Many of eeBoo products have earned the Oppenheim Best Toy Awards, which, if you spend any time in children/game sections of stores you will probably recognize:

Envy led me to Mia Galison, the president and creative director of eeBoo, whose headquarters are located in a turn of the century ballroom in New York City (what?!?!!). I hid my jealousy and asked her some questions about her magical job.

1. A lot of your products, including a fairy tale board game and many whimsical notebooks, encourage people to share their own stories. In a few sentences, describe your life as an enchanted tale — stick to the main plot points, but feel free to add dragons, witches, and fairy god mothers here and there.

I was the old woman who lived in a shoe. I had three children in less than two years and my husband was a self employed artist. I was a tortoise moving slowly, but I kept saying to myself “I think I can, I think I can.” There were no fairy godmothers to help or dragons to threaten, just a lot of smart, kind and helpful friends, family and associates that made the hard work mostly a pleasure. After what seemed like an endless journey, eeBoo became a goose that laid golden eggs.

2. Please describe the design process at eeBoo.

Most often I have an idea while walking to work or sorting through junk at a flea market –or cooking, or staring into space.

Most often I have an idea while walking to work or sorting through junk at a flea market –or cooking, or staring into space. I flip it around in my head–what the colors wills be, the package, the artist I’ll get to make the illustrations, that sort of thing. Then I ask [my husband] Sax about it. We walk back and forth from work every day so we have a block of time both in the morning and afternoon to discuss things. Sometimes he has good ideas and sometimes he makes me mad because he doesn’t see what I see, but even if we disagree it helps me firm up my vision of the project. I have ideas all the time. When I feel particularly buzzed about one I get started right away by calling an illustrator and sending him or her a sketch- and I get the art started. When it is a new format I get letters out to manufacturers so I can see prototypes and get prices. Often I make my own prototype in the office. Once I get some art in-house, I start to work with one of the three designers that work at eeBoo. Sometimes that means seeing a box cover design or making patterns. Sometimes it means experimenting with something completely new, like folded paper hats. I stick all my current ideas that I’m really considering on a big bulletin board. We are always working on new projects and new formats, and whatever I think I can get to market during a given season, I make..and keep the rest for the next season.

3. My mom is a kindergarten teacher. She is also the mother of a 26-year-old writer (me). Name one eeBoo product that would equally fit the bill for both parties.

We make very nice quality pastels that everyone would probably like.

4. Is your studio as amazing as it looks in the pictures? If it is more amazing, then what wonders does it contain that I can’t see in the pictures?

Our studio is in fact as amazing as it looks photos. It was built as a ballroom at the turn of the century and has 18 foot ceiling 60 running feet of skylights, mosaic floor made of yellow marble pieces, 10 foot windows and a large staircase down to what used to be the kitchen where my husband Saxton Freymann has his photograph and painting studio. What you don’t see in the photos is how many wonderful things are being made there. We are always experimenting with papers and fabrics and new materials. eeBoo also has ten lovely employees that would never allow anyone to take their pictures.

5. What are you visually inspired by?

I can be inspired by many things. Among many other things, I like Japanese illustrators from the 1930′s and 40′s, Chinese deco rugs from the 1920’2, the color pink, Belgian encaustic tiles, brand new Shanghai style, silhouettes, American quilts and naive embroidery, Hmong fabric from Chiang Mai. Unique objects that look as thought they were made for children by their mother or father with love. Embroidered blankets, crocheted hats, handmade wooden toys and stuffed animals. I could go on and on.

6. EeBoo makes lots of games for children (some of which have won awards). This makes me wonder what non-EeBoo games you play. Let’s say you’re inviting a bunch of your adult friends over for game night. Which five games do you have on the middle of your table when they arrive? (Bonus question: What snacks are next to the games?)
We are not a big game playing family but we have played a lot of Bananagrams and Masterpiece, a long extinct board game from the 1970′s based on a fine art auction–it’s goofy and easy and my kids have learned a little art history from playing it. We mostly have time to play games together when we are up in our house in Delaware County NY–there we eat S’mores with dark chocolate off of dirt flavored sticks.

