Monday, November 12, 2012

Small business holidays - Post #1: Peek...aren't you curious?

I am in the incredibly fortunate position of being an aunt to possibly the cutest 2 year old little boy named Ben.  

Now, finding cute boys clothing is so much harder than finding cute girls clothing.  Which means that every time I do find it, I simply have to buy it.  Christmas around the corner is a technical excuse.

This past weekend, I went on a store visit to Treasure & Bond in SoHo where I discovered Peek and bought this {made in the USA} T-shirt that says "Brave men run in my family."  

It's especially perfect as Ben's dad, my brother Max, is a Captain in the U.S. Army, and I'm proud to say, especially being Veteran's Day today, that nothing could be more true.

They only seem to have large sizes on the Peek website or if you are in NYC, you should definitely check out Treasure & Bond.    Extra cool about Treasure is that they donate 100% of profits to charities benefiting children in NYC.

And we just shipped them their opening order of alexandra ferguson pillows.  So obviously, their 'cool' factor just got epic.

Friday, November 9, 2012

Gift Tags by alexandra ferguson

Gift with purchase!

The experience of unwrapping a gift can be one of the most delightful things this time of year.  So we thought we'd add a little alexandra ferguson sass to it with our super fun gift tag stickers.

You know the little side-explanations you say when you hand your gift to someone?  Those were the inspiration behind these tags.   Have fun with them - I think you'll find the perfect tag for each gift on your list this year.

And the best news yet is that we are including a sheet of them FREE with every order on alexandraferguson.com, from now until December 20th.


Thursday, November 8, 2012

Small business holidays - Post #1, Charley Harper Dining Ware

Gift buying is one of my favorite things to do.  Often I'll be thinking of clever ideas months in advance. I listen up year-round for clues and ideas, and think carefully about what item matches each person's personality, and then scour the market for the most beautiful version of it.

Not lying - I bought a stocking stuffer for my mom in August.  It's a velvet beaded Union Jack tree ornament I found in London during the Olympics.  She is English, and her New York home has a serious case of Anglo-fever.  So now the christmas tree can be branded as well.  Trust me - it's perfect.

(She's not very high tech - low risk I've just spoiled the fun for her ;)

This year, I'm adding a layer of fun and making a pledge to do all my holiday shopping with small businesses.

My parameters are self-defined.  Generally I want to shop independent retailers and e-commerce sites (like the ones I sell to) and buy products from small designers (like me).  Either/or, good.  Both? BAM!

Big box stores with mass produced goods?  Not this year.

I love nothing more than a challenge, and I think my friends and family will get the most interesting and fun gifts ever.

So, more things I love:
1. Dining ware & tabletop accessories
2. Birds in art
3. Mid-century modern aesthetics, bold graphics, color blocking

Conclusion: Charley Harper is one of my most favorite artists, and WHAM! Todd Oldham partners with Fishs Eddy (incredible NYC eclectic dishes store) to put Charley Harper images on glasses, plates and trays.

I left their email blast announcement open on my computer for two days to let my pitter-patter heart calm down.

Birds Glasses (Box of 4) - Click Image to CloseFlamboyant Feathers Platter (14") - Click Image to CloseFish & Waterfall Small Tray (8") - Click Image to Close
Don't forget mugs, dishtowels and aprons.  (Seriously, you even did an apron?)
Upside Downside Dish-Towel - Click Image to Close
Cereal bowl fetish?  Meet Big Fish.

Big Fish Bowl (20 fl. oz.) - Click Image to Close
Available for sale on charleyharperartstudio.com or click here

(Wait - is this series of blogs going to turn into a list of things I'd like my friends to buy for me??  No, no, promise...it's just that sometimes I find the gift before I find the recipient...and keep in mind, I do include myself on my list of people to buy presents for...and I'm OK with all that.)



Wednesday, October 31, 2012

I love this place

I'll admit it.  I didn't take Sandy seriously until Monday night around 10pm when 90mph winds finally knocked our power out.

Take away a girl's ability to blow dry her hair, and it's amazing how fast she will start paying attention.

Suddenly starved of never-ending television news feed, the fear of not knowing took over.  I lay in bed listening to the wind, waiting for the ominous crack of "that tree" to come crashing through the roof above my head.

