NEW WOOD AND METAL BOXES ADDED TO KYLE DESIGN
Colorful wood boxes with glass and metal.
I tease Kyle sometimes because we talk a lot about new ideas she has and then months later I find out she has added it to the website when I see the actual new product come up for me to pack! Or I read about it when I am checking out her blog.
That is what happened when she finalized the new wood boxes with glass and metal overlay. This design allows you to use any of our over 400 designs on our wood boxes. the design is integrated into a metal overlay on a colorful piece of glass and with a flash of our iridescent film under the design.
glass color chart.
There are nine color systems available on the 6.5″ x 6.5″ x 2.5″ high boxes which are made of rosewood stained ash. The boxes are hinged and the bottom of the inside is lined. We can ad an engraving plate to the inside or outside of the box.
A smaller version of the overlay box will soon be
Small box coming soon.
available in black. Hopefully Kyle will let me know when that happens and I can post information on that box! Pictured here ia a sample of that box.
2008 CHRISTMAS SHOPPING TRENDS
Just taking a minute out of our busy day of processing and packing orders to
hourglass timer
mention some of the shopping tends we are seeing.
With the economy in an uproar it was hard to know how people would react and if they would
Big bow Badge Reel
be shopping. We feel that we have the perfect kind of gifts – practical, beautiful and unique. Well, we are happily busy filling orders.
Fibonacci sequence earrings!
We are seeing that our math and science designs are doing well, as is the vampire design – thanks to all the Twilight fans! We are seeing lot’s of sharks and squirrels, too. Things we are getting low on are the stockbroker design, the fashion design and sewing– so people have really been buying based on their hobbies and professions.
Frosty beer pill box.
We have had fun seeing what people have been using the alcohol and caffeine molecular designs for! Our new double designs are becoming popular and it is great fun trying to decipher the meanings – we had one that appears to have been for a DUI attorney!
Sports remain very popular. Lacrosse, rowing and our new athletic shoe are almost as popular as the swimming design. There are also a LOT of ballroom dance fans ordering.
Round interlinking hearts pill box
The one that we have sold out is our interlocking hearts – so Kyle is gearing up and we will have plenty of that design in time for Valentine’s Day!
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THE RIGHT GIFT
Dollar sign tree ornament for accountants and financial planners.
I know a lot of people are still unsure how the economic downturn is going to affect how they celebrate their holidays. We typically say we will spend less during the holidays than we actually do. The last few years it seems that retailers have started discounting in November and having blow out sales in December – which always seems to motivate people to spend more than they planned.
This year for me it is going to be about getting the right gift – not the best deal. Deals can be exciting – but more and more I see that the deals are not really such a deal. The size of the package has shrunk. the number of items in the box has been reduced. The “free” shipping is made up for in the “handling” charge. The quality of the item is not what it once was. It all just reminds me of that old adage about no such thing as a free lunch.
So – the right gift. Not one that has been marked down, not one that might fit. Not something they might
Customized Dragonfly pill box.
not already have. The right gift for everyone on my list. And how will I do that? By choosing things that are really personal and useful. Things that tell the person that I put a lot of thought into their gift. By selecting , say, a pill box (useful) and putting a dragonfly design on it (personal) with aqua iridescent color (shows you know their taste) and their initials engraved on the back (keepsake). And I can do that for each person on my list.
I have lots of nieces and nephews. For each one no matter what age I can find a gift and make it really thoughtful and personal. Bookmarks are one example, I
Happy Graduation 2008!
can choose one with a peace symbol in pink, another with dogs in purple and another with a graduation cap in cobalt blue – have them engraved and I have 3 gifts that match the interests and personalities of those kids.
Looking through the list, I see pill boxes, money clips, business card cases, contact lens cases, magnets for the fridge, a flask or two, a metal wallet and and, of course, tree ornaments that would all be just the right gift for my family and friends.
So get out your list, sit down and spend some time on our site and I am sure you will find the right gift for everyone!
