eclecton #21

There are some household items that you just feel are going to turn into eclectons as soon as you see them. So if you dislike the idea of eclectons assembling in your home you should probably avoid these things - or get rid of them as soon as you can. My husband Scott found the main part of this eclecton holding together a package of dress socks he had just purchased and he commented that it was a likely candidate for an eclecton component. Sure enough, before we knew it, this eclecton had assembled out of the sock hanger, a bobby pin, two pencil holders, and a piece of plastic grape vine off a cluster of fake grapes – and the eclecton managed it all with a black rubber band so that he didn’t have to wait for any all purpose white glue to dry!

eclecton #20: Illustration Friday: “Electricity”

When I heard that the theme for Illustration Friday was “electricity” I wondered, do eclectons ever assemble themselves from electrical components? Sure enough:

Eclecton # 20 components: body and legs: electrical converter plug (British Shaver type); head: Some sort of computer connector (Macintosh); arms: computer cables (PCI network card Wake-on-LAN (WoL) cables; miscellaneous: trace evidence of all-purpose white glue.

eclecton #19

This eclecton didn't have go much past the desk in my home office to assemble himself.
Eclecton #19 components: body and legs: binder clips over a plastic straw; head: pencil grip; eyes: mechanical pencil eraser (halved) inserted onto detached binder clip wire; tail: mechanical pencil tip.

Where do eclectons go?

“Where do eclectons go?’ asked one of my young friends. It’s a good question because, as we know, they disappear from view shortly after IA (instance of assemblage). Evidence is a bit sketchy but one theory is that they are trying to get back to Eclectonia, a poorly understood galaxy about 450,000 light-years away that was recently picked up by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey.

A 20-arcminute-wide map of star densities in the Eclectonia Dwarf Galaxy System


Astronomers were surprised that this little star system didn’t have the characteristic shape of previously mapped galaxies in the area. “This dwarf galaxy is very unusual.” said Dr. Elmer Dweebius, leader of the team that discovered it, “Its stars swarm around in a completely irregular pattern and instead of dark matter being the force that binds them, we keep picking up readings of…well…all purpose white glue, which is, of course, ridiculous. Clearly the system needs to be studied more thoroughly to determine the forces that are at work there.”

eclecton #18

Eclecton # 18 components: body and neck: toothpaste tube (Crest Extra Whitening with Tartar Protection, 8 oz.); legs: large bobby pins (Goody?); head: pump top (St. Ives Advanced Therapy Lotion, 18 oz.); eyes: plastic tips from bobby pins; crest: garment tag fasteners; tail: hairpins; miscellaneous: trace evidence of all-purpose white glue.

Looks like this is what happens when you don’t squeeze the tube from the bottom and roll as you go up…

eclecton #17

Eclecton # 17 components: body and neck: motor oil bottle (Safeway SAE 10W-40); legs: plastic combs; eye/nose/mouth: valve cleaner funnel cap (Lubro Moly Ventil Sauber, 150 ml) and water-soluble marker cap; tail: garden wand lever; miscellaneous: trace evidence of all-purpose white glue.

eclecton #16

Eclecton # 16 components: body: deodorant stick casing (Mennen Speed Stick, Unscented); front fins: plastic forks; eyes: inner cap carton seal (Lucerne whole milk, half gallon) and rubber bands; back fins: fabric white poinsettia leaves; tail: dental floss holder; miscellaneous: trace evidence of all-purpose white glue.

eclecton siblings

I never thought about the possibility of eclecton families but when I noticed these two guys, it was obvious. Putting their heads together, these two 300 fl. oz. laundry detergent jugs (All Free Clear and Safeway Select Ultra Free [related to eclecton #3?]) simply appropriated a plastic grape each and began looking around.

eclecton # 15

Eclecton # 15 components: body and neck: lower part of a scrub brush; legs: mechanical pencils; head: pump top (Mary Kate & Ashley body spray [!??]); eyes: plastic poinsettia stamens; miscellaneous: trace evidence of all-purpose white glue.

Eclecton #14 - for Illustration Friday: Save

I haven’t connected to Illustration Friday for a long time but when I heard this week’s theme was “Save” and I had just found this eclecton, it seemed to be a good match.

Eclecton # 14 components: head and body: toilet paper roll; eyes: Q-tip; and as always: trace evidence of all-purpose white glue.

eclecton #13

Eclecton # 13 components: head and body: foot scrubber; legs: binder clips; crest: plastic fork top; tail: plastic fork handle; eye: mechanical pencil eraser; back: chandelier crystal; miscellaneous: trace evidence of all-purpose white glue.

eclecton # 12

Eclecton # 12 components: head and neck: flip cap (Aveeno Skin Relief Shower and Bath Oil, 10 fl. oz.); eye socket: bottle cap (Derma E Tea Tree Oil and E Oil, 1 fl. oz.); eye ball: plastic grape; pupil: mechanical pencil tip mechanism (Bic); body: flip cap (Safeway Dandruff Shampoo, 12 fl oz.); arms: kid’s dental floss holders (Butter, Crayola); legs: pencil holders; miscellaneous: trace evidence of all-purpose white glue.

