Chocolate and Toys

This week brought an array of tempting designs into the shop. From chocolate and jewelry to children's blocks, more great gift ideas - or maybe a treat for yourself!  Here are two of our favorites this week.

We're happy to introduce Chocolate Editions by Mary & Matt. Based in Brooklyn, Mary Matson and Matt Even met in high school and began a lifelong artistic collaboration. While studying painting, they developed a love for design, food, and culinary arts. They believe in modernism with a smile, and we wholeheartedly agree. Not much in life guarantees a smile more easily than chocolate and Mary & Matt make delicious bars inspired by everything from Sol LeWitt paintings to rugby shirts. We love the ease with which they integrate sweets, pop culture and fine art. They use the highest quality ingredients and craft their chocolate bars in small, handmade batches.

Neapolitan Chocolate Bar, 3 oz. - $10

We now have their delicious Neapolitan chocolate bar in stock. A re-imagining of the classic Neapolitan ice cream, this bar has something for everyone. Dark (72% cacao), white (36%) and natural strawberry ingredients side-by-side make this as tasty as it is beautiful. A miniature, edible painting!


Also in this week are these clever sets of magnetic wooden blocks from Tegu. A mini-set of eight blocks comes in a felt pouch to keep handy in your bag, stroller, or car. These are seriously addictive once you start fiddling with them, so we foresee sets ending up on grown-up desks as well. But they are not only beautiful and fun to play with - Tegu has an inspiring story, as well.

Tegu Pocket Pouch, $30

Brothers Chris and Will Haughey didn't start Tegu with toys on their mind. The company began with the simple notion that Honduras needed businesses which offered living-wage jobs. Home to beautiful hardwoods, the country could have been the perfect spot for sustainably manufacturing any number of wooden products. However, Chris and Will were inspired by classic European wooden toys and embarked on a quest to breathe new life into an old industry.


Today, Tegu blocks inspire children while addressing unemployment, neglected natural and human resources and the need for entrepreneurship in Honduras. The wood used at Tegu is sourced from small-scale, FSC-certified woodcutting cooperatives supported by international NGOs focused on sustainable forestry. All this good and they're fun to play with, too!


That's it for now. We'll give you more updates next week. A few reminders until next time:

• We love to help you find the perfect gift! We believe that the stories behind our objects make for more meaningful giving and we're passionate and knowledgeable about all of the designs we carry. From new baby to grandma, we can share unique suggestions for thoughtful gifts.
• Friday, December 3 is Downtown Art Walk and we'll be featuring a celebration of Finnish Design from Marimekko. Enjoy 20% off Marimekko handbags that evening! Also enjoy the Window Walk, organized by Downtown Bellingham Partnership to highlight downtown businesses' festive holiday windows. Stay tuned for more details.
•  We will extend our hours until 8pm starting on December 13 to help with your holiday shopping needs.

New Treasures Arriving Weekly

This is an exciting time of the year for us! Every week from now until mid-November new shipments will arrive from far-flung places (Japan, Finland, Portugal, and Honduras to just name a few) as well as closer to home (Bainbridge Island, Seattle, and Mt. Vernon).


Many of these are pieces from wonderful new designers we found while in New York. Some are new creations from our current designers.

Last week saw the arrival of new objects from Neo Utility and Saikai. We love the iStand from IDEA International. This great little gadget suctions to the back of your iPhone and props it up so you can enjoy a video or browse the internet. 

iStand, $8.00



We also now have IDEA's fantastic Yuento Balloon Speaker in black and lime green.

Yuento Speaker, $45

Miller Goodman PlayShapes ($150) are also back in stock, so come and see this beautiful set of wooden blocks for yourself. 

MillerGoodman PlayShapes, $150



Over the past few weeks we've also received some lovely pieces in from Saikai. If you are a fan of Japanese design, this group represents some of the superstars, such as Mori Masahiro. We have all five colors of his iconic Soy Bottle back in stock, so consider adding this drip-free container for soy sauce to your table. At $22, it makes a really unique gift.

G Type Soy Bottle, $22

Also, Toyo Sasaki HS "Hard Strong" stacking glasses. First produced in 1967, the reinforced lip on these glasses makes them extra durable and they remain the leading brand in Japanese food service. At $4.50 apiece, it's a great way to introduce a bit of Japanese design to your kitchen.

 

HS "Hard Strong" Glasses, $4.50 apiece



Newly arrived and wonderful - these Pocket Vases in white, yellow, or green. They work beautifully for flowers, but serve as handy catch-alls as well for things like pencils and paintbrushes.

 

Pocket Vase, $24



Finally, these wooden tops. They are miniature sculptures - lovely!

 

Koma Wooden Tops, $6.50 apiece



We also just received a beautiful assortment of glass jewelry from Julie and Jess at verre newyork. It is challenging to find glass jewelry that is elegant and understated and these two glassblowers seem to hit the mark every time. If you see a design you like but would prefer a different color, we can always order you exactly what you want. They have over one hundred colors in their palette.

Three Drop Necklace, $102



Piet Burst Necklace, $106





Piet Stud, $33





Ulala Hoop, $50





Finally, the latest addition to our selection from Museum of Modern Art - the Chalkboard Vase.



MoMA Chalkboard Vase, $4

Draw your own vase, contraption, or creature to hold the flowers. Also works for love notes and to-do lists. The vase includes hardware for wall mounting, as well as a chalk-holder.

That's just a taste of what's new in the shop. We will update you again next week on the latest arrivals! You can also check our Facebook Page for more frequent updates. Until then, enjoy this drawing of the Yuento Balloon Speaker in use. Who wouldn't want to be this happy walking down the street?  







ShapeMaker and PlayShapes Blocks from Miller Goodman

We are always on the lookout for well-designed, creative playthings for kids. The very best designs are always just as fun for grownups as they are for kids. So when we learned about Miller Goodman's ShapeMaker blocks and PlayShapes, we signed up and have been eagerly awaiting their arrival. They are here!

Miller Goodman is a design agency based in the UK, directed by David Goodman and Zoe Miller. They produce children's books and games for the Tate Museum shop in London, but also under their own brand. Colorful, fun, and educational, the objects they design will spark your child's imagination.

ShapeMaker is a set of 25 colorful, hand printed blocks made from eco-friendly rubber wood. The blocks can be arranged in countless patterns to create animals, abstract shapes, landscapes, or whatever inspires you. A booklet with design suggestions is included to get you started. $75 per set.

The animation below gives you just a hint of the possibilities:

PlayShapes is a set of 74 wooden shapes which can be used to build 3-D sculptures of all sorts. Create a menagerie of animals, an array of funny faces, or the buildings of your dreams. Comes with a cotton drawstring bag for storage, as well as a set of illustrations. $150 per set.

Stop by the shop and take a look!