Dear Blog, how I miss you so!

Things have really gotten hot at the shop (a dear customer said last night the store looks like a tornado hit it! “in a good way” he added). Yes, we have been busy and working long days with no time to write in my dear blog. Over the past year I have come to love writing  the blog (which until recently I tried to update pretty much every day of the year). UNTIL NOW. So, I am signing off until 2010 when we come back with even more fun. One last bit of clever & cuteness we just got in though (sorry, I can’t help myself!)- love these craft tins, $18.50- filled with lots of treats for hours of activities. COME IN AND SHOP NOW BEFORE THEY ARE ALL GONE!

Stocking Stuffer Ideas for the CHEF…

Some ideas for the CHEF in your life who needs their Stocking Stuffed along with their Goose cooked? How about one of these clever pads with magnet from Knock Knock, above- All out of or Planning the Menu $6.75 each.

Magnetic Measuring Spoons. Keep them on the fridge for easy access- Fun and Functional. $4.

Kitchen Pencils (good for notes on recipes, wine recs, etc.)- set of 8 for $7.50.

Chicken Timers (we only have black and white available)- $9.50.

Or how bout a 3 oz measure for $4.50. Very handy.

Kitchen Sticky Notes- $13.50.

Eiffel Tower Cheese Grater, small or large- depending on your stocking size?! $15.95 or $25.95.

Stocking Stuffers for the TRAVELER–

 

Now for some ideas for the TRAVELER’S Stocking– starting with our Take Flight Carry On Travel set (meets all TSA requirements for carryons)- $7. And add some Pill Capsules for $3.50 to hold all their pills/vitamins on the go-

And then add a Travel Receitable Envelope ($14)-

And how about some pill towels, great for cleaning up on the go ($6 for pack of 8)

Some Herban Essentials Towelettes (all individually wrapped, so you can split them up)- $15 would be a great addition too.

More fun ideas– Bottle Cap Tripod, Luxe Guides,  Stitching Postcards, and SOO MUCH MORE….

Girly- Girl Stocking Stuffer Ideas… (and in Daily News & NY Post Gift Guide Today!)

Up next on our Stocking Stuffer Brainstorming Session: the Girly Girl. No ones loves cute treats and some TLC like the Girly Girl- so here are some ideas of things to stuff her Stocking with- first up, Egg White Facial Soaps, single sized above for $4.95 or a pack of 6 in an elegant box for $20.

For some mental simulation: Fashion Origami Set for $12.

The Don’t Forget Ring will make her smile and remind herself she is LOVED. $6.50.

Ballmania Lip Glosses, in all sorts of pretty colors and patterns- $6.

For the late nights: Cucumber Eye Pads from Caswell & Massey, $5

Keep Calm and Carry on Band Aids (or Plasters as the Brits call them)- worth it for the cute little tin alone,

let alone all the band-aids inside- $5.50.

And because we ALL get blisters, especially in high heels, MORE Band- Aids,  $5.95.

PLENTY MORE INSPIRATION IN THE STORE TOO!!

And we are in the New York Daily News Gift Guide today- for our exclusive Brooklyn Paperweight and Lucky Beggar Coin Purse. Thanks Daily News (and NY 1 for picking up the story and singling out the Lucky Beggar Coin Purse!).  Also, check out the New York Post too for our awesome NYC plate- THANKS NEW YORK!!

STOCKING STUFFER CENTRAL- First up, The Joker…

My FAVORITE part of Christmas is the thought and creativity that go in to Stuffing Stockings! For the next few days I am going to list out some clever stocking stuffers for all sorts of different types- The Joker, The Chef, For Kids and those that Never Grew Up, Girly- Girl, The Enlightened One, Boozer, New Yorker, Traveler, Book Worm. Today we will start with The Joker because the first item up is one of my favs-

How fun do these little Joke boxes look- all sorts of mischief to be had for $2.95 each- fake vomit, handbuzzer, dollar snatcher, bronx cheer- you get the idea. I think these are one of my top 5 items in the shop- VERY FUN! (make cute party favors too!).

And then there’s the box of tricks for $9.95 from Ridley’s in their Retro packaging. Sure to please…

Plus the Secret Message Writing set (back in stock!) to write secret notes with- $6.95.

EVERYONE should get a Whoopee Cushion in their stocking too- $1.50.

And these are great stocking stuffers- Magic Cards- $5.95. Lots of Card Tricks!

