after christmas sale

after christmas sale

Merry Christmas (or Jolly Solstice and stuff) from Everbrite Mercantile

be good everyone

be less annoying

There are many things about the internet I find annoying. But there is one particular thing I find MOST annoying.

And that is the unfriendly and/or invasive business practices of many online retailers and web service companies.

If I walk into a brick n' mortars store to buy a candy bar or a bag of bolts, they don't typically ask me to sign up and become a member first before I can buy stuff. Well, there's Sam's Club and CostCo but those are the rare exceptions.

Internet operators, for some strange reason, somehow think it's perfectly fine to subject you to yet another painfully annoying sign-up form. Even if you are just buying some simple little thing.

Further, I've noticed the trend lately to put up a sign-up form or mailing list form as a front gateway. That is: you can't see ANY of their site unless you first give out your email address or contact info. What a load of crap.

What I find most offensive about the whole "sign-up" and "account" thing is the way that personal information eventually gets propagated without your express permission. Check it yourself. Google your name and see how your Amazon.com wishlists, random Facebook activity and other web activity is being automatically indexed and publicized on the web. Not cool. But it is business-as-usual for internet operators. At least on Forums you can use alias names. But on sites such as Amazon.com where the bank card you're paying with should exactly match your account name, an alias is not an option.

With the privacy rollbacks occurring on Facebook lately (and the extremely difficult methods they have for modifying those settings) it seems we're all becoming more aware of our personal info and how it's used. The extreme efficiency of Google's indexing system is adding to this awareness. It is only a matter of time before Google is sued over privacy issues, further defining their liability/responsibility in the matter, if any.

Applying my own personal experience into building the ebmerc store site, I absolutely refused to make any required login/sign-up forms.

When I began making a SAVE THIS SHOPPING SESSION function, I briefly considered adding a login to the site. I couldn't bring myself to do it.

Instead of a login, I made it so that the information (cart items, recently viewed items and pages) could be curled up into a bookmark on the Users browser... A very important distinction. If the info is inside a bookmark on your browser, you can delete it any time.

...and NOT on a database somewhere out in The Ether waiting to get Google-indexed at some time in the future. (Attention Amazon.com, are your ears burning? They should be, I'm talking about you.)

It's a simple little thing, but simple little things like that are an embodiment of my personal beliefs and opinions.

Just trying to make the shopping experience as pleasant as possible.

  - andfriend

Holiday delivery to Manhattan and Brooklyn

Holiday Hand Delivery has been activated.

Starting right now through midnight December 23, any orders to Brooklyn and Manhhattan addresses have the option to be hand delivered (which is recommended if you want it by Christmas) for a flat rate of $10.

Any size order... 10 dollars.

The 'Hand Delivery' checkbox option will appear in your cart after selecting NYC as your city/locale (as pictured below)


  - andfriend

the new SEARCH is here

  posted by "andfriend"

There's a new search feature on the site.

I could claim to have slaved for days on this, but the truth is: I put it together in a few hours.

It works well enough. I'll tweak it further as needed - tagging the items better, &c.

the way it works is: You click "SEARCH"...


...a box appears, and you type in words,
then press ENTER / RETURN.


That's about it.

wire coat hangers

  posted by "andfriend"

Salesmanship is not my thing. There are those who can "turn it on and off". You see them like a lion going into kill mode: going from grousing about something or other to an instant "game face" and easy going demeanor when a customer comes by. Only to drop back into grousing mode seconds later.

Thankfully, such schizo behavior (known in business circles as "professionalism") is sort of rare at the Brooklyn Flea. Most vendors at The Flea are crafts people, artisans and local retailers who are an easygoing bunch. You won't find many super-aggro D-bags there... just a bunch of cool people playing a fun game called Flea Market, and who have a more intimate connection with the things they sell. Whether it's something they made with their own hands or a finely curated collection of artifacts and objects that truly fascinate and inspire them - whatever it is, chances are it's close to them. It's in their blood.

That is probably why I had a good time at The Flea' Gifted Holiday Market yesterday. The Digital Harinezumi camera was very popular with the crowd. Being an INTENSE film/photo/video enthusiast for many years, I was all excited to talk about this tricky little toy camera - it's faux silent Super8 images, the tinier-than-your-pinky-nail usb adapter we bundle with it.... blah blah.

Yeah, I'm a nerd.


Digital Harinezumi

Usually its Mollie doing all the presenting with the array of tchotkes and stylish items she's curated.

I guess these events help to provide me with the opportunity to be a more socialized human being; a forum to share intensely personal interests.

If Flea vendors were merely salesmen or marketeers they would probably do better financially by selling for giant SatanCo conglomerates or peddling wire coat hangers wholesale. But we choose to engage in stuff beyond pure profit motive - playing with other edges, pursuing passions, choosing to share a piece of ourselves. Its a group of enthusiasts doing their thing.

