say it with a telegram
If you happened to drop the ball on wishing pops a Happy Father's Day, you can make it up by surprising him with an official telegram in his mailbox… complete with (STOP)s and all for only $4.70.
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firefly team on the town
To celebrate being voted best gift shop for the third time in a row by Hour Detroit readers, we indulged in some delicious desserts and marvelous martinis at the Melting Pot.
We had a lovely time dipping & sipping all the sweet treats. And upon hearing about our win, our generous waitress brought out a round of champagne… how thoughtful!
So cheers to another wonderful year of making days brighter.
remember… wear sunscreen
Remember this chock-filled-with-advice song from 1999?
We just got the book version of this at our Berkley & Rochester locations. Makes for a marvelous graduation gift!
A little bit about Baz Luhrmann… He was born in Sydney to a ballroom dance teacher/dress shop owner mother, and Leonard Luhrmann, a farmer. He was raised in Herons Creek, a tiny rural settlement in northern New South Wales, where his father ran a petrol station and a movie theater, both of which would influence his son's film-making career. He's directed Romeo & Juliet, Moulin Rouge and Australia.
And what great advice it is…
"Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of '99
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be
it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by
scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable
than my own meandering
experience…I will dispense this advice now.
Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not
understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded.
But trust me, in 20 years you'll look back at photos of yourself and
recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before
you and how fabulous you really looked….You're not as fat as you
imagine.
Don't worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as
effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing
bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that
never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm
on some idle Tuesday.
Do one thing everyday that scares you
Sing
Don't be reckless with other people's hearts, don't put up with
people who are reckless with yours.
Floss
Don't waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you're ahead, sometimes
you're behind…the race is long, and in the end, it's only with
yourself.
Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you
succeed in doing this, tell me how.
Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements.
Stretch
Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your
life…the most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they
wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year
olds I know still don't.
Get plenty of calcium.
Be kind to your knees, you'll miss them when they're gone.
Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't, maybe you'll have children,maybe
you won't, maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky
chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary…what ever you do, don't
congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either — your
choices are half chance, so are everybody else's. Enjoy your body,
use it every way you can…don't be afraid of it, or what other people
think of it, it's the greatest instrument you'll ever
own..
Dance…even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.
Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.
Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.
Get to know your parents, you never know when they'll be gone for
good.
Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the
people most likely to stick with you in the future.
Understand that friends come and go,but for the precious few you
should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and
lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you
knew when you were young.
Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live
in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.
Travel.
Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will
philander, you too will get old, and when you do you'll fantasize
that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were
noble and children respected their elders.
Respect your elders.
Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund,
maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one
might run out.
Don't mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will
look 85.
Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who
supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of
fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the
ugly parts and recycling it for more than
it's worth.
But trust me on the sunscreen… "
and the dad’s day giveaway winner is…
Thank you for making our dad's day giveaway a great success! Your silly dadisms were fun to read. Also, thanks for spreading the news to your friends through facebook and email forwards. Word of mouth has always been our best form of advertising and we couldn't do it without YOU!
Out of all our entries, Jill is June's giveaway winner! And what is her husband's dadism?
"My husband always says to our kids- Grandma spanked me and I turned out fine!" (ahhhh – that one really cracks me up… I have to concur:)
Congratulations Jill. We hope you have a fantastic Father's Day with your funny husband.
Stay tuned for another fantastic giveaway in July. You never know when it'll be you lucky day!
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10 etsy picks
So many talented folks out there. Here are some of my latest discoveries…
Icing 101 I almost want to find a plain dress so I can fancy it up with this oh-so-lovely brooch.
M-n-M Treasures fantastic & affordable belt buckles
By the order of the crown Isn't this a helpful mantra?
T R Mack Studio such fun color play
Petal Pushers What can I say… I'm a sucker for pretty posies.
IMH Designs more flirty flowers:)
Focus Line Art …natural beauty
Pretty Panda sweet summer scarves
Bazaar Latino fabulous vintage flavored jewelry
Manic Muffin Isn't this pillow a hoot?
These are just a few on my long list… more to come!
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rarebird finds feature
This stapler not only looks great, but comes with a non slip grip disguised as scales. $16.95 at Catching Fireflies.
Thanks birdies for chatting about our helpful alligator.
hip-hip-hooray! a dad’s day giveaway
In celebration of Dad's Day on June 21, we've got some great goods to give dad a grin like… a Dadisms book, extendable fork, bird toothpick holder, thumb wrestling area, recycled Corona bottle juice glass, explodable golf ball, hammer bottle opener ($57.34 value!)
So how can you get these free goods for dear ol' dad?
There are 3 ways to enter – you can do 1,2 or all 3 to better your chances.
