August
Hoot Sweet
Newborns turn parents’ lives upside down, but the birth of daughter Sadie in 2008 also changed Suzy Fairchild’s design aesthetic. An experienced women’s wear designer, Fairchild added kiddie wear to her Phinney Ridge boutique Frock Shop in late 2009, launching Hoot Organic (hootorganic.com), a full line of colorful caps ($18) and sweet dresses made from recycled and vintage fabrics ($58 and up). Fairchild spends Sadie’s naptime sourcing organic cottons and vintage patterns on eBay, and hand-sewing cozy garments like her delightfully quirky sweatpants with a cheeky monkey bum (and a diaper gusset for crawlers, $24). Clothes are available in sizes up to 24 months, and Fairchild hopes to grow into children’s sizes as fit model Sadie does the same. Available at Frock Shop (Phinney Ridge, 6500 Phinney Ave. N; 206.297.1638; shopfrockshop.com).

Male Bonding
Add a masculine edge to the party with Magnolia-based Backlash Industriel’s “Happy Bob” wine-serving set. The bold design of the wine base, drip ring and stopper merges owner Scott Clifford’s wine-loving sensibilities with his mechanical engineering background. He molds the modern set from industrial-grade aluminum for a polished presentation. $260 at backlashindustriel.com.

Noteworthy Nook
In a city stocked with Macs and PCs, the feel of letterpress paper under keyboard-weary fingers is almost reverential. Tiny Birch Paperie in Tangletown (5605B Keystone Ave. N; 206.372.6142; gellertcollection.com) is an altar for lovers of letterpress art. Store matriarch Tamara Gellert, a longtime letterpress manufacturer’s rep, opened Birch last December as a show space for her clients, which include Seattle’s Ilee Papergoods (designer Ja Teuber makes the paper for its stunning desktop calendars) and Portland’s Old School Stationers (known for colorful animal caricatures, available in card and wall-print sizes). Besides chic boxed sets ($12–$18), journals ($11) and cards ($3.50–$7.50), Gellert carries soy candles, soaps by Sweet Petula and totes that are party ready in minutes, enveloped in Birch’s patterned wrapping paper ($3–$4 per sheet). Open Thursday–Friday, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. , Saturday, 9 a.m.–2 p.m.

Originally published in August 2010