News from BelleRinger PR

PUTTING OLD WELLIES BACK TO WORK Designer Maxim Velcovsky (Qubus Design) plays with form and function in delightful vases made from rainboots. Workers in the Czech Republic cast porcelain over the rubber then hand detail each piece (take a look at the treads on the soles!). These fun vases come in plain white or this traditional onion design. I'm not sure how to select a left vs. a right boot - I've always bought them by the pair. Very cute decor for an entry or sunroom. (Seen on A+R .)

CARE TO JOIN ME FOR A DRINK? Ever fret about drinking alone? Tired of soulful eyes silently pleading to join you? Some of you may share an experience similar to mine - dog accidentally spills a beer, takes a sniff and a sip, and a beer drinker is born. But there's no need to guiltily sip solo anymore. Thanks to the folks at The Dog Star Brewing Company your faithful companion can safely join you. Happy Tail Ale is an all-natural beef-flavored ale that's non-alcoholic, non-carbonated and fortified with both Glucosamine and Vitamin E. Interestingly, the company is located in California's beautiful Napa Valley, home of many of the most celebrated wineries in the States. (By the way, the doggie in this picture looks almost exactly like my Frankie!)

TRUE KEEPSAKE JEWELRY I have wonderful memories of my great-grandmother and the afternoons we spent playing dominos. The heat and humidity made us retreat to her 1930s-era kitchen where we sat at the table sipping icy soda while contemplating the tiles in front of us. Her old fan was so loud that we sometimes had trouble hearing the baseball game; the radio was always tuned to a baseball game. This domino charm from Chocosho may seem kitschy but sometimes it's the odd or quirky that reveals a precious memory.

HELLO FELLOW CHOCOLATE FANATICS I'm finding so many goodies to share with you in my quest for the perfect chocolate that it's hard to know where to start. Today I came across Moonstruck Chocolate's web site. Reading the description of their chocolate-making process and ingredients hooked me - importing carefully selected cocoa beans, hand-rolling truffles, ensuring a cocoa content of 67 - 70% . . . But the serious drooling began when I looked at the presentation and packaging of these gourmet goodies. This "hand made Thai silk box contains 12 heart shaped hand painted truffles and is packaged with a small book of poetry." Awesome. Or the Chocolate Novel - 15 pieces of heaven in a gold and black book-shaped box. How much better can it get? Send me the name of your favorite chocolatier!

FOOT MASSAGE ANYONE? I found this versatile beach stone doormat while searching for interesting home stuff. We just repainted our house and a new doormat is required to complete the look. This one is made of actual river rocks that are polished and rounded before being hand-applied to indoor/outdoor carpet. The folks at Acacia Catalog mentioned that it makes a great food massager. If so, think of the $$ you can save at the spa! It's also one of those all-natural and environmentally concious products we feel so good about buying.

FOR THE FUSSY FELINE IN YOUR LIFE Many of you know me as a dog lover but I try to show a little love for the feline species. As the owner of a canine who suffers from 'separation anxiety' I understand the lure of independent cats who care for themselves. But I've been told that their notorious reputation for being fussy eaters can be challenging for their owners. (My solution to this problem - let them eat mice!) Here's a buffet set I saw at Muddy Paws that gives fickle eaters a choice at dinnertime. Though it means more dishes to wash at least your kitty will have a selection of dinner entrees to whine about.

A NEW TAKE ON THE TRADITIONAL BOOK BAG Bookworms like myself - rejoice! Caitlin (one of the coolest Indie designers around) at Rebound Designs has crafted a nifty purse for those of us who must take a book with us wherever we go. Similar in concept to cigar box purses, these are made with hardback books. Caitlin's purses range from Freud tomes to the nostalgic Alice in Wonderland pictured here. She's also more than happy to make a custom purse - send her your favorite book and she'll whip up a novel (bad pun) one for you!

DRESS-UP FUN My niece went through the ubiquitous Barbie phase recently. Nothing against Barbie and her anatomically impossible body (not to mention that hair!), but my childhood obsession made me cringe when I had to play with her again. How I wish I'd known about these charming little mice. They and their eight outfits come in a little wooden box; maybe our budding stylists will want to put their clothes away! I found these cuties at PADiLLY - a great site that's full of high-quality, fun, and educational European toys.

