Offbeat Chic

Holiday Tables Rundown

The Wichita Center for the Arts hosts an annual Holiday Tables event showcasing more than 30 tablescapes by local businesses, designers, and individuals. We joined in this year with an entry titled "A Mad Men Holiday Pot-Luck," an imaginary tableau in which all of our favorite characters get together for a night of excessive drinking and eating from covered dishes.

We used a beautiful Heywood-Wakefield table and hutch, a vintage Evergleam aluminum Christmas tree, and a mix of vintage and contemporary tabletop items--plus a ton of fake food. I tried to include little details from the show throughout the display, including prominent Sterling-Cooper advertising slogans.

The timing happened to be poor for us this year, as we were being deluged with new product, working on a complete store reorganization, and in the throes of our voting promotion at the same time that I was supposed to be setting up and styling our table. But I'm really happy with how it turned out--the display was so different it really stood out, and I'm looking forward to planning and executing something a little more fabulous next year.

I took some pictures of other really great tables, but a lot of them turned out too blurry to post. Here are a couple that came out okay:

This chandelier above the Water Street Fabrics table was really spectacular.

The Plaid Giraffe's centerpiece was incredibly elaborate without being too fussy or overdone.

You can view more Holiday Tables pictures on our Flickr photostream.

Holiday Gift Guide Part I: $10 and Under

Over the next couple of weeks I'll be highlighting some of our favorite gifts. We've made an extraordinary effort to source inexpensive yet beautiful, quirky, and well-designed items this season. So when shopping for coworkers, carpool buddies, teachers, and others who may not merit high-dollar presents, we urge you to spurn run-of-the-mill coffee mugs, cheap ornaments, and chintzy tchotchkes. Instead, give the people you care for something truly special. Herewith, about 20 of more than 100 gifts that cost $10 or less:

1. Fortune Folio, $9.50
Is any ephemera more charming than the slip of paper inside your fortune cookie? Frankly, we doubt it. That's why we're so fond of Lunalux's Fortune Folio, a letterpressed booklet that acts as a repository for all of your pseudo-Zen cookie pronouncements. There's room to note the date, place, and any notes ("First date with Brian," "Excellent moo goo gai pan," "Crazy server").

Also pictured: Chilewich pressed vinyl table mat in citron, $6.50
Fake sushi, $2.00-3.00 each
Fake fortune cookies, $2.00 each

2. Vintage mid-century modern dollhouse furniture, $3.00-5.00 each
These adorable pieces are from the Finnish company Creative Playthings. They're the epitome of everything great about digging around in flea markets and auctions and garage sales--yesterday we'd never heard of or seen these miniatures, and today they're rocking our world. In great vintage condition, especially considering they've been played with (when we were looking over the set we found a teeny tiny doll dress stuffed into one of the dresser drawers).

3. Alphabet Tin Candles, $8 each
These generously sized travel candles come in three of Mine Design's most popular scents: lemongrass, Belgian berry, and gardenia.

4. Pop Tape (Zipper, Barbed Wire, Rainbow), $3.00 each
There are two kinds of people in this world: Those who appreciate patterned packing tape and those who don't. It probably takes both to make the world go 'round, but frankly? We feel sorry for the latter sort.

5. Opaline Bottle Vase (Small), $10
6. Cube Tube Vase, $8
Two great options for when you want a lovely gift that won't break the bank. Choose between the Opaline's milky glass and the the Cube Tube's answer to the bud vase. We also like the Opaline vases in all three sizes (the medium and large cost $14 and $20, respectively) and the Cube Tube vases in groups of three.

7. Beeswax Twist Tapers, $4 each
We think these handmade beeswax candles are the perfect twist (ahem) on the classic taper. Dripless and smokeless, they burn for about five hours.

8. Ringlet Jotter, $6.00
9. Jumbo Desk Clip, $10.50 (okay, we cheated a little on the $10 and under thing)
10. Pencil Tin, $8.50
These desk accessories from Susy Jack are printed in the USA on recycled paper using vegetable-based inks. The jumbo desk clip--which we're sort of obsessed with at the moment, which is why we stretched the parameters of this gift guide a bit--is made of reclaimed wood and backed with cork. Each piece is available in a number of bright colors and different hand-drawn designs (and the line also includes sets of studio clips and desk notebooks). We absolutely love putting a selection of them together, but they make great stocking stuffers singly, too.
Also pictured: Vintage Scissors, $8.00 each

11. Recycled Bicycle Gear Keychain, $8.00 each
This handy key ring is brought to you by the folks at Resource Revival. Because, like your great-aunt Mindy always said, you never know when you might have to open a beer bottle. (Okay, you probably don't have a great-aunt Mindy. But you can't dispute the sentiment.)