X bookmark X busioness card case X contact lens case X custom gifts X desonger X dragonfly gifts X Engraved gifts X flask X functional gifts X gifts bad economy X graduation gifts X keepsake X magnets X Meaningful Gifts X money clips X ornaments X persoanl gifts X pill box X purse X right gift X thoughtful gifts X useful gifts X wallet
GIFTS FOR FANS OF THE TWILIGHT SERIES
Bite me!
My daughter has been reading and re-reading the Twilight series books (Twilight,
The apple is a symbol of choice - bookmark for your Twilight books.
New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn) for a couple of years now. She has encouraged me to read them, which I will as soon as I get through my monthly book club book before the meeting day.
She has outlined the stories and told me bits and pieces about Edward, the handsome vampire and Bella the smart and not so beautiful girl he loves and the
Prowling (were)wolf pill box.
danger she is in from his enemies. Her best friend, and Edward’s rival for her affections, is Jacob, a werewolf. They all live in Forks, Washington. These vampires don’t have fangs, and can be out in the daylight. All the vampires have different powers and are all beautiful. Their skin sparkles like diamonds in the sunlight. The story of these lovers is highly romantic, but fairly chaste compared to most romance novels of the day.
A flask full of blood?
The author of these hugely successful books is Stephenie Meyer, an Arizona mom of 3. She started writing based on a dream she had. The books have sparked such a huge following that websites have popped
Entwined hearts for fans of romance.
up worldwide for fans to discuss, sell merchandise, fantasize and obsess. The fourth book, Breaking Dawn, was meant to be the last of the series as told from Bella’s point of view, but Meyer had stated on another book, Midnight Sun, told from Edward’s, point of view. When stolen pages began to appear online, she stopped the project.
In the meantime, fans around the world, and in my house, await the movie version of Twilight opening on
Christmas tree ornament for movie lovers, click here.
November 21, 2008. We have put together some of our designs which relate to the Twilight characters and some of the symbolism and imagery of the books. We have the sun and moon, apple, chess pieces, diamond, entwined hearts, a sunset and cool mountain designs. These designs are not based on the book, but we had fun thinking of which ones related. Let us know if you see more possibilities!
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SMART GIFT SHOPPING
Bright Christmas Pill Box.
I know that this new round of economic woes has everyone on edge. The concepts are too big to get my head around, except for the old adage of “what goes up, must come down.” All I do know is that it is time to focus on what we need and to spend our money on quality.
To me the best thing about Kyle Design products is that they are lovely pieces of art but useful, too. Functional art is what it is called. The other thing I like is that I work for a woman who has built this business over 25 years. She has weathered these financial storms and kept her business alive and has a real commitment to offering high quality at a moderate price, made in the USA and backed up with good customer service.
The holidays are coming up fast. We have been getting ready for months now because it is our busiest
Click here to see large custom lockets.
time of year. I always start my shopping early because we put in long days at work in November and December. I have a few gifts in my hiding places already, and I have made lists of things to seek out in the next few weeks. Will I cut down this year? Not much. The cuts that could have been made were made in past years. I just try to be smart and look for value
One thing I look at when I am shopping online is the shipping cost. If a site hides the shipping information or pads the cost of shipping, I look elsewhere. I am proud to say we do not charge beyond the actual cost of UPS shipping at Kyle Design. Plus we offer flat rate shipping – so buying multiple items from us is smart.
Click here to purchase money clip with dollar sign.
I think it is smart to shop online, as well. Saving the time and gas and staying away from the crowds is big for me. Kyle Design offers a huge variety of gift options. (We frequently ask Kyle if she has gone crazy because she is always adding new items and our shelves are bending under the weight!) The thing is – last year we didn’t have lockets or long engravable bookmarks, handy boxes and our double design options and now people order them every day! Spend some time looking around our site and you will truly fine a gift for everyone you know.
So, for the holiday gift season coming up, shop smart by spending some time at Kyle Design.
