Lightweight, 100% porcelain dinnerware

Tammy Polatsek is a veteran of the event planning and catering industry. She applied her expertise in hospitality to fashion a fine line of dishware for Carmona New York. All of the dishes are made from 100% porcelain, giving them a smooth texture and clean look. They are also 65% lighter than a common ceramic dish. Carmona offers over 250 designs. Each piece is manufactured in the same shade of clean bone. Since each piece is fully customizable, the company says it can create anything to cater to one's specific needs.

Gift for Life Honors Hammons, Kacick & the Litzmans

Gift for Life, the gift, stationery and home decor industries' leading charitable organization, will honor three industry leaders during Gift for Life’s 20th Annual Party for Life, on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012 in New York City.

Jenny Hammons will receive the Bert Tonkin Gift of Giving Award, which recognizes sustained philanthropic endeavors benefitting the industry. The Award is named for industry benefactor Bert Tonkin, president of Western Exhibitors. Hammons is a gift industry veteran and owner of Jenny Hammons/Company, which consists of West Coast-based sales organizations servicing the gift and home-décor markets in Northern California and the U.S. Pacific Northwest. She is a former chair of the board of Gift for Life.

George Kacic will receive the Chuck Yancy Lifetime Achievement Award, presented to a special recipient who has had an abiding impact on the industry through leadership and generosity. Kacic’s career within the gift and home-décor industry spans thirty-five years. Currently, he serves as Vice President of GANZ USA, LLC. Over the past nineteen years, he has helped make GANZ one of the top “go-to” gift companies in the world. He is involved in every aspect of sales and marketing. Prior to GANZ, Kacic spent seven years with Russ Berrie, becoming District Sales Manager and later Regional Sales Manager. He also served five years as President of an independent rep firm. As Vice President of Takara USA, Kacic was instrumental in establishing the Japanese-based company within the United States. His industry activities are as deep-rooted as his corporate leadership. Kacic is serving as the Advisory Board Chairman for AmericasMart; he is a member of the Gift for Life Board; he served six years on the Gift & Home Trade Association’s (GHTA) Board, acting as President, Chairman Emeritus and, most recently, an ICON HONORS founding partner; and he is the current co-chair for the GHTA Annual Conference.

Brandwise and its founders Todd and Jannetta Litzman will receive the Trailblazer Award, which recognizes an industry pioneer for outstanding achievement and significant contributions, as well as creative products and ideas with lasting impact. For more than 14 years, Brandwise has been driving the innovation of technology in the gift and home industry by listening to its needs and consistently creating and providing solutions and tools to help suppliers and sales reps sell more, increase efficiencies and, in effect, enhancing the retailer’s buying experience. The company continues to provide new technology to help automate each step in the sales channel—from showroom floor to the road, from back office functions to executive business intelligence and online where the company’s revolutionary bwconnect™ service allows retailers, reps and suppliers to collaborate online to do business.

“Strong leadership, decades of hard work, and passionate support for the industry are the shared values of our honorees,” said Leslie Nathan-Street, chair of the Gift for Life board. “We recognize their tireless energy and their generosity.”

The 20th Annual Party for Life, benefiting DIFFA, will be held at The Boathouse at Central Park. Individual tickets are $125, and sponsorships ranging from $500 through $25,000 are available. For details, contact Steven Williams at swilliams@diffa.org, (212) 727-3100. Each year, Gift for Life hosts events throughout the U.S. benefitting DIFFA. The primary mission of Gift for Life and DIFFA is to eradicate the AIDS pandemic in the U.S. Working together, Gift for Life and DIFFA will continue to raise funds for HIV/AIDS service and education programs. For additional information please visit www.giftforlife.org.

Follow Gift for Life’s efforts via their free e-newsletter, available at http://www.giftforlife.org/about_gfl/press-releases-and-newsletters/.

