Indie Davis March 6 2010

Come by Saturday March 6th and meet of our crafters and enjoy original local goods.
Here are a few that will be attending:

Bisoux Bisoux
Jami Mark Designs
Isla Corbett

Stay tuned for more information.

Functional Love for 2010

1" Buttons Designed and Made by nina and tom
Set of 5 $6.00 Each $1.50

Ceramic Clay Magnets $6 each
Hand Made in Davis

Ceramic Clay Hearts $6 each
Hand Made in Davis

We're so excited for Valentine's Day. We want to encourage "Functional Love" this year. Come by and see the gifts that your sweetie can reuse all year long. Magnets, Buttons, Earrings, Keepsake Wooden Boxes, Plants and the list goes on and on.

Laviniai Gardella Crochet Goods

Italian Crafter, Lavinia Gardella, crochets functional and decorative items. Her 100% cotton wash/dish cloths (Set of 3 $22 Single $8) and coasters (plain $5 cupcake $10) are heavy and durable along with being lovely. They add a specialness to what we use everyday. Then there are her whimsical cacti ($22 each) that will brighten any room and make you smile. Stop by and see them for yourself.

Happy New Year!

May this year bring you health, happiness and peace.

Photoshoot

We had a lovely little photo shoot early tonight for some of our new designs.
You can check a few of the photos out on Megan Wilkinson's blog.
And while you're there, look at the rest of her photographs. Lovely and lively.
Thanks Megan, you did a great job.

Something Old Something New -Haute Again

Here is our latest project for our brick and mortar store in Downtown Davis.

Finishing One Chapter and Starting a New One

This week summer ended (along with our Monday trips to Donner Lake) and fall has begun. The Bubby has gone away to college and The Monkey has started kindergarten. A pretty full week of emotions and new ways of living from day to day. Change is good but sometimes hard to get used to.

ArtBeast and a Free Range Childhood

OK.
The Monkey and I went to The ArtBeast in Midtown Sacramento yesterday.
What's The Art Beast? Just one of the coolest places/ideas for kids in a long long time.
This non-profit is "...a drop-in arts exploration space for children featuring an open studio, art classes and arts exploration rooms."
There are rooms for mixed media art, dramatic play, house play, musical play, movement/dance, soft play for infants and a courtyard, which affords the freedom to make the wildest messes with chalk, water, sand/gravel and clay.
The kids can literally paint on the walls, bang pots and pans and or walk in clay.
The ArtBeast Manifesto states the promotion of a free range childhood and that children are creators and must learn stories of beauty and truth before learning letters to record them. They believe in child safety and a child's aestetic. And believe that art can never come from precut circles and step by step instructions.
Both The Monkey and myself had a blast. I especially loved painting on the pexy glass wall with him and dancing in the movement/dance room. The Monkey loved playing in the clay.
Thank you ArtBeast, we'll be back next week.

Vote for America's Favorite Farmers' Market

We are voting for our favorite, The Davis Farmers' Market, of course. It's in the lead for best large market. Yea!
You can vote too.
Vote here.

8/10/09 WE WON! YEA!!

Test Drive at About.com Kids Fashion

We just found out about this cool write-up over at About.com's Kids' Fashion.
So great. Yea!

Happy Father's Day!

Now An Adult

The Bubby and The Monkey after The Bubby's high school graduation ceremony.

Introducing 5th Season Bags

Leah Bag with birds

Leah Bag with trees

Nathan child's bag letter L

5th Season is a local Davis, CA company that is committed to reusing discarded clothing/fabrics and making them into highly functional and stylish bags. These "upcycled" bags "resonate the importance of reducing our consumption and waste by challenging each other to creatively look at consumer products beyond their original intended purposes."
Not only do we love 5th Season's approach, we love the creativity and craftsmanship.
Each bag is original and each bag has received Akiko's(owner/designer/sewer) attention
to detail. These bags a beautifully made aesthetically and functionally. They truly are something special.

Keep It Local The 3/50 Project

nina and tom are now a part this awesome group of small business owners and individuals who want to spread the word about the importance of shopping at your local brick and mortar stores.

Take the pledge, spend a total of $50 a month between 3 local stores and help build your neighborhood economy.

Here are some suggestions:

Buy your cup of coffee 5 times a month from the independent coffeehouse, not Starbucks.
$5.00-$22.50

Buy your new broom or mop at your local/independent hardware store.
$9.00-$20.00

Buy one children's book/novel/cookbook/cd or magazine from your local/independent bookstore or music store and not Amazon.
$3.95-$34.95

Buy that special gift for a birthday, baby shower, wedding or anniversary by going to your local boutique and find something original and unique that can't be found at Target.
$20-$100.

Buy some ice cream or frozen yogurt 2 times a month at your local creamery or yogurt shop.
$3.50-$10.00

$50.00 adds up quick and you're done (but by all means keep spending if you can).
It just takes a little effort to get your mind out the big box stores.
We know you can do it.

Forbes Top 25 Towns To Live Davis #19

We love our town and Forbes Magazine thinks it's pretty cool too. Come by on Sat. for Indie Davis and check the town out.
19. Davis, Calif.

Population: 68,660
Location: Between Sacramento and the Bay Area, though definitely solidly part of the Sacramento metro area.
Median income: $52,322

Strongest categories: Davis attracts a high share of people with a bachelor's degree or higher (70%) and international workers with education (who represent 6% of the adult labor force). A college town, it's stocked stocked with plenty of restaurants and bars.

