A belated, but much deserved, shout out.

Soon Catbird will have a new website. The amount of compliments (and traffic) I have gotten on the current one is beyond measure, and that is entirely due to the work of my brilliant friend Geoff Allman who is the brains and talent behind Bionic Power.

Any of you out there who are looking for some web-sprucing-up or full on re-dos, small or big, boutique or corporate, NYC or beyond, I cannot recommend him highly enough. Feel free to contact me for more details or go to his website and contact him. You'll be glad you did.

Happy Easter, Brooklyn style.

I realize that these small Easter confections don't offer that many options of where to stick the American flag (the Italian flag getting first priority, of course), but you'd think they could come up with something a bit classier.

Eeeee!

So cute. I die.

From KitLane's etsy shop.

Dear Earth, I'm thinking your happiness everytime

a Shinzi Katoh mug we don't stock, but look what we do!

I used to spend $2.25 on my coffee every day I work at Catbird, across the street at Verb. I've wised up; with my own mug the same cup of coffee is $1 (here, here to Verb for giving such a healthy incentive). I do have to nurture my coffee addiction, which requires refills, so my wallet is fatter, my trash output slimmer.

What a brilliant idea.

Your man's shirt into your baby girl's dress. Great gift for a new dad.

Terrariums are back in stock!

We sold out in a flash last time so you might want to move FAST!!

(limited supply. made by the awesome, and local, amy merrick.)

Goosebumps.

Crazy, crazy goosebumps. Let the rumpus begin.

(via all plaidout)

Knit Nicely

hand knit toys $19-$81

A few months ago, someone swiped a cashmere bonnet and bootie set from our baby shelf.  My first question: who steals?!  Honestly, the mind reels.  My second question: who steals baby goods?!  What terrible, terrible karma to pass along.  I mean, maybe in desperate times, necessities, but I feel certain that cashmere is not a necessity.  Moving right along, not only are these creatures sweet and adorable, they have been made by the same woman's collective in Bolivia for the past 12 years.  The production of the animals have helped to create "a health insurance plan, dental care plan, day care, excercise programs and micro loans in an effort to improve the conditions of its craftswomen. Since each item is knit by hand, the women are able to work at home while tending to their families."  Cashmere thief, are you out there?  It is not too late for redemption!

She said yes. I swear.

Congrats to Ryan Hancock who took the plunge with not the most subtle of engagement rings. Guess he won't be going stag any longer.

(He's also quite the photographer.)

our first ever giveaway!

Hop on over to the beautiful {this is glamorous} for a chance to win a pair of catbird alphabet earrings. Good luck!

The Bard of Bedford Avenue

poem by William Chrome

John Derian tray, $78

One of the joys of propping the door to the store wide open on a nice day is listening to the clackity-clack of William Chrome's typewriter as he pens odes for passerbys.  Pay Mr. Chrome what you will, and be a patron of the arts and muse, in one pretty poem-worthy package.  

(speaking of clackity-clacking, Rony's been on a typewriter tin bender)

p.s. How amazing would it be to have William and his team typing away at your next party???  I've got a big birthday coming up- I might just need to send an inquiry...

chin chin!

french wine glasses, $5

The brilliant simplicity of this cannot be overstated. Let me put this as clearly as possible:

WINE GLASSES THAT STACK.

For those of us living in small apartments, who must determine the Value to Space ratio for everything that crosses our thresholds, I challenge you to show me something smarter. Really. Whaddya got? An inflatable toilet? A collapsible fridge?

They also multitask nicely as little snack dishes. And, honestly, you feel cool drinking out of them, like maybe you are having tapas in Spain. (This has all been verified by very vigorous testing this weekend.)

All of a sudden my regular wine glasses seem so unwieldy and ridiculous. Like ostriches walking amongst Minis.

I can safely say that I have never used this word, but I think they are... chic.

(I just stacked 12 glasses in a space that held two of my old ones.)

Ain't it the truth

notebook $12

They've been selling faster than a New York minute- come get yours quick! The perfect souvenir and receptacle for all your big city dreams and those mean reds, too.

typewriter ribbon tins.

typewriter ribbon tins: various prices, all well under $20

As someone who spent a healthy chunk of the 90's going to flea markets and garage sales, and someone who has a deep love of tins and chipped paint, it is entirely unclear to me how I missed typewriter ribbon tins. I am making up for lost time and have just acquired an actual lot of them.

Some will have to remain in my service holding bobby pins, thumb tacks, and other bits and bobs that are always falling through the literal and figurative cracks. The rest will soon find their new home at catbird.

ants on your hands.