7. What is your best-selling product? What product are you most proud of?
I Never Forget A Face was one of our early products and I’m very proud of it. It’s a Matching Game that includes 24 pairs of faces of children from all over the world including a girl from Afghanistan and a boy from Iraq. We included these nationalities because we made this game at the beginning of the wars and we wanted to remind as many people as possible that there were children in those countries. We get letters from children and parents all the time telling us how much they love and appreciate seeing the different faces, and about how their children make up stories about which of the children are friends.

8. One of your new products is pipe cleaner craft kits for children, animal lovers, & crafty adults. Each of the 18 different designs are creatively named for the color family of pipe cleaners they contain, and each packet can be used to create a specific animal. If these animals could come to life, and you consider their relative pipe-cleaner size, which two animals would be have the most interesting (friendly) wrestling match? Who would win?

I prefer not to think about these fuzzy little animal fighting. The Yellow Bird is a wonderful shape and the Mushrooms are wonderful.

9. Finally… what are you currently obsessed with?
Current obsessions–gnarly mushrooms from farmers markets, pom poms, fancy knee socks, Georgian miniatures, hand spun and dyed wool, and making hats.

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Next week, we’ll be posting an interview with the president & creative director of the toy company eeBoo. While you’re waiting, check out some of my favorite eeBoo stuffs.

1. Composition Books, $10 Jeeze, how cute are these?
2. Good Habits Job Chart, $17 I have purchased a lot of chore charts in my day. Usually in January. (Not kidding.) Praise still gets my teeth brushed. Even self-praise. And I haven’t made my bed in a week.
3. Fairytale Spinner Game, $17 Yesss, games that tell stories! Maybe this is mostly for kids but I like it anyway.
4. Nemo & Princess in Balloon Sketchbook (+ Colored Pencil Set), $18 Much better than that yellow one with the wooden drawing doll torso.
5. “This Land is Your Land” US Wall Map, $20 For recording locational information. With stickers.
6. Sweet Stationary, $10 20 sheets of paper, 16 envelopes, & 2 sheets of stickers. I don’t know if I could really own this because even mere pictures of candy make me tear my house apart in search of sugar.
7. BONUS ITEM: Nature & Observation Notebook, $12 Envelopes and pockets for specimen collecting & more!

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If you have been reading S&D for a while, you are quite familiar with the fact that I am opinionated when it comes to pens and pencils.  So in addition to learning how to use tumblr this past week, I also came across a new species of pencils.  The engraved pencil.

The engraved pencil embodies an unparalleled opportunity to add something unnecessarily witty on a useful object.  Its use most surely affirms your superiority compared to the banal yellow pencil user sitting adjacent to you.  You know, an implicit “this person has a sense of humor, embraces novelty products, and is friendship material.” (More gentler descriptors than purely  ”quirky,” which Zooey Deschanel once astutely pointed out is a pansy way of telling someone they’re weird.)

1. I LOVE YOU LIKE A FAT KID LOVES CAKE, Cicely Siller on etsy, $12

My ability to recall 50 cent lyrics is a skill that is both useless and more awkward/less admirable than Taylor Swift rapping Eminem “Lose Yourself.”

2. Classic rap pencil set, oneupdesigns on etsy, $6

Age when I learned what “ill” really meant (from someone who played collegiate squash) = 20.

3. WHAT WOULD HONEY BADGER DO, thecarboncrusader on etsy, $3.50

The first screening of “Randall”‘s honey badger video in my Baltimore house prompted numerous proclamations of honey badger love on every internet venue imaginable.

4. Husbands don’t help pencil set, wwchloerunning on etsy, $6

Tiger mom of pencil progeny.

5. Me & You pencil set, erin on etsy, $12

This reminds me of the Minty Lewis salt and pepper comic in PS Comics.

6. EVEN ARTICHOKES HAVE HEARTS, thecarboncrusader on etsy, $3.50

Amelie is my favorite movie, and it was unfortunately lost in the mail when I sent my belongings from Baltimore to California. :(

Happy Friday!

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Fall is my favorite season, and I’m a little sad I’m missing it (for the first time!) this year.  ”But Tricia. Fall happens everywhere.”  Living in Illinois and upstate New York accounts for approximately 87.5% of my life.  I subsequently strongly associate fall with crisp air, steamed pitchers of apple cider at the cafe I worked at, magnificent color gradients of leaves, and the coarse noise of crushing leaves beneath my feet.