Drawbacks: It's a decent hike to Northern California business capitals San Francisco and San Jose. It lacks the world-class entertainment those cities regularly attract. Further, Californians earning $52,322 have a difficult time making ends meet.

Data provided by ZoomProspector.com

Mt. Shasta Breast Cancer Climb Update

While it's true that Gil & I took a vacation to Hawaii and just returned, please don't think that he slacked off on his training just because he was at the beach! He actually got up early for long beach runs; carried granddaughter, Satya, around on his back to simulate the weight of his back pack and did a few hikes on the mountain trails of Kauai. And, even though we got home late Saturday night, he got up early last Sunday to head to Stinson Beach for a 12 mile hike with his 40 lb. pack. Best of all, he said he felt great.

In between the Breast Cancer Fund hikes, he's still managing some UCD stadium stair climbing and using the weekends to hike in the Berryessa hills. And this weekend, he'll attend snow school up in Mt. Shasta City. I didn't even know there was such a school but it does make sense that novice climbers know how to climb with crampons and use an ice ax.

The fundraising is coming along slowly but surely. Thanks to everyone who has donated and thanks to those of you who have committed to donate. The economy isn't making that rapid recovery we hoped for, but neither has breast cancer gone away so this effort is still hugely important.

Donations can be made directly at this web address: http://breastcancerfund.org/climb09/gilarriaga or if more convenient a check can be mailed to 525 Hudson Ct., Davis, Ca 95616. Checks should be made payable to Breast Cancer Fund.

Attached are a couple of photos of the training; one is with my sister-in-law, Alice Dunning, whose energy and commitment to this cause was infectious enough to convince me to participate and one is with my youngest training partner, Satya Starlight.

Until next month - si se puede; yes we can!

Thanks you guys, keep up the great work.

Last Day to Vote & Cupcakes Tomorrow

Today is the last day to vote for us as Sacramento's Best Gift Shop.
To everyone who has voted, thank you so much, you're the best.

And because last Saturday's Cupcake Extravaganza was such a great success with Tid Bit Bake Shop, we're bringing them back for Picnic Day.
Come by, say, "Hi." and treat yourself.
Mmmmm.

KCRA A*List Best Gift Shop Vote For Us!

You have until Friday April 17, 2009 to vote.
Thank you.

It's On!

Today is The Monkey's 5th Birthday and the bowling extravaganza party is on Sunday.
Here are some baby photos that we posted last year.
Stay tuned for party photos.

Breast Cancer Fund Climb Against the Odds-Mt. Shasta

Our friend Gil Arriaga is raising money for Breast Cancer Awareness and Prevention by climbing Mt. Shasta in Northern California on June 21-27 2009.
We, nina and tom, are donating $25.00 a month until June to support him and the Breast Cancer Fund. We hope you can give whatever you can for this amazing cause and selfless effort to protect and honor all women.
This blog will be checking in on Gil's progress once a month to see how well he's doing and will post updates about his climb in June.
Thank you for accepting this challenge and giving this gift to us Gil .

Here is Gil's letter to you:
Dear Friends:

I am writing to you to ask for your support as I train to be a part of the Breast Cancer Fund’s 10th annual Climb against the Odds fundraising climb to the summit of Mt. Shasta. I think I already hear some of you saying “why in the world would Gil take on such a strenuous activity to support breast cancer?” Well, the answer is simple: a breast cancer diagnosis happens to 1 in 8 women; only 10% of breast cancer cases are linked to genetics; and of about 100,000 synthetic chemicals on the market, less than 10% have been fully tested for their effects on human health. The BCF is the only organization dedicated to the elimination of the environmental causes of breast cancer & the prevention of the disease. The statistics are frightening and ones that directly affect the health of so many women who mean so much to me. So I’ve decided to harness my energy to be an advocate to help find an end to breast cancer.

I am dedicating my training and my climb to some special women who have impressed me with their courage while being treated for breast cancer & their energy as survivors. Margie Mikels, a strong spirited woman, who along with Susy & me shares the joys of being a grandparent to Logan & Wyatt. Margie, her mother and 2 sisters are all breast cancer survivors. As a mother of three daughters, she clearly does not want them to inherit this family trait. My cousin, Tina Tafoya, got her diagnosis 6 years ago as a young wife & mother. Today she is healthy & treasures every day with her sons & husband. I also am dedicating my efforts to a group of amazing women that I call The Sisterhood of EDD Survivors; the sisterhood is huge but I especially want to acknowledge Alison, Flo, Leslie, Melinda and Vicki. Ladies – your strength amazes me. Prayer flags will be taken with me to the summit of Mt. Shasta in your honor.

I know that our economy is struggling right now and these are difficult financial times for all. I do feel a stirring of positive energy now that our country has begun a new season of hope and change. My personal goal is to raise $7000, and I thank you in advance for your help. Remember each dollar raised will support the Breast Cancer Fund’s work to identify and eliminate the environmental causes of the disease. Climb against the Odds directly supports the policy initiatives, corporate accountability campaigns and other innovative programs to secure the changes needed to prevent this disease.
http://breastcancerfund.org/climb09/gilarriaga or if more convenient a check can be mailed to me at 525 Hudson Ct., Davis, Ca 95616. Checks should be made payable to Breast Cancer Fund. There is no donation that is too small, and in the spirit of “many hands make light work” please forward this to anyone you know who supports this goal.

I leave you with the refrain often spoken by two of my heroes: Cesar Chavez & Barack Obama: si se peude; yes we can. Thank you for your support.


Gil Arriaga