Did you see the great article on Poketo in the NY Times Magazine today? I am just so proud of Angie and Ted for their growing mini-empire that supports emerging artists. We have a new batch of their wallets in from their Tokyo artist series, and we are awaiting their sketchbooks and housewares as well. Great job guys!

Also – the great big cable-knit wool Margaret Nicole tote is in InStyle this month. Nicky got great press *and* just had twins so it’s been crazy for her I’m sure. Congrats!

A reminder to everyone: Jill Bliss solo show for the month of October at Rare Device. We’ll have wee artwork in the show, plus an appearance by my genuine carved bear from Northern California (you can’t drive through the woods without buying one) and some other surprises. Jill has created a new poster just for this show as well, we’ll have these available on the website for purchase.

Fall goods are arriving slowly but surely, and I am racking my brains (ok that is such a strange phrase!) to find places to store everything. Generally I don’t hide goods until later but in the case of, say, the cutest mittens ever (see below) it just doesn’t seem right to put them out while it’s 88 degrees outside.

Finally some images of new products at the shop. You’ll notice new leather totes from Rabeanco, photography books and dbclay wallets, a few Aida Dirse bowls, and the LightenUp Design bud vase set. I’ll be working hard next week to get some of these goodies on the website for your shopping pleasure.

More new items: simple and fabulous jewelry by Margaret Solow of Los Angeles, five new Poketo wallet designs, two big cartons of the new Matt & Nat handbags (whoo!) and those fingerless glove/mittens, by LA designer Crowded Teeth. There are brown and navy blue ones, each with a different pattern worked into the knit.

New Yorkers: I’m having a nice summer sale in the shop, clothing and pillows and quite a few handbags from last season are on deep discount. Time to stock up.

Also – I’m going to be out for Labor Day Weekend so the shop will be closed starting Friday the 1st through Tuesday the 5th. We’ll be back open at noon on Wednesday the 6th, as usual.

I never really commented on what we found in Berlin last week so here is the fifty-cent tour. Most of this was seen through a haze of nasal decongestant (provided by throughtful pharmacists under a neon green cross) as I seemed to be very allergic to the city, but…highlights included a macchiato that was only one euro, really good breakfast at the Hotel Ku’damm 101, lovely clothing line Talking Means Trouble, wacky indie goods at a shop called Eastberlin, a great design/etc bookshop called Pro QM, and lots of paper goods for sale. The Germans do like their stationery.

Day one (for me) of the gift show is over and my feet hurt! I did pick up some new porcelain from Germany and glassware from Japan. More on that later…

Marcie McGoldrick of Williamsburg, who I met at the Renegade Brooklyn fair, came by with some of her wonderful porcelain pendants and earrings today. She puts a bright ceramic transfer on each piece, I have a nice little assortment at the shop. These were quite the hit of Renegade, I hear.

Also – Lisa Goldberg of LightenUp Designs (of Williamsburg) has made some fab wee vases in different shapes with crisp black transfers on them, we’re picking these up today. I don’t have a picture of them yet but if you go to http://www.lightenupdesign.com/website06/press/index.html you can get an idea of what the graphics will be like. Of course I would love to carry her lamps but Rare Device is a bit small for furniture and lighting, alas.

I’m off to the gift show for a couple days, to scout a bit and to say hi to old friends.

Sort of an aside, but it seems like my work is to be published in definitely one and possibly two books this year.

The definite: Communicating with Pattern: Circles and Dots, an inspirational sourcebook by Keith Stephenson of Absolute Zero Degrees, who make fabulous wallpaper by the way. There will be some jewelry of mine that feature circles as a pattern.

The possible: No One Cares What You Had For Lunch: 100 Ideas For Your Blog, also an inspirational ideabook by the mighty Maggie Mason of shopping blog mightygoods.com. Maggie wanted to use an art project I made long ago for 20things.org, one of the earliest internet swaps, the brainchild of my friend Judith Zissman.

And around town – new stores are popping up everywhere. There is a new home store on Henry in Brooklyn Hts called Abitare, it’s tucked next to the Tazza coffee/wine bar and they aren’t ever open when I get home but it looks nice. And a Flight 001(!) is popping up at Smith and Bergen where Valencia Bakery used to be. I hope they keep the great old 3D signage…but I have a feeling they won’t.

It’s supposed to be a gorgeous 81 degrees today, I think the store will be busy. Just wait til you see all the new things!