Yes, leaves get to be mentioned twice.  But, look!  This is Illinois in the fall!  Wow!  And Ithaca’s fall is great too! Woah!

I have a difficult time accepting the Hanoi fall, and I’m unwilling to alter my perception of the season.  It rains nearly everyday.  A considerable amount of time has elapsed since my lungs have felt exhaust gas-free air. And most of the time I sweat through my clothes-a state that reveals that I am indeed not a local.  Thus, my lust for fall has manifested in a long overdue currently obsessed post.  Enjoy.

1. Lady Gaga released the second edition of her ear buds this past summer, and I aspire to one day find a job where I can wear these without getting reprimanded.  Although the design is supposed to be a reflection of Lady Gaga’s leather jacket studs, the headphones remind me of my former roommate’s nOir four stud pyramid ring.  Lady Gaga also designed this model too, which would be just as geometrically puzzling to my boss as the ones featured above.  Heartbeats 2.0 by Lady Gaga headphones, Amazon, $130

2. Foods that I have to pay an ex-pat premium for in Hanoi!  This print probably would not have made this edition of currently obsessed if Illinois was assigned a food that wasn’t deep dish pizza.  melangerienyc is a great etsy shop-you can even order customized VIEWMASTER INVITATIONS! State-By-Food print, melangerienyc, $20

3.

via Gone Movie

I’ve been coming across a lot of pictures of girls wearing ties online (cross over tie: alexa chung! bow tie: some random sartorialist girl!), and I can’t help but think about Diane Keaton in Annie Hall.  I think I will go ahead and declare a bold statement: everyone wishes they could exude Annie Hall’s mystical coolness. It is also quite fortuitous that my previous roommate, yes the same one who owns the nOir ring, makes really well-made bow ties.  Although I bought the last red polka dotted bow tie, during these past couple of weeks, knotbytiffa has been releasing the fall collection. Bow Ties, knotbytiffa, $30-$45

4. I associate peter pan collars with liebemarlene, the only blog that I have been consistently reading for the past couple of years.  This is the first time I’ve seen a leopard printed peter pan collar. Pull Safari, sandro, 155 €

5. My sister gave me a Night Owl Paper Goods card when I left for Hanoi.  The hedgehogs are pretty cute, and there are lots of other precious-critters-on-wood like this orca. Hazel Hedgehog Journal, Night Owl Paper Goods, $18

6. It’s funny to think about how I would normally be wearing a coat right now.  Clarification.  It’s funny to think about how I would normally be wearing a coat right now while I’m eating delivery ice cream and sitting in an air conditioned room.  With the fan blasting on my face. (IN FACT, that is exactly what is going on in this apartment right now).  Haute Coat-ure by Jolaby, Modcloth, $450

7. I have a little collection of reusable bags that I used to bring to stores (a practice that I can’t really do in Hanoi).  My most prized bag is probably a Chico bag I got from Stone Brewery.  BAGGU makes collapsible nylon day packs, and light cotton backpacks which would be great for groceries because your hands can only old so much. At least…my small hands. Daypack, BAGGU, $24; Backpack, BAGGU, $32

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Maria = MIA for months and months? Yes. Life is complicated. AHHHH. Yes. But very soon I will be eating Pecan Pie. So.

(1) Bear To Do Notepad. (Little Otsu, $6) Grocery lists. Beer lists. Wine lists. Room assignments. All the better if your to-do list is encouraging — flip the page after you To-Did-It, and the pad itself exclaims, “You Did It!”

(2) Fill-in-the-Blank Cookbook Log (The Small Object, $14). A unique way to organize your cookbooks. Better than post-its?

(3) Anne Taintor Paper Cocktail Napkins (Kitchen Kapers, $5). Subtly tell your family what you really think. (The “Ta-daa! Let’s have a cocktail!” napkin would be particularly apt for me.)

(4) Dysfunctional Family Bingo (Knock Knock, $8). Get the fun ones to play.

(5) Winter Iris Apron (Anthropolgie, $32). Because this is the only piece of clothing in Anthropolgie under $40.

(6) Big Wish Life Size Wishbone Necklace ($32, soradesigns on Etsy). So apparently Jennifer Aniston made a dainty little, tiny wishbone necklace popular because she wore it in “He’s Just Not That Into You.” I prefer my jewelry non-dainty.