12. Knit Fruit & Ice Cream Cone Rattles, $9.00 each
These tasty treats are designed by Yellow Label Kids, a Fair Trade company that gives artisans a fair wage to produce these hand-knitted rattles and other knitted toys (the knit cupcakes and donuts really do have to be seen to be believed). So you can feel good about giving a gift that's insanely adorable and produced under humane conditions.

13. Porcelain Feather Ornaments, $8.00 each
Our favorite new ornament of the season, these handmade feathers come in five different shapes. We like how they echo our current bird obsession.

14. Hangover Chill Pill, $8.00
15. Pill Boxes, $3.00 each
We're not big fans of gag gifts, but the Hangover Chill Pill works both ways: We can think of at least of dozen people who would find it hilarious, but it's also a fully functional morning-after tool (just pop it in the freezer and then slap that sucker on your temple or over your bloodshot eyes). Less gag gift-y and more adorable-yet-practical, these little pill boxes are great for carrying around vitamins or aspirin.

16. Laser-cut metal ornaments, $5.00 each
These ornaments have at least two great advantages: a) They make brilliant packaging decorations, as on the above superbly wrapped present; and b) The ornaments come packed flat, so if you really want to wow the folks on your Christmas card list, it's easy enough to include one of these babies. Or just send one (or three) to a friend who needs a little pick-me-up.

18. Chilewich Pressed Vinyl Table Mats, $6.50 each
Place mats aren't exactly competing with scented candles for go-to gift of the century, but no one seems to be able to resist these dotted mats by Chilewich. Though high-tech, they're also surprisingly lace-like. Simply put, they freshen up a table like nobody's business.
Also pictured: Antique Spoon napkin rings, $4.00 each

That's it for this edition of our holiday gift guide. We hope it gives you a few ideas for your holiday shopping list.

Voting: We're not above bribery

I had to bite my tongue (hard) at a bar the other night when I overheard a guy loudly discussing why he wasn't planning to vote. Although it certainly can seem like one vote won't make any difference, the way I see it is that the only thing that really doesn't make a difference is not voting at all.

That's why Frank & Margaret and other local retailers decided to celebrate Election Day this year by offering an extra incentive to vote:

Our Election Day promotion is, yes, partly organized out of a desire that our neighbors will come out and shop at our businesses. But above and beyond that, we wanted to emphasize  this important day, and share our excitement with our customers. As evidenced by the competing yard signs and bumper stickers around town, we have major disagreements among ourselves. But, at the risk of sounding cheesy, in voting we're standing together. And that really is something to celebrate.

I'll end with this passage from Sarah Vowell's excellent collection, The Partly Cloudy Patriot:

[L]ook up the word "suffrage" in the dictionary. In mine, after noting the main meanings – the privilege of voting, the "exercise of such a right," the third interpretation of suffrage is this: "A short intercessory prayer." Isn't that beautiful? And true? For what is voting if not a prayer, and what are prayers if not declarations of hope and desire?

Esquire: Monster Factory's monsters are great gifts

Esquire magazine has named Monster Factory stuffed monsters as one of the "top gifts for bratty kids & babies." They say:

The names and descriptions of these odd yet charming Monster Factory stuffed animals are worth the price alone. From the phallic-looking "Super Friends Club" to the tattooed "Morley Boys" to "Owen," the blue gorilla, these aren't your usual plush-covered playthings; they look like they would be right at home in one of Damon Albarn's side projects. ($24.99 - $39.99).

We say: Bratty adults like 'em too. Also, Wayne and Mr. Jefferson are our favorites (though El Nino, pictured above, is also pretty darned cute). Though each monster, handmade by artists in Toronto, is visually interesting and highly covetable.  And if you live in these parts, only available at Frank & Margaret.

Disappointment and Top Design

Reality TV is is one of my guilty pleasures and Bravo has a knack for putting a competition show, so I was thrilled when I heard about the first season of Top Design. It suffered from many of the pitfalls of any reality-show debut--a mishmash of questionably talented contestants, some production issues--but it was still pretty darn fun. I have clear memories of the last four designers (Andrea, Goil, Carissa, and Matt) and (surprisingly strong) opinions on each. And the judging panel was pretty top-notch, too: Margaret Russell, editor of Elle Decor; the inimitable potter and designer Jonathan Adler; and Kelly Wearstler, whom I'm not terribly fond of but who's fun to watch in that her outfit tends to be a train wreck. Season One was also hosted by Todd Oldham, who is perfect in every way.

