Is it naive of me to believe that if everyone carried a warbling bird whistle around in their pocket, the world would turn ’round just a little more gracefully?

REMEMBER THESE!  Miss Ephemera practically DEMANDED that we hand these out as party favors at her 2nd Birthday Party so we got a very large, nonsensical bundle of them for the occasion.  We, of course, had a bundle to spare when the big event was over and so our lovely customers were re-introduced to warbling bird whistles (I say RE-introduced as it seems that EVERYONE has a memory of these from their childhood…).  Have you ever handed someone a Just-Because-I-Think-You-Need-One Warbling Bird Whistle?  It is such FUN!  So much fun, in fact, that we quickly ran out!

But today, dear friends, a whole new flock of ‘em have flown back in!  Hooray!  And this time, we’ve got ‘em in ORANGE!!!  Come in!  Trade one of your stories for on of our warbling bird whistles!  Tell us about how, last night, your dog chewed up your favorite shirt or that it is your birthday or that you’re in love or that life is just plain and good or plain and not-so-good.  We’ll make sure that you leave with a new friend to tell it all to.

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This is how we do it…

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Yessiree!!!  Last night’s class was just as perfect as I suspected.  Exercising their best gluing and X-acto knife wielding skills, nine students walked away with really, really just plain GORGEOUS handbound journals (and felt pretty darn nifty about just how talented they really were!).  A little bit of paper, a little bit of magic…

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Around here, we believe in the power of letterpress and cotton paper to razzle-dazzle up your entire LIFE.  No kidding.  And really, there isn’t a better way to do this than to add some extra-fancy calling cards to your paper trousseau.  Calling card?, you ask?  Why on earth would I need one of those?  For lots of reasons, Love!  Calling cards, of course, can be used just as a business card would be–to make a mark!  To leave an impression!  To say to your new acquaintance, “I’m a put-together Lady in all her ladylike glory!”  Hand a few of these out and soon, you’ll practically be dripping with diamonds as you  sip your champagne and tend to your To-Do’s.

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Is there anything better than little tiny boxes all tied up with string?  How about little tiny boxes all tied up with string with a treat inside?  Yup.  Now we’ve hit the nail on the head.

Lucky you!  We are now offering the sweetest of sweet favor boxes for all of your entertaining needs–so many shapes, so many colors, so many things to fill them with!

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Ahhhh…Spring feels just SO good, doesn’t it?  We’re brushing off our Winter-Time selves and are moving through our April Class Schedule with a brand new perspective and understanding of WHAT KIND of classes fit us best around here (everything is SUCH a learning process, isn’t it?!).  Our Springtime selves are craving new SKILLS.  The kind we can take an evening to learn and use and use and use FOREVER!  In this case, the kind of thing that would make such a perfect gift for EVERYONE you know.  Something USEFUL!  Something you can throw  in your tote bag to take out anytime you’d like to record all of the Springtime HAPPENINGS that are going all around you (“today, I saw the very first bluebells of the season!  Tulips!  I slept with the windows OPEN!”).  Made all the better by writing it all down in something created from a sheet of pretty paper and glue, something made by YOU!  We can’t wait to see you on the 13th

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Our next class involves a completely different kind of classroom mess-making than we’ve tackled before!  On Tuesday, April 6th, from 7-9 pm, we’ll be using old cigar boxes, some glass, grout, and a little imagination to create one-of-a-kind jewelry boxes.  To make it a little more personal, bring the stack of interesting pictures or newspaper clippings, fun paper and photos that have been longing for a home to incorporate into your piece.

The class is $30 and includes (most!) materials!

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I made many a mud pie in my youth (I bet you did, too).  Soupy soil all jazzed up with pebbles and violets, batter spread in old Pot Pie tins and baby food jars, and baked in the sun.  Perfection.

Today in the shop, the windows and door are open, our blue bench has found its way outside (complete with the hardiest plants we have that can withstand the wind), and these pretty porcelain cups have made their way to our shelves.  They are absolutely perfect for crayons and colored pencils, warm milk or tea, pretty herbs in a windowsill, or freshly made batches of wonderful mud pie.

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When we moved into our new space in November, one of our greatest discoveries was that THE WINDOWS OPEN!!!  We’ve got a grand total of FIVE windows that have been ready and waiting to be thrown open for MONTHS.  And this morning, much to our delight, we knew that the time had come.  Yes, yes, we know…  It’s supposed to snow.  And rain.  And do all of the things that it’s supposed to do in Iowa in March but, for today, the heat has been turned off and we are bathing in sunlight, basking in light, and breathing in some fresh air.  Feels good, doesn’t it.

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Karen and I like to dream big dreams.  One of those dreams is that on some fine March 17th, we’ll actually muster enough courage and fortitude to climb out of our nice warm beds to attend a Kegs and Eggs St. Patrick’s Day celebration.  We think that it would lend itself to molding and shaping us into more well-rounded individuals.  There are, however, problems that surround this endeavor.  Like the fact that I find the idea of green beer revolting.  Like the fact that I have a serious aversion to the idea of drinking before 8:00 AM (I am the only lady who made it through five years of college at the University of Iowa without tailgating).  Like the fact that, if everything went fine and dandy, and we actually DID make it to Kegs and Eggs, through time and history, we have proven again and again that in these types of social situations, we exhibit very little self-control and would probably not be able to swing open the doors of ephemera by 10 AM like the responsible shop girls that we typically are.

So, in the meantime, we dip one little toe in, wiggle it around, and see how it feels.  We do this by eating (and serving) Guinness Stout Cupcakes at 10 AM.  Yes, yes!  It’s happening today!  In honor of all things green and Irish-y, we invite you to stop by and start your St. Patrick’s Day preparations a little early.

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