(7) Wood Rings Bottle Opener (The Curiosity Shoppe, $34). Much harder to lose when attached to the wall.

(8) BONUS! Not included because has little to do with Thanksgiving!!! But, this is what I’d wear to T-day if I had $88 to spare:

(PJ by Peter Jensen Bunny Sweater, Urban Outfitters, $88)

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For me, returning to school translates to a new city and a new apartment.  But beyond room decorations, here is an assortment of items that will make your new school life much more superior than your life without a brass knuckle ring mug.

1.  I got these boots after a college friend had similar ones from Asos (those were sold out).  Very practical for the fall, and for stomping.  Aiden Leather Lace Up Brogue Boots from Asos, $84.25

2. New socks and underwear seem to be a new school year standard.  For a long time, my mother would buy me a pack of Hanes Girls’ Ankle socks every fall.  Don’t deny it- you are totally familiar with the kind of socks I’m talking about.  In fact, I didn’t even *need* to provide that link.   What continues to baffle me is those socks have a lifespan of maybe two months.  They’re mystically more prone to laundry machine consumption, or losing their matching soul mate.  Before I digress further, can I introduce to you these stellar bike socks?  So many constellations that you might be convinced to hand wash your pair, thus a chance at outliving Hanes ankle socks.  Smooth Rider Socks from Anthropologie, $12

3. I saw this at Quimby’s in Chicago, and I told my friend Angelica about it.  We both are old men at heart who like Whiskey, so it was rather serendipitous that my path crossed with this book.  Angelica claims that the old men in the book give advice (she actually purchased it before me, since I was busy moving), and I have faith that she is not lying.  Old Man Drinks: Recipes, Advice, and Barstool Wisdom from Amazon, $8.13

4. My roommate likes dinosaurs so much, that our house network name is “Triceratops.”  Legit.  Triceratops Lamp from Think Geek, $19.99

5. One day, I plan on owning a long haired dachshund.  Dachshunds might be my favorite dog breed, and even though I know racing is bad for their delicate backs, I want to attend a dachshund race.  One of my favorite work stories involves discovering that someone at work ordered this dachshund cuff bracelet from SKYMALL(!).  Dachshund Bookends by Jonathan Adler (!) from Pop Deluxe, $149.99

6. When I saw this fish condo, I started laughing hysterically.  I know my psyche is off, as I’ve lost my mind trying to survive the demands of school, but fish modular dwelling is HILARIOUS.  Fish Condo from Patina, $25

7. Without fail, if it is 7:45AM, I am looking for my keys in the house.  This would probably allow me to eliminate my daily five minute scout.  Home Tweet Home KeyHolder from ModCloth, $15.99

8. If someone attacks you while you are drinking coffee out of this mug, I imagine you could throw the mug on the ground, thus separating the brass knuckles from the cup, and have a great weapon for retaliation.  Melee Mug from Think Geek, $15.99

9. Excellent for those dependent on their cell phones for the time (and have dead cell phones).  Bike Gear Crank Clock from pixelthis on Etsy, $57

10.  My favorite breakfast is a toasted everything bagel (by the way the cafe at school coats the entire bagel in seeds, which blows my mind), and I’ve made great challah.  I suppose it was inevitable that my favorite glasses are Jewish too.  Moscot is a great company to get glasses from.  Since I couldn’t go to the store in person (this was when I lived in Chicago), I ordered the Nebb SE Peacock over the phone.  The process was pleasant and when I noticed that the inside of the lenses were slightly chipped, they replaced them for free.  A month ago I was at the Moscot store on the Lower East Side, and I noticed that the Nebb comes in Olive too!  An additional incentive with my Moscot glasses?  They came with a eyeglass wipe featuring Grandma Sylvia.   Nebb Olive Green from Moscot, $225 (frame)

Thanks to everyone who entered the school supplies giveaway! Commentor #14 Megan, you win!  I’ll email you shortly…

Have a great weekend, since I know I won’t.  Womp womp.

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When Maria and I staged the first Stickers and Donuts school supplies celebration, we weren’t even in school.  We both succumbed to the 9-5 lifestyle, and tried (with all our might) to skirt around becoming a what-is-it-about-20-something.  And as all little girls dream about greater things beyond their immediate life, we envisioned ourselves lying on quads, with our fingers waffled through plushy blades of grass.  Loads of grass.

