misosouper, a shopping blog

Granted, what’s local for me probably isn’t local for you; but the Orlando-area shop Luxe & Liberty is deserving of your attention, even if you have to order online instead of popping in to pick out a few choice gifts.  Organized around goods made in America, L&L stocks lines both little and big, from neighborhood artisans to well-known names like Calphalon, Amenity Home, and Pangea Organics.  (See?  I told you they were good.)

Here are my picks:

1.  Skinny Fish Artisan Stationary–produced in small batches by artist Shawn Laughlin; 2.  Leather Photo Album, in prismatic colors; 3.  Kalender Platter, trimmed in platinum and gold; 4.  Herb Bowl with Mezzaluna Chopper–one of those tools you didn’t even know you needed; 5.  Endangered Parrots of the World Chess Set–prohibitively expensive, outrageously fun; 6.  Crocus Rocks Glasses with 22K Accents–hello, hostess; 7.  Chiller Pitcher with Lid–a closed carafe that will keep al fresco flies out; 8.  Chick Chair; 9.  Balustrade Napkins–round and round the table they go; 10.  Aptos Collection Pebble Pendant; 11.  Amber Dard Hunter Rose Thermometer & Clock–outdoor temperature gauges are so underrated; 12.  Teco Art Pottery Orb Vase–lovely lines, from an exactingly reproduced historical collection.

Hurry!  Go!  Misosouper readers can enter LUXE09 at checkout to receive 20% off their first purchase.

The lovelies at Ginko Papers are the Lays potato chips of the stationery world:  you can’t eat just one.  Garin, the owner, sources most of her goods from Japan (how much fun does that sound?  “I’ll take 87 rolls of your squirrel packing tape, please…”), which gives them that fantastic aura of souvenirs from your (her) world travels.  And until Sunday, May 17th, use the code MISOSOUPER for 10% off your order.  I’m stocking up, and so should you.

1.  Tea Ceremony Eraser Set; 2.  Summer Fans Letter Set–oh, how I wish one of these would have landed in my dorm mailbox; 3.  Spring Envelopes and Stickers–I can only imagine the wonders my daughter will stuff in these; 4.  Smiling Latte Postcard; 5.  Shinzi Katoh Lion Notepad; 6.  the perfectly framable River Blossoms Postcard; 7.  Retro Travel Letter Set–vacation-ready; 8.  Pull-Out Squirrel Card; 9.  Mini-Capsule Colored Pencils; 10.  Matryoshka Doll Stickers; 11.  Blue Japanese Masking Tape–check out all the other colors and patterns!; 12.  Butterfly Birthday Card; 13.  Bus Pop-Up Birthday Card; 14.  Aquarium Card–sold out, but too great not to mention; 15. Stretching Cat Notepad.

Or, you will be when you win this amazing print from the Brooklyn artists enormouschampion.  Their bright, graphic letterpressing exudes strength and vigor–one of my favorite cards from their line is entitled, simply, “Battleship.”  Their animals are bold rather than cute  (which, to be honest, is refreshing; Etsy is overflowing with delicately drawn menageries these days):  witness this parade of intrepid brown creatures whose collective brain bubble you can thoughtfully fill in.

enormouschampion has recently partnered with the organization Fabric of Life, which provides women skills training and encourages self-sustainability in Mali, Zimbabwe, Senegal, and Vietnam, in the creation of these stunning L’Afrique de L’Ouest cards.  Printed with soy inks on 100% recycled paper, these just might be my new stationery wardrobe.

But I can’t hoard it all for myself:  leave a comment on this post naming three good things in your life, and we’ll randomly choose a winner to receive a limited-edition “All Good Things” print.  Perfect for hanging over a door or a bed, two places where such benedictions are always welcome.

the fine print:

Comments will be closed and entries will not be accepted after 11:59 pm EST on Sunday, March 29, 2009. The winner will be selected at random on Monday, March 30, 2009, and notified by e-mail. Results of the giveaway will be announced on Monday, March 30, 2009. Misosouper, a shopping blog reserves the right to disqualify entries that are incomplete, inaccurate, or considered spam.

I have a special fondness for artists and shopkeepers that blog, because such public illuminations of their inner workings and inspiration are, well, so illuminating.  Plus, I know how much work it is to stay on top of a blog, so to heap that on to the creative process takes a gritty force of will.

Enter Linda & Harriett:  they letterpress and they blog, both with gusto.  Their colors are bold, their cursive is forthright, and their graphics are confident and simple in the best possible way.  A bespoke wedding invitation (again, that cursive…so assured, so divine!) impresses upon you the import of the event.

So I’ll pen my daily to-do’s on their notepads, which make tasks like “buy stamps” look a little more persuasive, and send my “I apologize for my rowdy two year old” messages on cards that don’t seem to be pandering.  This week, we’re giving away one zigzag notepad and one set of zigzag note cards, both of which will help you take charge of your business.  Leave a comment on this post, describing which object out of Linda and Harriet’s paperie you’d like to use, and why.  For extra entries, you can post about the giveaway on your own website (please include a link in the comments so that we can verify), and/or tweet a link to this post (please include a link in the comments, and use @misosouper in your tweet so that we can verify). One winner will be chosen at random.

the fine print:

Comments will be closed and entries will not be accepted after 11:59 pm EST on Sunday, March 8, 2009. The winner will be selected on Monday, March 9, 2009, and notified by e-mail. Results of the giveaway will be announced on Monday, March 9, 2009. Previous giveaway winners are not eligible.  Misosouper, a shopping blog reserves the right to disqualify entries that are incomplete, inaccurate, or considered spam.

Take your Knock Knock clips that say “Urgent” and “Now,” and hang these letterpressed cards where you can see them.