The Beehouse teapots are here, and if my camera batteries didn’t just run out, I’d be posting some pictures right now. There are 3 sizes (16, 28 and 32 oz) and 2 shapes and the colors right now are blueberry, kiwi, celadon and dark purple. Considering the weather and the flu season, they are good investment. I do tend to drink more tea in the winter, but summer means…iced tea! Beehouse makes great iced tea pitchers too, which we’ll get later in the year.

We also got a bit of gift wrap from Paper Dolls Cards, these have very big bold graphics, and would look as ravishing on your wall as wrapped around a box.

Sale alert: all jewelry will be 15% off on Feb 11 and 12, in time for V-Day. Get something for a loved one or yourself! Or both!

Also – new website will be up and running in about a week, stay tuned.

The heat seems to be out again in the shop, some days are very warm and others I can barely type! Just a warning if you come by, I don’t turn down the heat so that you will think of buying scarves and hats and teapots…

Back in stock: Not For Tourists guide to NYC, our favorite Beccalights candles in coffee, baked bread, applewood, and some new scents as well. Also, the charming I’m Smitten cards and such are here, plus art prints!

I have also picked up some fun gift wrap from eieio studio in California. You may have seen this brand at other shops in the Slope but their papers are too good to pass up. A roll of this wrap plus one of our V-Day cards and you are halfway there, aren’t you?

FRIDAY HOURS: I’ll be closing an hour early, at 6pm this Friday, so I can catch my plane. See you next week!

I just heard about Swap-o-Rama-Rama (http://www.swaporamarama.org) which takes place February 12. If I wasn’t at work, I’d be there!

It is not explicitly in the mission statement for the store but recycled or repurposed goods are definitely Good Design and as such have a place on the shelves here. Our most popular product, the Lovely Design journals and “little bits”, incorporates found and recycled paper ephemera. What was once in the garbage bin is now Art that people can’t bear to write on, even though that is the intent of the journal. Funny!

New products: the Matt & Nat is doing well, especially the wallets, I guess it’s that time of year? Next week I’ll have more I’m Smitten cards and even giclee prints to take home and put on your wall. And a bit of new clothing by OK47 for spring. The spring weather comes and goes but everyone is yearning for it.

Sometimes I forget that some things will never be finished. There is always a tweak or improvement to be made. I am talking specifically about the new website, and as a former web developer I really ought to know better, and I am my worst client, etc etc. What this means is that sometime this week it will go live and I will just sigh my way through “beta” AKA people writing to tell me things are broken, and I will add more products continuously, and the world won’t fall apart. And you’ll have a chance to do a little shopping even if you are not in Brooklyn. It’s a good thing, I think.

I am going to get in a bit of jewelry by a few ladies, Ms Joy Opfer, Ms Laurel Denise, and Ms Amy Tavern. Valentine’s Day approaches and while jewelry might be a cliche, plenty of people don’t mind receiving one as a present. (V-Day cards are out already, or at least cards that are predominantly red, and one really does feature an aorta.)

We’re out of aqua blue stump teapots again, but more teapots in a whole Pantone set of new colors will be arriving shortly.

I’ll be out of town again next weekend, off to wish my folks a happy 50th anniversary, but Laurice will be here to help you out. And then in less than ten days is the big Gift Show in NY. I will be attending a tiny bit of it, carrying bottles of water and wearing only my most ugly, comfortable shoes. I don’t know if I’ll see anything new to pick up but there are certain booths I want to hit, vendors I want to visit, and generally it’s a weird, fun, tiring, gossipy thing. I think two days will be plenty for me.

Last ramble: someone stole my gate hook (the hook used to pull the security gate down at night) and I just want to say it did not make my week.

So, so many bags and wallets are here:

Matt and Nat is an interesting little brand, Indian, Canadian, vegan. I don’t know if it’s a California thing but I like to have some leather alternatives for people at the shop. These goods are made out of PVC that has been dyed and treated and generally scuffed and feels like patent, buttery-soft, or distressed latigo leather. It’s pretty amazing. If you want something a step up from the casual, usual vinyl or nylon messenger bags, these are the ticket. Bonus for this rainy weather – they will wipe clean! I have both handbag styles and ones with removable shoulder straps which seems to be a must for Park Slope.