Fun Stuffs!

We're super excited about the next show we've got coming up in the Shoppe. Artist Neil Freese will be gracing our space with a fun, colorful installation full of drawings, paintings, and perhaps even a little string art! We'll be celebrating the opening of the show in collaboration with ReadyMade magazine, which features Neil's fantastic God's Eyes on the cover of its current issue. Neil will be in the Shoppe on Sunday June 8th from 2-5 showing us all how to make our own. So please come join us, it's going to be a super fun, interactive, DIY and art extravaganza.

Also in the current issue of ReadyMade is a story I wrote about Conn & John of Cuckoo for Coconuts who are living large (and off the grid) on an amazing piece of property in Maui.

Hope to see everyone on the 8th!!

Photo assignment: Multiples

Here are our "multiples"! Next week's photo assignment is "texture". Please get your images in before next Thursday at 1pm. (email them to info@curiosityshoppeonline.com) Hope everyone is having a great week!

Derek's photo

Lauren's photo

Joelle's photo

Sophia's photo

Tom's photo

Linda's photo


Conn's photo


Ben's photo

Bev's photo


Kristi's photo

Paige's photo

Blade of Glory

Ever since we did a story in ReadyMade about wet shaving, I've been completely (and pretty uncharacteristically) obsessed with it. I used to dread it, and would have probably turned into a beardo if it weren't for my darling wife, but now I find shaving to be an enjoyable ritual that I actually look forward to. So when we were in New York last week, I took a quick moment to sneak over Freemans Sporting Club for a traditional shave and a hair cut. It was amazing. Something about all those creams and sprays and hot towels and some burly dude with a blade to my throat was oddly relaxing and totally exhilarating at the same time. It was a fun new experience, and even though it cost more than 2 bits, it was totally worth it.

City: Part 2

Here are the rest of the "city" photos from today - thank you so much to everyone to sent one in! Speaking of cities, we had a great week in NY visiting friends and checking out all the fun and exciting new designs at the furniture fair and stationery show. But as always, it is great to be home.

Next week's photo assignment is: "multiples". If you'd like to participate, please email us your photos before 1pm next Thursday!

Derek's photo

Lauren's photo

Kristi's photo

Paige's photo

Jannie's photo

Laura's photo

Photo assignment: City

Parnell's photo

Bev's photo

We are about to get on an airplane, so we'll post the rest of this week's "city" photos later on today!

Photo assignment: Bloom

Thanks to everyone for their lovely "bloom" pictures! Next week's assignment: City

Derek's photo


Lauren's photo


Jannie's photo

Paige's photo

Sophia's photo

Parnell's photo

Tom's photo

Conn's photo

Kristi's photo

Linda's photo

Sarah's photo

Molly's photo

Joëlle's photo

Laura's photo

Reason I love libraries #255

As if free books, dvds, magazines, newspapers, internet, and peace and quiet weren't enough, the San Francisco public library is offering yet another enticing reason for you to hit your local branch: Free Craft Classes. Throughout the month of June you can learn all kinds of great stuff, from creating pop-up cards, to painting, to jewelry making, embroidery, and much, much more at locations throughout the city. Enrollment is limited so check out the SFPL's website for branch locations and telephone numbers to reserve your spot.

BEES are in the air!

I know I'm obsessed, but seriously, they seem to be popping up everywhere....like the fashion pages of the New York Times magazine today....For anyone who's interested, I posted some more pictures of my bees, taken by my wonderful co-keeper Christina. You can check them out here.

The films of Wes Anderson

It's no secret that Derek and I are kinda obsesed with the films of Wes Anderson. We can spend hours debating over which one is our favorite (he swears by Bottle Rocket, I alternate between Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums.) This clip is a 5-minute edit of all of Wes Anderson's films that might help you decide for yourself.

Oh, and check out this Tenenbaums cross-stitch! The pattern is available here.

Car shopping

I've been spending a lot of time on Craigslist recently looking for an old Mercedes I can convert to Veggie Oil....but I think I may have just found something much, much better...

Next week's assignment

Next week's photo assignment is "bloom". If you want to participate, just send your photo to the shoppe email (info@curiosityshoppeonline.com) or my gmail by next Thursday morning. Thanks!

Photo assignment: Wood

Derek's photo

Lauren's photo

Sophia's photo

John's photo

Conn's photo

Bees! Bees! Bees!

This weekend, after much anticipation (and a year hanging around the San Francisco Bee Keepers Association like some sort of kid brother) I finally received my first package of bees. I'm thrilled (and a little nervous). It's a big responsibility looking after thousands and thousands of these gorgeous little gals. Truthfully, they do a heck of a job looking after themselves, I'm just going to do my best to keep them happy, healthy, and comfortable. I'll be doing periodic little updates here on Smarts & Crafts, in the meantime here are a few pictures.

Here's where I bought my gear, Beekind in Sebastopol.

My gear! The hive bodies, smoker, safari hat(!!) and veil.

The "package" containing 1 queen and a couple thousand of her subjects.

The cutest bee ever, dappled with a bit of sugar water.

The hive, ready for the bees.

Happy bees coming and going from the hive!