WHAT'S A CHANCHITO? This, my lovelies, is a Chanchito , a cute little three-legged pig. These clay treasures are from Pomaire, Chile, where natives give them as tokens of love and goodwill. Do any of you remember the pig decor craze of the early '90s? Followed by Cow Parade? We're currently loving birds but could Chanchitos take us back to pigs? Let me know what you think. (Another great find by Orange Lola.)

SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE Despite my New Year's goal (haven't we all agreed not to say resolution?) I've found a sweet that I can safely have in my house. This yummy cupcake pillow (yes -it's a pillow!) is only one in the food collection at The Sofa Garden . Kellie designs pillows and cushions to fit every style of decor. Looking for something contemporary? See her Mod Spots and Alchemy collections. Other groups are Wine & Martini, Rustic Decor, Garden Inspired - and many others. The size and heft of the pillows is impressive - the wine bottle pillows are 3x the size of a bottle and just as hefty. I can't say enough good things about The Sofa Garden's products - you'll have to take a look for yourself!

RE-USE, RECYCLE, RE-GIFT These are the 3 big Rs in my household. So when I find something beautiful and recycled I'm always pleased. Today I came across these charming plates from Esther Derkx. She takes 'cast-off' and vintage porcelain pieces and adds fun screenprints to dainty plates (available in sizes ranging from 4" - 9"), platters, soup bowls and teapots. I can just visualize a candlelit room with white linens, the 'real' silver, Esther's porcelain - and a box of gourmet chocolate! See more pictures of this eclectic tableware at Rose and Radish .

A MODERN TAKE ON AN OLD ART I stumbled across some gorgeous cards recently. Petite Prints allows you to customize their products by sending in a sideshot picture of a person, animal, etc. Owner/artist Susie makes a silhouette of the photo which can be printed on cards, stationery, notecards, gift tags, paperweights - even t-shirts and needlepoint kits. Silhouettes have always been popular - look at those cool iPod commercials - and Susie makes it affordable to put them on items you'll use and share with others. These would also make great gifts - take a friend's photo and put it on gift tags for her to use. But the needlepoint kits are my personal favorites - Susie has scads of color combinations that she handpaints on the canvas when she receives a photo and order. I just ordered an espresso-colored silhouette on a mustard background (there goes my craft budget for the month!).

LOOKING FORWARD TO SPRING BLOSSOMS This chilly winter weather (yes, it can get cold in California!) has me longing for the arrival of spring and fresh flowers. I came across this beautiful vase by Swedish designer Karin Eriksson; it's a great reminder that spring will be here someday. Fill it with some green foliage or silk flowers to keep your yearning at bay. The ceramic transfers used by Karin very cleverly spill over the lip into the inside of the vase - giving us more blooms to enjoy. You can find more of her lovely pieces at Rare Device .

AROMATHERAPY GOES TO THE DOGS! Though I don't consider myself an over-the-top doggie owner - no nail polish, faux fur clothing or crystal jewelry in Frankie's (my canine) wardrobe - I recently found a product that makes our lives together much more enjoyable. Aromatherapy for dogs may sound a little 'Californian' but that's where we live. This line of candles from Hands N Paws may be a life saver for doggies with separation anxiety - yes, it's a real condition that plagues Frankie when I leave the house. With a pleasant scent that we humans enjoy - lavendar is my favorite - it also contains a secret ingredient that can be detected solely by our little friends. For those of you who haven't - I dare you to try aromatherapy for your doggie!

MY FIRST PROJECT FOR 2007 Today I found myself obsessing over the lovely patterns and items on the Deadly Squire site. I would love to take one of their patterns - the Wandering Oak is my current favorite - to use as a theme for a couple of room redecorations. In fact, that may be a great project for 2007. But until that happens I'll be very happy when indie designer Ann Wood makes another plush little bird just like Ida. She can perch in any room without calling too much attention to its questionable decor.