Link Magic

People often come in the store and ask, where do you find all of your products? The answer is online. Not entirely but largely - I am a very prolific website skimmer, and very good at it. And people with great products link to other great products, etc. This is why I perpetuate this with my very extensive designer list!

I also do check my referer logs and lately there are so many blogs devoted to somebody's favorite products or just cool links. I love this. Just a tiny sample of tonight's link surfing, from some favorite sites like Poppy and Swiss Miss. Some things may turn into products I carry at the shop, others are just fascinating.

Polanoir polaroid gallery
Mapping Religion in America
Abode Livable Art custom photo pillows
Chocpix chocolate photographs
Balloon Lamp

It is Sunday and Easter and some have asked if I am open and the answer is YES! See ya at the store.

Sheila D

I got a few Sheila D totes this morning, with more to come soon I hope. So cute and perfect for summer. I also got more Kristen Aronsson bags in brand-new shape that we are calling Pucker. I have 3 colors but she's made them in 8!

Also Gary Panter is signing at Rocketship Comics in Boerum Hill tonight, should be a great event.

Also, the Trader Joes cat cookies are at the shop for your consumption..

Serrote

Bit by bit, new notebooks, or cadernos, from Portuguese designers Serrote make their way to the store. Today we received some of their latest cadernos, limited-edition and with covers letterpressed with charming wood-type. The interior papers are vellum, lined, and paper tablecloth material (for those who jot down ideas on tablecloths - get it?)

Coming soon - new pieces from Undesigned and House of Spy - the late spring/summer designs. Don't you wish it was summer already? Also somewhere between here and Finland are more Tonfisk table items, and between here and Canada are vibrant green Matt & Nat bags.

Jewelry is selling well lately. I hang work in progress on the wall behind the shop counter while I contemplate the price, completion of design, etc and people like to buy it straight from the wall, kind of funny. When I worked at an art gallery, people most wanted to come in when you were closed for installation - a related phenomenon perhaps?

The other book I got at the library is called The Meaning of Tingo - it's a collection of words in other languages that have a *very* specific and usually odd meaning. This book cracks me up! I have quite a fascination with words, language, type, meaning - the shape, the sound, the color.

Tonight is a reception at Sodafine in Fort Greene, I will be there after I close the shop. It's not raining but the damp in the air is making apple or pear blossoms stick to pretty much everything. Blossom tattoos on cars, blossom graffiti on windows.

Photos

Finally I snapped some shots of the new goods, plus some NEWER new goods. Just in - way-cool potholders by Brooklyn designers Deadly Squire, and some little coin pouches too, in three of their new patterns. They look super good with the Beehouse spring colors.



Here is one of the Kikatsu pieces in front of the black sake set, so that you can see the etching.



Defunct Baggage sent all new designs of cute vinyl bags, here are some of them.



I am starting some of the Garden in a Bag kits at home, this one is basil at the wee sprout stage.



Finally here is a closeup of Purldrop crocheted earrings. The actual earring is about 3" tall total. Erin is making spring colors also, and smaller ones, and different shapes, I hope to have them soon.



I got new books too. Love books! I got a copy of the perpetually sold-out Chip Kidd: Book One, the new Theme and Anthem magazines, a book called Five Flights Up about NY apartments, and some comics-type things like Pizzeria Kamikaze (love the name), The Placebo Man and A Disease of Language, which collects a lot of Alan Moore writing. And the newest issue of photography zine Hamburger Eyes is here. This is such a nice black and white photography zine.

It is such a superb day out here. I thought it was going to rain but so far we are doing good...

Kikatsu

I have a little shipment of the most delicate glassware from Japan. The series is called Kikatsu and the glass is whisper-thin, mouth-blown and then hand-etched with delicate patterns. Each glass can take the artisan hours to do. I have a tumbler, old-fashioned, and short stem in different patterns. I am waiting for the light to be just right to photograph them properly, and then they'll go up on the Rare Picks site also.

I have more Kriya Davis jewelry also, and sold a pair of earrings as I was unpacking the box! Her work is delicate brushed silver, pierced with simple patterns.

And, the Beehouse teapot order is in. After filling backorders I am down to just one of the celadon Kyoto teapots that design*sponge featured (already!) but I also have a few in a new color which is a dusky and ashen purple. I also chose a new shape called "Saturn" which is petite and adorable. I'll bring the camera tomorrow and shoot those too!

Books I got at the library - it's been a long time since I've read fiction and not tax strategy books or retail merchandising textbooks: ex-coworker Craig's latest Dermaphoria, Brooklynite Colson Whitehead's Apex Hides the Hurt, Lighthousekeeping by Jeanette Winterson, Old Twentieth by Joe Haldeman and two others - I can't even remember the two others now, how embarassing.

Exuberant

1. Robots!
2. Blossoms now falling off the tree so green leaves can appear
3. The return of Mister Softee, bare legs, and motorcycles buzzing around the streets
4. Marcona Almonds with Rosemary from Trader Joe, the best price I've found
5. A box, somewhere between Sweden and the U.S., with more Karin Eriksson ceramics
6. Another box from Oakland, CA filled with beautiful handblown glass vases by Terrill Design

Dottyspeck

I have been eyeing Kim of Dottyspeck's work for a long time and finally brought a bit into the shop. Besides her tiny sterling silver cloud necklaces, which are very popular, I have some of her new work which looks influenced by the budding plants of spring. Come by and take a look!

You will also see me cooking up some new jewelry designs behind the counter. The muse comes and goes but she is finally back. I have some fresh and bright new work by me and others out now...yesterday was a big jewelry day which is encouraging. Scarves begone, it's time for necklaces!