In reality, our dreams manifested in posts on notebooks and pens, and all the great materialistic things associated with school.  A year later, Maria went off to University of Virginia to terrorize undergraduates with multi-colored syllabi (just kidding, Maria), and I just completed my first week at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.  I do not get to terrorize fledglings with fun syllabi.  I AM a fledgling.

To commemorate the fact that we are both in school, you will get to enjoy a special bombardment of back to school posts.  Like shoes.  Shoes would fall under the “back to school” category.  And books.  (Because there’s just so much reading you can do on neonatal mortality.)

This year is even MORE special, because there is a GIVEAWAY involved.  One reader will win some tight Stickers and Donuts buttons made by Busy Beaver Buttons, and two fantastic JetPens gifts: a Nomadic Triple Pouch Pencil Case and a Stad K’Zool Multi Wooden Pencil Sharpener (more information on these below)!  Per usual Stickers and Donuts giveaway rules: to enter, comment on this post (by September 12) .  We will select the winner by a random number generator. To enter, you must live in the US (sorry international friends)!

1. I am a big supporter of post-it note flags.  My piles of reading assignments are littered with translucent flags, to such an extent that I’ve devalued the importance of each flag.  These page markers are much cuter than mine.  I think they’re supposed to be snow white and the seven dwarves, but the little men look like lawn gnomes.  And lawn gnomes make me think of playing the Sims.  Yeesh.  Fairytale Page Flags from Patina, $5

2. Poor handwriting?  Start using grid paper.  It will do wonders for your handwriting, and your future secretary (for when you are big and powerful) will be eternally grateful.  Given my past as one of THOSE secretaries, I can affirm that this fact is true.  (Also this grid notebook is designed by Jason Munn.  We interviewed him ages ago!).  The Grid Notebook by Jason Munn from Little Otsu, $6

3.  These pens have become my favorite pens, and have never failed me while I’m trying to furiously scribble notes because my laptop is too old/heavy to bring to class.  I once bought a couple of these pens for someone, and he immediately purchased a box of them.  They are that great.  I swear.  Uni-ball Signo DX UM-151 Gel Ink Pen in BORDEAUX BLACK (!!!) 0.38mm from JetPens, $2.25

4. If you cringe when people dog flag pages in one of your books, you probably have secretly fantasized about getting a library embosser.  OR, you haven’t fantasized about such a thing, but now that I’m bringing it up, getting one sounds like a good idea.  I bought this for a friend, and she seemed to enjoy it.  So much so that after she got it, a sheet of paper was filled with the same embossed image of her name fifteen times.  Well, that’s what she reported.  Library Embosser from Horchow, $26

5. My confession: I have had John Derian for Target in my Google Calendar for a month.  John Derian is a designer based in NYC, who puts my mod-podge skills to shame.  His home goods feature beautiful 18th/19th century illustrations, which are unfortunately out of the grad school, or even non-grad school budget.  I’ve already shared my love of vintage science illustrations, so of course I am pro-John Derian.  John Derian for Target Animal Wastebasket from Target, $30

6.  I use Mirando Black Warrior pencils.  70% of this behavior stems from the fact that it is deeply gratifying using a pencil named “black warrior.”  It is like you have a pencil advantage over someone who may be using something inferior.  Like a pencil called “black cadet.”  Mirando Black Warriors sharpen exceptionally well.  For pencils that don’t sharpen well, however, a good pencil sharpener is necessary to abate the frustration of a BROKEN PENCIL LEAD.  This pencil sharpener has an adjustable dial, so you can control lead length.  It even won a Japan Good Design Award, and I am all about accolades.  Except that one time my friends and I tried barefoot wine out of curiosity (it had a gold medal sticker).  A very regrettable choice.  Stad K’Zool Multi Wooden Pencil Sharpener from JetPens, $4.50

7. Oh Joy! is one of the most solid blogs I read.  As a result, I can click on Oh Joy!, and never suffer shock over seeing something really hideous and questionable.  This never happens.  Since Oh Joy! is far cooler than me, she has designed all kinds of pretty notebooks and stationery- like this notepad.  Oh Joy! Noteblock from Chronicle Books, $15

