rare bird finds feature

Sharla from the fabulous Rare Bird Finds Blog thinks our Collision.kit is a great idea for the new driver because after an accident they may be too frazzled to get all the information they need.  The Collision.kit comes complete with a camera, a pen, clipboard and a form with all the information you need to gather and is a mere $15.00

Thanks for spreading the word about this handy dandy kit!

my shoe addiction continues

Being that my birthday is in the month of July is as good enough excuse as any to indulge in a few summer additions to my current shoe line-up.  Starting with a great deal I found at Sole Sisters in downtown Rochester.

The lovely Sarah made by Morenatom (one of my favorite shoe designers which I sadly heard is no longer in business… just another reason to buy my last pair)

I found these magical ballet-like shoes in a beautiful store called Sole Mate in Holland Michigan.  They bring out the kid in me.

Target – $12.99 … need I say more?  (they also come in brown)

My husband’s hair gel cost more than these!

I’m always on the look-out for super cute shoes.  If this is also one of your hobbies, don’t miss out on future foot candy finds!  Sign up to receive snazzy shoe posts in your email inbox today!

attention all lemonade lovers

I received this delightful lemonade gift basket from my friend Dena (also our Rochester store manager) for my birthday recently and had to share it with all of you.

I think this would be a wonderful hostess gift to bring if you’re staying at a friend’s lake house or cabin for the weekend.

Included in this basket of goodies are: 4 retro glasses, a lemonade carafe, lemon juicer, old fashioned lemon drops, 6 fresh lemons, 2 slim bags of fine sugar and 2 cute cloth napkins. 

Steve & I enjoyed a few servings from this selection already and are off to buy more lemons and sugar this week.  I usually squeeze 3 lemons, mix in a half cup of sugar and fill the rest of the blender up with water and ice cubes… in a matter of seconds, I have icy cold lemonade slushes.  A favorite treat for a hot summer day!

Thanks Dena for the fabulous gift.

…having creative gift-giving ideas like this is just one of the many reasons why she makes such a stellar gift gallery manager!

john mayer + 3rd row = good times

Most of you are probably saying, "Great… another John Mayer post" but I couldn’t resist showing off my shared stage moment (albeit on a video screen)with Mr. Mayer. 

I just happened to be taping the first song that turned me on to John, No Such Thing, when Mr. Video Man scanned our row… what are the odds?

One of my favorite moments is when he played Stop This Train during the encore.  I love love love the lyrics…

No, I’m not colorblind
I know the world is black and white
Try to keep an open mind
But I just can’t sleep on this tonight

Once in awhile, when it’s good
It’ll feel like it should
And they’re all still around
And you’re still safe and sound
And you don’t miss a thing
Till you cry when you’re driving away in the dark
Singing

Stop this train
I wanna get off
And go home again
I can’t take the speed it’s moving in
I know I can’t
Cause now I see I will never stop this train

happy independence day!

Art work by the talented Aaron Foster.

‘it’s sidewalk chalk – no foolin’

I don’t know about you, but when I think of sidewalk chalk… rainbows and hopscotch come to mind.  But Julian Beever takes it to a completely other level with his amazing works of art.

Julian is an English artist who has been creating chalk drawings on pavement since the mid-1990s that create the illusion of three dimensions when viewed from the right location. These trompe-l’oeil drawings are created using a projection called anamorphosis and appear to defy the laws of perspective.

Above are two photos are of the same chalk drawing. The brain works out our 3D experience of the world from the 2D light patterns that fall onto our retina at the back of the eye.

This process takes advantage of many of our implicit assumptions of the world, such as the fact that textures will fade as they go farther away, parallel lines will tend to converge in the distance and that objects will seem larger the closer they are.

Julian Beever’s art uses a knowledge of these processes, so when seen from a certain angle, the pictures fool the visual system’s inbuilt processes to produce a false sense of depth.

When seen from an alternative angle, the illusion breaks-down, and it’s possible to see how the artwork was created.

This is my favorite image. It makes my jaw drop and heart cringe knowing that each masterpiece will be washed away with a rainy afternoon.

Want to see more?  Just click play to see a slide show of his breathtaking works.

Pretty cool eh?  What’s even cooler is that you can get amazing blogs posts like these delivered right to your inbox.  Sign up for this fancy feature today!

summer sweets

Leave it to my friends at Cottage Living Magazine to feature another scrumptious recipe I couldn’t resist making this summer.

Banana Caramel Milkshake

The homemade Caramel Sauce is worth the extra time, but you can substitute your favorite store-bought version.
Test kitchen tip: Using a frozen banana gives the shake an extra-creamy consistency.

MAKES: 3 to 4 (8-ounce) servings
PREP: 5 minutes

1/2 cup Caramel Sauce
1 large ripe banana
1 pint vanilla ice cream
1/2 cup milk

Process all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Serve in individual glasses, and top with additional Caramel Sauce, if desired.

Caramel Sauce

Spoon extra Caramel Sauce over apple pie or grilled peaches, or add to seltzer for a caramel Italian soda. For easy cleanup, fill pot with water, and bring to a boil on the stove—the caramel will melt in a minute or two.

MAKES: 2 cups
PREP: 10 minutes
COOK: 12 minutes

1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons dark rum (optional)

1. Bring cream to just under a boil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Combine sugar, lemon juice, and 3 tablespoons water in a separate, heavy saucepan. Place over medium heat, and, without stirring, bring to a simmer. (If sugar crystals form, dissolve with a wet pastry brush.) Swirl pan to distribute syrup as it starts to color, and cook until amber. Slowly add hot cream, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. (Mixture may spatter.) Cook 1 minute to dissolve caramel. Remove from heat.

