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Happy New Year! Have a safe celebratory night if you venture out (or stay in, for that matter)… we’ll return to posts as usual on Wednesday, January 5, 2011.

Shown above: 5-piece stainless steel champagne gift set, $49.95 from CB2

Okay, so $300 for a cotton calendar is a little frivolous, yes. Not even throwing in the name ‘by Maison Martin Margiela’ helps soften the blow. But, what would you say if perhaps this cotton calendar becomes table napkins after the year is over? That is the intention after all. Does the novelty of that fact make it any better?

Now, I’m not one for paying attention to planets and stars for any fortune-like telling, but I sure do like the looks of these custom prints. Your own unique astrological birth chart is represented around the circular design, which makes for an altogether interesting visual. Not sure if there’s any deciphering to be done, or what it really all means (nor do I particularly care), but if you’ve got some blank walls it’s something to consider.

Aspect Modern One, starting at $279
Aspect Modern Two, Starting at $279

A book rest and lamp all in one, this light gives a warm glow with a low-heat CFL bulb. When you’ve finished the chapter or need a tea break, simply rest the book face down on the lamp (it becomes a “literary rooftop”) to keep your place. Might also be a good night light for someone afraid of the dark…

Grass. Flocked. Animal. Banks. Can you handle it? Yeah, they’re a little weird and slightly camp, but really, other than that, they’re wonderful. They actually look like moss is covering them. The picture above is just an approximation as to how tall they are in relation to each other, fyi.

Grass Flocked Duck Bank, $20.00 (Size approx. 8.5″L x 5″W x 11.5″H)

Grass Flocked Rabbit Bank , $20.00 (Size approx. 6.5″L x 5″W x 10.25″H)

Grass Flocked Bird Bank, $18.00 (Size approx. 8.25″L x 6″W x 7″H)

Happy Holidays to you and yours this season! We’ll return with our usual postings on Tuesday, December 28th.

Pictured above: Filigrantrae Wooden Holiday Tree by Trine and Peter Find, $275.00 from A+R Store

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From our archives (originally published February 23, 2010), for your gift list consideration… to see more, visit our Gift Guide.

You don’t have to be a kid to appreciate these posable animals. Their hardwood frames and elastic-band muscles will remain durable whether it’s you or a two year old playing around with them. Available for pre-order, with a ship date of around 5/15/2010.

Designer: David Weeks
Material: Sustainably Harvested Beech Wood

Hattie the Elephant, 17 x 8 x 6 inches, $125.00
Simus the Rhino, 12 x 5.5 x 4 inches, $110.00

From our archives (originally published May 3, 2010), for your gift list consideration…

I don’t know whether to grrrrrr at the price or awww at how cute they are. Luckily, Makiko Yoshida designed them out of squishy and pliable polyurethane resin, so they’ll hold their shape whether I bear hug them or chuck them at the wall when the credit card bill comes.

Set of four, “white” or “brown”, and 2.75 inches in diameter

Knight and Queen bottle stops? Yes, please. Add these to your list of perfect stocking stuffers.

Designer : David Weeks
Made of wood and cork.
Measurements : H 3.5″ x Dia 1″

From our archives (originally published November 20, 2009), for your gift list consideration… to see more, visit our Gift Guide.

Two wooden parts held together with a rubber band make this unusual clipboard. The lack of metal makes it look a little more warm and friendly than traditional office supply clipboards, don’t you think?

Designed by Simon Donald for spunique. Bands may vary in colour.

From our archives (originally published on September 1, 2010), for your gift list consideration… to see more, visit our Gift Guide.

Designed by Lanier Graham, this modern chess set is notable for its minimal interpretation on traditional pieces. The shape of each piece mirrors its function (Knights have L shapes, Bishops slope diagonally, etc.) and the scale indicates importance. All pieces interlock neatly into a rectangular puzzle for storage.

From our archives (originally published October 2, 2007), for your gift list consideration…

This is one of the more interesting champagne glasses I’ve come across in my many days of perusing online retail stores.

“Besides the visual beauty, there is another extremely convincing argument: your drink simply doesn’t warm as fast as it would in a normal champagne glass as you are not touching it at all and if you really want it cold, chill the glasses in the freezer and create an amazing visual presentation…”

Handmade, 1.5″ (3,8 cm) wide and 9.25″ (23,5 cm) high

Set of 2.

From our archives (originally published October 2, 2007), for your gift list consideration… to see more, visit our Gift Guide.

I’ve been a fan of Charles and Ray ever since I first saw their designs. And, man, if you even like the Eames’ a little bit, you should take a look at the film ‘901: after 45 years of working‘ that their son, Eames Demetiros, did of their workshop being packed up for the Library of Congress. It’s pretty amazing.

Small Cards, $25.00
Medium Cards, $45.00
Giant, $50.00
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Here’s a perfect gift for a garden loving friend who perhaps only has porch or balcony space.

Imported from France.

Here’s a set of 36 colored pencils perfect for your favorite creative-type.

New design Japanese collective IDEA Idea partnered with an old school German art supply firm to create Düller. The mission: Combining Japanese notions of harmony with the German penchant for methodology. There’s parallel symmetry in the same-sized pencil box and sketchbook, and the box and book cover are made from recycled paper (harmony with Mother Earth!). Perfect for the artist or architect or design-loving doodler. The paper is specially crafted for colored pencils. There are 36 colors in this pencil box: red, orange, pink, light blue, white, yellow, yellow-green, green, purple, blue, black, brown, carnelian, vermilion, grey, pale orange, chrome yellow, ultramarine, deep green, Van Dyke brown, magenta, gold, silver, Prussian blue, rose red, sky blue, lemon yellow, emerald green, mandarin orange, wisteria violet, lilac, olive green, peacock blue, leaf green and reddish brown.