8. A few months ago, I reviewed the Nomadic Wise-Walker backpack (thanks for all the nice comments!), and now that school has begun, I am finding the backpack incredibly reliable for daily use.  This pencil pouch shares similar characteristics to its backpack sibling: it’s lightweight and has lots of pockets. Nomadic Triple Pouch Pencil case from JetPens, $12

9. I’m unfortunately on an 8-week quarter schedule now, which I do not enjoy.  At all.  Last week in NYC, I picked up these notebooks, which are recycled, very portable and a perfect size for an 8-week term.  Recycled Paper Note from Muji, $4 (set of five notebooks)

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I usually am apathetic towards Spring.  I enjoy Spring LIFE (tulips, bunnies…), however, I hate stuffy noses and ceaseless strings of sneezes.  But if there’s anything that can get someone more excited for Spring, it’s Lula Magazine.

What was once a magazine of questionable existence to me (I used to cross my fingers that liebemarlene would post about it, since she seemed to have better luck than me at finding a copy), Lula is now mine!  It appeared at the Borders near work on the exact date that the distributor gave me as its release date (yes, an embarrassing amount of effort to obtain a magazine).  Although we are technically in the last month of Spring, thus making the previous anecdote irrelevant in a temporal sense, the Chicago Spring hasn’t kicked in yet.  It’s the second week of May AND I am sitting on my back porch AND my nose feels like a dog’s AND I am wearing heattech tights AND legwarmers AND a scarf.  Sustained warm weather, where art thou?

1. I like to imagine that Madewell is J.Crew’s rebellious little sister.  I am excited for Alexa Chung for Madewell this fall (she’s fantastic!), but for now a Spring dress.  That even has “Spring” in its name.  Spring Garden Dress from Madewell, $145

2. The secret notes I write in the Spring have to be in pastel, otherwise someone else will deem me to have a frosty, unapproachable soul.  Pastel pens for Spring!  And they write on plastic!  Pilot Latte Gel Ink Pens Pastel Color Series from JetPens, $18

3. If someone was picking my brain to find out what I consider to be the perfect swimsuit, they’d find a picture of this.  Even though this is more of a “SUMMER” item, perhaps you people who live in warmer areas can put this to use RIGHT NOW.  Perhaps it’s a good thing that I won’t be receiving mine until June (oh additional warning: it’s back ordered because there must be some global consensus that it is a perfect swimsuit).  Natalie One-Piece from Anthropologie, $148

4. This reminds me of Little House on the Prairie, and how much I disliked The First Four Years, the only other Little House book that I owned.  The Joyous Dress from ModCloth, $75

5. REALLY ADORABLE.  I came across these when searching for new plants that I could buy-and-tend-to-and-love (R.I.P. lemon basil plant named “Cutlass”).  Petit Coco Casserole Pots from Brooklyn5and10, $13

6. Is there a yellow equivalent to “nantucket red” and “cape cod blue”? Yellow Newport Cordones from TOMS

7. A SECOND QUESTION: Will someone teach me how to properly ride a bike so I can go on bike adventures?  Velorbis Studine Classic from Copenhagen Cyclery, $1300

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Hey everybody ! As you may have seen in shops and tv ads, valentine’s day is coming up. To be honest, I’ve never really celebrated it, even when I have a boyfriend. All this cuty-lovey-dovey aspect is a bit too much for much. And anyway, no-one has ever given me a valentine’s day gift or card (and I survived !). But this year, I thought it could be a nice occasion to be creative,  give to others and  have fun. Whether you are in a relationship, wished you were in one or don’t even want to hear about it, Valentine’s Day 2010 IS going to be fun, with this über-cool list of things to do/buy/offer