eclecton #11

Eclecton # 11 components: head: dental floss dispenser (Butler, mint, waxed); eyes: dish detergent squeeze top (Safeway Select Ultra, Lemon Scented, 38 fl. oz); body: flip cap (Oil of Olay Moisturizing Body Wash, 12 fl oz.); legs: nasal spray bottles (right leg, Nasalcrom; left leg, Nasacort AQ); arms: caps from washable markers (brand unknown); neck and right leg extender: carton caps (Safeway Organics Orange Juice); miscellaneous: trace evidence of all-purpose white glue.

eclecton #10

Eclecton # 10 components: body and tail: plastic grip hair rollers (Sassy & Chic brand?); head: fabric softener cup (Purex Soft, Mountain Breeze, 30 fl. oz) and spray bottle nozzle (Smells Begone, Non-scented, 12 fl. oz.); legs, stinger, and face structure: dental floss holders (Plackers Hi-performance Flossers, mint flavored); exoskeleton: butterfly clip (unknown brand); eyes: coffee beans (Ethiopian, locally roasted); miscellaneous: trace evidence of all-purpose white glue.

eclecton #9

Eclecton # 9 components: body: disposable razor (Citrus Scented Bic Soliel); arms and legs: flexible neon straws (Safeway brand) with ballpoint pen tips and caps; eyes: pill blisters (Sudafed, replaced with pencil eraser slices); miscellaneous: trace evidence of all-purpose white glue.

eclecton #8

Eclecton #8 components: body: facial cleansing pads dispenser (Ponds); visor: soap dish cover (Clinique); head: contact lens case, erasers, and mechanical pencil parts stabilized by pushpins; upper body: aerosol antiperspirant lid (Secret); arms: mechanical pencil parts stabilized by pushpins, flexible neon straws (Safeway brand), and ballpoint pen shafts; miscellaneous: trace evidence of all-purpose white glue.

eclecton #7

Eclecton #7 components: body: nighttime cold/flu medicine bottle (Safeway brand); legs (3): disposable shavers (brand undetermined); head: aerosol antiperspirant lid (Secret); mouth: girl’s ponytail holder (Goody); neck shield: tinted plastic champagne glass top; antennae: mechanical pencil parts stabilized by pushpins, flexible neon straws (Safeway brand), and erasers; insignia: tennis racquet stickers; miscellaneous: trace evidence of all-purpose white glue.

eclecton #6

Eclecton #6 components: body: acrylic pencil holder; legs (3): mechanical pencil parts and dressmaker rivets; neckband: odor eliminator cap (Glade Clean Linen Scent); neck: aerosol cap (Kiwi Suede and Nubuck Protector); head: hairdryer diffuser; eyes: mechanical pencil erasers; insignias: funky paper clips; miscellaneous: trace evidence of all-purpose white glue.

eclecton #5

Eclecton #5 components: body: daily cleansing pads dispenser (Aveeno?); arms: blush brushes (Maybelline); legs: laundry scoops (Safeway Oxygen Pro Multi-Purpose Stain Remover, 32 oz.); head: aerosol cap (Krylon Clear Matte Finish); eyes: brass tacks; power array: pushpins and notepad spiral binding (unknown brands); miscellaneous: trace evidence of all-purpose white glue.

eclecton #4

Eclecton #4 components: body and head: hair glaze pump bottle (Redken?); arms: tooth floss holders (brand unknown); horns/ears/antennae: mechanical pencil parts stabilized by pushpins; eyes: foam letters (Qs); insignia: foam letters, Ys, K, and middle of Q; miscellaneous: trace evidence of all-purpose white glue and transparent tape.

eclecton #3

Eclecton #3 components: lower body: hair dryer diffuser; shield: laundry detergent cup (Safeway Select Ultra-Free 300 fl oz.); optic nerve tube: flexible neon straw (Safeway brand); eye: bouncy ball; miscellaneous: bamboo skewer and trace evidence of all-purpose white glue.

Number 3 leaving

eclecton #2

Eclecton #2 components: body and head: economy-size black pepper bottle (brand unknown); arms: transparent tape dispenser; helmet: plastic wineglass, sample-size facial scrub cap, and nose spray cap (Nasalchrome?); foot: tinted plastic wineglass base; eye: Easter egg sticker; insignia: funky paper clip; miscellaneous: trace evidence of all-purpose white glue.

eclecton #1

Eclecton #1 components: body and head: lotion bottle (Eucerin); arms: spray nozzles (Clorox Oximagic); feet: contact lens case; eyes: green metallic baseball sticker, halved; powerpack: breath freshener package (Listerine Coolmint Pocket Pack) with funky paperclip; miscellaneous: bamboo skewer and trace evidence of all-purpose white glue.