Catalogs
Staff -- Gifts & Decorative Accessories, 12/1/2000
Gifts and Accents
Bob Timberlake Inc. will publish its first catalog. Said Dan Timberlake, CEO, "Our customers have been asking us for a catalog for a number of years now, but we wanted to make sure that when we did it, we did it right." The catalog will be mailed to Timberlake members. Non members may call to request a catalog or they may log onto www.bobtimberlake.com, which provides 24 hour access to the catalog. Bob Timberlake, Lexington, NC. (800) 776-0822.
Papel Giftware's latest catalog is 41 pages full of spring gifting ideas, focusing on garden, tabletop, and home accessories. Pastel products dominate, with a strong trend toward purple, light green, and subtle melon-orange shades. Picket fences, watering cans, and birdhouses are recurring motifs. Wheelbarrows, butterflies, and oversized flowers make up an array of spring gift options sure to please. Nautical and golf sections are ideal for Father's Day gifting selections, with frames, mugs, and memo-minders as well as clocks to keep the enthusiast happy throughout the office day. Papel Giftware, Monroe Twp., NJ. (800) 423-2272.
Natura's 23-page catalog promotes items with a tie to the natural world. The catalog is divided into metals, glass, style, wood, shells, bone, ironworks, and East. Stark designs or lush Asian-inspired motifs make each item a standout. Photo-rack designs allow creative display. Of note are aluminum milk-bottle vases, frames in braided leather or with wooden shutter details, and wrought iron accents. Natura, Mount Vernon, NY. (800) 896-7266.
Stationery
Beat the winter blues with a bit of spring right on your countertop. Who can resist a pressed flower, collected at the height of the blooming season and saved for a snowy day? Pressed Petals has a seven-page catalog full of gift ideas to brighten up the dullest day. Petal bookmarks make a two-dimensional bouquet in their flowerpot holders, in a smart windowbox display unit, or they can be individually displayed on a countertop spinner, or in a clear window display. Other products include framed artwork, round and square votive holders, and petal design candles in a variety of shapes and sizes. Labeled flower magnets also come with two different display styles. Pressed Petals, Richfield, UT. (800) 748-4656.
Gift books and other related stationery items abound at Laughing Elephant with six full pages of new titles, including Song of Creation by St. Francis of Assisi, translated by Matthew Arnold, which features plate illustrations. For vacationers, there are travel journals with a difference, designed to cover a week-long to a month-long trip. New books are also available on the supernatural, including Guardian Angels, Mermaids, and Fairies. For poetic souls there are Message in a Bottle blank cards. A large selection of notecards feature illuminated 19th- and early 20th century art. 14 pp. with note card supplement. Laughing Elephant, Seattle. (800) 354-0400.
Gift Books
The magic of threes is alive in the children's book lines from Kids Can Press. Three Prince Charming Taleshas exquisitely detailed illustrations from Kasia Charko, and Three Tales of Three features the whimsical art of Chris Jackson. Both story sets are retold by Marilyn Helmer. Sky Sisters, by Jan Bourdeau Waboose, documents the Canadian childhood of two sisters, one of whom grew up to be the author. Illustrated by Brian Deines. Other magic can be done by children's hands with the how-to books on face-painting and making fleece crafts. There are also books for tots, teens and enthusiasts of every sort. 51 pp. Kids Can Press, Niagra Falls, NY. (800) 805-1083.
The KSB catalog has some interesting offerings for all ages. In 12 pages, there's a lot of new reading material here. The cover introduces the autobiography of world-renowned children's performer Raffi, called The Life of a Children's Troubadour. Inside the catalog are self-help, instructional, and fantasy books to keep children occupied, and parents learning. Good for gifting the Harry Potter reader who's run out of books is The Crouching Dragon, recommended by the 2000 Benjamin Franklin book award. And for animal lovers the themed For Every Dog an Angel and For Every Cat an Angel teach children how to say goodbye to a beloved pet. KSB Promotions, Ada, MI. (800) 304-3269.
Games
Accoutrements presents catalog #410, which features 88 pages of such fun novelty products as a hula lunchbox, chattering teeth, rubber chickens, hula girl soap, and the pink elephant flask. With 400 products in categories including Retro, Mystifying, Classics, Critters, Culture, Fun & Games, and Science, there's something for everyone. Accoutrements, Seattle. (800) 886-2221.
There's family fun in the 29-page University Games catalog, starting with the Dr. Seuss family trivia game, which can be cross-merchandized with other Seuss products, such as Dr. Seuss's ABCgame, the Green Eggs and HamGame, and the Cat in the Hat game. And, just in time for tie ins with the live-action film, is the How the Grinch Stole Christmas game with three-dimensional presents. Other games in this educational product line include My Game, which uses the player's photos in a scrapbooking game; Show and Tell, which hones presentation skills; and Kids on Stage, which introduces children to charades. New Brain Quest card decks feature questions targeted at each grade. University Games Corp., San Francisco. (800) 347-4818.
Personal Care
Boring bathtubs? No more! Smoothies from the Royal Soap Company catalog will perk up the blandest display. With their bright colors and names like refresh, energize, balance, cleanse, and pep, these loaf-cut soaps offer aromatherapy flavors like oatmeal lavender, lemon grass, sandalwood, and eucalyptus and citrus. The Royal Soap mascot parades all over the catalog, showing off the soaps for Easter, Valentine's Day, and other special occasions. Soap jigs for cutting the soap loaves are also available. The Royal Soap Co., Irving, TX. (888) 551-SOAP.
Collectibles
The Mahogany Princess catalog from Enesco is 23 pages showcasing figurines and giftware in elegant mahogany-colored resin. Figurines of regal women with animals and in detailed costumes will entice discerning customers. Inlay jewelry boxes, candlesticks, photo frames, lamps, clocks, decorative boxes and dinnerware finish out the line. Mahogany Miracle, a section in the back of the catalog, features Nativity and Holy Family figurines. Enesco, Itasca, IL (800) 4-ENESCO
Beer steins are making a comeback. M. Cornell Importers presents a wide selection in a variety of subjects including lighthouses, golfers, cars, firefighters, animals, fly fishing, Looney Tunes and other licensed characters. There are also sets of matched drinking horns, pewter flasks, and bridal cups. 80 pp. M. Cornell Importers Inc., St. Paul, MN. (651) 633-8690.