1. Comment at the bottom of this post and tell us your favorite 'dadism'? You know, like… "When I was your age…" "You think money grows on trees?" "A little dirt never hurt anybody" "We're not lost- I know exactly where I am" (no registration or sign-up required)
2. Spread the word about our giveaway on your Facebook page by clicking the Share on Facebook link below then send us a message via Facebook saying that you did. *
3. Post our Dad's Day giveaway on your blog (Feel free to copy our photo & info) Then leave a comment on this blog post so we know that you did. *
* just let your friends & followers know if they happen to win, you get some of the goodies too :-)
We'll draw the lucky firefly fan's name on Wednesday, June 10, 2009 and post it on the blog.
Have fun, good luck and thanks for playing!
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spectactular sky scapes
I first fell in love with Jeffrey Cannon's art work at the Ann Arbor Art Fair 5 years ago. We wanted to purchase a piece, but held off since we just moved and had to buy furniture. Well since then, he hasn't returned to Ann Arbor and instead just taunts me with colorful postcards listing his art shows all outside of Michigan. Hmmmmm – someday one of these peaceful pastels will hopefully grace a wall in our home… until then, I'll just have to enjoy them virtually.
His artist statement reads, "What makes certain places special ? Why do we feel good in Nature ? How does Light define a sense of place ? These questions invite the willing participant to explore how the power of Nature continues to enchant, excite, inspire, calm, heal, inform and transform us all. And so I find landscape painting to be an evocative and potent forum for examining the mysteries of Nature.
I observe, dream, draw and travel to anchor the feelings that guide my process and remain, hopefully, at the center of my work.
Pastels are made with pure pigment, pure color, which accounts for their richness and brilliance. These fine pigments, without the liquid binders found in oil paints, will not fade, crack or yellow over time. Since the 16th century museums have collected pastel works that remain as vibrant today as the day they were created.
I use a large palette of soft pastels, often handmade, on paper or prepared board. I work from the background forward and blend with my fingers, using no fixatives during the process, to ensure the preservation of details and color harmonies."
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staff favorites for father’s day
Dad, My Hero Book $14.50 My dad has always been someone I've looked up to. He is a wonderful man, always with an encouraging word or an "I love you". He made my sisters and I believe we could do anything we put our minds to. That is why I want my dad to know he's my hero!
50 year calendar $12.95 Since I'll be moving away soon, I want to make sure that my dad has no excuses for missing my birthday. With this cool tool dad will be able to send my gifts on time for years to come!
365 Days of Baseball $29.95 I'm not a big sports fan, but I do love those Tigers. Summer memories always include going down to the old ballpark, and playing catch with dad in the backyard. This book has great photo's and facts that any dad would love…you can almost smell the hotdogs.
wine bottle thermometer cuff $9.95 I've given these wine cuffs as gifts to those who appreciate a good glass of wine when it is served at the appropriate temperature.
Miniature Book of Miniature Golf $14.95 This mini book is perfect for the golf loving dad who already has everything. I know my dad will love his!
Thumb Wrestling Arena $7.95 I give this game a thumbs up for any dad! It's entertaining, competitive and fun for anyone who wants to take Dad on (letting him win on Father's Day is optional!) Enjoyable for all ages!
How to Throw a Golf Club $7.95 I bought this for Father's Day last year and my dad loves a good laugh. It was such a hit he took to Florida to share the antics with his golf buddies. Making my Dad laugh is always funny since he has one of those howl ones! I love you Dad, Happy Father's Day.
rotating marshmallow roaster $21.95 These fun marshmallow roasters are just the gadget for Dad this Father's day. The kids love toasting up the s'mores using the easy hand crank.
1001 Golf Holes You Must Play Before You Die $34.95 I love to look at a well designed golf course and imagine all of the different ways a poor golfer such as myself could get into trouble. The more advanced golfer could use this book to plan some great golf getaways with friends. Regardless of the skill level, a great gift for anyone who enjoys golfing.
Roadside America $29.95 My dad owns a 68 red Corvette that has been in storage since I was born in 1973. My brother and I have urged him to get it up and running again as a retirement project. So I'm hoping this book filled with gorgeous photographs of classic cars will give him the itch to rev-up old red.
Do you like seeking out clever gifts that bring guaranteed grins? We're happy to share some of our hip ideas. Simply sign up to receive these blog posts in your email and you'll be the best gift giver around!
school’s almost out
…and we just got a super large shipment of goodies in for the kiddos like
insect catching equipment, mad libs for youngsters, sea urchin yo-yos, growing creepy creatures
stuffed animal backpacks (perfect for trips to grandmas), ice cream scented bubbles, travel activity books
potty putty, life-like wood snakes, sparkly yo-yo, plastic bubbles (I loved this stuff when I was a kid), dino egg, bird call, magical crystal garden
jelly frog rings, marshmallow roaster, robot claw, bird warbler, snap poppers
the classic whoopee cushion, spyro gyro pen, sun catcher scratch-away kit, wood gliders, hatchin grow eggs
And just for the girls – some fantastic new charm bracelets and charms. I love the idea adding special charms for acheivements like good report card grades, dance recitals, final sport games and so on.
All of these goods can be found at our Berkley & Rochester locations. And don't forget if you're in grades K-5, you get a free roll of giant smarties when you show us your good grades during the month of June.
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