Tag: coffee

Holiday Shopping: New Mugs!

~ Bess Paper Goods & Gifts ~ Leave a comment

Well friends, we are officially in holiday shopping season! I hate Black Friday crowds, so I do most of my shopping early or online (mostly from small businesses though!), and I’ve just launched a new product line perfect for gifting!

feathers_mug_8287

 

Custom mugs featuring watercolor illustrations, motivational phrases and personalized designs are now available in the shop! Some designs, like those above, are favorite prints or cards already in the shop, while others are brand new!

kickass_8283

One of my favorite designs is the first of several watercolor monogram designs. I’m hoping to release new designs seasonally, and this first wintery monogram features my original burgundy and blush floral elements. Order any letter here!

monogram_2105p.s. You can also find the paper flowers in the mug photos in my shop! Check out this section. Happy shopping!

Wash your hands!

~ Bess Paper Goods & Gifts ~ 1 Comment

Maybe it’s a ridiculous thing to get hung up on, but the new disposable hand towels from Kleenex really irk me. A public restroom is one thing, but you really can’t share a towel with the people you live with? Here are some fabulous alternatives!

First up, for the kitchen:

Coffee is one of life great pleasures (read: my greatest vice) and this flour sack tea towel is perfect for the java lover in your life. The illustrations have such a lovely quality—imperfect but clearly purposeful.

Another flour sack towel—have I mentioned how amazing these are in the kitchen?—this one emblazoned with an aqua banana-seat bicycle. This one just happens to go with my plans for the decor of our new kitchen…just sayin’

And for the bathroom:

Infuse your lavatory with just a little bit of punk—these hand-appliqued towels are just the thing!

If you just can’t bring yourself share a towel, this embroidered number ought to keep your hubby’s grubby mitts off. Love ’em!

Sarcastic Monday

~ Bess Paper Goods & Gifts ~ Leave a comment

I treasure my coffee mug collection. It’s equal parts hand thrown pieces by yours truly (with the early pieces so heavy they’re able to do double duty as a door stop, overqualified paper weight or deadly weapon) and mugs that possess some quality that made my unable to pass by without purchasing—they’re just the right shape for my hands, so large you can eat a full meal out of them, the inside is glazed with the most perfect blue known to man…etc.

However, since my snarkiest friend Sarah showed me this little gem above—which I now covet with my whole heart—I’ve been thinking about mugs that say something. Something funny, yet just a little bit cruel. (All together now, “Just like you!” Feel better? Me too.)

Anyway, to that end, I present: Sarcastic Mug Monday! [WARNING: Don’t scroll down to the bottom of this post if you’re not a fan of curse words…Mom!]

Always a reliable source for paraphernalia covered in the phrases you think, but never say, The Onion store carries the mug above. Now, I don’t have my interns get me coffee, but I think I’ll get the mug and use it around the office nonetheless, just to remind them that I could.

Yeah, I know it’s a water bottle, but it’s so perfect I couldn’t pass it up. I need it!

If you like your cynicism hand-painted, In a Glaze is your mug mecca. I also thoroughly appreciate that this baby can hold a generous 24 ounces of caffeinated goodness!

In case you were wondering, this phrase can also be plastered on a beer stein. So when you drink too much to be clever, your beverage of choice can do it for you. Brilliant!

Last but certainly not least…the promised profanity. This little guy is hand thrown and made to order by Jennifer of JMN Pottery. Despite the excellent craftsmanship, you might want to confine this specimen to the privacy of your home.

Driftless Studio

~ Bess Paper Goods & Gifts ~ 1 Comment
Anne Connor with her award-winning Boy Band
Anne Connor with her award-winning "Boy Band" photograph

622 press cards are now carried at Driftless Studio, which is owned and operated by Anne Connor. Anne is an amazing nature photographer, and the gallery exhibits much of her work as well as that of local and international artists. The shop carries everything from hand-woven rugs to unique jewelry to handmade crayons, and of course Anne’s photography graces coasters, mousepads, canvases and more.

She picked up my vintage owl notecard, plum and silver feathers note card and two colorways of my gone to seed note card. Driftless Studio is located at 2981 Cahill Main in Fitchburg, just behind The Great Dane on Fish Hatchery Rd.

Books and Brew, a delightful coffee shop in my hometown of Milton, WI, also decided to carry my cards full time. They picked up a few holiday designs last year, and the new owner Carla ordered a few of almost all of my notecard designs as well as one of each of the limited edition prints. She’s doing some really exciting things with the store including an expanded menu and earlier hours and giving the whole shop a facelift.

Miltons Old Junction Mill
Milton's Old Junction Mill

Books and Brew is located at 613 W. Madison Ave., in Milton’s recently restored Old Junction Mill, which is also home to The Red Rooster and Peddlar’s Loft. If you’re in the area you should definitely make a point to stop by!

Iowa City

~ Bess Paper Goods & Gifts ~ Leave a comment

I’m sitting in a room at the Sheraton in the middle of downtown Iowa City, and I think I’m falling in love. Don’t worry, I’m not going to get all sappy on you, I’ve just spent the last two days exploring this fantastic city!

Surrounding our hotel is block after block of adorable boutiques and restaurants.I particularly love the Capanna coffee and gelato shop which shares its location with The Wedge Pizzeria. Our first night in town, we grabbed a quick slice at The Wedge — which was nothing special — but the next morning, I got a latte from Capanna (not bad!) and some of the best eggs benedict I’ve ever had from The Wedge. In place of a heavy hollandaise, they top off a perfectly poached egg with a lovely lemon herb cream sauce — so good!

I spent the rest of the morning shopping and made sure to stop by RSVP — an amazing stationery and paper shop. The clerk was incredibly friendly and we got to talking about letterpress and all the wonderful pieces they have. I also stopped by Iowa Artisans Gallery, which sells pieces by local and national artists, including one of my favorite Madison ceramicists. On the way back, I swung by the mall which houses a nice variety of stores for being so small — University book store, a cute imports shop where I got some great handmade scarves, Express which has the cutest New Years’ dresses, and a giant Dick Blick that I spent almost an hour in!

Anyway, if you happen to be in the area, take a half a day at the very least to walk around Iowa City’s downtown and enjoy the great things it offers!