Lego Winter Toy Shop, on eBay

The Lego Winter Toy Shop is perfect for spending time with your kids on long cold wintry nights. Create your own North Pole scene or add this to your winter village setup.

Art Nouveau Wrapping Papers on eBay

I might use this C.F.A. Voysey nouveau wrapping paper during the holidays. It's not too Christmasy enough to bother my Jewish friends, and I find the color scheme refreshingly different from the overwhelming amount of red-and-green at that time of year.

This Alphonse Mucha wrapping paper would look amazing with a teal or orange organza ribbon.

This green paisley wrapping paper is more India than Art Nouveau, but I love the flowery natural curves to it. Would be perfect for wrapping fall birthday presents or Christmastime calendars.

New Ruth Sanderson Goldilocks Book

Goldilocks, on Amazon

My very favorite children's book illustrator is Ruth Sanderson. I love her magical paintings, especially those of "The 12 Dancing Princesses" and "Cinderella."

I'm very excited that she's comiing out with a new book in October, Goldilocks. I can't wait to read this to my little nephew and niece!

Lomonosov Squirrel Teacup for Fall, on eBay

I would so love to have a set of these beautiful Lomonosov squirrel teacups. They'd be wonderful for autumn tea parties. Since they're antique and Russian, it would be expensive to find more than a few of these on eBay.

My Most Coveted Lego Ever - Cafe Corner

Look what I just found on eBay: The Lego Bricks Cafe Corner. I'm swooning!

I can't decide if it's supposed to be French-themed or New Orleans-themed (same influences I guess) but it's adorable.

I'm not sure what other sets it's supposed to go with - it won't really go with my old yellow castle or my Space set!

Oh here's something that would go with it! The Lego Bricks Green Grocer. At $199, it's expensive enough I'd probably refer to my set as "Whole Paycheck."

Pin-Up Girls of WWII Paper Dolls on eBay

Here is the new Tom Tierney set of paper dolls from Dover: Pin-Up Girls of World War II. I think I can't resist these! Saucy!!

Mid-Century Modern Pillows on eBay

Today I'm browsing through mid-century modern pillows on eBay. I don't decorate in that style, but I have fantasies of having a small modern condo someday as a vacation home. (I can dream, can't I?)

I love the house motif on this Marimekko pillow.

This also comes in green and yellow, but I love the red and pink working together in this pillow.

This "Twiggy" pillow would be perfect for autumn decor.

Lomonosov Porcelain Figural Cups on eBay

This Lomonosov Russian cup is one of the prettiest figural cups I've ever seen. I'm not sure I need to spend $900 to drink tea out of a lady's head, but I would love to admire something like this in my curio cabinet.

This one is a few hundred dollars cheaper.

I also like this cute Russian folk figural oil jar. I'd never actually store any oil in this lovely antique!

Princess Bride Plush Dolls on eBay

Any Princess Bride fans here?

I find this hilarious! This is a Dread Pirate Roberts plush doll. It talks! No idea what he says though.

There's also a plush talking giant Fezzik doll in the likeness of Andre the Giant. I wonder if you can understand the doll when it talks?

Nostalgic Major Matt Mason Space Station Toy on eBay

This month's 40th anniversary of the Moon landing makes me nostalgic for space-themed toys. My brother and I grew up in the 1970s and never saw this Major Matt Mason space station toy, or we would have been absolutely unbearable whiny brats after Christmas when we hadn't received this box of awesomeness.

We did have something very similar to this space station, however. It's a bit childish for the ages we were when we got it, but we enjoyed it nonetheless. However, it isn't as cool as Major Matt Mason toys!

Related Links:

Tom Hanks in Live-Action Major Matt Mason Movie Based on Toy? (Variety)

History of Major Matt Mason

The Space Station: Major Matt Mason's Base on the Web

Major Matt Mason at Wikipedia

Liudmila Kondakova Art on eBay

Every time I go to the mall, I linger by the windows of Martin Lawrence Galleries to see artwork by Liudmila Kondakova. I vow to work harder every day and stop frittering away money on Starbucks and manicures so I can save up to someday own one of her colorful, cheerful, restful scenes. I've never seen her Chambord in person, and that's probably for the best - I would swoon.

I love this serigraph of a Paris cheese shop, but it's a common one and I bet I'll see it on the walls in several friends/families homes in the future. Which is ok, but maybe I will hold out for something seen a little less often.

"Room With a View" makes me happy just looking at it. I'd love to hang this in my "library" (ok, it's a living room with overflowing, dusty bookshelves). Or in my kitchen, so on dreary rainy days (of which Seattle has many) I could imagine myself somewhere else.

Playmobil's new Egyptian Sets!

My niece and nephews and I are SO excited about the new Playmobil Egyptian sets. We definitely have to own this pyramid. I'm hoping it doesn't take eight hours to put together like the Playmobil hospital did! The kids are most excited about the "secret trapdoor" inside the pyramid.

These are European exclusives and aren't available at US shops yet.

The boys definitely want the Egyptian warrior ship, but they might have to wait until their birthdays - we don't want to overspoil them at Christmastime.

Also of very much excitement to all three children is the Egyptian Tomb Raider set. It comes with a tomb, robbers, and a camel. There are also various jars and vases and nice things the robbers might want to well.. rob.

The Egyptian family is so adorable, but I don't know what we'd do with them. They can't quite live in the Pyramid - it's for dead people - and they look much too clean to be actively working in the pyramid building industry. Hrm!

These items are on sale this week at The Corner Toy Store, the store I normally buy from.

Playmobil Wedding Toys on eBay

This Playmobil Wedding Pavilion is probably too pricy for a wedding gift (I do like to stick to things the couple's registered for) but if you had disposable money and knew the bride was a Playmobil fan when she was younger, it would sure be a fun surprise.

The pavilion is where the reception takes place, but the wedding itself should be in the Playmobil church.

You can't have a wedding without a bride and groom!

I think my ten year old niece and her friends would be ecstatic to hold a Playmobil wedding with this!

Pirate Doggie Bed - Too Cute

I don't have a little yappy dog, but if I did, I would be sorely pressed to resist bedding them down in a plush pirate dog bed. I might even attempt to coax said doggie into wearing an eyepatch, but only for pictures!

Sephora Monopoly Game on eBay

This is so cool - I would totally play Sephora Monopoly at a Girls' Night In. Maybe we'd watch Sex and the City re-runs, drink Cosmos, do our makeup, and fight over who gets to play Sephora Monopoly using the lipstick token playing piece!