1. Mug and Tray. This super cute mug comes with a bonus tray, that you can use to keep your hot chocolate warm, or hold your marshmallows before you dip them in… A solitary Valentine’s Night doesn’t seem so sad aymore…
2. Charm Set. A perfect (and simple) gift for your loved one. Keep one of the charm on offer the other. Of course, for you girls that means that you’ll have to find a boy willing to put a girly charm on his phone, but hey, I can’t do everything for you ! And if you’re a boy, well, be a man and do it.
3. Poster. Because it’s a cutey-lovey holiday doesn’t mean you have to forget about design and art. This poster from the Design Museum is the ideal gift for a design nerd.
4. Moo Cards ! Not only to that very hot guy you’ve been starring at all year during work, but also to your friends ; because you love them too, right ? This set of cards is so precious, I could send them to my tax collector too.
5. Love Listography. Keep a detailed account of your love life in lists. Example : “Top Ten reasons I won’t date a musician again”
6. Mini Hot Water Bottle. February 14th isn’t the warmer day of the year. With this hand-sized hot water bottle, waiting for your date won’t be that cold. Even if he arrives 30min late.
7. Panda Notes. A lot nicer to look at than regular yellow stickies, don’t you think ?
8. Valentine Bento. I just love bento-making and this one is just too kawaii ! Plus, not a lot of work here, just a bit of patience and good fingers. (And a rice mold for the big rice hearts). (Other very very cute bentos on this page)

Happy And you, what’s your plan for Valentine’s Day ?

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More than a year ago, I confessed my admiration for things that can fit into my pockets.  Here’s another dizzying collection of pint-sized objects WHICH-ARE-MOSTLY-FRIVOLOUS-BUT-WORTHY-OF-DEEPLY-GRATIFYING-SHOULDER-SHRUGS-AND-“AWWs”.

PS- I must be obscuring some Star Wars passion, because I just realized that there are two Star Wars-related items.  Oops and WEIRD.

1. I always wanted a fluffy animal as a child, like a guinea pig.  I hear they smell, though.  Miniature Funny Guinea Pig, psubio9 on Etsy, $20

2. A handy card in your pocket will prepare you for random declarations of love.  COOL NOTE: These cards are by The Great Lakes, who made the infamous “Elementary Lovenote Set” featured in the previous pocket-sized treasures collection.  A Roll in the Hay Card, thegreatlakes on Etsy, $4

3. A bike chain refashioned into a bottle opener!  How ingenious!  Recycled Bike Chain Bottle Opener Key Chain, Delight, $8.50

4. Admittedly, this will look rather awkward in your pocket, BUT IMAGINE YOUR FUTURE SELF + IMPROMPTU DANCE PARTIES = ASTRONOMICAL COOL POINTS.  iLuv Mini Portable Speakers, Amazon, $21.50

5. In high school, my calculus teacher told us that derivatives are like matryoshka dolls.  This excellent simile has stuck with me, despite not having taken the derivative of something in years.  Thank you, Dr. Sloan.  Hand Stamped Pocket Mirror Matryoshka Doll, TagsOnBags on Etsy, $4.50

6. My mom gave me a pair of these from her trip to Japan (practical gift giver, I guess).  I learned, however, that disposable chopsticks are incredibly detrimental to the environment (WSJ claims that even Chinese pop stars carry their own chopsticks, so maybe I should too!).  Second fun fact: I couldn’t use chopsticks until I was 21.  I am asian.  Yamazaki Stainless Steel chopsticks, Amazon, $12

7. After searching for mini screwdrivers that I could put in my ukulele bag, I came across this.  Ridiculous! (But I secretly like the idea of using a grenade screwdriver on my ukulele) (Oh wait, not a secret anymore.)  Grenade Screwdriver Set, Kikkerland, $5

8. There is a high possibility that if I owned this necklace, I would throw the tiny polymer clay candies at annoying people on the train.  Yummy Candy Jar Necklace, Shanalogic, $16

9. I travel to NYC fairly regularly, and I think this journal would be perfect to record my favorite places and experiences.  Like the time a synthesizer-playing scientologist gave me a map and directions to Bryant Park on the subway.  New York City Mini Journal 6-Pack, Galison/Mudpuppy, $18

10. Although these *can* fit in your pocket, they reside in a freezer.  Or, alternatively, you could transport them to a friend’s house in your pockets, and then place them in a freezer.  These whiskey rocks will be like little chanteuses in your glass- chanteuses that don’t water down your drink.  And, using them = WHISKEY LITERALLY ON THE ROCKS arharharharharhar.  Whiskey Stones by Andrew Hellman, Unica Home, $20

11. Tiny bottle warmers to keep your hands warm!  Mini Hottie Hand Warmer, Flight 001, $10

12. Oh, you already know my (and Minty Lewis’s) serious love of wombats.  I had to include this.  Wombat pendant, dragonwisper on Etsy, $1.50

