Ladies' Night Out is Tomorrow - Mon Bijou at 20% off!

Tomorrow, Friday, April 29 is downtown Bellingham's Ladies' Night Out! Don't miss this special evening of shopping, fun, and snacks throughout downtown. From 5-8pm many businesses will be open late, featuring special sales, promotions, beauty treatments and refreshments. We will feature a trunk show of Mon Bijou jewelry at 20% off for the evening. This is a great opportunity to pick up a Mother's Day gift or a treat for yourself.


After shopping, primping, and nibbling enjoy an afterparty benefit for Womencare Shelter, hosted at American Museum of Radio and Electricity. From 8pm-midnight kick up your heels and dance, watch a fashion show, enter to win raffle prizes and more. Tickets are $15, available in advance or at the door - see www.downtownbellingham.com for more details. Pick up a map at any participating business and prepare for a festive evening.

Mon Bijou has been an Ideal favorite since we first opened. Not only is it beautiful jewelry, you are also supporting a great cause when purchasing a piece. Having lived in large metropolitan areas around the globe, founder Suzy Arbaut was profoundly affected by the poverty she saw, especially among orphaned children. Profits from Mon Bijou support "Pablo's Friends," an organization dedicated to building and sustaining a center for orphaned street kids in Mexico City.

Afreeka Bracelet, $130; $104 for Ladies' Night

Afreeka Ring, $65; $52 for Ladies' Night

Handmade in Los Angeles, all pieces have a high-quality pewter base, which is then silver plated and varnished. Everything is nickel and lead free and will never need polishing or cleaning.

Cecilia Ring, $70; $56 for Ladies' Night

Cecilia Bracelet, $70; $56 for Ladies' Night

We will have a large selection of pieces for the evening, so don't miss the opportunity to see a wide range of styles from Mon Bijou...
 

Bea Necklace, $170; $136 for Ladies' Night

Bilul Bracelet, $130; $104 for Ladies' Night

Laurel Earrings, $45; $36 for Ladies' Night

Raquel Double Earrings, $62; $47.60 for Ladies' Night

That's just a sampling of what we will have on hand for Friday. Stop by for a glass of prosecco and try something on - we look forward to seeing you then! As always, call (360-752-5522) or email (info@anidealshop.com) if you have any questions.



Remember to check our Facebook page frequently for the latest news. One upcoming event to keep in mind:


• Children's Art Walk, next Friday, May 6 - 6-9pm. This is one of the years' most popular Art Walks. Businesses extend their hours into the evening and hang artwork from local schoolkids. We will be featuring the creations of Paula McGrath's kindergartners from Parkview Elementary. We will have more information soon!

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.

Downtown Art Walk - Tonight, November 5 - 20% off Alchemy Goods!

Tonight we are spotlighting Alchemy Goods as our featured designer during Downtown Art Walk. Enjoy 20% off all Alchemy Goods designs from 6-9pm!


This wonderful company, based in Seattle, has been a shop favorite since we opened and we're thrilled to feature a number of new designs that were just released this week.


Alchemy Goods practices "upcycling" in creating their designs, taking discarded materials such as bicycle inner tubes and car seat belts and transforming them into highly functional products such as bags, wallets, and belts. The company got its start when the founder's bag was stolen and he began a search for the perfect messenger bag. Disappointed in what he found, he made his own. Friends loved it so he made more...and the rest is history. The bags are practically indestructible, waterproof, and just look really cool.


Here are a few of the newest designs from Eli and company at Alchemy:


The Pine is a smaller-sized messenger bag, distilled down to its essential functions. A zippered outside pocket holds your cell phone and it protected from the elements by a rain flap. Inside, there's enough room for your commute or day trip supplies. 68% upcycled materials.

Pine Bag, $110

The Mercer is a sweet little shoulder bag with a slightly retro look. Slip an iPad into the inside sleeve and zip your valuables into the large interior zippered pocket. Outside pockets accommodate a cell phone, journal or other accessories. 75% upcycled materials.

Mercer Bag, $120

The Westlake laptop bag cradles your computer inside layers of inner tube and foam. It features a shoulder strap and briefcase handle for easy transport. Elastic straps and a wraparound zipper allow you to quickly open the case and your laptop at the same time. 68% upcycled materials.

Westlake Laptop Bag, $75

The Elliot dopp kit is a sophisticated travel companion for carrying essential grooming tools. Exterior is constructed from truck inner tube, so any spills can be quickly cleaned up. The zipper features a shiny bicycle valve zipper pull. 92% upcycled materials.

Elliot Dopp Kit, $35

The Ad Bag is tote made from recycled advertising banners with seatbelt straps. 95% upcycled materials.

Ad Bag, $37

The Schrader bicycle valve, while being an excellent device to maintain your tire pressure, doubles remarkably well as a zipper pull. $8.00 for a set of two!

Zipper Pulls, $8.00 for two

We also have our usual selection of the Haversack, Pike, Union, and Magnolia bags, as well as Georgetown, Franklin, Night Out wallets and belts! Stop by to see us tonight - we'll be open until 9pm.

Shop Where Your Heart Is

Happy Thanksgiving! November has been an exciting month at Ideal, with shipments from our summer New York trip arriving weekly. We are busy rearranging and getting the store looking festive for holiday shopping. Rest assured there are many new beautiful objects of good design for people of all ages and interests.

Starting Friday, November 27, we are participating in Downtown Bellingham Partnership's Shop Where Your Heart Is, a week-long series of holiday events encouraging shoppers to support Bellingham's unique, local stores. Pick up a passport, collect stamps from all participating shops, and you will be entered into a raffle with dozens of great prizes. Please visit us during the week of November 27 - December 4 to have your passport stamped and check out what's new in the shop.

Here's to a happy, healthy holiday season. Our heartfelt thanks to you for supporting our locally-owned business.