South Africa takes the reality show one step further. It’s called Can You Twist: six of the country’s best female short story authors compete online to be crowned “Short Story Diva.” For almost six weeks they’ve come up with zany plot twists in an effort to win viewer votes (and a nice chunk of prize money). We’re not sure what started the storytelling craze down there, but they’ve decided every Friday to bring elements of each story to life.

So far there’s been a huge art installation, the mass distribution of flowers, and a publicized break-up letter. The season is almost over, and who knows what weird machinations their literate minds will manifest.

Leave it to the Dutch to do something completely different. Denim manufacture Glue Jeans does just what their company name implies: instead of stitching the denim together, they've glued it with a super holding glue. What seems like a cleaver gimmick actually looks really cool. Raw denim next to the heavy lines of red glue gives it a sharp look. It’s different enough to turn heads, but subtle enough to leave people wondering. Glue Jeans has tested their product’s durability for the past two years, but if the glue wears off and your pants disintegrate, remember these jeans were invented by people from Amsterdam. A little public nudity isn't one of their biggest concerns.

One of the main components in getting any company off the ground is staffing. While sites like Monster.com and CareerBuilder.com have a way of muddling the process, forcing the new businesses and experienced job seekers to wade through a sea of options to find each other, Startuply is a niche job site that focuses solely on the startup. In an effort to improve the user experience and get your idea off the ground, the site features an easy interface (view listings by passing over them, rather than clicking through) and desktop apps that (hopefully) make the process a little less painful.

Spiegelworld, located at Pier 17 in New York, is a traveling venue that launches its annual concert series August 10th. This year they are starting things off with a bang with cabaret legends Meow Meow and Justin Bond. The facilities seat 350 in carnival-like village surrounding. The artist lineup includes nightly celebrity DJ’s DJ Bruce Tantum, Ursula 1000, GlobeSonic, and the all female party SHAKTI. Fans can book tickets here for a promotional price of $35 until August 1. Use the promo code: MMJB for an additional $10 off!

Brothers William and Chris Kirkland always knew they would go into business together and it would be called BillyKirk — they just didn't know what they were going to do or make. When stumbled across some vintage leather, one thing lead to another and they found themselves learning the trade from a third-generation leather maker in L.A.

We’re glad they did all that research and work, because they've come up with a beautiful line of leather goods. Classic, clean-looking belts, wallets, passport covers and bags have sparked the interest of the fashion and leather industry in the short time they've been around. The emphasis on process is evident in their success, and a lot of that is due to the Amish craftsmen that make their products. Check out this great interview to hear more about their story and a blog some fun Amish anecdotes.

Via Kitsune Noir

Most couples have something they do really well together. Maybe it’s partners in a card game. Maybe it’s karaoke — whatever, it’s something that they can use to show their power-couple-abilities. Kirk and Eva started Sycamore Street Press to create stationary and paper products using vintage letterpress techniques. Oh, and they’re more talented than you and your significant other. Check out their Etsy store for a whole host of hand-pressed paper goods and follow their blog for some fun couple things and creative inspiration.