Just about everyone at The Flea is getting their jones on.

Yeah it's for sale

It's an actual cub scout shirt that was worn by these "men":


cub scout shirt

...and Yes, stuff is wrong with them.

(models: Gregory Barnett a.k.a. greggychrist and BryanX)

t minus 2 hours

Our final "hump" day at the Brooklyn Flea Gifted Holiday Market.

2 hours to go. A very good day.

In about a week and a half, I'll be enabling a $10-flat-rate local (Brooklyn and Manhattan) hand delivery option for those shoppers looking for last minute gifts in the days leading up to Christmas.

  - "and friend"

New items

Hanging out right now at the Brooklyn Flea Gifted Holiday Market in Manhattan with shiny new stuff

...and on the internet working - because I'm a workaholic. That's how I roll.

also, Mollie put some new shiny stuff in the online shop.

There's this great new thing the internet does: click on the pictures below, and stuff appears like magic. (i think wood elves are involved in the process.)

  - andfriend

yee-haw industries letterpress


playforever toys


poketo

Julie Chang of Fox 5 NY at Brooklyn Flea Gifted

Julie Chang looks like she's having waaaay too much fun. Especially at the end where she's holding Eric's baby and the kid is looking all confused. Awesome. (I'm a big fan of black market baby references.)

Mollie and Everbrite Mercantile (featuring Design Glut merch) get a mention.

annnd... if you don't blink, you can see Huichol peyote jewelry and o-Live's space age jewelry and also Mollie's own blue chain uber-bling in some quick cutaway shots.


rock on, Ms. Chang. Thank you.

Here is the page at myfoxny.com. Thanks Uncle Rupert... (I say as I link to you from the Google-owned blogger.com)

  posted by hipster Brooklynite, "and friend"

everbrite mercantile at the gifted holiday market

I have to admit. This was the first time at a flea market in which I enjoyed myself most of the time there. Usually I get bored, wander a lot and let Mollie handle most of the "public interface" thing. This time I was deeper in the mix; more in tune with the scene.

We'll be back at East 4th and Lafayette on the next 2 wednesdays (December 2 and 9)... hump day.

with free beer and a DJ, or so I'm told.

  - "and friend"

p.s. - on a totally unrelated subject, I spotted this sign on a seat at the back of the bus in Brooklyn on the way home:


The way I see it... if you HAVE TO TELL people this sort of thing, the Four Horsemen have already come and gone long ago.

gifted holiday market in manhattan starts on Black Friday

The Gifted Holiday Market is starting on friday.

Same info as the previous post. Just a reminder is all, with a neat little video made with a toy Digital Harinezumi camera. (I'll be listing the little Harinezumi cameras for sale at the online store this weekend.)


Digital Harinezumi

"Gifted" is hosted by the brownstoner.com guys who bring you the Brooklyn Flea. Also sponsored by Lucky Magazine.

We (Everbrite Mercantile Co) are there:
friday, november 27
wednesday, december 2
wednesday, december 9

Various vendors are scheduled throughout the market's days. It's worth checking out at different times.

  - "and friend"

brooklyn flea gifted

howdy folks!

here are the dates that we'll be taking the everbrite wares out to gifted, the brooklyn flea's holiday show. it's being held in manhattan this year, at the corner of Lafayette and 4th St. (just a few blocks below Astor Place)

friday, november 27

wednesday, december 2

wednesday, december 9

friday, is of course black friday, the day to get your shopping impulses stimulated. the wednesday dates are going to be fun- from 6-9 pm there will be dj's from other music spinning tunes, and complimentary beer from brooklyn brew shop, the cool people that sell their home brew kits at the flea.

as for us, we have many, many great gifts for the holidays, many priced at $30 or under. so come see us- there's no excuse- we'll be in manhattan!

(click on the above cards to read the postcard details)

zachary pryor

while visiting artists and fleas many months back, we came upon jesse utt, the madman behind zachary pryor. jesse creates these incredibly detailed, hand-painted earrings, which are unlike anything I've ever seen. many are influenced by classic comic-book art, while others are more painterly. hard to believe, but jesse paints all of the detail with a brush. each pair is created on heavy-weight balsa wood, the shapes of which are all hand-cut by jesse. I just uploaded a few new styles to the site. check em out.

the 258 pop-up

hey kids!

we'll be selling the ebmerc goods in our little corner of bed-stuy this sunday, in front of 258 cafe on malcom x. along with the merch will be accessories from other neighborhood designers and live jazz with the frank schaub group.

come say hi and have a cup of francine's delish coffee or chai. (that's her in the blue sweater) yeah, we've got stuff in bed-stuy.

november 1, 12-5ish p.m.
twofiftyeight cafe
199 malcolm x boulevard
@ putnam

A/C train to Utica Ave. Exit towards Malcolm X Blvd. and walk straight up till you hit it.


