I just sold this card to a woman who's going to have her brother give it to her son who is turning 37.  

maira kalman.

What, I ask you, is more enjoyable than one of Maira Kalman's incredibly beautiful, smart, funny, instructive and poignant features in our esteemed local paper? This new one is my absolute favorite.

like a knight in...melted plastic

"Hey! What's up? Oh wow - check out that awesome necklace! It's so big and abstract! Oh wait, are those...knights?? A jumble of knight melted together? No. Really? WOW!!"

Eden Miller Gold Knight melted plastic necklace, $32

(also available in Black Ninja and Silver Knight)

kiss of the spider girl

On a recent trip to the Bronx Zoo, my daughter requested to have her face painted too. Her choice? "A purple anchor spider." What is an anchor spider, you ask? Apparently it's "a VERY scary spider".

If you are fascinated by spiders, or find their webs as ethereally beautiful as they clearly are, but are not so interested in disguising yourself as one, consider one of these mounted webs by Rocky Fiore. Each web is carefully sought out, the spider is never harmed, and they're mounted in a special way that he devised after years of trial and error. And there are details about the species of spider on the back of the plates, for aspiring spider nerds. (I haven't seen any "purple anchors", but I'm keeping my eyes peeled.) One of my favorite things about Rocky: he views the seasons in terms of spider webs.

A cut above the rest

gem vases $12

It's hot this morning, and somehow looking at this, the vase has morphed into a perfect clear, cool swimming pool in my humid brain.

book 'em.

mini book necklaces, $30-40

I was so excited when these came in today. I ordered these less than a week ago but promptly forgot about them. Lucky me. Thanks to my addled brain I can get newly excited TWICE!

Whether you find them romantic, utilitarian, statement-y or just plain cool, these sweet necklaces, hand made from antique leather, are complete perfection. Each one slightly different from it's bookish sibling.

"I was living in this place before there was even a coffee shop"

My old friend, Tom, made this hilarious, snappy short, "Hipster Job." Job, as in the Bible. Tom's always had a soft spot for some Biblical humor.

Salons, à la Angleterre

Sam Roddick's living room

Celia Birtwell's conservatory
(really puts my conservatory to shame)

Alice Temperley's studio

from The Guardian, via Peonies and Polaroids.

Run away!!

My love of Joan Jett is no secret, nor is it anything original. So, I am quite a'feared of this new movie about The Runaways with Dakota Fanning (really?) and Kirsten Stewart (from Twilight). (I write that like I know.) How on earth are these two lightweights going to pull this off?

That said, her butt looks really good.

found via Hearty

They're back

A swarm of $19 bird boxes has descended upon our wee store- do your best Tippi Hedren!

Tip toe

Ach Ach Liebling Corolla earrings, $18

I'm flora mad, but I've got a very black thumb. These earrings, made from dead-stock floral notions, make me feel like I positively bloom flowers, like I'm my own personal hothouse. Plus, the posts are nickel-free surgical steel, so you can really wear them from today til kingdom come. Finally, gardening made easy enough for me.

The Notorious F.I.G.

I don't know why, but today I smell like a fig candle. I'd be more than happy to smell like this everyday.

A gift from we Catbirds, to you

Coqui Coqui Hotel and Spa, photo by The Selby

While I wish that we were taking an all-expenses paid class trip to the Coqui Coqui Hotel, sadly, we are not. In lieu, may I present you with the perfect summer cocktail offering: the humble, yet perfect Salty Dog. Mix vodka and grapefruit juice (you decide the proportions), pour in a glass rimmed with salt. Now, I've seen fancy additions to the Dog, such as rosemary, but I am firmly of the mind that this is exclusively a 3 ingredient cocktail. Do feel free to push the envelope with fresh grapefruit juice. What's that you say? Oh, you're welcome. Now pour me one, please.

Made for actual aviators, and the day after a very good night

Randolph Engineering sunglasses $99-113

We Catbirds went bowling last night to wish our beloved D a bon voyage. I did not bowl, but I did drink salty dogs. I then headed to a backyard bbq. Needless to say, I wish I had a pair of these sunglasses this morning, to hide my next day self from the reproach of neighbors.

Lunar Landing

moonstone studs, $132

drusy studs, $154

Although the stud earring is generally a highly civilized form in the jewelry world, I love how these are slightly wild and unchecked. It is entirely fitting that Lupa, the great she-wolf in the sky, is transmitting sweet and vicious messages straight through these jewels. Buyer Beware.

Elegant Variation

Given my imaginary love affair with stacking rings, you can understand my utter joy when a lovely customer bought the uppermost ring on her ring finger from us to add to her already enviable mix.

