Alexis Canter Jewelry

Alexis Canter creates beautiful jewelry from casts of baby teeth, coffee beans, chicken bones and other organic remnants. The Brooklyn based designer's signature piece–a 14k gold casting of the winning half of a wishbone–makes a perfect good luck charm and the 14k gold baby teeth earrings (pictured) are the ideal synthesis of creepy and cute. Available at Stuart and Wright in Brooklyn the "Lucky Half" is $150 in silver and $400 in 14k gold, the baby teeth earrings are $190 and a solid 14k gold coffee been pendant is $436. See more images here.

If you can't make it to Brooklyn, you can find Alexis Canter's Apple and Lemon Seed necklace ($320) online at Matter.

CH + BASE Holiday Gift Shop

An oasis of taste on the otherwise gaudy Lincoln Road on South Miami Beach, BASE has been one of our favorite shops for years. This holiday season, in addition to our annual gift guide (coming soon), we teamed up with Steven, the founder of BASE, to offer you a selection of gift items. We really like most of the stuff BASE sells so narrowing down to a short list wasn't easy, but we're happy with the picks. Check them out here—each item can be purchased by following the link to BASE.

Mortified

Mortified: Real Words. Real People. Real Pathetic. is a collection of hilarious real-life letters, journal excerpts, poems, lyrics, and locker notes detailing the excruciatingly embarrassing pitfalls of youth. With all the voyeuristic thrills of reading your sister's diary without the consequences, Mortified is hard to put down. First performed as a live stage show, Mortified has been selling out seats across the country since 2002. Editor David Nadelberg and various contributors will be reading from their personal relics and signing books live in New York, Boston, Chicago, Pasadena and San Francisco during November and December 2006

Available from Amazon.

Perfido Bracelets

Contrasting the warmth and rich tones of wood with lucite's sleek modernist appeal, these bangles are made by Brooklyn-based furniture studio Perfido Design. The chunky, brightly colored bracelets made their debut as part of New York-based fashion label United Bamboo's Spring/Summer 2006 line, fitting well with that collection's Modern Art-influenced looks. You can get them in a variety of wood/lucite combinations from Perfido Design for $45.

Popular Science’s Best of What’s New 2006: FatMax Xtreme Fubar Demolition Tool

In our final installment of picks from Popular Science's Best of What's New 2006, we're featuring Stanley's FatMax Xtreme Fubar Demolition Tool, a new four-function tool inspired the way contractors often use hammers for more than just nails. Made from tempered steel, the mega-tool's design includes tiered jaws for bending boards and grabbing lumber, a tempered chisel that can cut and split, and a nail slot and a claw for prying. Sheathed in a rubber grip, the Fubar is the ultimate multipurpose tool. Pick it up for $40 from Lowe's.

Menu Wine Decanter

Further to Leti's post, whether it's from box or bottle (as I prefer) red wine invariably tastes better if it's decanted, thanks to the oxygenation that occurs. One of the most attractive decanters I've come across is this one in glass and steel, designed for Danish company Menu by Louise Christ Frederiksen. Besides looking good, the broad base significantly improves aeration.

Menu also has a load of other sexy wine products on its site, if you're a bit of an oenophile. The decanter costs around £35.

Jorg & Olif Citybikes USA Launch

Long before Droog, Koolhaas and Boontje, the Dutch had a much more classic design icon in their city-friendly bicycles. Now the Canadian company Jorg & Olif has brought a version of the bike stateside with the introduction of their Citybike to the U.S. market earlier this month. Featuring extended handlebars and a step-through model for skirt-wearers, the basic upright design makes riding a bike a much more civilized-feeling experience. The wide saddle increases comfort, while fender and chain guards, as well as coat/skirt guards, protect clothing from snags and splashes and pre-installed lights add safety at night. Updated for areas with hills, Jorg & Olif adds Shimano internal hub gear systems in one, three and eight speeds. Other perks include an in-wheel locking system, a built-in kickstand, wheels engineered for a smoother, faster ride, a sturdy rear rack with a strap and a traditional Dutch bell.

In addition to quality contruction and smart design, Jorg & Olif also round out their commitment to aesthetics with a line of acessories that add panache to a bike ride. From a simple black helmet ($195) to the "Citybag" (it's $115 and clips to the rack and can also be worn as a shoulder bag), Jorg & Olif are making bike riding more accessible to urbanites who believe in all the ethics of bike culture but who'd rather not have to roll up a pant leg.
Starting at $795 and going up to $1,295 depending on gears (only three and eight speeds have hand brakes), all bikes come with a pump. The Oma has a step-through frame and comes in extra-small, small and medium and the Opa comes in medium, large and extra-large. Order by emailing info [at] jorgandolif [dot] com or calling 604 877 1850.