I've just recently learned about blog giveaways and I'm decidedly a fan. While you can't win this amazing and beautiful rose gold ant ring made by the amazing and beautiful Jezebel: fellow catbirder & blogger (here and here) if you just scootch your butt on over to to the always delightful East Side Bride she will lead the way to another Jezebel giveaway.

(Speaking of ants, if you don't know about leaf cutter ants, you should familiarize yourself with their miraculous ways. My three old has recently become very interested in them and will tell you all about them in a very...um...special and spazzy way. Or you can go here and Liam Neeson will school you, a bit more clearly. Seriously. It's amazing.)

Oh, the ring can be purchased here!   Ants rule!

Dopey and delicious

14k and diamond single earring $220, necklace $320

A customer bought one of these necklaces a few weeks ago as a going away gift for her childrens' beloved babysitter. Lucky babysitter, I say. So sweet, so charming, so unexpected. If I didn't wear my own ants earrings every day, I would be wearing these. They're enough to make a girl consider re-visiting those decades old 2nd holes.

Baby House

10" x 16" John Derian tray, $188

Were you as disappointed as I was not to acquire the Charlotte Bronte decorated dollhouse auctioned at Christie's a few weeks ago? Yes, yes, I know one cannot expect to win an auction if one does not bid, but when one loves mauve and the Brontes so, it is hard not to feel a totally irrational sense of loss. Chin up, darling! This new John Derian tray is awfully reminiscent of Charlotte's Georgian stylings.

Marrakesh Express

votives $6, matches $3.50

Perfect under $10 present: a candy-colored Moroccan votive (we've supplied the tea light for you!) and a set of chic-cheap matches. Find the votive/matchbox combination that pleases you, bring to the register, pop one of our complimentary starlight mints (effective and aesthetically pleasing) and enjoy some excellent tunes while we wrap your gift for you. Toot toot! Catbird gift-giving express!

Shinzi Kat-OH, OH, OH!

If it hadn't been fastened shut with the most painfully perfect packing tape, I would've torn open today's shipment of Shinzi Katoh goodies in a mad fit of glee.  Shinzi Katoh illustrates a world that is equal parts classic children's literature (think Corduroy, Ezra Jack Keats) and the joie de vivre of the French New Wave (think the fresh faces of Jean Seberg and Anna Karina minus their penchant for gunslinging paramours).  In addition to the trekking bottles above ($17), we've got makeup bags ($28-30) - and remember, in Shinzi Katoh's world, all girls sport rosy-cheeks and perfectly doe-like eyes.  

good goin', grasshopper.

Our very own Tippy Porter has landed quite the exalted title from NY Magazine! She's doin' it and doin' it right over there in Greenpoint. Make extra super sure to check out Old Hollywood when you're in the hood.

jewelry, coffee & blackberries.

My friend Anne and I spent a lovely morning with Page from Bario-Neal, a new line I picked up. The line includes a lot of enamel (which I love) and many pieces have a 70's wedding vibe that I can't get enough of. Pieces are handcrafted from reclaimed precious metals, ethically-sourced stones and are made with low-impact, environmentally conscious practices. We ogled her fine wares, drank Oslo coffee, and ate blackberries and chocolate chip cookies from Trader Joe's.

photos inspired by Anne and by Sarah from Saipua.

Weird and Wonderful

botanical models, $56

The unholy combination of  my thirst for flowers and my black, black thumb has found a happy solution in the form of these botanical models, now budding their bizarro blooming heads off in the cases of Catbird.  Until they find happy homes, I gaze upon them- a little Victory Garden, planted and tended by Tim Burton.

verre-y nice.

verre new york, $38-$158

Jess and Julie are the two behind Verre New York (although they now live in California). They thought all jewelry looked alike, (I beg to differ, but I get where they're coming from), and they both liked glass, (who doesn't?), and, well... the ladies worked it on out.

These pieces are just in and bear a quiet whisper of Spring. The earrings up top make me long for the pool. The bracelet in the middle is cool and modern and makes me want to eat something involving white chocolate chips. The earrings at the bottom would look lovely on a bride.

sofa, so good.

I am addicted to Lisa Borgnes Giramonti's blog, A Bloomsbury Life. It is 100% inspiring. The gardening, traveling, cooking...sigh. Her latest post shows this genius, charming, perfectly imperfect couch. I cannot wait for my two littles to be slightly less little so we can embark on a similar, Sharpie-related project.

(I really did not intend for this post to skew retail at all, but it does sort of remind me of this.)