My Right Brain

Deposit A Gift

Wedding, babies, graduations - life's special occasions (cue sappy music).  Friends often want to mark these celebrations with a supportive gesture, usually it's a gift or a card (which is SO thoughtful and always appreciated) but where is the line drawn officially? 

(stop music)

At what point does telling someone what you want, turn you into a high maintenance, ungrateful, picky beggar?

Seriously though, what happens when you've already got a toaster, all the dishes you need, and two sets of sheets (even if they might not be fancy).  Do you register for new ones just because you can?  Do you tell people NO GIFTS but then they ignore you and get you stuff (you don't need) anyway?  Do you have your parents spread the 'cash is the best gift' gospel?  What if what you really want is to go on your dream honeymoon, or save to buy a house - is it awkward to have people contribute to that?  As if getting married, having a baby, or graduating to life's next chapter wasn't stressful enough - right?  Wrong!

(cue upbeat happy music :)

Deposit a Gift attempts to eradicate the embarrassment that many people feel in asking for money by giving users the tools to create unique cash registries and design/host a free website, all in one place. It's strongest feature (IMHO) is that you can create events by grouping items within a registry.  For example if you create a honeymoon registry, you can break down the cost of your trip into events like 'our flight', 'an afternoon of market shopping', or a 'romantic dinner on the beach'.  I truly love this feature because it allows you to share with your loves one, how you plan to use their generosity.

Times are tough, and people don't want to waste money, but they still want to give you what you want.  I appreciate a modern fix to something that I have seen a lot of friends struggle with, and I actually think this is a brilliant solution.  Now, if only the site also planned your wedding, had your baby, and took those final exams - Deposit a Gift (if you are out there) do you take requests?

Nooo Sugar Housewares

I am loving these textiles and accessories from Nooo Sugar Housewares out of the Netherlands.  They have stuff that is much brighter, but I am especially drawn to the more neutral designs...I want that blanket!  Doesn't it seem like I always want blankets - ha - probably because of this!



Via Busy Being Fabulous

Upside Down Gap

Talk about going for it!  The Gap launched its new loyalty program at the end of last year on Robson Street in Vancouver (a location I am very familiar with since, since I spent a few months living/working on a film literally down the street from this spot).  The tag line for this brilliant campaign “Shopping turned on its head” would have absolutely made me look twice, and I wish I could have stumbled upon this store casually walking down the street - such fun!  Apparently this transformation appeared overnight, and almost everything had been inverted including the store logo, clothes racks that were fixed to the ceiling and even the cars in front of the store.

Via Sweet Station

Jacaranda Home

Last October KL and I traveled to Mexico for an AMAZING Sayulita wedding celebration and although we came home empty handed (not counting Montezuma's revenge which KL brought back with us) we came close to making a few purchases for our apartment.  Particularly when I travel, I like to buy items that are unique to where we are visiting, not only to support their economy, but to bring a little something home from the trip.  Luckily, the internet can transport us anywhere in a matter of seconds, and I was SO happy to find the blanket I fell in love with while we were there (see below).  AM - if you are reading this, you wanted one also, right?  And, it's not really cheating if I get it from Jacaranda Home, is it?

A Novel Way To Cover A Macbook

I have said it before, I am a sucker for packaging and this awesome leather MacBook case that looks just like a vintage book has lured me into it's trap.  Designed exclusively for Apple MacBooks, BookBook features a hardback cover and a padded leather spine that keeps your Mac safe and secure as you shuttle it from place to place. Since it looks like a vintage book, BookBook also disguises your Mac, reducing the risk of theft.

It's like those 'moldy' zip lock bags that disguise your sandwich with green splotches to deter co-workers from stealing your lunch.  Hungry co-workers don't want your gross lunch and thefts don't want to snatch old looking books (unless it's about improving a stealing technique) - this is brilliant!

 
Via BB-Blog