Vitamin Ph: New Perspectives in Photography

Vitamin Ph: New Perspectives in Photography is a collection of contemporary photography from 121 living artists who have contributed to the international art photography scene in the last five years. The latest installment in Phaidon's lauded Vitamin series (which also includes titles Vitamin P: New Perspectives in Painting and Vitamin D: New Perspectives in Drawing, Vitamin Ph) features photographers chosen by a distinguished panel of 78 critics, curators and fellow artists. The artists selected represent over 30 countries and run the gamut from established artists like Tacita Dean, to emerging talent and newcomers to the art world. Vitamin Ph features an introduction by art historian TJ Demos who explains that "photography, through its growing diversity, illustrates the many ways that we are different, helps us to understand those differences and connects us to the global world." CH favorite Anthony Goicolea (whose film The Septemberists we covered recently) is included, as well as Nikki S. Lee's amazing "Projects" in which she performs and embodies various identities from an exotic dancer to a yuppie. See more images here.

Vitamin Ph is available from Amazon.

Yto Barrada’s “Papier peint (Wallpaper)”

Elinor Carrucci’s “First Tears Over Another Man”

Anna Gaskells’ “Untitled

Tim Lee’s “The Jerk, Carl Reiner, 1979

Carlos Nite Lite

Designed by Kathleen Walsh for Walteria Living, this charming Nite Lite is pre-cast in bisque porcelain and comes with a detachable linen 'lampshade'. Our little chihuahua stands 7.5" tall and is approximately 4" wide at the base. 7.5 w bulb.

$149, Buy it at BASE

Skull Stationery by D.L. & Company

Blank note cards with a black tissue lined envelope featuring an engraved skull design. Perfect gift giving for the Absinthe-inclined. Each card is 5.5 x 7.5 in a black boxed, exquisitely packaged, set of 12.

$58, Buy it at BASE

MP3 Midwest

A Midwest photographic publication project featuring the work of three progressive photographers, each featured in their own separate volume: Kelli Connell (Double Life), Justin Newhall (Historical Marker) and Brian Ulrich(Copia). Striking and original images of Midwestern life as seen throught the lense of this exceptionally talented trio. Beautifully packaged.

$30, Buy it at BASE

Camouflage Pattern Book

This collection of camouflage patterns features a royalty-free DVD that can be used for web pages, graphic design, 3D mapping, desktop wallpapers etc. The data is provided in both EPS and JPEG file format. 8.5in square.

$49.95, Buy it at BASE

Skull Pendant

From Southern California designer and motorcycle enthusiast Mitchell Binder. A sterling silver skull on a plain sterling chain, much like we imagine a biker might wear. Chain is 19" long.

$215, Buy it at BASE

Popular Science’s Best of What’s New 2006: GearWrench X-Beam

This week CH highlights our favorite innovations from Popular Science's Amazon.

Factory Records: The Complete Graphic Album

During its heyday in the 80's, Factory Records worked with some of the most brilliant graphic artists around, including Peter Saville, Den Kelly, Mark Farrow, 8VO and Barbara Kruger. Their stylish design is almost as iconic as the era-defining bands (Joy Division, New Order, etc.) that are synonymous with the Manchester-based label. The upcoming new book, Factory Records: The Complete Graphic Album,is the first to document the graphic legacy with every single piece of their graphic output, such as reproductions of flyers, rare record sleeves and posters organized according to the famous Factory catalogue system. Due out at the end of this month, pre-order it from Amazon.

NanoNuno Umbrella

Using nanotechnology based on the Lotus flower's nanostructures that slough off water and dirt, the NanoNuno umbrella (€50) wicks away water and dries with little more than a simple shake. Though you may have seen this little example of practical hi-tech elsewhere, for city-dwellers who think a mud room is a bar or for those of us who have a general prejudice against the annoyances of carrying an umbrella, the NanoNuno is an innovation that eases the hassles of winter weather.

via Urban Daddy

Type Selector

Like the essential Pantone color guide, Type Selector is a swatch-style tool for choosing type. Featuring 226 fonts divided into categories, each entry includes dummy text and examples in different weights and styles. In-house designers at CH HQ appreciated the handy form factor, that the publishers chose to pair down font choices so you don't have to look through every font and that you can hold the book up to the screen. But the format's also difficult to flip through and the list price of $50 may be a bit steep for a device with multiple free alternatives. Pick it up from Thames and Hudson or Amazon.