Very bonnie, indeed

bonnie bracelets, $46

I'm fairly certain that Elizabeth Taylor wears her diamonds to the beach, which if you are Elizabeth Taylor and the beach means a private, hidden island in the Pacific, is entirely logical. If you are not Elizabeth Taylor, and the beach means Brighton or Coney, stacking an armful of Bonnie bracelets is entirely logical. The bracelets are hand-hammered on Cape Cod, and are meant to weather the sea air and grow rich and warm. Think of your favorite, perfectly worn Levi's gone nautical, and you've got the idea.

pass the salt, please.

world's largest salt cellar, $25

Do you love salt? Well boy oh boy do we have the salt cellar for you! I often find things I like in catalogs and forget to look at the measurements. This baby came in oh - about five times the size I thought it would. But luckily a giant salt cellar is exactly up my salt-luvin' alley.

(Once my husband came t*h*i*s* close to buying a doll house piano bench, thinking it was a great deal on a real one. I have often wished he had placed the order and that it had arrived - small enough to slip through the mail slot.)

Tiny, Inanimate Zoo

Moss Mills lockets, $98 each

I've a dog and a cat, but I long to flesh out my fauna family with a pygmy goat, a lop-eared rabbit, another kitten, a donkey, and maybe some cockatiels (I just love their rouged little cheeks). Alas, I live in Brooklyn, so my menagerie is (for now) confined to my jewelry. You sir, hippo, 3rd from the left- I think you're calling my name.

A Fine Affair

St Kilda

Yayoi Forest

Yayoi Forest

I've been darting about the store, stacking rings upon rings. Very satisfying to come up with a mix that is at once casual, easy, and elegant.

Foot loose and fancy free

Small Square Design onesie, $26

Roll along little loves!

Hats Off

John Derian mini-tray, $56

Thank you weather gods. You meandered, took your time, and shed angry tears over us, but finally you've given us summer.

Sweet, serious Little Lady

This sweet little girl was visiting Brooklyn with her parents- they were staying locally and after she and Teepee became great friends one rainy day, she came back to look for my little, who had opted to spend the day sleeping in my laundry in the far reaches of the closet.

Rock of Ages

images from The Mineral Kingdom, copyright 1968

banded agate rings from Brazil, $58

Ever since my friend and favorite painter, Elizabeth Deull, gave me a ring carved from a single piece of amethyst for my birthday, I've been on a quest with Rony to find some for the store.  Smart Rony got Clarissa to bring some back from Brazil, and the store is all but vibrating with potent power of crystal energy.  

get OUT.

i. want. to. go. there.

I am pretty sure these pictures are actually killing me.

Do real people actually live like this? Do they have jobs, kids, electric bills? Or do they float around sipping sangria all day with nary a care? Aagh. I can't take it. My day is ruined. (Sadly, I'm being totally serious.)

via marie claire maison, found on ill seen, ill said

vintage rings

vintage rings, $140-$185

A closeup of the vintage rings modeled here by Leigh.

salt of the earth

somewhere in the air up there bowls, $12-32

Aren't these perfectly imperfect, handmade, gold-leafed ceramic bowls (and tiny spoon) just luminously beautiful?

Small bowls are both the perfect vessel, and the perfect gift. You will always find a use for it (bobby pins, rings, chance, keys, salt cellar...), and I find that I always remember where they came from.

The Future Perfect

custom monogram necklace by Blanca Monros Gomez, $300

I look at jewelry as a past-and-future family photo album. I have a similar monogram necklace from my great-grandmother, and I love the idea of giving this to a new mother with her initials - who knows who's neck it will grace one day, generations from now.

robert clarke

I love everything this guy is up to.

Sweet little Muffin

My friend Dave brought his pup to visit yesterday- she just got back from being spayed, the little trooper.  She has the poutiest lips I've ever seen on a dog- they called her Angelina Jolie at the vet's office.  

Frankenstein hand, wearing the prettiest rings in town

Katrina LaPenne diamond ring $1800
vintage rings $140-$185
Bittersweets teensy diamond ring $195

It's true, it's true- I need to moisturize. Let's focus on the sparkly, intoxicating things in this photo- the jumble of rose-cut gray diamonds and vintage pieces that Rony unearthed for the shop (and available for a song) makes me a little lightheaded. It's entirely possible that if you pop into the store, you'll find me nonchalantly wearing these as if I own them. The Bittersweets pinkie ring is all mine though, so my hands don't feel quite so naked when it is time to return our borrowed friends to the cases at the end of the day.

i cannot improve on this.

"An example of the Hully Gully. My understanding is that Ed Sullivan popularized it because it involved no physical contact, which meant he felt comfortable showing it on television.

Note that when they call out “Sammy Davis Junior” the corresponding move consists of covering one eye and doing the Swim with your free hand. That might be my new favorite dance."

shamelessly lifted from Lemon Ice Forever

yellow owl workshop

new york postcard set (i'm hoping for a new jersey one soon), $10

bird stamp set, $12

camp stationery set, $14

These irresistible items and more just in from one of our favorite teams, Yellow Owl Workshop. I love the sweetness of their design.

I, like Leigh, never went to camp, but if I did I would have been over-the-moon for a stationery set where you can write your initials in the crest. How perfectly pseudo-waspy!