A Fancy Feast (but Not the Cat Kind) and a Fruitcake

Yesterday I was elated to find a Figi's Christmas catalog in the mail.  In this day of email blasts and virtual stores, there's something to be said for curling up on the sofa and thumbing through page after glossy page of beautiful things.  Figi's happens to be a gourmet food gift catalog and one of several I used to delight in perusing as a child.  I'd imagine all the glamorous people sending each other cheese tortes, baklava, sugared fruit slices, and whole hams.  This year I was particularly tempted by the chocolate-covered potato chips and the mint chocolate cake roll, even as I was put off (and downright flummoxed) by the build-your-own-Reuben kit and antelope sausage.  But, to each his or her own!

Of course, no Christmas food retailer is worth its salt without offering the ubiquitous fruitcake.  Seeing Figi's version reminded me of an especially choice item hibernating in my Etsy favorites:

Fruit Cake Cube Plushie, Cubeless

How cute is this?!  I can't tell you how much I want to carve a place for it in my cluttered cottage (which is saying something considering that I've yet to clear a space for my tree).  I love how the Christmas-bright colors and cute face light up a confection universally accepted to be cringe-worthy.  Such contrast! Such humor!  Such a statement for the season of letting bygones be bygones!      

Etsy Favorites: Hot Dog, it's Almost Summer!

 Felt Play Hot Dog, Fairview Place

Super Dog Magnet, Sick on Sin 

Crochet Hot Dog Headband, You Cute 

Nathan's Hot Dog Print, Rachel Dunlop Photos 

Hot Dog and Fries with Pickle Soap, Sweet Soap Treat 

 The Hot Dog Handbag, With Love Bunny

Chicago-style Hot Dog Hair Clip, Amber Brown Makes Art 

 Vintage Valentine Reproduction Frankfurters, Vince's Illustrations and Fun Stuff Shop

 Hot Diggety Dog Halloween Costume, Smarmy Clothes

Mustard and Hot Dog Charm, Bored Inc.

Last week's Etsy Favorites: In an Octopus's Garden post was inspired by my favorite octopus of all time, Nickelodeon's animated Oswald.  You know, he of the enormous blue head, tiny black derby, and Fred Savage voice.  But in all my excitement, I forgot to mention him in the write-up!  The bf said not to despair, suggesting that I focus this week's Favorites on hot dogs in honor of Oswald's beloved dachshund, Weenie Girl.  So, I rounded up this sweet and silly serving of grill-worthy delights.  Picnic fare never looked so cute!  I like to think that Weenie Girl would bark her approval :)          

Etsy Favorites: In an Octopus's Garden

 Sailor Dot Octopus Coin Purse, Llama Candy

 Senior Octopus Necklace, Unpossible Cuts

 Technocolor Octopus Painting, Sweisbrod

Lime and Black Octopus Tentacle Heart Earrings, Under the Sea Creations

Tako Cute Octopus Pendant Charm, Cutie Savannah 

Sailor Octopus Necklace, Rapscallion Design 

 Cotton Candy Cephalopod Barrette, Honey Bijou

Gold Duct Tape, Octopus, and Peacock Feather Hair Clip and Brooch, B Howery Creations 

Mr. Octopus Matted Art, Cute October 

Rainbow Octopus Notecards, Deepfried

Both cute and mystical, the octopus has featured in pop culture and folklore for centuries.  I for one am so taken with the many-legged mollusk that I'd like to work him (her?) into one of my felt creations.  But for now I'm happy to enjoy the amazing and aquatic items of these ten Etsians.  And not a moment too soon, with Memorial Day on the (sailboat-dotted) horizon.  Want to be a marine maven?  Then float on over to these shipshape shops and start fishing :)                 

Etsy Favorites: Pretty, Pretty Perler Beads

 Over the Rainbow Necklace

Sprinkled Cupcake Ring

Summer Snow Cone Brooch

Very Cherry Headband

Today's Etsy Favorites post is more of an Etsy buys post, as I just received this boxful of gorgeous goodies in the mail from A Self Portrait.  Colorful, girly, and above all else cute, these accessories are created with none other than that childhood craft kit favorite -- Perler beads!  I especially love how each piece is adorned with decorative extras like charms, ribbon, and pearlized beads.  Can't wait to mix them into my summer wardrobe. :)

