Look what Jarek got me for my Birthday- a Marshmallow Man. The toasted one. Tasteful on so many levels... Yes, he knows me well. The cutest thing: he delivered this present on a tray, serving me breakfast in bed. Made by Squibbles Ink + Rotofugi this is my third "Marshall" character.Further to be noted is that he carefully picked our BINTH "Woozy" Card to go with the present...Very tasteful indeed.

I am a big sucker for yes, polka dots and naturally I am a huge fan of the design group "Friends With You". Their amazing little objects are sure to at least get a crack of a smile out of me here in dreary, grey and cold Chicago. I am not a serious collector, but when stopping at my favorite store FlyBird, right around a couple corners from me here in in Oak Park-I grab a blind box and add on to the group...so far I have never gotten the same one twice. Cool, huh?

I Love the colors, (happy) the shapes, (dots and circles) the material ( shiny white plastic.) And in case you are really, really down-Publishing House Gestalten, of course, published a book about “Friends With You”, so when all else fails, I open that book to my favorite page...( pictured here) Try it. It may work for you. Wishes do come true....

So, here we are in Red Lodge-tiny little town with cute stores up and down Main Street. This one caught our eye: Magpie Toys. Tall building with tin ceilings, shelves stacked high with wooden sculptures and objects, old toys, books, half of them not even for sale. Wooden guns, sling shots, rocks, horse shoe puzzles and pedal planes-all here is indeed powered by imagination—not batteries. Then there is the steaming hot cast iron fireplace with an old armchair next to it right there in the middle of it all. Magpie is humble and simple and because of that truly magical.

The owners Joel and Gloria Hardy call themselves "Purveyors of timeless toys, games, books & amusements." Both used to be teachers at the Sioux reservation near by, and started Magpie in 1991. The store's motto is: "As Good As You Remember. Better Than You Ever Imagined." Some of the toys are made by Joel right there in the store. Gloria tells me that he had crafted rocking horses and moose as well, but those where sold out when we got there. Check out the Montana flashlights...and that fantastic stick horse! (Gloria said to call or email her, their web site is down right now...406.446.3099)