sunday night supper club

the season of giving is in full swing and here's a cool way to give back to the community. the ronald mcdonald house of hawaii is always on the lookout for volunteers to host their sunday night dinner club for families who have made manoa their home away from home while their children receive medical treatment at local hospitals.

families staying at the house arrive from the neighbor islands as well as from guam, samoa, and other parts of the pacific so the weekly supper may be their only chance to enjoy a home cooked meal. round up a few family and friends and savor your time together while whipping up everyone's favorite dishes to share with the ronald mcdonald 'ohana.

you can find more details here. and, if cooking is not your thing, do take a moment to peek at the ronald mcdonald house wish list.

a twist on tradition

modern interpretations of the traditional origami crane seem to be everywhere lately so i thought it was high time to gather up a few designs for show and tell.

1 - adorn your xmas tree with these delicate porcelain ornaments from semplice.

2 - red envelope stocks this double crane vase which would be perfect for newlyweds who prefer to surround themselves with more traditional objects (fyi - the photo is deceiving as the vase is actually quite smaller than it appears)

3 - a new way to stick to tradition and still add a little whimsy to your space via oneupdesigns' origami crane wall decals.

4 - alas, grownup sizes of the paper crane tee have already sold out at threadless, but you can still gift this homage to the karate kid to the little one in your life.

sock it to me

peekaboo sock bunny

it's etsy day! continuing with yesterday's keiki theme, these adorable handcrafted sock creatures would be so much fun for the little ones on your holiday list. the collection is whipped up by talented kailua crafter denise mollison who transforms the humble sock into a rainbow of cuddly creatures.

i am loving the peekaboo sock bunny which would be perfectly paired with pat the bunny (one of my favorite books from small kid time). and, if you're looking to go green this year, take a peek at max the organic sock puppy and the rest of his eco-friendly pals.

max

color bears

and, for those who insist on gifting toys that will educate the tots on their list, look no further than a set of color bears which helps little ones learn the difference between red and blue with their deceptively cute exteriors. it's a bit of a splurge but a layaway option is available for all the sock toys stocked in denise's etsy shop.

keiki cards

raise your hand if one of your favorite parts of the holidays is tackling a crafty project or two. i must confess to spending endless hours every holiday surrounded by a ring of rubber stamps, glue sticks, ribbons galore, and various accoutrements from my crafty arsenal (project 07: pom-pom garland!). if handmade holiday cards are your thing, this year consider adding a few extra cards so you can send along some holiday cheer via keiki cards.

the oahu-based non-profit mails out handmade greeting cards every week to over 400 children fighting life threatening illnesses. you can imagine how many cards are required to keep all those mailboxes filled with handmade goodness especially since it can be a time intensive process. and, since kids always want to join the fun this time of year, this is a great project to involve little ones at home or at school.

the holiday season also means keiki cards is gathering up donations to gift the children on their list with a surprise from santa's elves. donations of toys &/or gift cards are welcome or, if you prefer, you can also sponsor a child. click over to the website for more details.

{update | jan 2010: keiki cards closed in 2008 due to lack of funding}

trick, treat or toast?

toast, known for their sparky party favors, just released these cute boo!zu boys for halloween. the limited edition goodies are toast's take on japanese teru teru bozu charms which are believed to ward away a rainy day. boo!zu boys are sure to charm your favorite trick-or-treater especially once they discover childhood favorites like rice krispie treats and pez hidden within their spooky exteriors.

there's even more fun stocked in toast's online shop. new arrivals include party starters like these playful alphabet candles and ceramic ice cream cup set.

learn more about all things toast right here.