It’s getting a little late for Xmas shopping, but I know some of you out there need to wrap things up (so to speak).

Here’s another suggestion- this adorable tote, made here in Clinton Hill by two local residents: artist Caroline Hwang and designer Bryn Smith.

$15, http://www.spoonmeloveme.bigcartel.com/

Maybe we can convince them to make a”Spoon Me Clinton Hill” tote.

Show your lover, best friend, favorite dog or new baby how much you love them with some merch from your favorite neighborhood blog!

mug, $13.99

Shop the entire CHB store here!

More holiday fun this weekend in Clinton Hill!  Check out these two local gift markets that just happen to be at two of my most favorite neighborhood buildings:

1. SALON DE ARTISTS, 313 CLINTON AVE

This is the last weekend for Janna Hyten’s Salon de Artists, held at her home at 313 Clinton Avenue (aka the Halloween House).

This weekend’s artists will be:

Hours:
Sat: 1-8
Sun: 10-6

2. HOLIDAY MARKET AT THE CANDY FACTORY

This building is my most favorite stop yearly on the SONYA stroll.  It’s an intriguing labyrinth filled with artist studios and lots of great talent.  I had no idea the space had a name, so stay tuned in the New Year for more information.

Info:
124 Washington Ave between Myrtle and Park

Update: Hours are 12-7

There will be handmade goods including, jewelry, hand knits, bags, clothing, lighting, art, glass ornaments, and more. There will also be great holiday food and an art auction.

It’s been a crazed December in the CHB household, so I didn’t have the time I would have liked to spend a day or two browsing all sorts of neighborhood shops to look for local stocking stuffers.  (Last year’s guide is probably still relevant, if you want to check it out.)

Here are a few quick picks for this year’s shopping.  It is by no means complete or comprehensive.

1. Root Stock & Quade
Aunt Sadie’s Candles (one potential scent: Pine Tree in a Can): $23
Birdhouses (wooden or ceramic, various sizes): $32-52

2. Outpost Lounge
A pound of coffee beans (specifically the RING OF FIRE house blend)for the holidays: $10/lb

And while you’re there picking up some coffee beans, Outpost is offering $1 off all regular priced glasses of wine each day after 5pm as part of Shop Brooklyn! (until Dec 24)

3. Green in Brooklyn
SodaStream Soda Makers: Jet Starter Kit: $110 / Penguin Starter Kit: $250 (This one’s a bank-breaker, but how cool would it be to make your own soda!  They have plenty of inexpensive items, too, plus a killer selection of greeting cards.)

4. RePop
Assorted vintage elf ornaments: $10-$12 (These make a wonderful tree trimming gift, and will remind people, hopefully fondly, of childhood Xmases.)

5.  Gnarley Vines
Gnarly 2009 Everyday Super Value Six-Pack: $45.90 (That’s less than $10 a bottle, folks!  Give them all to one loved one, or create six separate gifts!)

Bad with the wrapping?  Let the brand new Gradys Collective Market wrap it for you. Make an appointment (gradysbk@gmail.com). Pricing is as follows:

$5.00 – per present
General examples: CD’s, Novel Books, Jewelry, Box of Chocolates, iPod, Desktop Calendar, Watch, etc.
For small presents, we offer custom designed & printed wrapping paper for an additional $2 per gift..
$7.00 – per present
General examples: Shirt Size Boxes, Journals, Medium Sized Hard Bound Books, Small Board Games, Wall Calendars etc.
+2.00
All odd shaped items (small, medium, and large), will incur an additional $2 fee per item.
$9.00 – per present
General examples: Large Clothes Boxes, Shoe Boxes, Medium Kitchen Appliances (blender, coffee maker, and so forth), Tabloid Calendars – 11X17, etc.

***

I really wanted to focus on Fulton this year to celebrate FAB, but with back to back holiday events this week I couldn’t make it.  Look for a special Fulton shopping feature in 2010!

And yet another reason to shop locally!  The new Fulton BID (known as the FAB Alliance) just sent me some very convincing reasons to shop on Fulton this month.