For Target-istas: Partying with Sabrina Soto

"A Bullseye View" brings retailer Target to life. (Target's logo is a bulls-eye, get it?) The online magazine, or blog, is a behind-the-scenes look at the retailer's partnerships, initiatives, events and innovations. Here's a taste of a recent article:

"Last night, in a gorgeous apartment on the Upper West Side, Target threw a housewarming party for New York-newbie Sabrina Soto, HGTV host and Target Style Expert for Home.After packing up her bags in Bethesda, MD, Sabrina headed to the big city for a new place… and a new excuse for a flawless home makeover. Sabrina is usually busy making design miracles come true for homeowners on her hit HGTV show “The High/Low Project,” but this project was all about her.At the intimate rendezvous, we ignored the scrumptious-looking hors d’oeuvres and crisp cocktails to feast on décor instead. As expected, Sabrina’s apartment was pristine, stylish and completely covetable. "

Read more about Sabrina Soto and a NYC housewarming party at abullseyeview.com

High-tech garden gives everyone a green thumb

A Tech Rescue for the Gardening Impaired 

Click and Grow automated flowerbeds announce full-scale production. 

By Click and Grow
(MMD Newswire) - - Click and Grow brings casual gardeners a touch of tech, allowing plants to grow on their own without outside help. The gardener adds only batteries and a two months' supply of water - the planter's sensors, processor and software do the rest. Click and Grow literally empowers gardening in absentia.

In August 2011, Click and Grow appealed to consumers to test our product, and the response was literally overwhelming. More than 20,000 consumers from around the globe signed up, but we were only able to accommodate several thousand. Now, with large-scale production underway, Click and Grow is available to consumers everywhere.

Our technology uses no soil, and plants are grown from cartridges which retail from two to eight euros. Six cartridges are currently available with another 50 soon to follow. Click and Grow's software measures all parameters affecting plant growth and knows exactly what each plant needs, enabling even the most inept gardener to grow plants with more complex needs--roses, basil, tomato, orchids.

Click and Grow's automated planter pot requires no soil and water is placed into the pot's reservoir every other month. The automated pot retails for €59 in Europe (£49 in the UK, and $79 in the US).

All Click and Grow plant cartridges fit this planter pot, though each pot may grow only one plant at a time, as plants cannot be replanted outside the Click and Grow system.

"Every year, more than 30 billion euros in houseplants are thrown away," says Click and Grow CEO Mattias Lepp. "No one can single-handedly save all those plants, but wouldn't it be nice if the average houseplant could be around longer than its current two-month average?"

Click and Grow is for sale via the web at www.clickandgrow.com and high-end gardening and design shops the world over.

Vendor offers a round-the-world trip for retailers, reps

GuildMaster, a wholesale of furniture and decorative accessories, www.guildmaster.comannounced a new "Amazing Race" promotion for retailers and sales reps. The trip includes stops in nine of the topglobal fashion capitals or $10,000 in cash.

For each $1,000 in product purchased by a retailer or sold by a sales representative, one entry is earned so that the chance to win increaseswith the value of the orders.

The contest ends on Friday, Nov. 19 when fivefinalists in each group will be pulled from the entries. The following week onBlack Friday, Nov. 25, one winner in each group will be drawn from the fivefinalists and GuildMaster CEO Steve Crowder will personally deliver the news tothe winning retailer and sales representative.

Each of the winners will receiveeither two tickets for a dream trip around the world or $10,000.The Top 25Global Fashion Capitals according to the Global Language Monitor are in thisorder:
London, New York,Paris, Milano, Los Angeles,Hong Kong, Barcelona, Singapore,Tokyo, Berlin, Sydney, Madrid, Rome, Shanghai, Monaco, Las Vegas,Melbourne, Moscow,Amsterdam, Buenos Aires,Bali, MexicoCity, Rio de Janeiro, Mumbai and Sao Paulo.

To identify the favorite cities, GuildMaster’s Facebook fans (www.facebook.com/guildmasterfurniture)are asked to Tell Us Your Dream City bytelling why and by posting photos of the cities on the company’s Facebookpage.

During the course of the contest, GuildMaster will highlight the topglobal fashion capitals, along with ongoing posts revealing the top dealers andreps. The winning destinations willbe based on the response from GuildMaster’s Facebook fans.

Honors for eco-friendly housewares, gifts

Three companies received Eco Choice Awards at the summer 2011 New York International Gift Fair.