Etsy Favorites: Snail Mail Wins the Race

 Unicorn Rainbow Magic Notecard, My Zoetrope

 That's Disgusting . . . Tell Me More Postcard, Pretty Girl Postcards

 Favorite (JELL-O) Dessert Tags, Sassy Sadie Lee

I Hear You're Looking for a Bad Boy Greeting Card, Able and Game

Colorful Painted Paper Sheets, Calyrew 

 Oh You Greeting Card, Perch Paper Company

 Frida Kahlo with Black Cat Postcards, Tascha

Floral Vintage Handkerchief Envelope with Love Locks Card, Two Girls and a Trailer

Rainbow High Heels Card, Sam Ossie

Toucans Gift Card Enclosures, Ellen Morrow Arts

These days you're more likely to get a flirty text than a love letter.  Which is all well and good in a pinch.  But typed one-liners and emoticons just don't pack the same punch as the scrawl of handwritten sentiments heralded by one-of-a-kind images.  What's more, you can't tuck a text message into a scrapbook, or put it up on the fridge, or seal it in an envelope smiling with stickers.  I myself have a big stationery collection and love sending notecards to my customers.  So, I thoroughly enjoyed checking out Etsy's paper goods offerings and posting the prettiest, most charming, and most hilarious up on the virtual fridge that is this blog.  Like what you see?  Then stock up, break out your address book, and send a line or two to Great Aunt Maud or your old summer camp bunkmate (provided that you and said bunkmate parted on good terms; The Tote Trove does not wish to promote social awkwardness, not even in the name of kick-ass stationery :)                  

Etsy Favorites: Yowza, it's Yellow!

 Pikachu Kawaii Charm Bracelet, GATUMI

Striped Yellow Full Circle Skirt, Sun's Fashion 

 Pretty Yellow Sparrow Hair Pins, Mookie Designs

Yellow Feather Shoe Clips, Sofisticata 

 Yellow and Gray Dry Erase Board, Recycled Love Letters

I Like Big Books and I Cannot Lie Tote, Pamela Fugate Designs

Shades of Yellow Flower Bouquet, Love Owl Eyes 

The Yellow Submarine Bag, Krukrus Studio 

Bright Yellow Gleam Mineral Eyeshadow, Sobe Botanicals 

Yellow Fabric Flower Statement Necklace, Pretty Necklaces

Earlier this week I dropped a blue ballpoint pen on a much-loved yellow blouse that I was wearing for only the second time.  Needless to say, the ink didn't come out (although not for lack of trying), and I was peeved.  The blouse had been the only one in my size at Kohl's when I bought it, so I went online in search of another and was dismayed to discover that it was sold out there too!  There was nothing for it but to email the good people at Kohl's in the hope that they perhaps had said garment stowed away in some musty storeroom.  The reply was negative, though, so it was back to the brick and mortar Kohl's I went.  They must have restocked, because the old familiar rack was brimming with three of my elusive quarry!  I couldn't control my smile as I snatched one up and marched to the register, all the while thinking about how dramatically yellow can transform a wardrobe.  Thus inspired, I decided to devote today's Etsy Favorites post to similarly sunny specimens.  The bright bunch pictured here represents my favorites, the hues of which fall somewhere between citrus and butter in a sizzling style scampi.  Stomach (and closet) growling?  Then put the pasta pot on boil and scour this shop smorgasbord!                           

Etsy Favorites: Fairies, Sprites, and Gnomes, Oh My!

 The Gnome Home Play Set, Zooble

1950s Style Gnome Dress, Peggy Ray 



 Flower Fairy Dolls and Elves, Tracy's Garden

 Set of Three Wee Woodland Gnomes, Mystic Moor

Retro Garden Gnomes Pillow, Allegra B 

Children's Woodland Gnome Leather Shoes, Bunnyfeet Boutique 

Gnome and Mushroom Sugar Cookie Bites, The Cookie Maven 

 Fairy Flower Choker, My Fairy Jewelry

Full Color Fairy Wings, Whimsy Everlasting

Fairy Ring Cushion, Smith and Scott

When the critters come out of hibernation, so do the lawn ornaments.  And perhaps the most loved and hated of them all is the garden gnome.  Indeed, on a recent episode of ABC's "Suburgatory," Tessa and pal Lisa know that they have crossed the gilded-cage confines of Chatswin into the less desirable territory of East Chatswin when they spot one of the tiny ceramic men in front of a bungalow.  I personally love the cheerful chaps, which is why I'm honoring them and their otherworldly cohorts in this fanciful feature.  Similarly spellbound?  Then flit on over to these shops for goodies that are anything but garden variety.