don’t hit snooze – birthday alarm

I must admit, I’m not the best at remembering birthdays (as some of my friends and family can attest) but with the help of this snazzy site, I’ll get an email seven days before the special day which will give me plenty of time to send a card or gift.

They also offer e-cards that require a $13.95 yearly subscription. Most of them are pretty cheesy, but the singing fireflies birthday card is quite funny and heart warming (not that I’m partial to fireflies or anything)

kathleen edwards rocks it out

Steve and I were introduced to the music of Kathleen Edwards when she opened for my Mr. John Mayer in London, Ontario last Sunday.  She’s one rockin’ gal who knows how to deliver a song.

Here’s a video of her latest release Back to Me.

A review reads, "Along with her reckless vocals, Edwards’ insistence that place can affect identity and emotion has earned her numerous comparisons to Lucinda Williams, and her empathetic depiction of dead-end characters shares a strong kinship with Freedy Johnston. These comparisons are not without merit, but both Edwards’ physical and lyrical voices are resolutely her own: she absorbs these and other starting-point influences but is never beholden to them. In fact, on Back to Me, she has joined their estimable ranks." -Stephen M. Deusner

pretty pansies

I am very impatient when it comes to planting flowers in the spring.  I loaded up my flower boxes and urns with pansies on April 1st this year … and then it snowed for two weeks (not the April Fools joke I was planning on)

I thought my efforts were a wash but to my surprise these resilient ladies toughed it out and are now showing off their sassy colors.

Here’s a little pansy trivia for you. The pansy gets its name from the French word pensee meaning "thought". It was so named because the flower resembles a human face and in August it nods forward as if deep in thought. Because of the origin of its name, the Pansy has long been a symbol of free thought.

my new found hobby – swap-bot

I am a sucker for packages in the mail.  I love sending them and I love receiving them so when I stumbled onto this snazzy site it perked my interest.

Here’s how it works:

A Swap is a group of people that organize on the internet to trade items through the postal mail. Items are usually hand-assembled, cheap (but rich with craftsmanship and care) and can include mix CDs, postcards, crafts, or anything you can think of (there are loads of them in various categories to choose from!)

Swap-bot facilitates internet swaps. It removes the hassle of collecting swap participants and assigning swap partners. It collects the names and mailing addresses of everyone involved in the swap and emails each participant after the sign up deadline to let them know that they can now access their recipient’s name and address.

So far, I signed up for two different swaps.  The first one is titled Addicted to Chewing Gum.  I get to put together a $10 package of unique and cool chewing gum.  I’m already off to a good start because catching fireflies carries some hip kinds like fruit stripe, chiclets, cry baby and the ever popular watermelon flavored ‘super genius’ gum!

And I just discovered a new Smarties Bubblegum!  Each little tablet is a piece of tart chewing gum… pretty cool and quite tasty.  I might have to start carrying these in the store to compliment our giant Smarties.

The other swap is titled Stuff that makes you Smile. This swap works like this… you will send 6 things to your partner that makes you smile in hopes that it will make them smile and make their day… also write a list of why each item makes you smile. Spending limit is 15.00 or more if you want:)

I can’t wait to put together my packages and see what goodies I will receive in return.  Aren’t surprises fun?  I’ll post the outcomes of my swap experiments when they arrive… until then, see what swaps are calling your name.

made in china

I see that sticker on lots of products I buy, but haven’t given it much thought past that.

My friend, Michelle Allen has begun producing a line of clocks and home wares in China recently and has documented her latest trip on her blog.

I really found her postings fascinating.  I don’t know what I was expecting, but some of the photos resemble our a.i. paper design studio (big tables, jars of findings, baskets filled with frames… just a lot less people)

See some of Michelle’s clocks we carry here.

rochester post – 4.11.07

Catching Fireflies in Rochester

Artist turns hobby into successful business

by Jennifer S. McDonald

photos- Erin Sanchez

Luckily for April McCrumb, she decided not to pursue her first choice of occupations.  The 32-year-old from Beverly Hills graduated from Eastern Michigan University nine years ago with a bachelor’s degree in special education.

But before heading out into the "real world", she decided to take a year off, paying the bills by selling her paper products in Michigan’s art fair circuit.  She never thought her hobby would someday become a full-fledged business.

After she started to wholesale her creations through her own company, a.i. paper design, she and her husband, Steve, decided they needed to move the operation up and out of their home.  As luck would have it, they found a commercial business in downtown Berkley that used to house an old pharmacy.  They rented it and opened their doors in the fall of 2000.

They named the business, catching fireflies, after a favorite piece of artwork by Chris Roberts-Antieau.  It was the perfect name, McCrumb said.  "The name ‘catching fireflies’ was inspired by one of our favorite artworks," McCrumb said. "But it is also a lot more.  It’s that nostalgic feeling you get when you think back to those carefree days as a child.  It’s finding delight in the simple pleasures that you encounter every day."

What McCrumb found was simply amazing, she said.  The buzz about catching fireflies was catching on.  While their original goal was to simply pay for rent for the design studio, she said, catching fireflies began to turn a decent profit.  That’s when downtown Rochester came into the picture.

"We hoped to open a second store, and Rochester seemed like the perfect place to do that."  McCrumb said. "It’s such a close-knit community; we knew it’d be a great location for us and our delightful goodies."