The new FAB Alliance is giving away 4 FREE TICKETS to a performance of the “Christmas Spectacular” at Radio City Music Hall – featuring the Rockettes! All people have to do is to go into a participating SHOP BROOKLYN businesses along Fulton Street (and parts of Lafayette, Greene and Putnam Avenues) in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, fill out an entry form and drop it in the box.
You can enter to win at as many businesses that have the raffle box as you want (but you can only complete one entry per person at each business). No purchase necessary and all that stuff. Complete rules are on the entry forms.
Tickets donated by the local branch of Capital One Bank, 858 Fulton Street (@ Clinton Avenue). The drawing will be December 17, 2009, and the tickets are for the 8:00pm performance on December 23, 2009.
You can enter to win at the local Capital One branch and at any of the participating Fulton Street SHOP BROOKLYN businesses (see flyer attached) – there are nearly 50! Shop Brooklyn is a program of Borough President Marty Markowitz designed to encourage people to shop locally during the holiday season (and all year long!).
Each of the businesses is offering a special “Brooklyn Bonus” through Christmas…
Free desserts with dinner… drink deals…. discounts on clothing… gift cards… drawings for free books… spa upgrades… eye exams… and even discounted therapy sessions.
The variety of businesses on Fulton Street is amazing, and if you haven’t explored the entire strip in a while, you have a lot to discover.
Check out the list of businesses attached and what they are offering… and enter to win those free tickets to Radio City.

The Flea may have moved off-site for winter, but there are still plenty of local shopping opportunities!  Stay tuned for a holiday guide.

For starters, check out designer Lena Corwin’s home/studio this weekend for a chance to pick up some unique holiday gifts!

Tomorrow, there’s lots going on down on Fulton, thanks to Lashunda Davis (owner of both ‘Cure and Grady’s).  Head down to donate some holiday cheer to a needy child, get a well-deserved holiday mani, and celebrate the opening of a hip new boutique!

• From 11am-7pm, bring a new, unwrapped toy to ‘Cure Beauty Bar and receive a $10 mani’cure (921 Fulton St)
• Gradys Collective Market (923 Fulton) holds its Grand Opening: Wine and food tasting, discounts, raffles, flowers and of course Fashion…Men and Women!

Remember when we didn’t have a single flower shop in the neighborhood?  Well, now we have several!  I recently checked out the Little Flower Shop in the Park on Vanderbilt just south of Myrtle.

Little yes, and not in the park.  But the shop offered several very affordable bouquets that had been thoughtfully assembled for just $10 each.

I really liked the monochromatic arrangements – hefty bouquets using the same color in different shades.  Not something you typically see at a non-high-end shop.  I opted for a yellow and green arrangement.

The bouquet lasted more than a week and I was able to preserve it even after I had to remove a few of the flowers that wilted.

Overall, a great place to pick up a well-arranged basic bouquet that won’t break the bank.

The Little Flower Shop in the Park
154a Vanderbilt Ave

This just in from RePop:

We can’t believe it, but the holidays are already here again.  Why break tradition?  Put your merriest foot forward this Friday and take a look at some real buried treasures!

The New Jewels of Miss Ellie will be on view from Dec 3 – 7, for a special trunk show event.

This season, you will find the best impulse gifts to delight your mom, your girlfriends, your babysitter or yourself: the Curious Cocktail Ring: Rare Birds, hands-holding-bouquets, angels and insects: one-size-fits every finger, $29-40 each. Old World Lockets are also the perfect personalized gift.

John Mathias will be showing  “Crushing Silence” a collection of photographs and paintings that evoke a quiet and mysterious beauty in landscape and still-life. Images of a post-human world in reverent abstraction from the beaches to the concrete canyons of the city.

This limited collection is vibrant and haunting, offering an ideal gift or decorative option for any interior in need of a conversational splash.

Meet the artists at our First Friday Christmas Party, Dec 4, from 5pm – 9pm.  Join us for some good wine, scrumptious appetizers and delightful conversation in one of the most eclectic and festive atmospheres in town!

RePop
68 Washington Ave.

I finally made it over to Greenlight Bookstore, the indie Fort Greene bookstore venture that’s been in the works since early 2008.  While I was excited, I kept it in check.  I’ve seen a lot of indie bookstores that end up being hyper-specific to one subject I’m not interested in (new age, self-help, children – the list goes on and on).

I’m happy to say I am delighted with our new local shop!  The space is beautifully designed, and full of all sorts of books.  I was happy to see a healthy selection of best selling fiction and literature, and even a display of those gorgeous new clothbound Penguin classics.

Greenlight Bookstore
686 Fulton Street