I managed to drag the hubs out for some house shopping on Saturday with a strict 2 hour deadline. My time ran out before we could hit the mother of all stores Home Depot, but we hit Bed Bath and Beyond, and an awesome furniture store Via Diva in San Rafael where we finally found the bookcases we’ve been searching for! Anyway now I want to add some knick knackery to the new bookcases so I went to Jonathan Adler’s fabo website. I have been a fan of his pottery since my art consulting days back in 2000 and I bought my first Adler menagerie pieces (2 fish) with my 2003 bonus. These are my four favorites from his menagerie collection and I’d like to buy one. What say you?

Don’t you get such a peaceful, zen-like feeling from Sara Paloma’s stunning pottery? Sara is another local potter with a live/work studio in Emeryville, CA. Check out her website for where to purchase.

For my birthday this year (December Uno) my perceptive sister Haley bought me a little letterpress print from the fantastic online store Rare Device. I am a big fan of letterpress, tiny artwork and birds so I must say Haley did very well this year! (She got me the owl print in the upper right corner)
Rare Device is a great store (located at 453 7th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11215) and online shop showcasing the owner Rena Tom’s great taste and beautiful discoveries. I like to check in monthly to see what’s new and next time I’m in NYC visiting the in-laws I’m going to make a trip over the Brooklyn Bridge to visit her store in person. Here are a few of my favorite items today.

Roseberry Winn tiles

My beautiful friend Christine Light (aka Babs), who is due with her first baby anyday now, just sent me this link for Roseberry Winn pottery and tile. Michael Roseberry and Bruce Winn are two very talented potters out of Rhode Island. Their work has an arts and crafts flavor that reminds me of the Roycroft style which I grew up surrounded by in East Aurora, NY (Go Blue Devils!). If I could afford an Arts & crafts style home in California I would definitely use their tiles in my kitchen. They also have a lovely line of tableware, plates, mugs, platters and vases.

The Anna Corinna City Tote is smoking hot and way out of my price range therefore it shall be added to my “bonus items” list. This is the list that I create every year in anticipation of my December bonus. I put some in savings and then I treat myself and purchase one item I have coveted all year. The problem is the list has grown very large this year. So far I have this bag, a pair of Alberto Fermani boots, a new Jonathan Adler piece, plus practical items such as new patio doors for our house and a new coffee table to replace my BusVans for Bargains-early-20’s-first-apartment coffee table. The hubs jokes that the bonus gets bigger and bigger in my imagination every year.

Growing up my Mom decided it would be a great idea if each of us girls had a collection. My Mom collected chickens, she had paintings, sculpture, even the wallpaper in the kitchen was covered in chickens. My sister Haley it was decided would collect music boxes, Britt would collect pieces for her dollhouse and pigs, Quinn collected cabbage patch dolls and I collected angels (I was a bit of a holy roller as a kid). This lasted until I was about 18 when we moved and my angel collection was boxed up and mostly given away.
Now that I’m on my own, I’d like to start a new collection, starting with artist Diana Fayt’s ceramics. Thanks to my good friend Tia (she bought me a bowl for my birthday). I’m on my way!