heart bowl by jessica rust

minnesota artist jessica rust does some lovely clay work, made even more special by the fact that it can be personalized for memorable gift giving. she recently added a new piece to her collection: the heart bowl. This piece is extra special because jessica is giving 100% (yes you read that right) of the profits from this piece to the american heart association.

sounds like a win-win-win to me.

jessica is offering free shipping on this piece until september 2nd, 2008 too - brilliant, as we are in the height of wedding season!

timing is everything, so hop on over to her site, use code heartship and enjoy.

share this story

lines for all occasions books (funny)

i can think of a million times i could have used some of the lines in these books, which are chock full of all those smart remarks i wish i had thought of at those crucial moments in my life: quitting my job, flirting at the bar and explaining why i haven’t gotten those tps reports in.

find them all, and a special holiday edition, at perpetual kid.

share this story

peacock pavillions shop = memorable gifts

i was thinking about weddings today. we’ve been invited to two later this year and the first thought that sprang to mind was “oh! weddings are fun” followed quickly by “oh! need to find a cool gift.” these are special friends that are tying the knot, so i don’t mean cool, like an ice cream maker or monogrammed towels, i mean special. memorable. of an heirloom quality, and with a great story behind it. i believe these impossibly gorgeous vintage wool moroccan quilts, offered by maryam montague, the chic blogger, photojournalist and proprietress of the soon-to-be-open peacock pavillions boutique hotel, fit the bill. these special bed linens, originally crafted as bridal quilts in days gone by, are loomed and embellished by hand with hundreds of teeny tiny sequins, and are certain to provide instant glamour for the honeymoon suite (as well as permanent wonder and admiration by your newly wedded friends and all who come to call).

the shop at peacock pavillions includes many other globally stylish things:

since these pieces are coming from the far away, exotic place known as morocco, gift buyers may want to plan ahead to ensure their arrival before the big event. no wedding gift to buy? no matter. wouldn’t investing in any of these treasures for yourself would be quite the sound investment?

to purchase and get more information, see maryam and contact her on her beautiful blog, and while you are out and about be sure to check out the brand new peacock pavillions website, right here. the hotel will be open later this year - hurrah!

share this story

vintage typewriters at sundance

psst. i want to let you in on a little secret opinion of mine. i think computers are here to stay. that’s right, you heard it here first, folks. be that as it may, i couldn’t help but smile when i saw these fantastic restored vintage typewriters. since i only rarely use a typewriter these days (and an electric one at that), viewing these photos transported me back to a sentimental place, where hearing the familiar staccato clickety-clackity click clack bing! under my flying fingers was much more satisfying than watching someone do it now on an episode of mad men (and i think those props are electric too).

hey, if these machines were good enough for hemingway, they’re good enough for me.

find the royal quiet deluxe, the royal arrow and a foxy smith corona in all their glory (and replacement ribbons too!) at sundance.

share this story

poppytalk handmade market - november

can you believe it’s november already? here are some choice items from the poppytalk handmade market, which just opened on monday:

handcut paper art from a little hut

prints from the azure grackle

sterling jewelry by liz mathews

photography and wearable art from thea coughlin

if this doesn’t inspire you to buy handmade for the holidays, i don’t know what will!

share this story

soapylove soap

i have always enjoyed the festivities (and sweet treats) of halloween much more than the spooky parts. look at this cute candy corn soap from debbie chialtas for her company soapylove. it’s handmade of mild glycerin, and of course smells like the delicious sugary goodness that makes my teeth hurt every year. good times.

besides the seasonally ubiquitous corn, debbie makes other fun soaps with scents like strawberry jam, milk and honey and chocolate:

find limited quantities of the candy corn soapsicles at mahar dry goods, and other delectable selections at debbie’s etsy shop. check out her blog too!

share this story

dazzling crystal pencils dress up your desk

add a dash of sparkle to that grocery list you’re making with these fabulous swarovski crystal pencils.

the distinctive dye saturates the entire length of the pencil, so it will remain a deeply rich hue, even after you sharpen it.

find the items pictured at russell+hazel, and a similar product at spoon sisters.

share this story

iced coffee and big head coasters

my friend, a food and wine lover, just passed me a recipe from the new york times for an cold-brewed iced coffee concentrate. after expressly extolling it’s virtues, he’s gotten me all riled up about it. apparently, thoughtful preparation of this not-too-difficult prescription results in some type of ambrosial elixir that is smooth, satisfying and full of sublime coffee flavor. being a bon vivant, i needed little time to prepare myself mentally for the exquisite pleasures of coffeefantasyland, and now i’m ready to taker the, er, plunge.

after the requisite 12 hour steeping time, i can’t think of a better place to put my slippery, filled-to-the-brim glass than these big head coasters.

these clever drink holders are made of thick rubber, and as you can see, you can stack them or stand them. they come in packages of 4, in assorted colorways.

buy them online at wrapables or perpetual kid, and don’t forget to savor each sip!

share this story