Updated daily, the Buy section is a deep directory of stuff we love. From this collection we organize Gift Guides for the holiday season and special occasions all year long.
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.
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.
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, 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
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.
Harlem-based design house Maak Eebuh is launching their debut line of T-shirts "The War Series," aiming to provoke comment and build dialogue about the war in the Middle East. After working in costume design and high-end fashion at Yigal Azrouel, designer Jade Schulz started the line of limited edition tees earlier this year as "a brand whose artwork filters important issues of the moment in a different light." One of her designs, printed with the words "Welcome to the Empyre," uses old-world graphics to play on the concept of an American empire. (Pictured left, click for detail.) Available in various pigment-dyed colors the 100% cotton shirts are made in California, with a comfy and stylish low-cut neckline and are finished with an enzyme wash to make them extra-soft. Maak Eebuh T-Shirts retail at $59 with 10% of the proceeds going to online. Schulz is currently working on her second collection "The Travel Series" which will be available in Spring of 2007.
A traditional wrapping cloth used to carry goods, 9brand, the Tokyo-based design team Keita and Naoyo Seto. Made from lightweight 1/4-inch urethane fabric, their Furoshiki is a relatively inexpensive ($88) carry bag for notebook computers available in yellow, grey and black from Object Fetish—unfortunately, it won't fit 17" models.
A truly unprecedented endeavor, Worldchanging: A User's Guide for the 21st Century, provides cutting-edge solutions and ideas for constructing a more livable future. With contributions from more than 60 acclaimed writers, including a forward by Al Gore and an introduction by Bruce Sterling, this volume has been likened to the hippie bible, The Whole Earth Catalog, but retooled for the iPod generation. Worldchanging contains 600 pages of novel ideas like urban farming, hydrogen cars, pop-apart cell phones, and plywood made from fast-growing bamboo as well as giving advice on whom to text to advocate international debt relief or how to build an iPod speaker from a recycled Altoid tin. Available from Amazon.
Using the same patented "cyclone" technology that made Dyson upright vacuums famous, the new Dyson Root 6 ($150) is a handheld tool that never looses suction, cleaning better and more hygienically by trapping dirt more effectively. With its molded plastic body—looking something like a creature-trapping gun from the prop department of Alien—it's ergonomic and easy to use, successfully negotiating the narrowest of nooks and hard-to-reach corners. In CH's tests, we were impressed by the Root's ability to clean the long hair of a sheepskin rug, the dust chamber's convenient design (a latch releases a flap to empty directly over a garbage can), and the fun of seeing the dirt whirl around in the clear plastic bin. Other features include LED indicator lights, washable filters that never need replacing, a brush tool (with a lint extension) and a separate narrow crevice accessory. Though at times we wished for an attached light to see what we were cleaning and the battery's charge didn't last quite as little long as we expected (its lithium ion battery does charge up to three times faster than others), overall it's an ideal device for cars, small rooms and spills where large vacuums would be inconvenient and overkill.
Spritzed under the tongue, Sprayology, a new oral supplement spray, promotes beauty and wellness from within by delivering vitamins and nutrients directly into the bloodstream. Bypassing the digestive tract, stomach and the standard metabolic process that interfere with tablets, liquids, and capsules, it's a more effective way to get your daily dose and the convienent slim design makes them perfect for on-the-go relief. Four product groups—rejuvenates, relieves, restores and rebuilds—include 25 different blends that use ancient homeopathics and supplements to target common ailments that face both men and women. A hangover preventer and cure, Party Relief ($20), includes activated charcoal for headache, dandelion plant for upset stomach and nausea and St. Mary's thistle for abuse of alcoholic beverages and hot peppers for sluggish and feeble digestion. Stress Less ($24), a product to temporarily relieve feelings of stress, nervousness, mood swings and irritability with passion flower to calm nerves, oats to ease nervousness, cinchona plant to reduce mood swings and valerian root to treat irritability. Other tonics range from a Daily Multi Vitamin ($24) to a sexual vitality elixir for men and women respectively called Man Power and Woman Power, which are both $32.
Inspired by old crime TV, the Drop Dead Rug prototype by British designer Alex Carpenter was such a hit at the London Design Festival in 2005 that Alex will take it into production soon. Mimicking the shape "of an unfortunate soul which may have come to pass right there on your living room floor with their silhouette remaining as evidence," the throw will be a dark red felt with a light grey band running around the edge to depict the chalk line. Available in a selection of poses for about £150, Alex says he's currently considering incorporating the cause of death. To order, contact Alex through Udderstuff.
The BLT ring was created as a collaboration between jewelry designer Carrie Weston and The Grateful Palate the pork connoisseurs behind the Bacon of the Month Club we featured in our gift guide. A version inmulticolored 14k Gold for $750. See an image of the gold ring modeled on a hand after the jump.
Hut Up Berlin creates one of a kind raw wool creations using traditional felting and blocking methods. The Hut Up Flowerpot is wool container created to fit around a flowerpot, lending a soft feel with an organic stone-like shape. Perfect for creating an ethereal Science of Sleep-influenced cuddly rock garden, the Hut Up Flowerpot is available in three color combinations: chartreuse outside with olive inside, brown outside with red inside, and light grey outside with brown inside. Available from Rose and Radish for $67.
Tara McPherson, 30, the Brooklyn-based artist known for her slightly surreal, melancholy-tinged work, is celebrating the recent release of her first book Lonely Heart: The Art of Tara McPherson with a book signing at KidRobot in New York City on Thursday, 12 July 2006. The 112-page book is lush with full color illustrations, paintings and the acclaimed rock posters she's made for the likes of Duran Duran, The Shins, and The Fall. In addition to select works from the young artist's impressive oeuvre, the collection includes toys that Tara's customized for Kidrobot and others, and gives a glimpse into her process with sketches and transparent overlays (pictured). If you can't make it to the event, Lonely Heart is available from Amazon. Check out the flyer after the jump. Lonely Heart Book Signing Thursday, 12 July 2006, 6-8pm KidRobot NY 126 Prince Street New York, NY 10012 maptel. 01 212 966 6688
