Archive for the ‘handmade’ Category

New York Report #1

Saturday, January 30th, 2010

Day one at the New York International Gift Fair had us covering the aisles in Handmade and At Home. What were we excited about? Well for one thing, the most adorable salt and pepper shakers in the world, and their friends, cozy-wearing mugs:

SnP1

mugs1

Handmade in Montreal by PMO Designs, these are absolutely adorable, and surprisingly affordable. The cable-knit cozies are made by the artist’s mother. Love it!

The next most exciting news? We’re having a Poppi party. The exact date hasn’t been set, but it sounds like the amazing Dawn Benedetto, creator of the fabulous Poppi rings, will be bringing a full selection of her jewelry for a show at Click! in early May, just in time for mother’s day. I’m just saying. Here Dawn and John are discussing possible dates:

PoppiPartyPlanning

gift thoughts by frances #5

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009

This will be a short entry. We’ve carried Envirosax bags at Click! since 2007. They are great little gifts, for this post, let’s call them stocking stuffers shall we? For $9.50 you can pat yourself on the back for giving a beautiful, practical and environmentaly smart gift. The reason I am writing about them at this moment? cool new designs. Just a few of them are pictured below. There are lots more! See you soon.

labohemeenviro

La Boheme

catenviro

Sweet Cat

planetenviro

Green Planet

gift thoughts by frances #4

Sunday, December 13th, 2009

Click! and Dinah Coops have been trying to get together for quite a while and it’s finally happened. We knew we loved her aesthetic but didn’t know how perfect the match was until the work was in our grabby little hands.

coopstablemat

table mat $35, two napkins $32.

In her own words, “I work toward efficiency in materials, labor and energy; use less toxic materials and those made in the Northwest whenever possible; and create things that last and are made from recycled or quickly renewable materials.”

coopsteadishcloth

coopdishtowel

hemp/cotton dish towels $19.

It wouldn’t be a bad idea to come in and see them for yourself or for someone on your list. It is rare to find function so seamlessly entwined in art that you have to consider whether to dry your hands with it or frame it.  Thanks Dinah!

gift thoughts by frances #3

Wednesday, December 9th, 2009

Cookies and Cake oh my! There are so many beautiful treats around this time of year and I just found a way to make them look even more tempting…cookie and cake plates by Stylegarden. Made in Tacoma of carefully procured vintage dishware, they are certainly useful around the Holidays and will probably resurface frequently during the rest of the year. If you ask nicely, we may give you a chocolate when you buy one…even if the plate is a gift for your friend.

cakeplates

two tier cookie plate $36, single cake plate $24

gift thoughts by frances #2

Monday, December 7th, 2009

I popped by at the tail end of the Urban Craft Uprising show at the Seattle Center this weekend and took this shot of the lovely Rachel Austin in a rather sparse looking booth.

rachelinbooth

She had a fantastic show which is no surprise. The really cool thing is that she also brought along new work for Click! We’ll have it all hung for the West Seattle Artwalk this Thursday the 10th (6 to 9pm). With the variety of prices and sizes of her work, gifting Rachel’s artwork is a great holiday idea .

It’s true that when you buy someone a nice plastic gift card, they know you probably risked life, limb and paid for parking…but art – the thing that people make – is awesome!!!

The definitive holiday decorating guide

Friday, November 27th, 2009

The holidays are upon us, and it’s time to sass up your home for the impending family gatherings and sugar-fueled gift opening extravaganzas that await. We’re here to help.

Let’s start at the table. There is no easier way to dress up the dinner table than by adding a table runner, and at $21, there may not be a less expensive way either. Top it off with brushed nickel tea light holders by Kenneth Wingard, and you’ll be feeling festive in no time.

Runner-Tlights

If you want to receive good stocking stuffers, you’d better have a good stocking. Read Frances’s post from last week on these sweet, modern stockings from Simplemente Blanco. Handmade in Boston by Argentina-born Fernanda Bourlot, these have a simple beauty. And for hanging by the fire with care, try using our purse hangers as stocking hangers. We have new designs for the season that would work perfectly to hang from the mantle.

stocking-hanger1

Sometimes stockings are small, and hang from the tree. Sometimes they have sweet little mittens to hang with them. I’m just saying.

stocking-ornament

Speaking of ornaments, we had a great idea from a customer recently who bought several of these wooden ornaments, with the idea of using them as gift tags. You could even do that with our ever-popular wood snowflake ornaments, if we haven’t sold out of them yet.

Ornaments

You’ll undoubtedly be wrapping some gifts, and will appreciate the top quality wrapping paper we’re carrying, by Denise Lynn Studios. Don’t be surprised when the recipient ignores the gift and frames the paper. No really, we know a lamp maker who has made gorgeous shades from this line of paper… but more on that in the new year.

the Hotties are here

Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

It’s getting cold out there.

Have you ever come in from the outdoor bluster and just not been able to shake off the chill? I have three words for you…Hot Water Bottle, or Hottie as we call them in our house. When I was a kid my Nana cured everything with a Hottie and a cup of tea. (Never mind that we lived in Southern California and not in “merry old England”.) Anyway, we have Hotties in at Click! and they are sooo cozy.

Hotties

Made in Boston by the folks at Simplemente Blanco, Hotties are snuggled in a handmade soft wool cover, white or or dark heathered grey. $46

…and the stockings are hung.

Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

You know, it’s kinda weird buying Holiday decorations in August. But it’s exactly what John and I are tasked to do every summer in the sweltering heat/ice cold air conditioning, of the NY gift show.  Well, things are arriving. It’s actually pretty exciting unpacking all the boxes. It’s a bit like Christmas, and as it turns out, I think we did a pretty good job.

These stockings are irresistible and it doesn’t hurt that that their designer Fernanda Bourlot is one of the sweetest people we’ve met at the shows. Originally from Argentina, she now lives and has her studio in Boston where all of Simplemente Blanco designs are made. Everything she does has such a pure, optimistic, beauty.

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Certainly a refreshing take on the holiday stocking.  $37 each

Paintings from Portland

Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

Several months ago, Frances went to one of our local indie craft fairs to look for artists who might be a good fit for the store. She hit the jackpot with Rachel Austin, a full time artist living just a three hour drive south of us in Portland, Oregon. Rachel brought us a nice collection of her paintings for our 5 year anniversary last month, and we’ve sold most of them. She was nice enough to box up a few more pieces that just arrived:

Ralph 5x5 $70

Ralph 5x5 $70

Brenton 8x8 $90

Brenton 8x8 $90

Rachel’s paintings begin with a wood block frame (that she builds herself) and a map. She then layers her paints on top of the map; usually sweet depictions of birds and paper airplanes. Her paintings have a beauty and a simplicity that has been resonating with us and almost everyone who walks in the door.

Saturday, November 21 from 6 to 9 PM, she will be joining us for an artist reception and promises to bring more new work, including some larger pieces and some based on Northwest maps. Mark your calendar! Art makes a great gift, and her work is very accessibly priced.

new Poppi rings

Thursday, October 29th, 2009

Just got a box full of Poppi rings in from the Poppi “factory” in Alexandria. We love Poppi, especially on a gloomy day. Thanks Dawn and all you Poppi makers!!!

r_purple_haze

Purple Haze $68