Short Takes

Staff -- Gifts & Decorative Accessories, 11/1/2000

Hot Stuff

Perfect for lending romance to bath and body product, Aqua Erotica is more than a book of steamy short stories, it's completely waterproof! Featuring stories by Francesca Lia Block, Louise Erdrich, Cecilia Tan, and many others, it quite literally goes places you never imagined books could go. Paperback, 4_" x 7", 208 pp. $14.95. Crown Publishing, New York. (800) 733-3000. #471

Here's a great add-on sale for lovers of great movies. 52 Great Romantic Films is a boxed card deck. Each card has a movie title and a whimsical drawing on one side, and a summary of the movie on the other side. All the films are custom-made for cuddling, whether it's glamorous Grace Kelly in the Hitchcock classic To Catch A Thief, the epic scope of Dr. Zhivago, or the sheer brilliance of Casablanca.$6.95. Chronicle Books, San Francisco. (800) 722-6657. #472

Betallic's new Valentine's array encompasses several fun new collections. Love Letters is perhaps best appreciated by those separated by distance, and includes several balloons, a ceramic floral container, an acrylic goblet, and a Limoges-style heart box. The Lava Lamp style comes in two sizes of helium balloons as well as a candle votive and ceramic vase. Frisky the dog is available as 18" balloon, mug, and plush dog. Also choose from True Love, Butterfly Hearts, Retro Valentine, and Simply Valentine styles. Betallic, West County, MO. (800) 325-0185. #473

The bold, impressionistic style of Joyce Shelton shines through in a new collection celebrating the wonder of love and joy of friendship. Showcased in a countertop acrylic display unit, the collection includes an updated version of the gift book With All My Heart, $9.99, a gift set with die-cut pad and pen, $5.99, a Love & Friendship mini book, $5.99, as well as coordinating designer pen, $3.50. Brownlow, Ft. Worth, TX. (800) 433-7610. #474

Seasonal in-store packaging is a snap, thanks to Gift Box. The Valentine giftwrap paper shown costs $265 for a 24" x 833' counter roll. Ribbon and specialty boxes can be purchased in small quantities. Gift Box Corp., New York. (212) 684-5113. #475

For a sophisticated season, look to the simply red collection. Straightforwardly adorned in shades of red and with graphics of the word in several languages, invite customers to select from a purse-sized journal, geometric paper clips, a box of stationery, a desktop journal, and mini Post-it cubes. $1.50-$15. Fiddlehead Paper Collection, Seattle. (888) FIDDLHD. #476

Great for Valentine's Day and beyond, the XO Collection of tiny, 4¼"x5½" cards deliver a loving message any time. Elegantly attired in pink and black on a bright white background, designs include a question mark with a heart dot and the bracketed message "Say Yes" repeated three times, or a hot pink kiss mark with the message "Come Over Here." Six designs; blank inside. $13/pack of eight. Studio Z Mendocino, Ft. Bragg, CA. (707) 964-9448. #477

Seasonal stickers can be used to create greeting cards and stationery, decorate photo albums, trim party favors, and augment in-store signage and name tags. Simple ideas for combining stickers are on the back of sticker liners. Individual modules are 15¢ to $2. Mrs. Grossman's, Petaluma, CA. (800) 457-4570. #478

If you choose to outfit your employees this Valentine's Day, you may have a devil of a time deciding who gets to wear the Horned Little Devil Hood. Each fits comfortably on any head with a stretchy material and is adorned with two sequined horns sewn on top. In an illustrated hanging box, $9.50. Accoutrements, Seattle. (800) 886-2221. #479

Invite customers to consider what love means to them to with Zen Meditations on Being in Love. The book is packaged with a CD of meditation music to augment each page's focus on different aspects of love. The title is part of series, with other titles tackling meditations on being a mother, pregnant, or a true friend. Hardcover, 6½" x 6_", 112 pp. $15. Sourcebooks, Naperville, IL. (800) 727-8866. #480