Most Innovative: One World Projects, Recycled Plastic Laundry Hamper from India. This multipurpose basket was handmade in India from recycled plastic. The salvaged plastic strands are created by melting recycled plastic bottles and other bits of plastic waste gathered in the slums of Chennai, India.
This company is an original member of the Fair Trade Federation, and supports socially and economically deprived women from urban slum areas by offering vocational training and micro-credit loan opportunities, as well as programs that focus on education and building self-responsibility and confidence. www.oneworldprojects.com 
 
Most Sensitive Use of Materials: ES, Chilote House Shoe, Chilote House Shoe. Local wool from free range Patagonian sheep and tanned natural salmon skin are the only materials used to manufacture this product. It is made of 100% natural, biodegradable materials, and is hand-assembled by self organized groups of artisan women in the south of Chile.
Strict fair trade and ethical production principles are followed, and a highly inclusive production process provides a fair and noble way for low-income families to earn a living and raise their quality of life. The process addresses the synergy of three aspects of sustainability: ecologically benign, socially beneficial, and financially viable. www.es-salmonleather.com 

Most Sellable: I Design Distribution, KISM.This product is made from ecological materials obtained from production waste, reusing trash as a means to safeguard the environment. It’s a patented material made of natural and recycled paper fibers.
Yael Rosen started Kisim in 1999 inspired by the simple solutions of Japanese fabric design and the traditional leather craftsmanship of the Middle East. KISIM collection is characterized by connection evolving across time and changes, color and shape, texture and dimension. www.idesigndistribution.com
 
The 4th semi-annual Eco Choice Awards were co-sponsored by NYIGF and GREENRetailer magazine.The fifth semi-annual Eco Choice Awards will take place at the winter 2012 NYIGF, Saturday, January 28, through Thursday, February 2, 2012, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and Passenger Ship Terminal Piers 92 and 94.

Facebook and web special, only for retailers

Coyuchi is hosting a Facebook/Twitter giveaway for a chance to win a Striped Wool Blanket that was recently featured in Country living. From now until Sunday, Sept. 17, say why you love Coyuchi products on the Coyuchi wall - www.facebook.com/CoyuchiHome  or Twitter page, http://twitter.com/coyuchi  to be entered to win the blanket, valued at $180.

Keep current with the world of interior design, by joining TLS with Newest Creations Seen First on Twitter (http://twitter.com/#%21/TLSbyDesign) and FaceBook. (https://www.facebook.com/tlsbydesign)

"Like" Diane James Home on Facebook and all fans will be entered to win a $500 shopping spree (with free shipping!) on www.DianeJamesHome.com. 

An end of summer promotion from Calypso Studios Inc. offers a $45 (retail value) necklace for any customer who writes a $250 order or more. Select one color from the company's new 24-inch-long chain Feather necklaces. Choose tin (2511), copper (2510) or gold (2509). Ends Sept. 30, new orders only. Must write in notes which necklace you are selecting as giveaway. www.calypsostudiosinc.com

Las Vegas Market event raised $12 for DIFFA

The Sky Was the Limit at Gift for Life Benefit 

Guests gather “Up on the Roof” to help benefit DIFFA at Las Vegas Market 

By Las Vegas Market
LAS VEGAS — (Aug. 23, 2011) – The breathtaking Las Vegas skyline was the perfect backdrop for attendees of the inaugural Gift for Life “Up on the Roof” charity cocktail reception on opening night of Summer 2011 Las Vegas Market, Aug. 1. The SkyView Terrace rooftop event resulted in more than 500 tickets sold, raising more than $12,000 in proceeds benefiting the Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids.

Buyers, designers, manufacturers, journalists and VIPs gathered on the roof of World Market Center Las Vegas’ Building B for an evening of fun and fundraising, soaking up the sun and Las Vegas party atmosphere.

“I have been the emcee of this event since the late '90s and the vibe here in Las Vegas is fun and positive,” said Tom Sullivan, host of the Gift for Life event. “People are buying, shopping and partying, just as you would expect. Here at Gift for Life, the mood is also upbeat because it's all for a good cause.”

The supportive turnout of industry leaders and gift attendees enjoyed cocktails, appetizers, live music and prizes. Among the VIP guests were design stars Roger Thomas and HGTV’s Monica Pedersen. Prizes were also star-worthy, including raffle items such as a Peter Lik photo, autographed Bill Clinton books, and show tickets. An impressive $2,350 was raised selling raffle tickets.Steven Williams, Director of Community Relations for DIFFA, was pleased with the success of the event.

