pink, purple and red… oh my!

Dressing up the windows for Valentine’s Day is always a lot of fun for me.  I think it’s because of all the pinks, reds, fuchsias, and purples I get to mix together… plus I love feathers, glitter, sparkly hearts and balloons (can you tell I was the kid that made all the extravagant valentine cards for my classmates in grade school?)

love always knows the way

These beautiful handcrafted pewter heart compasses make a unique and sentimental gift for a special occasion or event.  The hearts are designed by Rhode Island artist, Jim Clift and the compasses are actually functional…. so next time you’re feeling a little lost… just follow your heart.

homemade heath bars

Steve and I stopped by one of our friend’s homes on New Years Day and tasted heaven…also known as homemade heath bars.  I insisted on getting the recipe so I could share this scrumptious experience with you. Just to warn you, these are HIGHLY addictive so if you have limited willpower make sure you have someplace to bring them so you won’t eat the entire pan yourself.

homemade heath bars

35 saltine crackers
1 cup butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
5 (4-ounce) milk chocolate bars, broken into pieces

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Line a 15 by 10 by 1-inch jelly roll pan (cookie pan with edges) with tin foil. Lightly spray foil with a non-stick cooking spray.

Place saltine crackers, salty side up, in prepared pan. In a saucepan, boil butter and sugar for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Pour mixture over crackers and bake for 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from oven, top with candy bars, and spread evenly as chocolate begins to melt. Cool slightly and transfer onto waxed paper. Allow to cool completely.

anysoldier.com

"Be the change you wish to see in the world" -Gandhi.  What better resolution to have all year long?

One easy way to show those who are serving our country that you really care is by sending them a package full of goodies.

Anysoldier.com makes it super simple to get started.  Just select a soldier from the listed postings.  Steve & I picked Tyler Atkinson because he requested guitar picks and strings, dvds, snacks and energy drinks. Steve loves playing the guitar so he took care of picking up those items and I chose a few movies and got the rest of the goods at the grocer. 

Then just grab a priority mail box at your local post office and send off the package.  Little acts of kindness go a long way.  A quote from their site reads:

aqualung brings the sun

This handsome chap has won my heart with his song brighter than sunshine. 

Here’s what they’re saying about his latest album, "Matt Hales, the former child prodigy behind Aqualung, boasts major vocal, instrumental and compositional chops on his American debut, a combination of remixes and tracks from his two U.K. albums. Uniting Radiohead-ish British rock and symphonic pop in the masterly mold of Burt Bacharach, the Beatles and the Beach Boys, tenor Hales delivers keenly focused keyboard-based drama that blows away all pretenders trailing in Coldplay’s wake. Garden State soundtrack fans, take note." – Barry Walters

Take a listen for yourself…

bonnie bond of basic spirit

Meet Bonnie Bond of Basic Spirit.  She and her husband make wonderful handcrafted pewter goods.  A portion of her artist statement reads, "We love to design and create products that touch the heart and delight the spirit. All of our pewter is handcrafted in our seaside studio in Pugwash, Nova Scotia, Canada. We use the highest quality pewter alloys available and are privileged to sell our products through many of the finest handcraft galleries and gift stores in North America.

Pugwash, a small village on the north shore of Nova Scotia, is known for its heritage of pewtersmithing and peace. It is the birthplace of the internationally respected Pugwash Movement which received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1995.

We believe in supporting actions that are socially responsible, that help to sustain our planet and that enable the human spirit to thrive. 10% of our profits help to fund environmental and charitable organizations."

I love this quote they have posted on their website:

“From what we get we can make a living. What we give, however, makes a life."   -Arthur Ashe

Bonnie is also our featured artist this month of January which means you can enjoy 15% off all her designs online in our ‘just in’ section.  Just type "basicspirit" (no space, no quotes) into the coupon code at check out.  Some of our favorites are the heart trivet, inspirational necklace & box set and the humorous queen of ice cream scoop.

                                                         

help build a better humane society

As you might suspect, I’m not the easiest person to buy a gift for… but Danielle, the Berkley store manager, warmed my heart when she surprised me with a ‘catching fireflies’ brick donated to the new Berman Center for Animal Care.  I’m excited that catching fireflies has played a small part in helping needy animals find loving homes.  Thank you Danielle!

window in the skies

I’m really inspired by U2’s latest release, Window In the Skies. 

The shackles are undone
The bullets quit the gun
The heat that’s in the sun
Will keep us when there’s none

The rule has been disproved
The stone it has been moved
The grain is now a groove
All debts are removed, ooh

Oh can’t you see what our love has done
What it’s doing to me

Love makes strange enemies
Makes love where love may please
Soul and its striptease
Hate brought to its knees

The sky over our head
You can reach it from our bed
If you let me in your heart
And out of my head

Oh can’t you see what our love has done
What it’s doing to me

Please don’t ever let me out of here

I’ve got no shame

Oh can’t you see what love has done
What it’s doing to me

I know I hurt you and I made you cry
Did everything but murder you and I
But love left a window in the skies
And to love I rhapsodize

Oh can’t you see what our love has done / To every broken heart
Oh can’t you see what our love has done / For every heart it cries
Oh can’t you see what our love has done / Love left a window in the skies
What it’s doing to me / And to love I rhapsodize

our staff christmas party

It takes about 20 people to keep our catching fireflies locations and a.i. paper design studio running smoothly through the bustling holiday season.

Each year we have a little party to show appreciation to our dedicated and hard working staff.  This year we hosted at our home. Samson is just waiting for his new playmates to arrive along with our cheerful snowman made by Carol Roeda Studio.

Our staff kicked back with some drinks and dined on delicious gourmet pizza from Amici’s.

I also made some other simple goodies including this tasty Creamy Parmesan Pup-percorn dip that we carry in our store from Dippy Chicks… paired up with Snyder’s new Pumpernickel & Onion Pretzel Sticks…. deee-lish!

Samson kept busy throughout the evening making stops at each plate to see if anyone might give him a little treat.

We ended the evening with an amusing gift game and everyone got a little something special to take home.

mistletoe surprise

Here’s a clever Canandian commercial that keeps you guessing about what happens under the mistletoe.