Ooba Conversion Kit

Chicago-based furniture company Ooba (makers of the decidedly un-precious conversion kit ($250) which extends the usefulness of the bassinet by transforming it into a play table and toy bin. In keeping with their mission to "create a simpler and more insightful experience for modern living," they balance form, materials and function with sustainability.

Also recently debuted, Ooba's Nest Crib converts into a day bed as your child gets older, somewhat easing the $2300 price tag. Available for pre-order now, the Nest Crib is available in walnut or maple veneers.

via Notcot

Rome Headroom

As autumn begins to give way to winter, dreams of mountain riding start to set in.

Rome is a young snowboard company founded by a couple former Burton board-makers who wanted to get back to the roots of snowboarding—before the days of endorsements, media and big business. Their product is targeted at the 100 day per season rider and those of us who wish we could get that many days in on the slopes.

This season Rome has a new limited edition board, Headroom. Like Agent (which I ride) it's a park focused board that performs surprisingly well all over the mountain. In fact, it has the same composition as the Agent, but with a unique nose and tail shape for better park performance.

Only 500 boards were made and they're only available in 154 or 156 lengths. The base graphics are an homage to Coke's 1980s digital spokesperson Max Headroom.

The Headroom is available this month for $470 at select retailers including tightboards.com.

Super-Bastard Box Art

Undoboy, a talented NYC-based designer, sent us an email recently warning us he's unleashed his latest work: Super-Bastard Box Art Characters. 16 4-inch characters come in a box. The sturdy cardboard dolls have a character painted on each of their four sides and feature different pop-culture icons. The detachable heads and legs can be mixed and matched for added fun.

Born Chean Wei Law and raised in Malaysia, Undoboy is rapidly making his presence felt with his off-the-wall creations that blend his artistic talent and wacky sense of humor. Super-Bastard Box Art is available for purchase online at Karmaloop.

Leni the Pug: The Comet Christmas Caper

Leni the Pug: The Comet Christmas Caper is a new illustrated holiday 'tail' chronicling the adventures of Leni (a female Pug), who leads a pack of pooches to help Santa find Comet the reindeer and deliver his Christmas presents after the magic sleigh crashes in a Central Park dog run.

Written by Keith Fiore, Illustrated by Alex Sacui, and self-published by Keith and his wife Nicole, it is not only a tale for kids but also an inspiration for those who dream of bringing their own stories to life.

The book features witty verse and a good narrative, accompanied by 30+ illustrations. Printed on Japanese art paper, it is housed in a special first edition case and limited to 5,000 copies.

Available online for $34.50.

American Gulag

Richter Studio in Providence, RI has created these politically-charged American Gulag bracelets and necklaces. Realistic representations of barbed wire made out of rubber or sterling silver, the idea was inspired by Russian gulags and is intended to make a statement about certain practices of the Bush administration. Bracelets range from $14-$225 and a percentage of sales is donated to human rights organizations.

In Vitro Orchid

Flowers die and potted plants need maintenance, but the In Vitro Orchid is a nearly burden-free gift. In fact, this is a pretty clever idea: A nutrient-rich gel supplies all the flower needs to grow inside a sterilized test-tube, tube, which requires—unlike your partner—zero maintenance. When the flower outgrows the five-inch tube, simply transplant. It's surprisingly affordable ($30) and a surefire conversation starter.

Paul Smith x Mercian Cycles

Paul Smith, who decided on a career in fashion after a serious bicycle accident when he was 17 prevented him from pursuing his dream of being a professional cyclist, still rides his old Mercian bicycle. He loves his bicycle so much that he was inspired to design these serious new bikes. Announced a few months back, the Paul Smith x Mercian collaboration bikes are finally hitting Paul Smith stores.

Available in either Track bike (above left, £2,800) or Touring bike (above right, £2,900) styles, these hand made bikes are more than just another pretty paint job. Handmade of the finest materials and craftsmanship in Derbyshire, U.K., these cycles aim to please the serious athlete and the aesthete. Technical details and photos of each of the colorways for both models can be found via the preceeding links.

Also on CH: Paul Smith x Triumph

SAT Shower Curtain

For multi-taskers who eschew the idea of showers as a time for quiet contemplation and would rather cram in a study session while lathering up, The Intuitive Learning Company's (TILCO) line of educational shower curtains brings learning to every room of the home. Striving to "educate by observation through the process of combining a stylistic display of simple educational topics on common products found in the home," TILCO currently offers shower curtains featuring SAT vocabulary, SAT math, english grammar, as well as French and Spanish Vocabulary. Available online for $20.