“DIFFA is thrilled that the Las Vegas Market’s first event on behalf of Gift for Life raised more than $12,000 for persons living with HIV/AIDS and we look forward to our next endeavor together. Now more than ever such support is critical to the future of the organizations DIFFA helps to fund.”

About Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids
Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS (DIFFA) is one of the largest funders of HIV/AIDS service and education programs in the U.S. Since its founding in 1984, DIFFA has mobilized the immense resources of the design communities to provide more than $38 million to hundreds of AIDS organizations nationwide. The DIFFA: Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS Web site is available at www.diffa.org

About World Market Center Las Vegas
World Market Center Las Vegas is an integrated home and hospitality contract furnishings showroom and trade complex. The campus showcases furniture, decorative accessories, gift, lighting, area rugs, home textiles and related segments, as well as the Las Vegas Design Center open daily to consumers and designers. For more information on World Market Center Las Vegas and its trade shows including the bi-annual Las Vegas Market and Gift+Home, visit www.wmclv.com. Find us on Facebook and Twitter.

World Market Center Las Vegas is a property of International Market Centers, L.P. (IMC), the world’s largest operator of premier showroom space for the furnishings, home décor and gift industries. International Market Centers owns and operates 11.5 million square feet of world-class exhibition space in High Point, N.C. and Las Vegas. IMC’s mission is to build and operate an innovative, sustainable, profitable and scalable platform for the furnishings, home décor and gift industries.

For more information on IMC, visit imcenters.com.

Glossy white canister with monkey finial

Vellum showed this item at the 2011 New York International Gift Fair in August. Draped in a high-wattage glossy white lacquer and wrapped in scenes detailing intricate landscapes and whimsical animals and birds, this canister with a monkey finial is from Vellum's best-selling Astor collection.

Made in Italy, the 20-inch-tall decorative accessories is food-safe, according to the company.

2 closet storage options

Inspired by rain chains, Jokari's new Purse Chain is a nickel-plated fashion chain packed full of storage space. The re-positionable hooks hold purses, belts, scarves and more. Users can easily thread pashminas, necklaces or other accessories in the fixed position links.

The Sock Keeper hangs on any closet rod and contains three openings for easy access to socks. Each Keeper holds 20 or more pair of socks.

Jokari's Sock Keeper

The company's other storage solutions include those for carbonated beverages, wine and kitchen tools.

New and vintage vases

Decorative ceramic tiles with art reproductions

The online art gallery, overstockArt.com, launched a line of decorative inlay tiles. The inlay tiles create a mural image in a set of 12 tiles. They can be used in a variety of places including, baths, backsplashes, fireplaces and walls. The company also offers trivet tiles.

Artwork on the tiles are reproductions of great masters such as Gustav Klimt, Claude Monet, Georgia O’Keeffe, Pablo Picasso and Vincent van Gogh.The decorative ceramic tile inlays just introduced on the site include:

• “Branches of an Almond Tree in Blossom,” Vincent van Gogh – 18” x 24” mural image comprised of 12 6” x 6” tiles 
• Café Terrace at Night,” Vincent van Gogh – 18” x 24” mural image comprised of 12 6” x 6” tiles 
•  "Irises,” Vincent van Gogh – 18” x 24” mural image comprised of 12 6” x 6” tiles 
•  “Starry Night,” Vincent van Gogh – 18” x 24” mural image comprised of 12 6” x 6” tiles 
•  “Sunflowers (Detail),” Vincent van Gogh –18” x 24” mural image comprised of 12 6” x 6” tiles  

 The art trivet tiles currently available for purchase on the site include: 

• “The Dream,” Pablo Picasso – 11” x 14” art trivet tile 
• “Irises,” Vincent van Gogh – 11” x 14” art trivet tile
• “Red Poppies,” Vincent van Gogh – 11” x 14” art trivet tile
• “Starry Night,” Vincent van Gogh – 11” x 14” art trivet tile

 Additional art trivet tiles and inlay tiles will become available in the weeks and months ahead.