personalized journal

there's a new journal-maker coming to the interwebs. they're called book block and their kickstarter opens tomorrow. the cool bit about them is that they take your artwork or photo and make a personalized journal that's truly yours. they emailed to ask if i'd be interested in making one and in blogging about it. and being a bit of a journal junkie, i couldn't say no. but, i'm having trouble deciding what photo i want on my cover. do i go with minifigs for fun? something from the garden? cats? do i scan some of the coloring book pages i've done and use one of those? i really can't decide. what would you put on your own personal one-of-a-kind journal?

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here's haruki murakami's desk.

uncommon gifts for an uncommon wedding

we're attending husband's cousin's wedding in a few weeks. it's a part of the family i've never met, so i don't know the happy couple at all. all i know is from the informal invitation we received. i guess when couples are older, they dispense with the usual formalities, so, in this photocopied missive, we've been asked to dress casually and bring our own meat for grilling. and although they said that bringing a gift is not a requirement, they did include a little wish list. well, thinking that it's only right to bring a gift when attending a wedding, but balking at the desired gift card to H&M or a microwave, i went in search of more creative options for the happy couple. it was then that i came across uncommon goods. it's a pretty cool site - they work with individual artists and craftspeople and small producers to source unique gift items, which they then send directly to your door, bypassing that whole getting dressed in proper clothing and leaving the house thing.

here are some ideas for the wedding gift...

should it be this beautiful blue bowl with a felt jacket made by ontario artist melissa schooley? 

or this whimsical little rowboat salad bowl? 

or this fabulous pitcher that keeps your white wine cold without watering it down 

(ok, that one might be more up my alley than theirs, i'll admit).

this set of rainbow bright wine glasses would be awesome with that pitcher. 

maybe this sweet little elephant necklace would remind the bride of her african home. ok, i realize that's not a great wedding present since it's only for the bride, but that gift card for H&M request threw me off a bit.

maybe this three pillow set would be more appropriate?

i can't really decide - which would you choose?

or would you choose something else entirely?

i know it sounds weird, me throwing this out there like this,

but honestly, you guys know them as well as i do.

and while i was there, i fell a little bit in love with the shower squid. i think i might just have to have one for our shower. sometimes you don't know that you really need something until you see it.