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Showing posts with label shopping trends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shopping trends. Show all posts

From Teddy Bears to Technology, The Top 50 Christmas Toys For The Past 100 Years









If a child of 1910 could glance at today’s toys, he or she would likely be confused by the endless games consoles, gadgets and TV-inspired toys. Back in the early twentieth century, the teddy bear was the most popular toy, followed by train sets and construction-themed toys. There was not an electronic device in sight!

However, you can see definite themes running through the popular toys of the past 100 years. For example, although the construction-based toys faded from fashion for a while, in the 1980s Lego became a must-have toy. And the board game shot to the top of wish-lists in the 1930s and 1940s, and experienced another surge in the 1970s – and even today, although replaced in many homes by the computer game, board games are still wheeled out when the family gets together for the festive season!

Dolls continue to be popular too, with the Bratz Dolls of 2000 following the success of the first Barbie in the 1950s. Similarly, boys still have action figures on their Christmas lists, perhaps changed in name from GI Joe to Power Rangers but fundamentally the same.

The computer marks the big change, though. From the first video game in the 1970s to nowadays, games consoles have soared in popularity. This Christmas, a console or handheld device is sure to be on most children’s wish-list.

source: cashgenerator

The Hippest Gifts In Every Category For Everybody This Holiday Season.




Let me be your personal shopper this Holiday Season. Seriously.

I have spent the past several years creating specific shopping lists on the community shopcasting website This Next. The lists I have painstakingly compiled include images of the items, a description and a link to purchase, making it very easy for you to find and buy the perfect gift for just about anyone this holiday season.

My Christmas Gift To You.
You can benefit from the fact that I've already scoured the online (and offline) stores for the hippest items in tons of specific categories. The coolest products for designers, kids, pets, friends, fish-lovers, art-lovers, buddha-lovers, dog-lovers, gun-lovers, tattoo-lovers, graffiti-lovers, luxury lovers, casual acquaintances, signficant others and more. Home decor and furniture, technology and gadgets, piggy banks and jewelry... whatever you need, if it's hip, it's here.



From $10 items to $100,000 items, from trendy items to classic items, there's a total of 4,643 items to choose from, starting with the hippest holiday home decor.

Here's how it works. Click on the category below that interests you and you'll be taken to that list of items. Click on the name of the item that interests you and the screen will change to display that item. Lower down on that page it says : shop for this 'here' and you just click on that! Easy, peasy.

• MODERN CHRISTMAS DECOR (wreaths, trees, ornaments, etc) -205 items

Now, for the selections of gifts:

