Fish in the snow

You may want to bring your fish inside during the winter because they look as good inside the home as they do outside, but what a treat to see these swimming through the garden on a winter's day!     Tyson M. Weiss' ceramic fish can stay outside year round, even in cold climates. Stoneware clay fish that have been fired to maturity take on the quality of stone and do not absorb water.   Fish in the garden are sold individually or in schools of three and six. Made by hand in Maine (which is pretty close to locally fished).

Queen Bee bags have arrived!

They're here! We sent a wish list to Queen Bee in Portland, Oregon, and have been standing at the door waiting for UPS to arrive ever since. Today was our day!

(and boy is the UPS man relieved)

Truckette is waterproof PVC-free faux leather. Exterior pockets: 2 on front underneath flap, 2 on back with snap closures. One interior divider pocket with snap tab closure. Body, flap, and pockets are fully lined with grey water resistant nylon, flap has two snap closures. Adjustable strap made from very strong post-industrial seatbelt webbing for shoulder & cross-body wearing. All Truckettes are made with black bodies regardless of flap color or design. Inner Dimensions: 10” wide x 9” high x 5” deep. Strap Length: 30” at minimum, 60” at maximum

Trucker is just like it, but bigger (and with 3 front pockets). Inner Dimensions: 15” wide x 11” high x 4.5” deep Strap Length: 30” at minimum, 60” at maximum.

Here are the truckers and truckettes we have in stock:

We should mention that if you see something you want, you should stop reading and call the Cove Road gallery, stat. 508-247-9172

The Maximo wallet has a zippered section for money and change. 2 sections for checkbooks, receipts, etc. 6 pockets for cards. Interior features complementary colored pockets & lining. Orange, Turquoise, and Yellow wallets have “fleather” linings, Russet and Mist Blue wallets have grey nylon linings. Snaps shut at corners. Constructed with high quality, pvc-free faux leather.

Accommodates passport. Size: 8.5” x 4.75”

Maximos in stock:

Coin purses ($17!) are constructed with high quality, waterproof, PVC-free faux leather, with an equally high quality YKK zipper top closure. Size : 4” wide x 3” high

Here are your choices:

And then there's the Snippet. It's a card case, but better. 3 pockets for carrying cards or cash. Interior features complementary colored pockets. Single snap closure. Decorative scalloped edge. Size : 4.5” x 2.75” Constructed with high quality, pvc-free faux leather.

(are you on the phone yet?)

The Daily Tote is waxed canvas exterior with a spacious fully lined interior and water-resistant Cordura nylon. Snap closures at top of bag and at sides to increase or decrease capacity of bag. 2 open interior pockets. Dark brown leather straps: length = 11”, strap drop (space between top of strap and top of bag) = 5”. There are rings at sides for attaching a cros-body strap (not included). Purchase a separate adjustable strap to wear bag across body. Size: 12.5” wide, 5” deep, 15” tall .

And finally, the Edie - constructed from dark grey industrial felted wool. It is strong, biodegradable (!), renewable & water resistant. Classic turn-lock on tab closure. Spacious fully lined interior with blue and white striped cotton ticking. 2 interior pockets with snap closures. Base of bag reinforced with stiff board for shape & sturdiness. 11” wide x 14” high x 4.5” deep. PVC-free faux leather straps: 18.5” long with 10.5” strap drop (space between top of strap and bag). Dry clean. Edie is $72.

We are so happy to offer these bags. The people who make Queen Bee bags are so nice, and look like they had a lot of fun making them. That has to translate into a bag that's happy to carry, wouldn't you think?

Provence Platters

After college, I spent a year in Germany as a nanny. One of my duties was to assemble the abendbrot in the evening.

Since we ate our main meal at noon, the evening meal was a spread of all things deliciously German: bread, cheese, wurst, pickles, jam and something called quark that's somewhere between yogurt and cream cheese.

Yes, I put on a few pounds. Why do you ask?

Everything was laid out on platters in the middle of the table, with small wooden boards at each person's place. We'd then all tuck in and graze to our hearts' content.

That's why every time I see these Provence Platters in the gallery, I get hungry.

Australian Marketing + Design reclaims wine barrels, giving them a second life as bowls and platters bearing authentic cooper's marks. Surfaces are smoothed and finished with layers of food-safe, organic beeswax. They come as round platters (above) and long, curved platters (scroll down). They're repurposed, but haven't had their former life polished out of them. Each one is different

The photo doesn't do justice to the iron handles. They're substantial - forged by artisans in a Brooklyn foundry. Round platters are also available with a lazy Susan base. Nifty.

Wouldn't that be a lovely thing to serve dinner on? 

Guten appetit!

Click here to see them online, or come visit us in the gallery to see them in person. 

Vacation Homes - bird style

We love these birdhouses by Cape artist Sal DeSantis! We have one made of wine boxes (above), a couple little cottages, some very elegant two-story dwellings and a couple that defy simple description. Take a look at the collection on our website, or stop by the gallery (25 Commercial Street, Wellfleet) to see them in person.

Sal is a Harwich Port resident. He has been pursuing his avocation in woodworking - especially designing and constructing birdhouses - for more than 35 years. His unique style offers a wide selection of hand made aviary structures featuring single and multiple dwellings suited for exterior or interior use. All houses are designed to accommodate specific species of songbirds including chickadees, titmice, sparrows, nut hatches and wrens to name a few. They are proven nesting houses. His goal is to provide an artistically pleasing structure that will enhance any garden and offer an environmentally friendly home to our feathered friends.

Imagine how happy your neighborhood birds would be.

