love letter kit...

love is in the air...

The Love Letter Kit – the perfect gift any time you want to say something special.

writing kit includes 2 sheets of Japanese rice paper tied in red/silver/cobalt blue silk string, and a hand-sharpened, old-timey pencil in a borosilicate glass medical test tube w/ cork.

think “Letter in a Bottle” — A note for that special someone.

just as fun to give as it is to get....xo

thank you for photo -

jen pearson designs

childlike wisdom...

we are so pleased to be featuring the artwork of Japanese artist, Ayco. Ayco's business name is Childlike Wisdom.

i just love the sweet nature of the animals Ayco draws. we have a variety of original drawings, oil paintings and signed postcards worthy of framing.

xo

Featured Artist: Ayco

Childlike Wisdom artwork is created 

by Ayco in Osaka, Japan.

Ayco lived in England for 4 years, and

graduated with a BA in Fine Art at 

University College Falmouth. Ayco now 

lives and works in Osaka, Japan.

Ayco’s artwork is always about nature, skies, 

clouds, animals, birds, spirits and Earth. 

She loves drawing animals. 

Some drawings of animals 

that have wings　are fairies so they can fly.

2013: the year of the snake...

happy new year!

welcome year of the snake: Peace, Prosperity and Wisdom.

you were born in the year of the snake if you were born in the following years:

1905*1917*1929*1941*1953*1965*1977*1989*2001

a friend gave me this poem and i thought i would share it:

i am running into a new year
and the old years blow back
like a wind
that i catch in my hair
like strong fingers like
all my old promises and
it will be hard to let go
of what I said to myself
about myself
when i was sixteen
and twentysix and thirtysix but
i am running into a new year
and i beg what i love and
i leave to forgive me

-lucille clifton

here is to a wonderful year of living...

xo

roly poly cute snake

special block print snake

handmade in takayama, japan

holiday hours 2013....

happy holidays friends!

our holiday hours are going to be the same as as our usual hours, with an additional day...

we will be open this monday 12/17  *11-6*

next week regular hours - tues - sat *11-6*

sunday 12/23 *11-5*

closed christmas eve and christmas day - *rest and enjoy*

we will be back on wednesday 11/26 *11-6*....

xo

pinon and mesquite love...

my mother moved to austin from santa fe last november. i have spent the last several holidays there and it is beautiful in the winter.

two of my favorite smells ever that conjure fond me memories for me is the pinon scent in santa fe at holiday time and the mesquite smell in tucson when it rains.

we are now carrying incienso de santa fe sampler set - pinon, cedar, juniper, hickory, alder, mesquite, fir balsam and a handy little holder.

these incense are a perfect fit for out handmade cedar house incense burner.

since it is not cold here in austin i need all the help i can get to create a cozy holiday feel.

xo

special japanese calendars...

we are happy to be selling two special japanese desk top calendars this season.

one of the calendars is created by Keisuke Serizawa. Serizawa was born in 1895 and passed in 1984. he was authorized as a living national treasure in 1956. 

Keisuke Serizawa learned a lot about the method of BINGATA and stencil hand-dying in Okinawa. Afterwards, he perfected the real essence of designing stencil patterns. There are no cut corners or poor quality in his works. Though he always strove for the best work, he nevertheless hated extremely exaggerated work. He put emphasis on the ordinary. This is the greatest characteristic in his view of beauty and is the reason why he was one of the great leaders of the Mingei movement. i love the emphasis on the ordinary.

the second of the calendars we have is created by artist Shiro Imada. another sweet and simple calendar to bring joy throughout the year.

xo

Keisuke Serizawa calendar

Shiro Imada calendar

thank you....

i want to wish everyone safe travels and a wonderful holiday weekend.

i dont know why this concept is so hard sometimes, something i am continually working on.

today i am thankful for many things, including:

beautiful weather

feeling better

the ability to change

words of wisdom

pep talks

the ability to be flexible

thanks to all of you for who you are.

xo