2. Stir in vanilla, kosher salt, and, if desired, rum. Let cool. Store refrigerated in an airtight container up to 5 days; bring to room temperature before using.

This is just one of many sweet treats .  Subscribe to our blog today and you’ll be sure to get the dish on many upcoming recipes.

keep shining bright

I couldn’t resist sharing a few more submitted stories from our making days brighter contest. (I wasn’t kidding when I said they were all winners) Reading these just warm my heart!

Carolyn Culvey

The gift I most enjoyed giving from catching fireflies was a beautiful turquoise beaded bracelet to my good friend Lynn.  I had just discovered she had bought a new wool turquoise blazer and she loved the bracelet!  You see, Lynn and I do not exchange birthday or holiday gifts; rather we have chosen to bless each other throughout the year with little acts of kindness. 

Well, to make a long story short, this past year Lynn ‘out did’ me 2 to 1 in blessing me as my in-laws battled cancer and Alzheimers.  The bracelet will never repay her kindness, but hopefully it will remind us both of our love and friendship for each other.

Cheryl Davenport

Several years ago I received a gift from your store.  I was leaving a job and two of the young teachers in my building gave me a going away present – a wall hanging of a fairy with the message "inspire" because they said that I inspired them.  It was special because of the meaning they gave to it but also because it introduced me to your store.  It still hangs in my kitchen.

Annette Manwaring

I went out to my mailbox yesterday to find several doctor bills that I hadn’t expected to come so quickly.   Along with them there was an envelope from catching fireflies.  I was delighted to find I had won the monthly $63 shopping spree!!   I can’t tell you how it totally made me day!   Just in time for my birthday!  Thanks again.

Nancy Bradley

Every time I visit your store my day gets brighter.  Being an artist myself, my eyes and heart feast on all the creative treasures that greet me as I enter your amazing store.  I cannot single out just one item.  I love browsing thru and examining each and every thing I see (including the doors, lockers etc used as props) marveling at the joy in creativity.  I always buy too much, but I can’t control myself.  When I get home the fun begins again as I unwrap these gifts for me and my loved ones and find the perfect home for them.  They give me pleasure every day.  Thank you for brightening my life. xoxo

Thank you again for sharing your personal stories with us.  They inspire me and I know they’ll resonate with many of you.

‘making days brighter’ contest winners

In our spring newsletter we asked our customers to recall a gift they’ve received or given from catching fireflies that made their day or the gift recipient’s day brighter and why.  We enjoyed reading your many wonderful stories and it was very hard to select the ones to feature because you are all winners. (I know that really sounds cheesy, but it’s true!)

With that being said, the following three entries will receive this magical battery operated firefly jar because of their heartfelt submissions.

1. Robin Baker

I have purchased many items that have made my day or someone else’s brighter~but the one that stands out most is: A sign that reads "Always Kiss Me Goodnight."  I have this wooden sign hung in our bathroom~which is most people’s last stop before they go to bed (perfect spot).  Every night I read this and it reminds me that no matter what kind of day you’ve had or what kind of mood you may be in~to kiss the people that matter most in your life daily:)

2. Patsy Birdwell

I was in your store with my best friend who stuck by me thru a long illness.  That evening, Joy bought me this incredible book called SHE – pink and orange – so happy and strong. Oh how blessed I felt.  As we looked through the book, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a book called HOPE (a book about cancer) Being so uplifted by the book, SHE… I knew this was for me and boy was it ever.

Several months later I was in another local gallery and the owner began to share with me of her recent test results showing that she had cancer.  I told her I had something for her and the next time I came in I would be sure to bring it.

Months had passed and I felt such a deep passion to give her my book. By this time I had been so encouraged by it, I was almost sad giving it to her but I knew the hope it gave me could not be kept with me alone. When I handed her the book, her eyes welled up and began to look at it as if there was a passage or page I wanted her to see but I pushed the book away and said "no, it’s for you."  She let me know she was closing the store because she couldn’t keep it up with her health.  She was so blessed and gave me the biggest hug.  We shared our well wishes and said good-bye.  I left with happiness in my heart and a bit of sadness.

The next week when I stopped at catching fireflies, I searched every nook-n-cranny with no luck of finding the book.  Finally with the help of Danielle, the manager, we figured out what book I was looking for and she arranged for copy to be brought over from the Rochester store the following week.  Wow!  What customer service.  I find your store not only upbeat and fresh, but full of life and kindness.  Thank you!

3. Sherry Waines

Hunting for the perfect journal became my mission.  My daughter her husband and two kids were moving to Germany for 2 years.  I wanted to give my daughter a journal that she could keep at her bed side to record their adventure.  It had to hold tickets (plane, train and subway) also tickets to museums and attractions.  Photo’s and postcards, along with her written thoughts.  I searched everywhere, dept. stores, stationery stores, whatever.  Nothing.  Every journal looked ordinary.

Then I went into the Berkley Catching Fireflies and there it was.  Better than I imagined.  Perfect.  Just the right size with a wonderful cover that had a airplane charm and different stickers and such to make it look like a travel journal.  Well she loved it too and started writing about their move before they even left for Germany on April 26th 2007.   Thank you Catching Fireflies.

Thanks again for sharing your thoughtful stories with us.  It fills my heart with joy knowing that we are part of making your days brighter and also inspires us to keep on shining.   

(unfortunately, the first and last items shown are no longer available for purchase)

catch the fever

Steve and I are headed out on an impromptu road trip to the beaches of West Michigan for the next few days… which means I need to line up my summer listening tunes.

…one of them being from this brand new spankin’ band, The Young Immortals.  The Fever has that infectious beat and fun hook that lures you to sing out loud with the wind blowing through your hair speeding down the highway.

Want to hear more sweet tunes? Sign up to receive these snazzy posts in your email inbox!