Technorati: value, smart shopping, valie shopping, holiday shopping, holiday gifts, Christmas gifts, value gifts, bookmarsk, lockets, business card cases, handy boxes, custom gifts, afforadable gifts, practical gifts, functional gifts, functional art, flat rate shipping, online shopping, shopping online, e-commerce, economy, economical gifts, customer service, woman owned business, made in USA,
FIRE AND ICE, THEN AND NOW
Fire and Ice pill box great for HRT pills.
When I was a girl, the most popular nail and lip color was called Fire and Ice. The ad campaign started in 1952 and carried over for years because the concept of being good and bad, a lady and a tramp was very appealing to those women confined in girdles and gloves.
By the time I was old enough to wear lipstick, it was not popular to look made-up, so fire and ice was out. but I don’t think that the appeal of duality is ever out. We all like to think of ourselves as more than one thing. We have these cool new design options that offer the option to express more about yourself or the person you are buying a gift.
Card case for Personal chef.
I was thinking about it because I am finally in a fire and ice stage of my life – or you could say, hot flashes and fans! So why not a pill box for the HRT (hormone
Card case for a gambler.
replacement therapy) pills?! Just think of the possibilities – You could get a card case with the dame design for someone in the heating and air conditioning business (HVAC). You could get a pill box with aspirin for the domestic goddess, for your
Card case for housing builder or contractor.
mints after coffee and chocolate…so many possibilities.
And it really gets fun with the business card cases, a baby pram and physician symbol for an obstetrician or pediatrician – or a family symbol with the doctor symbol for a family physician. How about a wedding photographer? Or a Film Star! Someone who works the web. Or predicts the weather. Or gives us a relaxing facial. The possibilities are endless and fun to think of!
So – celebrate your many sides and interests. Show someone you understand that they are an artistic nurse, or a soccer playing accountant or a math lover or a bike riding lawyer or a musical firefighter. Customize, personalize, make a perfect gift.
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Technorati: HVAC, heating and air business card case
MY DESIGN OF THE DAY
Every summer Kyle spends a few weeks in a designing frenzy. When I started working at Kyle Design about 5 years ago, there were 100 design choices, we will have over 300 in a few weeks. Her new designs are
Dancers gold pill box with pink iridescent color.
frequently based on customer suggestions, her own inspirations and trends she notes from our website.
The new designs always get us all excited – fun to have new things to see and to see how people use them. But we have some really cool long time designs, too. So I am going to feature some of them before the new designs come in and steal all the attention.
So, todays design is…#93, Dancers. (Okay – so I am a big So You Think You Can Dance fan.) But the Dancers design has always been a favorite. It has a great feeling of movement. It is both modern and traditional in feel – sort of a folkloric design that appeals to lovers of Judaica.
My youngest sister has 3 little girls who are in dance -and I gave her a Christmas tree ornament with the
Silver tree ornamant with dancers design in aquamarine.
dancers design to represent them.
The cool thing about our business is that any design can be added to any of our items. So if you want to have a night light with a dance design, you can have it. Or a dance flask, or a business card case for a dance teacher, a pill box for those pain relievers for a new dance student, a compact mirror with a pretty dancer to check her lipstick. And on and on. We also offer many different items and colors appropriate for male dancers, too, like money clips and metal wallets.
So for all those dancers and dance fans – consider the Dancers Design for a nice gift from us.
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Double Peace! as heard on San Francisco morning radio
Report from Tina Kopko, a novice blogger
Support Peace and Justice.
I’ll be guest blogging today on My Art Filled Life. I’ve never blogged before, in fact I tend to resist trends and technological fads. BUT, I just had to share my excitement about this morning’s KFOG broadcast live from Walnut Creek, CA. Their guest was Mary Alice O’Connor, Executive Director of the Mount Diablo Peace Center (www.mtdpc.org), an organization working to promote peace locally and globally through citizen involvement.
Hearing the hosts of my favorite morning radio show interview Mary Alice got me hooked back into the FACT that there are many people in my very community who are actively working toward peace. I contribute by maintaining peaceful relationships in my daily life: coworkers, friends, crazy drivers on the highway (float them a peace sign instead of the middle finger!), waitresses and other servicepeople. I proudly display my “WAGE PEACE” bumper sticker and got an extra 45 miles out of my tank of gas by driving 65 instead of 75.