History you can sit on

In 2010, a discovery was made at the site of the old Charlestown Navy Yard. During an excavation, massive naval timbers were found - dating back to 1761. These timbers were intended for use in building the USS Constitution and other vessels of the Tall Ship era.

These are those timbers.

Mystic Seaport was contacted about this discovery and Quentin Snedicker, the project manager for the rebuilding of the whale ship The Charles W. Morgan, came immediately. He was quoted in the Boston Globe as saying "Each piece by itself is a historical artifact." (read the article)

Mystic Seaport and Weathered Benches acquired the timbers, and are now offering these gorgeous benches at our Commercial Street Gallery. You can see them on our website - but please call to order. Each one is different.

Don't miss them! 

Jill McGowan - just arrived!

We have new shirts, dresses and jackets from Jill McGowan in Orleans! She makes some of our favorite, most frequently worn clothes.

Gifts under $50

What do all these things have in common? They're under $50 and ready to be gift wrapped! Beautiful gifts in every price range.

Ornaments!

We have the cutest Patience Brewster ornaments hanging in our window. Flying pigs, French hens and a... fish driven by an insect?

There is never a dull moment around here.

The Christmas Pickle

The first person to find the Christmas Pickle hidden on the tree gets... what?

At this point you're either ready with the answer or have no idea what we're talking about. Frankly, we had no idea either until we received our first order of glass pickles. The Christmas Pickle is an Old World Christmas Tradition, handed down to us by Salusa Glassworks.

Traditionally, the first person to find the Christmas Pickle hidden in the tree gets a little something extra. In some families, the finder can open the first gift on Christmas Eve, while other families give an extra gift to the lucky pickle person.

We were told this is a German tradition, but one of our colleagues thinks it's entirely made up.

What do you think? Do you hide a Christmas Pickle in your tree? Do you think it's hogwash? Please weigh in!

Bread Pots!

I've been making no-knead bread since reading about it in the New York Times a few years ago. It makes a loaf of bread that will amaze your friends - if it ever gets that far. In our family, the bread never lasts more than an afternoon.

Why am I telling you all this? Because Judith Motzkin's been making no-knead bread, too. And where I had to do with an odd covered casserole, she up and made herself a bread pot.

To our great delight, she made enough to share with us. Here are some getting ready for the kiln:

Come by to pick one out in person, or email us for photos of current stock. They're all slightly different and each one has Judy's rye bread recipe written inside the lid so you'll never forget how to make the easiest bread ever.

Bread pots include a little note from Judy that says "because I needed one."

We need one, too.

Jill McGowan

Just in - beautiful new shirts from Jill McGowan! We love her style and her attitude:

"I'm often asked if I'm doing anything 'green.' More than a gimmick, clearly, quality is green. Clothes you love and wear again and again? Green. Fabrics and fine workmanship that last? Green. And a garment designed and made right here in the USA? Knock a few feet off your carbon footprint!" - Jill McGowan

It turns out Jill McGowan is yet another thing we have in common with Martha Stewart.* She likes Jill's white shirts as much as we do.

*(we knew there was something)

McKenzie River Pottery

These? Crack me up.

Horseshoe Crabs

These? Are cool.

Ceramic horseshoe crabs by Mark Rea. 8.5" wide x 18" long. $185. Hang them on a wall or set them on a table.

They're in Wellfleet - go get one! Or call and have it swim to you.

Speaking of horseshoe crabs, have you seen Allison Argo's documentary on them? Crash: A Tale of Two Species (click to watch full episode).

Allison makes documentary films for PBS' Nature series. We dig her.

Hardwear by Renee

In today's episode of What is Susan Freaking Out About in the Gallery Now? we meet this lovely Hardwear by Renee handbag:

Yes, the picture is taken at my house because I succumbed to the charms of this particular bag. In the background is the zucchini plant that is plotting world domination. But that is neither here nor there.

Things I love about my brandy spandy new Hardwear by Renee handbag:

• It is made from leftover marine vinyl, which means it's environmentally friendly AND can be wiped off.
• The bottom is wood, so it stays flat instead of flopping over and spilling its contents all over the place.
• I get tons of compliments about it and everyone wants to know where I got it.
  

We don't have them up on the website (someone was too busy picking out which one she wanted to take pictures), but if you call the gallery, they can tell you what sizes and colors are available. 508-247-9172 (Orleans) or 508-349-7939 (Wellfleet)

And then you can just sit back and acknowledge the compliments.

shopping

I think it's time for a new feature column. We'll call it "What Will Susan Buy Today?!"

Today's a good time to start the column because I am less ashamed of my purchase today than usual. I am not, for instance, buying a whole set of pasta plates. Today I am buying book darts.

What, you may ask, are book darts? So glad you asked. They are copper bookmarks that clip to your page. They are pointy, so you can put them right where you left off and not have to read the same page over and over again because you are easily distracted and has that toast popped out of the toaster yet?

They look like this:


And when you put them on a page, they look like this:


These are all shiny and new because I just opened the tin. Over time, they will darken and get an antique look (which I prefer).

There are 50 in this tin, which should be just about right. I have about 30 books in progress. Or there are those pages I want to go back to for The Perfect Quote. There are enough darts to leave a few in books on the shelf. And I'll put one in my day timer, to replace the paper clip. They are genius, I tell you.

Book darts, the purchase du jour. $10 for a tin of 50 at your friendly neighborhood Left Bank Gallery.

Meanwhile, Audrey's at the New York Gift show doing some shopping of her own. We can't wait to see what she orders!