In the morning, a friend called on my dwindling cell phone to report in - the subways, the tunnels, the fires, the failed generator in the hospital...described in vivid, horrifying detail.  "I have to go.  My battery is dying."  I didn't want to hear any more.  It was only 8am - what else was yet to be reported?  I felt guilty for being so cavalier about the threats all weekend.

OK, Sandy.  You win this one.

All morning, as the pictures and the stories unfolded, I felt on the brink of tears with a vague nausea in my stomach.  Surviving the storm suddenly seemed like the easy part - now it looked like long dreary weeks lay ahead of us to slowly put the city back together.  Adrenaline rush over, I yearned for normal life.

But then something cool happened.  Then the victories started coming out.  Amidst the rubble, cool things were happening - things that were BETTER than if Sandy hadn't visited.

My downtown NYC friends without power or water migrated north, camping out together, chatting the evening away over bottles of wine.  Someone told me they had to reschedule a very stressful interview in Florida, which meant 5 more weeks of angst, but also 5 more weeks to prepare, and next time she won't have to rush back so she is going to make a holiday out of it.  My friend recovering from surgery last week got to spend this week working calmly from home, healing and relaxing.

For me, our *awesome* New York Times feature in the Sunday Styles section had a captive audience all day Monday, on top of Sunday, and we had near record breaking sales.

And suddenly, with so much gone, I felt overwhelmed with gratitude for the things I had left.  My home still has no power, but thankfully my studio was powered up.  So we plan to take hot showers and cook meals here for the next week or so until the grid comes back on.  It's inconvenient.  But rather than complain, I find myself thanking the Universe all day long.  Staples was open and I got to buy printer ink - Yes!! Printer ink!!

There are so many tragic stories from Sandy's devastation.  So many people who have it so much worse than me, and my heart goes out to them.  But I also believe that from every tragedy, comes something good.  Even if it's a tiny thing.  And it doesn't make up for all the bad things, but maybe it offsets it a little bit.  Like meeting a new friend.  Or spending evenings by candlelight talking with your family, instead of glazed over the television.  Or simply experiencing the sincere kindness that people show one another in desperate times.  Sandy, like other tragedies before her, has brought out the best in us.  I'm proud to be a New Yorker, and I'm reminded how much I love this place.

So, in a strange way, thanks Sandy.








Friday, May 11, 2012

Dekalb Market - May 12 & 19 2012

If you are local to the NYC area and want a fun experience in this gorgeous May sunshine, come to the Dekalb Market Saturday May 12 and Saturday May 19.  I'll be there (with my Roving Ambassador, Mom, in tow) with hundreds of pillows for sale.  We've pulled the gamut for this special event - classic best sellers like (holiday appropriate) Call Your Mother and the wedding-season favorite Happily Ever After, to one of a kind rare styles like Empire State and Super!  We are pricing them to move, so if you have been a fan of alexandra ferguson and itching for a pillow of your own, this is the event for you. 

For directions and information about the fair, visit dekalbmarket.com.
May 12 (day before Mothers Day!!) they are having a live house DJ in the later side of the afternoon.  And if the weather is anything like today (which it is supposed to be) I totally expect it to be a rocking good time.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

the lab

Have you checked out our flagship website, www.alexandraferguson.com lately? Not only can you find the entire alexandra ferguson collection there, including favorite best sellers like "Be Nice or Leave" as well as juicy new styles for Spring 2012 like "Heart Throb" and "Be Brave" (personal favorite & motto), but also a sneak peak of NEXT seasons new collections in The Lab.

The really cool thing about The Lab is that I can bring you my latest ideas that I'm just too excited about to save away for another six months. And I know in this little capsule collection that I've just watched some new best sellers be born. Be sure to check out "I'm Great," "I Love This Place," and "I Try To Behave." A future classic without doubt is "There Were Rules?"





It's official: I have caught the Pinterest bug. Follow me as I troll through the web finding things that blow my mind and make me giggle. Personal rule - I'll only pin it if it makes me go "woah." Check it out - http://pinterest.com/alexandrahome. You just might get some insight into my quirky little mind.