But oh, Season Two is just not doing it for me. Oldham has been relegated to doing some designer cheerleading for a few minutes an episode, and India Hicks (daughter of legendary British designer David Hicks) has been brought in, presumably to fill the "blond with an accent" host-type that's worked so well for Project Runway. India Hicks may be a lovely person, but I loathe her one-note "island style," her designer-by-birthright credentials, and her contribution to the show in general. Plus, unlike Oldham, she isn't BFF with Amy Sederis, she didn't write Handmade Modern or edit the Places/Spaces book series (all of which are available at Frank & Margaret, by the way).

Designer-wise, the field is mostly forgettable. Many of last season's archetypes make a reappearace (wacky Asian guy! loud inexperienced girl!). The only standouts are the recently departed Wisit (aforementioned WAG); Eddie, the bitchy creative director for Martha Stewart Living; and whatshername, Ricky Schroeder's wife. Of course there's also the guy who's won a bunch of challenges, but we can't remember his name, can we?

Not only are these designers forgettable, they simply aren't that good. Don't get me wrong: I would be eliminated in about two seconds were I to appear on Top Design. I wouldn't even make it to the first judging--after screwing up painting a wall so badly on the first day I'm sure the producers would whisk me away and the editors would cut all my footage. As with most reality series, Top Design doesn't really judge which contestant is the best in his or her field, it judges who performs well under tight deadlines, who can motor through the grunt work and still have enough time to add her inimitable touch, and who can present his work in the best light. The skill set required to win this show is wide-ranging. But still, Natalie, the fabulous art student who works at the store on Friday and Saturday, can style a room better and faster than these people. (If you ever drop by and notice a particularly inventive or well-balanced display, you're probably looking at Natalie's work.)

In summary, I remain puzzled. Top Chef is an outstanding show and we can't even taste the food, so I'm unsure why a field that lends itself to the visual can't produce a better reality show. But don't worry, Bravo: I'm still watching. As long as Todd Oldham still sooths the designers with his vaguely kindergarten-teacher voice and Jonathan Adler still enthralls us with his scores of facial expressions.

The perfect Mother's Day card

This is what I'm sending my mom for the holiday:

The card is hand-letterpressed by Blue Barnhouse in Asheville, North Carolina. (The cards we carry are actually green, not purple.) 

Now with free gift wrapping....

Between Mother's Day, Father's Day, weddings, babies, and birthdays, we're giving a lotta gifts this summer. Lucky for us (and you!) we now offer free gift wrapping services. Just come in, pick out a beautiful, and/or quirky pressie, and leave the store with a stylish, beribboned package. No muss, no fuss. And your friends and loved ones will appreciate the care you took in choosing something truly unusual.

For help with all of your gift-giving needs, stay tuned for our $25-and-under gift guide.

And hot off the UPS truck: handknitted alpaca animals from i golfini della nonna. Really too adorable to be believed.

On authenticity & paper

I happened upon a notebook in a shop some weeks ago. It was what I suppose you might call francofaux:  the design and lettering were French, but with a glossy-digital cover and cheaply staple-bound. The notebook was not an homage to a style, and as such an elevation of both the original and the new. It was just a cheap copy (and yes, it was made in China). It made me sad.

I've come to believe that there is no reason to own and use sad stationary. Dozens of small--often
American--companies are making charming notebooks and handcrafted greeting cards, some whimsical or funny, others simply lovely. Though I have long been a lover of everything paper, I never imagined Frank & Margaret would carry paper products. Still, they have become a vital part of the store, and part of the reason for that is each card and notebook is inherently authentic. We have everything from cheeky  hand-letterpressed cards from Blue Barnhouse (Asheville, North Carolina) to Japanese pop-up cards from Greeting Life, bold notebooks from Bob's Your Uncle (Boston) to elegant calling cards from Lunalux (Minneapolis).

Great stationary is an affordable luxury. Unlike, say, a gorgeous, laboriously handcrafted throw pillow, which (especially if made in the United States) might set you back upwards of $200, a five-dollar bill is all you need for an amazing bit of paper.