Giving Etsy a Run for their Money

For those of you who don't know, Etsy is a website with fabulous handmade things for sale. It's like a giant, time-sucking craft fair with all kinds of handcrafted goodies. I used to sell my candles and soaps on there, and many of my artists sell their wares there too. Think of Fly Right as Etsy without paying the shipping and handling!
Handmade in Chicago, Zoe's bows are great for little girls with little hair. They stay in really well, thanks to a super grip clip.

Atomic Mama bibs were handmade here in Berwyn and feature a terrycloth backing and an industrial-strength snap that's easy for parents, but hard for kids to undo.

These earrings from (wired) are handmade in Chicago out of old Effen Vodka labels (they're spongey rubbery). Below is some of their jewelry made from surplus and recycled industrial materials--the red is magnet wire. How attractive!

You should also check out (wired)'s stuff made from vintage electronic resistors--hard to photograph, but easy to love!

These are some hand-crocheted hanging vases made from old glass cigar tubes. A lady named Barbara here in town makes these, and I think they're just adorable! Great for a couple of stems of flowers, or for rooting plants.

Kraptacular Krafts candles made from vintage glassware--these are a few of the holiday ones I have left. Lightly scented with fig or pine, they're great for hostess or Christmas gifts or a little something for yourself. . .

Locally handmade Olive Owl soaps and lip balms make great stocking stuffers!

Handknit Christmas ornaments from local resident Jennifer Dale--bells or wreaths in a variety of colors. These are great tied on top of packages as a little something extra!

Also from Jennifer are these wonderful fingerless mitts--they're so cute and practical. I hate wearing gloves or mittens, but these will keep you warm while still allowing you to find your keys in your pocket. There are also a few beautiful scarves that she made. Mitts come in wool or non-wool options. I've had a lot of people say they would wear these indoors--great for the chilly office or while reading in bed.

Thanks to everyone who braved the nasty weather last Saturday for the Festival of Lights--cold and rainy, but it looked like people were having fun.

More toys than you can shake a stick at!

We have a variety of cute Christmas/Winter themed toys for kids, including an adorable Advent calendar that you can use year after year. It's like the sticker play scenes, only you add a new sticker to the North Pole scene every day until Dec. 24th, then you add Santa in his sleigh. I remember how excited I used to get when it was time to do the next thing on the Advent Calendar, but unlike the paper ones, this one can be used over again every year. The "stickers" are actually like Colorforms, repositionable vinyl figures of sledders, skaters, snowmen, etc.

Check out this City Ramp racing Set! It's one of those things you can do over and over again and never get bored watching those little cars zooming down the ramps!

This has been on backorder (along with the cookies and grill set) for months! The Melissa and Doug Ice Cream Parlor set with magnetic scoops of ice cream and cones. They have one you can play with down at Over the Rainbow, so if your kids would like to take if for a test drive, see Tom.

The Slice and Bake Cookie Set from Melissa and Doug is brand new, and it looks fun. Slice 'em, bake 'em, and top 'em--just don't eat 'em. Even comes with a cute spatula and oven mitt. The grill set allows you to make kabobs and even comes with wooden barbeque tongs. The box looks like a grill, so you can pretend it's a little kiddie hibachi! The veggies and steak-like things are velcro-able, so you get to slice them apart with the included wooden knife. Just don't use real fire, and you're set!

We're gearing up for the Deck the Depot Festival of Lights on December 13th. Santa's coming, and some real reindeer too (you can pet them and everything!). Strolling carolers, and a fun contest sponsored by all of us merchants (you should see the prizes we've put together!). The contest is a punch card--just visit all the participating stores, get your card punched, and then fill out your information and drop it in the raffle box--we have 2 prize baskets with gift certificates, books, wine, Christmas decorations and more for the lucky winners. You have to have all your punches, though, or we'll recycle your entry like last week's newspaper. You have to be 21, also.

Christmas Merchandise for All!

Just the sweetest little gift cards ever--vintage repro in a paper envelope--20 for $5.50!

Time to think about sending out Christmas cards! We have a small selection of singles (some new, some vintage, and some local artist-made), as well as boxed sets.

Great new stuff from Pacifica--gift sets with a small body butter, a candle, matches, and a solid perfume--for only $15! Available in Avalon Juniper (shown) or Mediterranean Fig scents. Also some great new candles for the holidays!

Who doesn't love Rudolph? Cute Rudy puzzles and Christmas cards are here! We've also got Christmas themed lace up cards and sticker play scenes. There are lots of great Christmas linens to check out, too! We'll be closed on Thanksgiving Day, but Friday and Saturday we're open our regular hours--I'll be serving refreshments and playing Christmas muzak all day both days.

More Green Gift Wrap ideas

Why not use a decorative paper bag from a store for wrapping paper? This one is from here!


Many products come packaged in clear plastic boxes (this one had a Mudlark soap/lotion/candle gift set in it). You can peel off any stickers and put a gift wrapped in tissue paper, shredded paper, or raffia inside. Add a simple reusable ribbon plus an image from a used greeting card, and you have a display-worthy gift!

You can make your own holiday wrap (especially for small items like gift cards) out of kraft paper (I get lots of stuff packed in it) and a rubber stamp. Just color it with marker or colored pencil and it looks quite festive. If you need any kraft paper, just ask me for some. You can usually iron out the wrinkles and it's fine.

Green Holiday Gift Wrapping

The store will be closed on Tuesday, November 11th. Regular hours will start back up on the 12th. Gotta go home and see the folks before the big holiday rush!

Well, I've been wrapping fake gifts for my window display, and I've come up with some good ideas for wrapping things without causing too much waste. First of all, use things like satin and tulle ribbons that you can use over and over again. Everything I used on these (as far as ribbons go) are ones I kept off of gifts I have received or that I bought at the thrift store in huge bags for a buck.

I think it's better to get one roll (or sheet) of wrapping paper that you love, and use it sparingly than to buy a whole package of rolls of cheap, crappy wrapping paper. The one kind of gift wrap I'm selling this season is called "Stranger Manger" and it's from Pop Ink (a division of the French Paper Company--which has been using 100% hydro-electrical power since 1922). Here are some delightful pictures of the gifts I wrapped using their paper as an accent (the underpaper--is that a word?--is just paper that was used as packing material in shipments I've received:


I'll do some more and share them with you later!

Baby, it's hot outside. . .

. . .but I'm getting together my orders for holiday merchandise! It's really hard to look at Santa all bundled up when it's 90 degrees out, but that's what I've been doing. I have some great things in mind for the Christmas/Winter season. I have already gotten in some adorable Christmas/holiday cards. Don't worry, I won't put them out until around Thanksgiving--I'm not Walmart, you know! And for the kids, I have a Rudolph puzzle that is soo cute! The holiday table cloths, napkins, and dish towels are great vintage reproductions that I can't wait to see in person! I even got some holiday-themed dip chillers for your party hosting pleasure.

On Saturday I had a surprise visit from some hometown friends who were passing through on their way to Detroit. Milly is one of my crafting idols, and she brought me a little dress she made from a vintage hankie, and she showed me how to make them. She said she decorated a whole Christmas tree with them one year and it looked amazing (my mom confirmed this). So if I get my craft on, you will be able to see some in my store (and maybe buy them, depending on how I do. . .). I can't wait to get started on them--the Readers Digest trees are getting boring, but the forest is growing!


If any of you have old issues lying around, I'd be happy to recycle them for you. I might have a little seminar in the store to show people how to make Christmas decorations out of things they'd normally throw away. I'm not much of a teacher, but I'd be willing to give it a try!