Paul is a real keeper (of course, he’s lucky to have you, too.) I love this, but since my grandkids are older, please take me out of the giveaway so that someone with small kids will win. I was going to say which one is my favorite, but they’re all just too cute.
Amy, you are so creative. My faces wouldn’t look nearly as clean and clever as yours but I’d sure like to try. I’d probably try and use pasta or a Mexican theme.
fun idea! love it. i would use the following to make a face:
scrambled eggs for hair
sausage for eyebrows
rice for a beard
ketchup for lips
How adorable! What great fun it makes with the kids especially- and a bargain!
hmm.. I’m thinking of Nerdy Fred. Capsicum for the glasses, olives for hair!
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