Tomorrow we will shift gears for the Girlie- Girls stocking… Stay tuned!

Me & My Man- Rapper and Wrapper: Together Forever (Tougher than Leather)

Tis the season to WRAP PRESENTS!! And I have been a wrapping machine at the shop (and for online orders too, free wrapping all around!!). It made me think back to when I watched a Laverne & Shirley episode back in the day and the girls needed some extra money for the Holidays, so they moonlit from the Brewery at the local Milwaukee Department store wrapping presents. I told me mom then and there that I wanted to be a professional wrapper when I grew up, and low and behold- it happened! Be careful with your dreams folks, they might just come true! Anyway so then it hit me- so I am a WRAPPER and my man, is a RAPPER. Yes, my man Rob is a Stand- up comic by trade, but he rocks his beat machine out at shows and his latest CD has 4 original rap songs. In fact, the title above “Together Forever, Tougher than Leather” is a Run DMC song my big Gorilla told me about, and so are the “Spread Love it’s the Brooklyn Way” T-shirts we had printed up (Notorious BIG lyric). He inspires me every day.  Okay, back to wrapping…

Office Secret Santa’s?? We’ve got your gift! Also- GREAT Am Ex promotion…

Need a fun and clever gift for the Office Grab bag or Secret Santa?? Or maybe you have a White Elephant at the Office Party next week?? We know its hard to shop for people we don’t know well, so here are some ideas…How about our Pimp My Cubicle kit above, $14.95 or the Take Out Menu Box, below, $28.

Or the What’s For Lunch Spinner, an office necessity for $5.50

Or maybe one of our funny & functional Pencil sharpeners, like our Robot, above, who walks when he sharpens pencils (or with the key)- for $8. throw in some of our pencils with clever sayings for $7.50, or some of our peanut erasers and Whamo, clever gift!

Or there’s my favorite Bubble Wrap Calendar- perfect for everyone’s office, a great gift for $19.95.

We’ve got tons more ideas in the shop too, so come in soon for the best selection!

p.s. also, have been meaning to write about this GREAT Am Ex promotion going on now called NYC Extreme Local. Register your card here, then get a $50 statement credit when you use any registered American Express Card to make a total of $300 in purchases at three or more participating NYC Extreme Local participants between November 27 and December 20 2009. Check out all the Extreme Local Participants here and GET SHOPPING! TONS of great stores in LOTS of fun shopping ‘hoods…

Yankee Swaps R’ US

We have had a ton of people in the shop lately shopping for Yankee Swaps. Call them what you want- White Elephant, Yankee Swaps (click here to learn how to plan one)- the rules are pretty much always the same and the important part is to come with a fun gift. The kind of gift that will be passed around and traded for. Bottom line- we are your spot! We’ve got tons of fun ideas for your next party, or Office Secret Santa (more on that tomorrow). Perhaps you are eyeing up the Jokes on You Prank Kit, above ($22)- or something more fun & functional (like our Greek Coffee Mugs $14)– we have tons of GREAT ideas for whatever you have up your sleeve. It has also been fun to hear from our customers that over the past few years (this is our 3rd Christmas) the shop has woven itself into some very fun family traditions- thank you for including us in your Holidays this year, and the whole year through.  p.s. we also have small boxed versions of different pranks (Dollar Snatcher, Fake Vomit, Hand Buzzer, etc.) in cute boxes perfect for stocking stuffers! ($2.95 each, make fun party favors too!)

JUST IN: Appleletters and Pairs in Pears, new from the Bananagrams people…

From the same great people that brought you BANANAGRAMS, introducing Appleletters and Pairs in Pears. Two more fruity games to wet your appetite for some more challenging and fun word games. APPLELETTERS is the new domino game where you don’t connect the dots, you connect the letters. PAIRS IN PEARS is a fun word game played with 4 alphabets, each in a different pattern. And as always, you can play ANYTIME/ANYWHERE!! Start picking! $17 each. Great Stocking Stuffer!!

Daily Candy Today– “Cheap Tricks”

We are THRILLED to be in Daily Candy Everywhere Today for their 24 Secret Santa Gifts under $24– our Sticker Frames, above, are featured ($19.95)– but we also sell quite a few others listed- so you can do all your shopping in ONE place! Also available and on their list-

Soy Crayon Rocks- $8

Bunny Market Tote, $27

Animal Hands, $6.95 (Monster Hands too!)