View Larger Map

yeah

I am really digging the shop now. I added a "DESIGNERS" sub-menu to display stuff from individual designers... all keeping within the super non-cluttered minimal layout.

Ahhhhhh, joy.

Here are things you will find inside.

  - "and friend"

THE NEW PHONEBOOK IS HERE !

...and by "THE NEW PHONEBOOK IS HERE", what I mean is: the store is open.

and by "the store is open", what I mean is : YAY !

  - andfriend

wrapup

the flea was so much fun. we sold a good variety of things and met some really cool people. the kreepy dolls got a lot of attention, as did kiel mead's lincoln rings and andrew's wire rings. two people figured out the conundrum form puzzle, (pictured above) one in about 30 seconds. impressive. it was a little hot and many people are on vacation, and still we generated a good amount of buzz and made some new friends. and I was able to process credit cards on my cell phone!

b got back to coding the site with renewed energy this past week. we got our design looking a little cleaner and he worked on browser compatibility. (that's for you, i.e. users!) after looking all over brooklyn for a cheap windows machine, he found a laptop on ebay that needed a little virus-wiping to make it functional. i swear, that boy can fix any machine.

after our day at the flea we headed over to bed-stuy's newest restaurant saraghina, and lucky for us, it's in our neck of the rather large neighborhood. and yes, it's worth the hype- the place is really lovely. posted on the door they list their wood-fired oven pizzas, but they also offer a daily list of italian bites like roasted veggie dishes and fresh fish and pasta. there were five wait people and one bus boy on the floor, five of whom were italian. the owner was in the front making pizza when we walked in, (wearing a cycling hat like a good italian) coming out later to arrange a large table for a party and talk to guests. saraghina has an awesome patio, and that's where most of the customers were gathered. i noted to bryan that they've brought a slice of italian paradise with their charm and hospitality to our hoody hood. walking by the place before it opened, I was dumbfounded when b told me there would be a new restaurant opening. they really transformed the ratty looking garage into a humble, but elegant destination.

okay, i wasn't intending on writing a restaurant review, but I got carried away. ciao.

do-over

so we're back on for the flea, this sunday the 16th. I used to never look at weather forecasts, and did just fine on my own. I think I'll go back to that method. (it didn't rain yesterday after all)

at least we're prepared, and can relax this week. the plastic mesh came today!

here's some more eye candy for you.


copper, brass and steel wire rings from andrew clark of brooklyn.


all-natural herbal soaps from family-owned master soap makers valobra, of genova, italy. cool packaging too.


pewter and glass moose shot glass from goody grams of japan. we have a rabbit version too.


nambu cast iron birds-foot bookends from northern japan.

also...EVERYTHING in the molliedash collection will be discounted 20%, 30% or 50% off!

I sincerely hope everything goes smoothly for this weekend. fingers crossed.

rain

It is definitely looking like a rain day.

Not going out to the Brooklyn Flea today.... We'll try next week.

looks like rain?

so, I've been following the forecast all week, which has flipped-flopped from sun to rain to sun to an increasing chance of rain. we're going to keep a close eye on it tonight, and if it looks like a rainy day tomorrow, we won't be out at the flea. instead, we'll try for the following weekend. rats!

what's new?

the brooklyn flea included us in a nice post about the new vendors selling this weekend. look for us in the middle *pods* of hand made vendors, at i23. here's another one of pull+push's beautiful products, the truss planter.

today

•gesso
•grommets
•s-hooks
•canvas
•clothes pins
•bungees
•staple gun
•staples

making a list

here's what we've gotten:
•everbrite mercantile co. stamp
•1000 manila string tags
•plastic sheeting in case of rain
•clip board for mailing list

ordered but not yet arrived:
•paper bags
•everbrite mercantile post cards
•plastic sun screen for the sides of the tent

still need:
•large plastic bins for transporting the goods
•canvas for making a banner

brooklyn flea august 9

has it been that long since I've posted? not to worry- ebmerc is still in the works. I've been itching to get the merchandise out for all to see, so we'll be taking the shop outdoors to the DUMBO brooklyn flea SUNDAY, AUGUST 9. we have so many great summer goodies, and it would be a shame for them to stay locked up here in our apartment.

b and I went over to the flea last weekend, and it was my favorite one yet. the first one we spent a couple of hours at, browsing the booths, finding treasures, and eating some yummy food. if you come, make a day of of it and spend some time exploring DUMBO and the brooklyn waterfront. you won't be sorry!