13. Another miniature notebook for good ideas.  I like the way “Think!” is hidden on the cover.  Alphabet Writer’s Notepad, Galison/Mudpuppy, $5.50

14. This whistle necklace is by one of my favorite bloggers, oh, hello friend.  It’s much lovelier than the THREE RAPE WHISTLES I received when I started college.  Whistle necklace, ohhellofriend on Etsy, $24

15. According to several friends, George Lucas invented ewoks so people like me would want to watch Star Wars.  You win, George Lucas.  Star Wars Mimobot 2G Flash Drive, Delight, $32.50

MORE RAMBLING AFTER THE JUMP…

16. This monster sticker book literally claims it is full of “super fun stickers,” and I believe it.  Monsters Sticker Book, Galison/Mudpuppy,$6

17. I like old maps, and this box of NYC matches is ideal.  I can light candles, and wish that I could teleport to NYC.  NYC Matches, Galison/Mudpuppy, $4

18. Nothing is more aggravating than listening to clicky erasers during an exam.  THIS ONE TWISTS (and is petite)!  Ombow Mono One Mini Twist Eraser, JetPens, $2.50

19. For the past year, I have been regularly googling long-haired dachshund adoption.  I think a long-haired dachshund would be a glorious grad school companion.  Jemma the dachshund leather keychain, leatherprince on Etsy, $17.50

20. Ah!  You caught me!  Second bottle opener!  Owning this little monster would probably motivate to drink more glass Pellegrino.  Or beer.  Bobble Opener, Kikkerland, $6

21. Confession: I like to carry around tabs when I read, because I like to mark neat passages to re-read later.  These punctuation tabs are much more sophisticated than my post-it flags.  Punctuation Pagemarks, Fred Flare, $11

22. My favorite section of modern art museums is the FURNITURE collection.  These toy chairs are completely useless, but I would be able to actualize my dream of carrying around a mini Eames chair in my pocket.  ALRIGHT-HIGH FIVES! Design Interior Chairs, Kidrobot, $13

23. I envision myself creating 2×2 paintings, and giving them to friends/strangers.  They would be like super exclusive art cards!  Studio Mini Canvas 2×2, Blick, $4

24. I’m not sure how this works- I don’t think are enough dinosaur names to span the alphabet (… “Alice the Brontosaurus” would be lame), but I do like the idea of a portable dinosaur coloring book!  Little Dinosaur ABC Coloring Book, Dover Publications, $1.50

25. This ring is as cute as fuzzy puppies (as opposed to bald puppies?), and a sturdier version of its string counterpart.  Forget me knot ring, Fred Flare, $54

26. Again with the Star Wars, Tricia!  Have you ever wanted to own a manatee wielding a light saber?  This is your chance!  Manatee with Light Saber Ornament, christinescritter on Etsy, $10

27. When I mentioned how I love Olivia the Pig to a friend, she responded that Olivia is SELFISH because she’s all like “I-want-to-start-a-band-but-I-don’t-care-if-my-desires-disturbs-you.”  I guess that’s sort of true, but she’s got the best outfits! Harhar.  Olivia the Pig Pony Tail Holder, GiasGems on Etsy, $3

28. I hate pigeons, so this method of message delivery (a colorful bird that doesn’t poop on you!) is preferable.  Painted Message Birds, uncommongoods, $20

29. A great complement to a gold chain, this carousel charm actually spins!  Carousel Brass Charm, TheseNThose on Etsy, $1.60

30. CakeSpy, oh CakeSpy.  How I love thee.  CakeSpy’s resident illustrator, Jessie Oleson, draws the most adorable and violent (perfect combination!!) baked goods.  I’ll actually write more about CakeSpy later this week; however, I couldn’t let this collection of pocket-sized things pass without including this business card/credit card holder.  I would be willing to part with my poketo wallet for a wallet that chronicles PIE v. CUPCAKE.  Cuppie vs. Pie Business Card or Credit Card Holder, CakeSpy, $12

UNRELATED-BUT-SORT-OF-RELATED NOTE: The jeans in the picture are from Uniqlo, and have replaced my previous favorite pair of jeans.  I supposed past-Tricia hadn’t yet visited Uniqlo.  ch-ch-ch-changes.

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