When they first spotted the "for lease" sign on Rochester’s former train depot on East University, McCrumb knew it was meant to be.  It was the perfect location for another store, she said.  "(The depot) creates the experience people talk about.  I always like to be different.  I don’t want to be like anyone else," McCrumb said, referring to the purple, green, pink and orange walls.  Flowers of the same colors are painted on the floors.

The doors to the Rochester store opened in April 2006, and the store has been steadily growing in popularity every since.  catching fireflies employee Barb Barber said she likes the idea of different artists coming together for a common goal. "When people come into the store, it’s just filled with laughter.  That’s my favorite part," Barber said.  "The customers are wonderful.  As soon as they walk in, they smile."

catching fireflies is located at 203 E University.  The store has an assortment of works by local artists, in addition to house wares, jewleery, handmade soaps and lotions, and garden and kitchen accessories.

Customers will be offered a discount of 20% to celebrate catching fireflies’ first anniversary Saturday, April 21 from 10 am to 6 pm.  For more information, visit www.catchingfireflies.com or call 248 615 3318.

martin sexton makes sweet music

Steve and I headed down to Ann Arbor yesterday evening to enjoy a wonderful concert at the lovely Michigan Theater. Martin didn’t disappoint (neither did his opening act, Willy Porter – but more on him in a future post)

He played a lot of his new material off his album, Seeds but one of my favorites is Diggin Me off The American.  I found a live version of that song to share with you.

He rambles a bit at the beginning but you’ll be amazed what this boy can do with his magical voice.

I love these lyrics too… it reminds me of my college days.

How’s about a cup…Not coffee okay tea…That’s fine with me
Meet at 8:15…All right 6:30’s fine …Just be with me
Anytime of day…Anyplace you say…Just look like you do
Oh it’s my lucky day…I am here to stay with you

I’m diggin me diggin you …Diggin me diggin you

Later at the thrift store…Shopping for a gift for you
I could ask you back there …Behind the rack of shoes
What ‘s that over there ..Such a pretty pair
That’s us in the blue mirror
Such a vintage view …Posing here with you

I’m diggin me diggin you Diggin me diggin you

All of my life …I’ve been holding on
All of these years …I’ve been waiting…So patiently
All of this time …I’ve been holding out …For only you

We meet at 3pm by the ATM on Saturday
You pick out the show …Then it’s off we go to the matinee
You’ll be who you want …I’ll be who you want
I’ll be your Ray Liotta
It’s my lucky day …I am here to stay with you

I’m diggin me diggin you

great advice from paolo nutini

Who wouldn’t love a guy who sings such sweet lyrics as this…

"Hey, I put some new shoes on,
And suddenly everything is right,
I said, hey, I put some new shoes on and everybody’s smiling,
It so inviting,
Oh, short on money,
But long on time,
Slowly strolling in the sweet sunshine,
And I’m running late,
And I dont need an excuse,
’cause I’m wearing my brand new shoes."

A review reads, "We are all a little cautious when we see a pretty boy singer-songwriter, particularly one with a dashingly charming Scottish accent. Fortunately Paolo Nutini’s lyrical prowess sets him apart from the rest of the British singer-songwriter invasion. The 19 year old Paisley, Scotland native chronicles his many conquests and loves in his debut album These Streets. He is a ladies man, and he isn’t afraid to sing about it…convincingly at that."  -Daniel Suchet

Speaking of new shoes… here are some of my latest favs from Infinity Shoes.

hazelnut cinnamon rolls

I just received this delectable recipe in my inbox from a catching fireflies fan and thought it’d be perfect to pass on to you.  I plan on trying my hand at these tomorrow evening and bringing them to a brunch Steve and I are invited to this weekend. (wish me luck!)

3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 (1-pound) loaf purchased frozen white bread dough, thawed
3/4 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons mascarpone cheese
1 tablespoon buttermilk

brush 1 tablespoon of melted butter over the bottom and sides of an 8 by 8 by 2-inch baking dish. mix the nuts, brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, and cloves in a small bowl. roll out the thawed dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12 by 9-inch rectangle. brush 1 tablespoon of butter over the dough. sprinkle the nut mixture over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border along the top and bottom sides. starting at 1 long side, roll up the dough jelly-roll style, forming a log. pinch the seam to seal. cut the log into 9 equal pieces. arrange the rolls, cut side down, in the prepared baking dish, spacing evenly. cover the dish with plastic wrap. let the rolls rise in a warm draft-free area until puffed, about 45 minutes.

position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees. bake the cinnamon rolls uncovered until the tops are golden brown, about 25 minutes. meanwhile, whisk the powdered sugar, mascarpone cheese, and buttermilk in a medium bowl until smooth and creamy.  brush the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter over the baked cinnamon rolls and then drizzle the cheese mixture over top.

rare bird finds feature

Mei-Lynn over at Rare Bird Finds showcased a few of our heart warming magnets. 

Here’ what she had to say… "I love these whimsical magnets and what they say.  My favorites are the two pictured above.  The second one would be a really sweet gift for Mom.  Designs are done by artist artist Leigh Standley. The shop carries a variety of different sayings. Oh!  And check out the one for friends and snorting while laughing."

As always, thanks for props Mei-Lynn! (you have great taste)