PANTONE AND PANTONE-INSPIRED PRODUCTS (great for designers) -30 items

• SALUTING DESIGN: An Army Of Military Inspired Items
- 35 items

AQUARIUMS THAT ROCK: the coolest fish tanks - 40 items

BUDDHA BOUNTY: All Things Buddha - 76 items

• MODERN DOLLHOUSES & ARCHITECTURAL MODELS - 44 items

• THE COOLEST WAYS TO WARM UP (candles, radiators, towel racks) - 131 items

• THE DISH ON DISHES (hip dinnerware and tableware) - 229 items

• EARTH-FRIENDLY AND ECO/ GREEN PRODUCTS - 87 items

• DIVINE DAMASK (home decor and products with damask patterns) - 72 items

• TAG, YOU'RE IT! (Graffiti inspired and related products) - 74 items

WOOD WONDERLAND (wood furniture, toys and more) - 156 items

• GREAT GIFTS FOR GEEKS - 20 items

• REALLY ROMANTIC GIFTS -104 items

• FOR THE HIP BABY OR CHILD - 250 ITEMS

• LIST FOR LEGO LOVERS (Lego® everything) -50 items

• LIGHTEN UP (The best lighting and lamps) - 160 items

MONDRIAN MADNESS (products inspired by Piet Mondrian) - 46 items

• ALVAR AALTO INSPIRED ITEMS - 14 items

• CHAIRS THAT ROCK (modern rocking chairs) - 56 items

• OBSCENELY DECADENT GIFTS (luxury products)- 60 items

• DEATH BECOMES YOU (over 160 things with Skulls) - 164 items

• FANCY FRIGGEN FLOORING AND RADICAL RUGS -163 items

OUTDOOR ITEMS (from furniture to birdhouses) - 142 items

HEDGEHOG HEYDAY (items inspired by Hedgehogs)
- 33 items

• IF IT'S HIP & STICKS TO THE WALL (art and more home decor) - 180 items

• READY, SET...GLOW! (illuminated items and furniture) - 77 items

• CONTEMPORARY ART I WISH I COULD AFFORD - 117 items

• THE HIPPEST ANIMAL/PET STUFF (for both people and their pets) - 203 items

TECHNOLOGY THAT ROCKS - 215 items

TATTOO YOU. AND THIS. AND THAT. (tons of tattoo-related products) - 77 items

• HIP JEWELRY FOR MEN AND WOMEN - 216 items

• MODERN PIGGY BANKS OR MONEY BOXES - 65 items

DIY STUFF FOR FRUSTRATED ARTISTS - 96 items

• PUT THAT DOWN, THAT'S MY GRANDMA! (modern cremation urns) - 27 items

• SHOP OR I'LL SHOOT! (gun-shaped products of all kinds) - 71 items

and lastly, many of the items that have been featured in this blog :

IF IT'S HIP IT'S HERE - A list of items that celebrate design, functionality and art. Things to appreciate and admire. - 2056 items


Now, you have no excuse not to have found the perfect, or at the least the hippest, gift.

Move Over Silly Bands, Here's Some Sexy Bands For Grown-Ups.



If you haven't heard of silly bandz, you've either not come in contact with anyone under the age 20 in the past month or you live under a rock. As a matter of fact, the trend is so large that today The Daily What via joystiq has a post about the upcoming Silly Bandz Nintendo DS game from Zoo Games.

Something Green For You Today: Cleaning Cloths Made From Corn Cobs & Peach Pits




Since it's St. Patrick's Day, I thought I'd share something really cool and 'green' with you today.

When it comes to green cleaning products, it seems there are new ones hitting the market daily. But these fabulous Japanese scrubbing cloths by PLUS ONE, made of all-natural abrasives (peach pits and corn cobs) have been awarded the 2009 Wallpaper design award for best cleaning product and NY York Magazine names them a best bet.


above left photo by Hannah Whitaker for NY mag, above right photo from Wallpaper magazine

They last for months, have need no detergent, and fit in tight little hard to clean spots.



Green Depot sells them two to a pack; the yellow for metalware like pots and pans, kettles, sinks and grills (they even work to peel the skin off of veggies!) and the pink one for more delicate surfaces like glass, wood, and teflon coated or non stick pans.


buy them here.


all images and info of the Japanese scrubbing cloths are courtesy of the company and its President, PLUS One and Taka Aoki (shown above)

Talking Turquoise, Brands Embrace Pantone's 2010 Color Of The Year.




If you haven't heard by now that Pantone® named Turquoise, specifically, PMS 15-5519 Turquoise, their 2010 Color Of The Year, you must be deaf. Or colorblind. Each year, Pantone®, the self-proclaimed global authority on color, chooses a specific hue of color to receive the honor and for 2010, it's the blue-green hue of the Caribbean waters.


above: Antigua

Now, what is a little odd is that Turquoise was a big color for fashion LAST year and many lines have discontinued items in that color for this 2010 year (like Apple, Gucci, Beirn And HeysUSA). Perhaps Pantone was picking up on last year's trends? In any case, some Turquoise colored items in this post may be discontinued or found on sale or on ebay.


above: turquoise earrings from Vivre

Keep in mind that Turquoise varies quite a bit in hue given that it's a subtle and delicate balance between blue and green. Therefore some of the items below may be a bit greener (more yellow added to cyan) and some a bit bluer (more red added to cyan). Some color lovers may argue that they are "aqua", "sea green", "seafoam", "peacock" or "teal" - but all are clearly within the family.

