Ideal is a carefully curated shop composed of unique, design-conscious gifts and accessories. The objects we choose are creative, authentic, and refined. They are inspired by the vision of talented artists and designers from around the world.
Our store was formed with our own ideal in mind: that shopping should always be a personal and thoughtful experience.
Enjoy our blog and please come visit our shop in beautiful, downtown Bellingham. If you can't make it in, we take orders over the phone - just call (360-752-5522) or e-mail info@anidealshop.com.
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!
Sunday is Easter, and if you need a few ideas for filling those baskets with goodies that last longer than chocolate, we can help.
If your kid loves coloring books but you'd prefer a bit more creativity, Rosie Flo and Johnny Joe provide the perfect solution. Rosie Flo was created by illustrator Roz Streeten, after many hours of collaborative drawing with her young daughter. Roz drew elaborate dresses and costumes while her daughter filled in the heads, arms, and legs.
Roz has now published a number of different themes, from animals to travel to kitchen. Most recently, she has created Johnny Joe, whose adventures will appeal to boys and girls alike. We have seven different titles available - stop by to see which one your child would enjoy most.
Rosie Flo Coloring Book, $8.99
Johnny Joe Coloring Book, $8.99
Johnny Joe Sample Spread
Rosie Flo Sample Spread
These beautiful wooden tops, made in Japan, nestle perfectly in the grass of a basket. There are ten different styles, so stop by to do a side-by-side spinning comparison...
Japanese Tops, $8 each
One sure sign of spring is the appearance of slugs. While you may not like them in your garden, here's a cuddly one that will look great in an Easter basket. Kristin Loffer Theiss makes an array of beautiful plush toys, including these sweet slugs. As she is a fabric aficionado, Kristin always finds incredible (often vintage) fabrics to use in her creations. The slugs pictured below feature Marimekko fabrics from Finland.
Plush Slugs by kltworks, $25
Kids can create thousands of different dinosaurs or robots using these clever stencil kits. Choose a body type, then add horns, tails, spikes, and more. These will be played with long after all the Easter eggs are gone...
Dinobox Stencil Set, $10
Robobox Stencil Set, $10
Here's a great way to creatively reuse things you would normally recycle or discard. Based in Australia, Makedo creates ingenious sets of connectors that allow you to build all sorts of sculptures, contraptions, structures - your imagination is the only limit. Watch the video below to get an idea of the possibilities. We have Free Play sets ($22) in stock as well as Robot or Flower kits ($12). All are nicely sized for a basket.
For the youngest in your midst, consider this set of stroller cards from Museum of Modern Art. Five brightly colored, tactile flash cards connected by a ring will keep your little one occupied while on-the-go.
MoMA Stroller Cards, $9.99
Also for the wee ones, these two board books by Seattle collage artist Kate Endle make us think of spring:
What is Green? $8.95
Who Hoo Are You? $8.95
If you have a budding photographer in your household, the KOLA camera accessory is a great choice. A set of colored gels to hold over your camera's lens or flash, use them with your digital or phone camera to create different optical effects.
KOLA Camera Gels, $13.50
There you have just a few ideas for an Easter basket that goes far beyond jellybeans. As always, there are more possibilities we can help you with in the shop, so call (360-752-5522) or email (info@anidealshop.com) if you need further inspiration.
It's always an exciting day in the shop when a new Marimekko shipment arrives. We just received several boxes direct from Finland and have been eagerly unpacking them.
We now have three styles of shower curtains from Marimekko. Transform your bathroom with one of these beautiful, machine washable curtains.
Kaiku Shower Curtain, $49
Tuuli Shower Curtain, $49
Blue Unikko Shower Curtain, $49
Marimekko trays are an ever-popular gift and we have two classics back in stock - the Silkkikuikka and the Kaiku. The trays make great "catch-alls" for the bathroom counter, entry table, or bedside table. They are also the perfect size to carry a cup of coffee and a treat:
Silkkikuikka Tray, $28
Kaiku Tray, $28
We also have several new bags, like this Clover style in a new Unikko color combination. Marimekko handbags are well-known for the quality and durability of their fabrics. Best of all, you can wash them.
Clover Bag, $79
And we are stocked up on cheery umbrellas to help chase away any dreary rainy days yet to come. There's more from Marimekko, as well. Stop by to have a look!
Rakastaa Umbrella, $44
Red Unikko Umbrella, $44
Meteori Umbrella, $44
Loll Designs This week we are also happy to welcome Loll Designs to the shop. Based in Minnesota, Loll is committed to making outdoor furniture that is maintenance-free. Yes, that's right! You can leave these outdoors year-round without worry.
Loll Designs products are made in Minnesota from 100% recycled High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) which is the same material as the #2 recyclable plastics that you take out to curb every week. We now have the Cabrio Lounge Chair in stock...
Cabrio Chair, $399
...as well as two styles of bird houses - the Pitch and the Cube, in an array of colors:
Pitch Birdhouse, $69
Cube Birdhouse, $69
Also for the Birds Audubon Bird Calls and feeders are back in stock from American Bird Products. The same family has been making these calls in New England for over fifty years. The call consists of a birchwood cylinder fitted with a zinc plug - see below how twisting the plug produces sounds which attract a variety of wild songbirds. At $9 apiece, these make a great addition to an Easter basket.
The cast zinc birdfeeder adapter converts an empty soda bottle into an elegant and economical bird feeder.
Soda Bottle Bird Feeder, $12
So there you have just a few happy, colorful ideas to help you remember that spring is on the way. If you have any questions, please stop by, call (360.752.5522), or e-mail info@anidealshop.com. As always, remember to check our Facebook page frequently for the latest news about incoming objects and upcoming events. In the meantime, a few upcoming events to keep in mind:
•Ladies' Night Out, Friday, April 29 - We will be featuring a special trunk show of Mon Bijou jewelry at 20% off for the evening. Organized by Downtown Bellingham Partnership, this event features many downtown businesses open late with special sales, beauty services and refreshments. Proceeds benefit Womencare Shelter.
• Children's Art Walk, 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.
