a. favorite {of mine!}

I'm in love with a. favorite design! I know, I know ... I say I love everyone {pretty much cuz I do} ... but these designs are eclectic and fresh and I truly love them!

Jenny, I know you're all over the Obama card! :)

The photo is just a small sampling of what we have in stock from my new {a.} favorite designer ... I strongly urge you to check out the rest here. I've already bought one of everything!

And I just need to mention, because I think it's so cool ... her name is a. favorite!

happy new year

I'm late in posting this, but we've had a tricking of New Year's cards come in and this particular one I had to share with you.

I love delphine's designs ... everything about them is eye candy for my soul.  Agreed?

And this New Year's card didn't disappoint ... Happy New Year to you too Erika!  {swoon} ... you had me at Peace ...

give studio

More new products!  These are from Give Studio ... I have nothing to say except, I'm in love!

Oh!  And remember I mentioned our new Simplesong products?  You can get them online now.

frock out {a paper dress}

This woman is wearing a paper dress!  Apparently, it was all the craze in the mid-60's.  Seems Scott Paper Co. started the trend ... by sending in one dollar, women would receive a Scott's 'Paper Caper' along with 52 cents worth of coupons for Scott products.  Quite a deal I'd say!

According to Consumer Reports March issue of ShopSmart these little numbers had some flaws.  During testing, the dress could quickly become quite revealing or even catch on fire if one wasn't careful.  Not to mention the effect of a rain shower ...

Around the same time as the Paper Caper, Hallmark started selling 'hostess dresses' of paper, which would match her party napkins and tablecloths.

Fashion forward?  Hmmm ...

i need this stat!

{via The Most Awesomest Stuff Ever}

new cuteness from simplesong

We just received some cute new products from Suann at simplesong.  You might remember I bid on some of her goodies during the NieNie auctions {and speaking of NieNie ... she's back online!!}.

I love, love the camera card ... I just may have to ask Suann to personalize a set for me!

I'm also loving this Valentine's card!  We'll have everything in the web store soon ... but 'til then, I'm thinking we need to see you in person!

i'm a sucker for vases

Considering how much I love flowers, I seem to have collected my fair share of vases.  I just got an email showcasing some great etsy finds, and thought I'd share them with you.

The first is a handblown bud vase from Tanner Glass and you can find it here.

Next, the cutest bunny vase ever from pretty random objects.

The next are porcelain pods from D Terry Designs and remind me of a recent beach combing expedition with my girls ... sigh ...

Last are my favorites ... three finger vases from Catherine Reece  Unfortunately, the finger vases are sold out, but I'm seeing plenty of other cute stuff for purchase on her site!

orla kiely at target

{via apartment therapy}

I realize I have way missed the boat here, but on the off chance this is the only blog you read, I feel it's my duty to announce the big news!  Better late than never I say ...

Orla Kiely has designed all kinds of fun things for your house, and the best news?  You can get them at Target beginning in February.  Designer products for the everyday folk ... I love it!

My favs are the office products {pictured above} ... check out the rest of the items here.

And if you're in the market for some matching Orla Kiely stationery, stop by here.  :)

hand lettered fonts

{via paper crave}

I am loving hand lettered fonts these days!  So when I saw these, I immediately got one for myself {and a friend, but shhhh} ...

And speaking of hand lettered fonts, I've been using these in almost everything I create.

and the {lucky} winner is ...

Hold that thought ...

Wow!  Unbelievable.  I am overwhelmed by the responses for this contest.  First, I had no idea there were that many readers.  :)  And second, isn't it awesome to realize we are all struggling to meet the same goals?

I so enjoyed reading through your comments.  Truly ... I can relate to so many of them on so many levels.

There was one comment though, that literally ran through my head day and night since it was posted.  It's from Bridget and it's "no regrets."

Simple, isn't it?

{bridget, email me with your mailing address and you've got a very big box of goodies coming your way!}

oo-la-la

{photo courtesy of snippet & ink}

These colors are just what the doctor ordered to brighten up our Midwest winter doldrums!

{gotta love the Converse!}

yummylicious!!

Absolutely no other word to describe it!  Hot off the press from SusyJack* and you can pre-order it here.

2009 calendars on sale!

If you somehow missed the calendar craze this year and all the fabulous, get-yourself-organized offerings ... you're in luck!  We still have some great designer calendars in stock and they are 50% off.  Check 'em out here.

big! huge! best ever! giveaway!

Remember this fiasco?  Good things come from bad situations, right?  And this could be your 'Lucky' day!  :)

I never quite figured out what to do with this box of stuff.  I marked the product out of our inventory, but never really sorted through what was salvageable or not.  And so it's basically still sitting here looking for a home.

Would you like it in your home?  The good, bad, ugly, damaged, and salvageable?

It's value is probably worth a few hundred dollars.  And it's yours for the taking.  Problem is, I'm completely uncertain what kind of 'contest' this should be.

Asking what you'd do with the product seems lame.  Maybe something to do with a new year, fresh start?  Not really a resolution ... but maybe a goal?

That's it!  Leave me a comment with your #1 goal for 2009.  I'll pick my fav and you get the goods!

Let me start ... my #1 goal for 2009 is to go back to basics.  With my family, and with my life.  Sigh ...

change is in the air ...

With all the change abound ... I've decided to make some changes with my inventory selections {by decreasing a lot of it}.  The good news is that I'm really focusing on what's made bwp the specialty store it's become known for.

I'm letting go of bigger, widely-known vendors and bringing in smaller, specialty designers.  I'm on an Esty hunt for the best!

In the process of making these changes, I realized I had way too many fixtures.  Too many fixtures = too much inventory.  So I've taken out some fixtures, brought in a couple of browsing tables {thank you IKEA}, and really opened up the floor space.

I love the results ... sort of gives me a sense of calm when I walk into the store.  And who couldn't use a little calmness to start off a new year?

d'oh!

You know how someone says something to you ... and the perfect comeback is sitting on the tip of your tongue, only it doesn't make it to your brain until 3ish hours later?

This isn't quite like that ... but I had the perfect one-liner to end my last post and I completely forgot it!!!  That is, until I got Suann's sweet comment this afternoon.

One word ... d'oh!

Okay, I'm not sure how you want to do this ... read my last post first and then read the following sentence?  I'll wait ...

I love my card, but next year, I'm thinking I'll be doing something like this!  {was that too much suspense for my 'witty' one-liner?}

It's brilliant!  A beautiful family photo, a letterpress printed letter from their son, coordinating stamp {always a must!} and envelope, tied together with baker's twine.  The work, the love, the care that went into it.  I love it!

Suann, next year you must send me one too!  :)

2008 christmas card

I love our Christmas card this year!  Wiley Valentine designed it for me and did a great job.  Poor ladies ... I emailed nothing short than 20 photos of all varieties and colors and basically said, "go!"

Do you fall in love with your holiday card each year?  When I got the proofs back, I fawned over them ... couldn't stop looking.  I even mail myself a card to get the whole experience of receiving it.  Am I a freak?  I think I may have just admitted too much!

Thank you Rachelle ... as always, you were a pleasure to work with!

If you have a moment, stop by the fairly new Wiley Valentine blog ... it's incredibly inspirational.

{iphone} baby monitor

This is an awesome invention ... and just one more reason to love my iPhone!