Truly Turquoise

Modernica "Build Your Own" Shell Chairs:


Hunter Wellies and Beirn Ballet Flats:


Arktura coffee table:


Elica Mini Om wall mounted Kitchen Hood:


Kara Ross Turquoise Stingray (shagreen) jewelry:

Keep Calm And Carry On poster:


Apple iPod:


Vipp New Limited Edition 2010 Mermaid Collection:


Nixon Watches:


Olympus µ Tough waterproof digital camera:


Rachiele's real Arizona turquoise sink basin:


Turquoise Electrolux Washer and Dryer:


Turquoise nail polish- Quirious, China Glaze, Pop and OPI:



Heys USA Business Case and Carry On luggage:


Garnet Hill's Ocean towels & bath rugs:


Supra Skytop Chad Muska Pro Model kicks:


Hunter Douglas Turquoise metal mini blinds:


Gucci Etretat Rubber turquoise flats (on sale now):


LG AX260 Turquoise mobile phone & Nokia's Mobiwoo in Turquoise:


Marc Jacobs Benny Bag:


More Blue than Green, but still considered Turquoise:

The following items tend to be less green than Pantone's actual color of the year and appear to have more blue than green or yellow in them, but they are still referred to as "turquoise" by their manufacturers.

Nintendo DS:


Stokke Strollers, high chairs and more:

Hamilton Beach blender and toaster:


Kitchen Aid Mixer (Martha Artisan Collection):


Hermes leather, canvas and linen goods:


Versace Atelier Dress:


Versace Fox Fur and leather handbags:


Jonathan Adler's Lacquer and Enamel collections:






The press release:

Pantone LLC, an X-Rite company (NASDAQ: XRIT), and the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries, today announced PANTONE® 15-5519 Turquoise, an inviting, luminous hue, as the color of the year for 2010. Combining the serene qualities of blue and the invigorating aspects of green, Turquoise evokes thoughts of soothing, tropical waters and a languorous, effective escape from the everyday troubles of the world, while at the same time restoring our sense of wellbeing.
“In many cultures, Turquoise occupies a very special position in the world of color,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “It is believed to be a protective talisman, a color of deep compassion and healing, and a color of faith and truth, inspired by water and sky. Through years of color word-association studies, we also find that Turquoise represents an escape to many – taking them to a tropical paradise that is pleasant and inviting, even if only a fantasy.”
Whether envisioned as a tranquil ocean surrounding a tropical island or a protective stone warding off evil spirits, Turquoise is a color that most people respond to positively. It is universally flattering, has appeal for men and women, and translates easily to fashion and interiors. With both warm and cool undertones, Turquoise pairs nicely with any other color in the spectrum. Turquoise adds a splash of excitement to neutrals and browns, complements reds and pinks, creates a classic maritime look with deep blues, livens up all other greens, and is especially trend-setting with yellow-greens.
In fashion, Turquoise makes a statement that can look elegant and dressy in fine silk and gemstones, or casual and fun in cotton and athletic apparel. Because of its versatility, Turquoise is a great accent color in jewelry, purses, shoes, hair accessories and even nail polish for women, and ties, shirts and sportswear for men.


For brides wanting a flattering choice for attendant apparel and accessories on their big day, Turquoise is now one of the nearly 200 PANTONE WEDDING Colors available from Dessy (shown above), a leading manufacturer of bridesmaid, social occasion and flower girl dresses, as well as destination wedding gowns under the labels Dessy Collection, After Six, Alfred Sung, Lela Rose Bridesmaid and Sandals Destination Wedding Dresses. PANTONE WEDDING exclusively from Dessy provides a collection of color tools to make it easy for brides to achieve perfectly color-coordinated weddings – from inspiration to “I do.”
Additionally, Turquoise is one of 3,000 colors available in Pantone’s line of superior-quality, eco-friendly paint. PANTONE Paints combine the accuracy of PANTONE Colors with the beauty of high-performance Dutch paints. Perfect for a powder room or bedroom, Turquoise is an evocative, spa-like hue that adds an undertone of warmth and excitement to any cool space. In the kitchen, Turquoise adds a unique flare to tabletop and appliances.
Pantone is pleased to announce PANTONE 15-5519 Turquoise, an inviting, luminous hue, as the Color of the Year for 2010.


Turquoise Blogs and Sites
Like Orange, Turquoise is one of those tertiary colors that certain designers and interior decorators tend to favor. There are blogs and sites about all things turquoise. Here's a few for you to enjoy.

Y Livings's Selection of Turquoise items (although most are really shades of blue):



Erin's House Of Turquoise:


Everything Turquoise:



Turquoise Chic:

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