Looking for something different for your Easter baskets this year? How about a colorful Cubebot puzzle? Love this little robot drill team routine video from AreaWare...Read More
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You may not find a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow, but if you shop at FOUND in Ann Arbor through St. Patrick's Day, you'll get 17% off any item that has even a wee bit of green as part of it. This is our annual special in honor of my Irish Grandmother and my dad (who once painted his dress shoes green for a St. Pat's Day wedding).
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At FOUND, we're tired of snow and frigid weather, so we've declared an early Springtime! Though it looks like March will come in like a lion, we know it'll probably go out like a lamb. New springtime lambs - handmade in Au Gres, Michigan have arrived - along with some new goats and mama sheep for ewe.
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Be sure to look up next time you visit FOUND! Our Holiday displays aren't just at eye level. You'll find antique bears and elves riding a trike on a tall
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The 2014 Christmas Store opens November 6th at FOUND in Ann Arbor!
Here's what we have planned for the 2014 holidays:
November 4 & 5. CLOSED while we work some holiday magic.
November 6th. 9:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. Shop reopens for first look at FOUND's 2014 Collection!
Friday, Nov. 7. Holiday Kick off Party. 5:00-7:00 p.m. Refreshments. Merry Multiples begins. $10 gift card free when you make a purchase!
Sunday, Nov. 9. Stamping Sunday. Drop in between 3 and 4 p.m. to stamp gift bags and tags. $3 materials fee.
Sunday, Nov. 16. Kerrytown Open House. 10 am-6 pm. 20% off storewide + Merry Multiples!
Closed for Thanksgiving.
November 29. Small Business Saturday specials.
Friday, Dec. 5. Midnight MADNESS! Sales ALL day until midnight. 20% off storewide + Merry Multiples!
Dec. 12,19. Festive Fridays in Kerrytown - shops open til 8:00 p.m. for your convenience.
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There's been one fat squirrel busy in the Bradford Pear tree beside my driveway every morning this week when I walked out the door. And the acorns are dropping like crazy. A sign of a harsh winter to come? I'm going to just enjoy these magnificent autumn days and let the squirrels worry about that.
Nutty Distraction Topic: Sometimes I try to find a 10 minute "distraction topic" to think about to give my mind a little break from working. It's sort of a silly refocusing alternative to slow, deep breathing.
Last week squirrels were a distraction topic for me. Except for their silly scolding sounds, squirrels mind their own business and just scurry around looking very busy and cute. I wish they knew better than to run into the street though - road kill is not cute. I'll admit it, sometimes I think about strange things - like how I'm grateful I am that squirrels never try to get into the house or even my garage. We grew up singing "grey squirrel, grey squirrel, swish your bushy tail... grey squirrel, grey squirrel, swish your bushy tail..." but I never see grey squirrels around here. Brown squirrels live in my trees. After that little musical ditty looped around in my head for awhile, I was definitely ready to get the song out of my head and refocus on the important tasks of my day. It was back to my book keeping with a clear focus again.
Meanwhile, back at FOUND, you'll find these adorable felted squirrels. They are made in Michigan at the AuGres Sheep Factory up in the thumb area. Burlap acorns go with these sweet faced squirrels for easy autumn decorating.
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Lovely little boats by mixed media artist Kathleen Koopman are floating in the window at FOUND on a dreamy voyage. The sailboats have dainty handkerchiefs or recycled fabrics as sails and float through the air like something out of a bedtime story.
Others tell a story of companionship. Birds join in the journey.
We asked Kathleen to share her inspiration for these dreamy boats:
I'm part collector, part archivist, part archaeologist, and part researcher. I find things, arrange them, organize them, and display them.
My work for the past several years has focused on the assemblage of found objects, scraps, photographs, fiber, and paper, to create a narrative with memories and dreams intertwined.
I draw from a collection of artifacts, found: junk stores, the street, the landscape, the pathways of life: items cast off and abandoned, waiting for the opportunity tell their stories, effected by time and memory.
Constructing boats rose out of that process, out of these materials, as an extension of the assemblage process, and the inspiration grew fueled by the metaphors: voyages, sailing, hulls, rigging, sails, navigation driven by the vagaries of wind and water: discovery, travel, wandering.
Bon Voyage!
Kathleen Koopman. July 2014.
During Ann Arbor Art Fair week, Darcy Bowden will be our featured artist, bringing over one HUNDRED of her ceramic works to the shop! We're clearing out the center section to make room for this fun made in michigan show and sale. Her quirky, modern pieces often have whimsical POPS of color and sensitively drawn lines in the design. Other groups have a mid century feel with chunky sculptural shapes.
Ceramic Art & Printmaking Show with Darcy Bowden
Tuesday, July 15, 2014. Opening Reception Party. 4-8 pm.
July 16,17,18. Meet the artist 3-7 pm daily at FOUND.
Sat. July 19. 11 am - 2 pm. Clay Demo by Darcy! Hand forming & decorating simple, modernist bowls using ancient paddling techniques.
The group above is just out of the kiln over at Yourist Studios where Darcy does her magic. Notice the bowl shapes. The clay is formed by paddling it over a specially selected stone - a very old method with a modern twist. At the Saturday demo (7/19 from 11-2 at FOUND) Darcy will show us how it's done. The vessels below are an entirely different group she does. All these are coming to the show!
Darcy is a long time FOUND friend and inspiration! Many Ann Arborites will recognize Darcy from her days as an art teacher at Huron High School. I almost forgot to mention that printmaking is another of her passions and she'll also bring prints, cards and other fun things to the show. Hope to see you during Art Fair Week 2014!
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While we've been as busy as elves this past week getting all of our holiday merchandise into the shop, we've had some funny little elves to keep us company! The woodland elf above is corralling a set of votive candle holders. Perfect for tealights from our friends at Green Daffodil Soy Candles.
For the past 6 years, we've hung an upside down tree from the ceiling at FOUND. Of course there was an elf to help hang the tinsel from the branches.
Some of his buddies climbed ladders to help. But my favorite has to be the elf that grabbed onto a sled flying off the ceiling - hair and beard and eyebrows blowing back in the wind...
The biggest elf of all is Jolly Old Santa Claus himself. This seven foot fellow is sitting at his workbench, doing what Santa does this time of year - getting the toys ready for good little boys and girls.
We had fun putting together these fun display. But that's only the beginning. Watch the blog for more photos - or even better, stop by the shop and see for yourself!
Our favorite photographer, Charlene Plagens, is also posting wonderful images on the FOUND instagram page and we now have a pinterest page. Check them out - she's adding more photos every week!
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Here is our schedule of special events for the holidays:
November 4 & 5. CLOSED while we work some holiday magic.
November 6th. 9:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. First look at FOUND's 2014 Collection!
Friday, Nov. 8. Holiday Kick off Party. 5:00-7:00 p.m. Gift with purchase.
Sunday, Nov. 17. Kerrytown Open House. 20% off storewide + Merry Multiples!
Closed for Thanksgiving.
November 30. Small Business Saturday specials.
Friday, Dec. 6. Midnight MADNESS! Sales ALL day until midnight.
Dec. 13, 20. Festive Fridays - open til 9:00 p.m.
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