Holiday Gift Guide: Urban Craft Uprising

We will be loading in all of our goodies tomorrow for Urban Craft Uprising and we hope to see you there! To entice you our way--we wanted to show you a selection of our very favorite products/vendors who will be selling this weekend. Make your way over to the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall and say hello! We miss your happy faces.

First column from top to bottom:
1. A favorite graphic pillow from Nell & Mary, $66
2. Don't forget the well-dressed man in your life: a blue and red plaid Bow Tie from Winslow, $45.
3. We love this Sticks & Squares Organic Knit Scarf by local favorite, Jessalin Beutler: $78

Second column from top to bottom:
4. The Durango necklaces by Son of a Sailor (I have the Bright Orange, and love it! -A)
5. For the artist in your life: gorgeous letterpressed sketchbooks from Bison Bookbinding & Letterpress!
6. One of our forever favorite design teams: Slide Sideways's Free and Easy Limited Edition print, $30

Third column from top to bottom:
7. Can't go wrong with handmade cosmetics: Herbivore Botanicals has created this lovely Charcoal Bamboo Soap: just $9 and oh so luscious.
8. Assemble always stocks illustrator Ryan Berkley, but we have none of these awesome new Limited Edition prints in stock! Love this Scout Kitten by Berkley Illustration, $50
9. Snuggle on the modern side with these Cowl Knits by Victory Garden Yarn, $65


We would love to see you there this weekend, and I'm sure all of the above artists and designers would too! Happy Holidays and shop small!

Will You Be My Valentine? // Valentine Picks from Assemble Shop

Looking for a gift for your sweetie? (Or looking for something to conveniently leave open on the computer screen for them to find?) Here ya go! Here are our favorite picks for awesome Valentine gifts. Hurry up though! Some of these are the last ones left in the shop--and I'm not telling you which ones!


1. Assemble Needle-Felted Sweets Crafting Kit, $30. One of our kits of course! We would never miss an opportunity to let you in on these gems, OBVIOUSLY. A sweetie for your sweetie! All funny-business aside, if you're wanting to learn Needle-Felting but want some one-on-one instruction, head over to Drygoods Design's workshop schedule where I'll be teaching this kit in their brand new Make.Do.Mend space. Sign up quick!

2. You Are My Sunshine card by Iron Curtain Press, $5. Our Favorite Friend, Rosanna Kvernmo of Iron Curtain Press has a knack for creating lovely, simplistic Valentines. We love this one.

3. Rosey White + Fuschia 'Dot' Earrings by Vivi Dot, $14. This isn't the only style, but it's definitely the most "Valentiney." Check out all of Vividot's awesome dotty jewelry on our shop.

4. This is the Moment Print by Jessica Swift, $20. A favorite of mine: this print is sweet, hip and oh-so-unique.

5. Me & You Pencils by Knot & Bow, $12. I love these! I use the Meatballs & Potatoes one for French class--no idea why. But as a pencil connoisseur, let me tell you that these are amazing. 1/they don't break. 2/they sharpen well (none of that giant wood splintery-up the side business that you get a lot) and 3/the erasers ERASE. Unlike some pencil erasers that will remain nameless.....

Got a question? Special order? Let us know!

The Best Gifts to Buy a New Mom, by a Non-Mom

In light of our recent events: brand new George coming into the world, I thought I'd put together my perfect list of gifts to give a new mom. Yes, I know I'm not a mom--however, about 90% of my friends are. I hear their gripes, I hear their wants, I read endless Facebook status updates about onesies and diapers. HOWEVER, I still have an anchor to the "I'm just a lady" side of being a woman. Not the mother side--the woman side. So I take pride in enhancing that in even the most exhausted new mom. Below are my favorite gifts to give a new mom:


1. Lipstick. I may take heat for this, but I stand by my choice. It really doesn't matter how cheap or expensive it is. Lipstick is the fastest way to brighten your face. Add a lip balm like this this Clinique Chubby Stick Lip Colour Balm, and a new mom is set. Feeling more fresh, pretty, and moisturized.

2. Comfy, stylish slippers. Let's be honest: Mom's going to be home a lot. Slippers are nice, especially cute ones. Indulge in cuddlies for your pal. My favorite are these Moccasin Slippers from J. Crew.

3. A coupon for pretty much anything is going to make their day. A coupon for babysitting, cleaning, a free meal, a free massage, a date night with their spouse: whatever. Don't forget to bug them to use it though, because most people feel a bit uncomfortable demanding your time.

4. If you're ready to drop some cash, grab them an iPad Mini. Endless breastfeeding entertainment.

5. Another appearance enhancer: chew beads. We've talked about these before, but they are awesome. I don't even have a baby and I think they're adorable. Non-toxic, baby-safe, cute jewelry from baby mamas.

Got any suggestions?

Last Minute Gift Guide for Your Favorite DIYer

I feel like these gift guides always spark some ideas when I read them on other blogs. Regardless of whether you're able to pick up these exact products, they might help you if you're stuck on what to get someone special that just happens to love DIY project. It's the 19th, which means that TOMORROW is the last day to mail packages USPS Priority and have them reach friends and family before Christmas. Hurry, hurry, busy bees! Here are our ideas for a quick, great gift:


1. One of our crafting kits of course! Shameless plug, but we think they're pretty great. Let us know if it's a gift and we'll wrap it up! This one is the Needle Felting Breakfast Kit for $30.

2. Another great kit (even if we didn't make it!) is this Modern Cross-stitch Bamboo Necklace Kit from Red Gate Stitchery, $14. How cute is that chevron pattern? Check out their other kits on Etsy too.

3. From one of our favorite local designers, Slide Sideways, this sweet little pencil case is perfect for artists, crafters, sewers and more. They can keep all their tools and goodies inside! $15 in our shop.

4. This one is for you if you feel like spending a pretty penny on a good friend. The Portrait & Cameo Silhouette Studio® cutting machines are the coolest crafter's tools I've heard of in a while. These little guys can cut a wide variety of materials including paper, vinyl, cardstock, fabric, heat transfer material, etc. Now, if only there was one that cut wood at this price... $199-$299.

5. Last but not least, for the kitchen DIYers, a sweet cake pop kit by Bakerella, $19.95. I've never tried to make cake pops but I've heard they are very difficult. Maybe this kit is something I need?!

We'd love to hear your DIY gift suggestions too!