You may think these little things don’t really make a difference, but they do. Every individual has an effect
Double Peace!!
on the people around them – whether they are conscious of it or not. If you were to assume that is true, how would you behave differently with the people in your life? Remember the famous speech that reminds us “our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” Fear causes us to retract, to shrink down, to believe people who want us to accept the status quo. I don’t accept war and I don’t accept conflict in my relationships. I believe that every day I have the opportunity to create peace in my world – that’s an exciting concept to me. Mary Alice and the KFOG crew live these concepts every day.
I’m so fortunate to live in a part of the country that takes an active stance in speaking out against war and supporting peaceful conflict resolution. Both
The World is One
Berkeley AND Oakland (don’t believe everything you hear about Oakland!) adopted resolutions to support a cabinet-level representative for the Department of Peace. Imagine what this country could do if we had politicians in influential positions brainstorming and campaigning for waging peace domestically and in other countries! Also happening this weekend at UC Berkeley is the 2008 California Department of Peace Conference. link: http://www.afdop.org/conference/
Kyle Design is a wonderful resource for gifts and home decor with custom designs – such as peace and justice, earth and nature, professions and hobbies.
Technorati: peace, peaceful, justice, democracy, peace symbol, double peace, wage peace, peace conference, K-fog, Berkeley, Oakland, Department of Peace, custom gifts, money clip, earth money clip, peace and Justice card case, double peace earrings
SMOKEY SUMMER FORECAST
Here in the San Francisco bay area we are surrounded by the wildfires sparked by both man and nature last week. Sunday morning the skies were bright blue, but we could smell the smoke. By Sunday evening the skies were hazy and since Monday, the weather report has included “smokey” in the forecast.
The brownish haze is not only a sad reminder of the fires and all the damage 
they cause, but a health hazard to people with respiratory problems. It looks like we may see a change in the weather pattern by Friday, which must be good news to all the firefighters – some of whom have been working for 30 days straight. Rain is a lot to ask for during a California summer – but there is the possibility of some showers, and the lightening that accompanies a summer thunderstorm.
We all hope for the best and thank those who work so hard to save properties, lives and our wilderness areas.
Technorati: fire, flames, wildfire, fiirefighter, firefighter gifts, flame pill box, firefighter magnet, rain, thunderstorm, smoke, smokey, weather gifts
SUMMER SO FAR
We had a very long, cool spring here in California. No need to run the air conditioning helped offset price 
of gas for my car – so no complaints.
I went to Philadelphia to help my daughter move from dorm to rented room, and the heat was waiting for me there. She had a long list of must see places around town – so we traipsed through the hot, humid air to see oldest residential street in the country, Elfreth’s Alley. My visit coincided with the Fete Day, 
which is one of 2 days a year the homes are opened to the public. We enjoyed seeing the way modern families lived in the tiny homes built in 1702!
We also saw The Philadelphia Magic Gardens on South Street. This is a must see for people who love mosaics. It is inspiring and fun to see the “folk art” style of the space. We also attended the First Monday event during which the local art galleries remain open into the evening and a party atmosphere abounds. We had martinis and dinner at a great restaurant called Fork, just one of many good meals we shared.
We hit the thrift stores and borrowed a car to make a Target trip for furnishings and a little air conditioner for her room. (I decided it was a necessity when the overnight low was 87.) We cleaned and organized the 
kitchen, but with 5 college students in the house, I don’t expect that will last long. She is working full time this summer, but when I left, she had a list of little projects she wants to do.
So, one more of my chicks has flown the nest, but I helped feather the new nest and had a good visit and saw some sights. It was a good start for the summer.
Technorati: summer, heat, humidity, Philadelphia, college, Elfreth’s Alley, Magic gardens, flip flips, martinis, chair, furnishings, restaurants, mosaics, flask, card case, ornaments, city lights, travel, art, artist, art galleries
My Art Filled Life 