------------------
UPDATE: will be there August 16.

sneak peek #9

While in Los Angeles I happened upon a magical booth at a farmer's market. We have the good luck to stay in San Pedro when we visit, which is lively with Mexican culture. I couldn't believe the artistic use of bright colors employed by the Huichol Indians in their bead work. What I came home with is a small sampling of their beautiful work. My eye was drawn towards stars and flowers, but there was also a vast array of figurative and animal-themed work. I'm so in love with the necklaces, I should have picked up one for myself, good gosh. Well here's to the work selling quickly, so I can order some more!

today's project

I ordered a variety of shipping boxes from the P.O. and the rest of them arrived today. I will be weighing items one by one and recording the weights, so b can come up with shipping formulas. Like I said, I've had some crazy allergies for the past couple of weeks, mixed in with a pulled muscle and now an outbreak of hives. nice! so I'm kind of poking along, while b works full steam ahead. you wouldn't believe the features he's building into the site. Next up I need to work on the overall look of the site. We initially came up with an *olde store* theme, which morphed into an old barn look, and now I'm thinking fresh and green for spring. I took a load of photos last week as the trees were all sprouting with new leaves on my block. you know that new, lime-green color the leaves have before they've matured? I love it! okay, off to do some weighing!

sneek peak #8

I had a bit of a sluggish week, dealing with suddenly warm weather and a burst of pollen into the air. as I plodded through, b forged ahead with the technical aspects of the site. finally on sunday we had diane come over, a former co-worker at dna who had modeled for us a year and half ago. since then b has beefed up his lighting equipment and we were able to shoot the session smooth as silk. having t-shirts modeled helps a lot when selling them on a website. all t-shirts are cut differently and it's good to be able to see how they fit. paste t-shirts come in men's and women's cuts, the women's made of a lighter, stretchier fabric. some of the styles were only available for men, so I ordered a few extra smalls. you'll be able to see the difference in how they're cut when the whole collection is presented. I'm going to have b model some of the shirts too, so you can see how they look on a real man. shown are paste's just say yo and chouette's unisex squares t in black/blue.

sneak peek #7

We're getting really close. I've got just a few more products to photograph today. B has been implementing the shopping cart functions for the pat few days and getting the design closer to how we want it. We still need to set our shipping rates and fill in the about and info pages. Leaving only about a week to design the actual site was cutting it a little close. Note to self.

So here's something I'm way in love with- the Cottage Incense Pot from Japan's PULL + PUSH products. Young designer Nobuhiro Sato uses materials traditionally used in building construction- mortar, glass and steel, to create his little abodes. Also in his collection are planters and ash trays. He is fascinated by the way materials age in the world and he replicates this process in his house-inspired designs. As the products are used the smoke, ash, water and dirt age the pieces, giving them a beautiful, mellowed look.

The cottage burner uses cone or brick incense and the smoke rises out of the chimney. I am currently looking for incense that I will make available in the shop.

sneak peek #6

as you might know the site is supposed to launch today. and as things go, we're not quite ready- but very close. so I'll share with you another sneak peek. this one is by way of, um...Brooklyn! another talented designer and extreme ecoist from our fair borough is Daniel Baxter of Kreepy Doll Factory. I had such fun picking out the dolls we'll be selling. While photographing them I felt like I was shooting portraits, the dolls are so full of personality. They really are stunning in their detail and craftsmanship. made of 100% repurposed materials- they even were shipped in a re-used boxed, lovingly styled and given new life.

sneek peak #5

next up from the county of Kings (aka Brooklyn, NY) is PASTE t-shirts. living in a city that has such a wealth of fashion and visual information, it takes something special to stand out and catch my attention. I was drawn to paste's marriage of urban references (bling jewelry, old skool kicks) with historical cultural icons. (Nancy Reagan, Sigmund Freud) not to mention paste's mashup of super soft prewashed cotton tees with FOILS. nice touch. welcome, PASTE.

a sneaky peek (from "and friend")

From the always vague Delicious Monkey studio: another singular thing.

What is it? No one really knows for sure.

They will only say "It's for making the Popeye arms, No?!"

I don't speak Latvian, so that's all I got.
 - and friend

sneak peek #3

As a jewelry designer with a discerning eye, I couldn't resist the cheeky creations of Brooklyn duo Design Glut. Ordering from them seemed like a no-brainer. The vivacious Kegan was the first vendor to deliver goods to our little home-studio-shop. I've subsequently found out that most of our nyc designers live/work not only in the same borough, but right in our own neighborhood. take that, Williamsburg! Along with Kegan's partner Liz, Design Glut is more than a design studio, as they present interviews on their site, making it "an informational hub filled with stories, interviews, and advice from creative entrepreneurs."

"We don’t make things unless we truly believe there is a reason for them to exist. Our objects start conversations, cause you to crack a smile, add something meaningful to your life.

We use product design as a medium to convey messages... Our objects have a counter-message: think for yourself, and consume intelligently rather than mindlessly."

that I like.