The Connecticut Home of Julie and Tom Murphy in Country Living

We were thrilled to see our dear friend's Julie and Tom Murphy's 18th century home in Country Living this month! Julie, a very talented stationery and fabric designer (and co-founder of Jack and Lulu) has a great sense of style and eye for antique shop finds. Her husband Tom, a Chief Creative Officer, also enjoys homes with that rough hewn character. They both have a beautiful ability to mix vintage and old world furniture with modern pieces. This amazing home was built sometime before 1780 in Kenyon, Rhode Island. It was luckily saved from demolition in the early 2000s by a preservation architect who disassembled the home plank by plank and then had it rebuilt in Darien, CT. It's truly a beautiful home! Sadly, the magazine didn't have the space to capture their backyard brood of chickens! Click here to see the whole story.

Cody Foster and Co.

It came to our attention yesterday that one of our vendors, Cody Foster, may have "knocked-off" the designs of small, independent artists. Cody Foster has been a valued business partner for years and we wanted to speak to them before making a decision about their place in our store. We contacted the company today, but were unable to get any information related to these accusations.

In light of their reticence to respond, and the clear examples of copy-cat items that have popped up online, we have submitted a request to cancel our Holiday purchase order from Cody Foster. We don't yet know if this request will be honored. In the meantime, we have removed all of our existing Cody Foster inventory from our website. We are disappointed that Cody Foster has not issued a statement, apology or explanation in response to the numerous blog posts and stories that have been written about them in the last 48 hours.

We feel lousy about the whole situation. We need to recoup our investment in inventory, but don't want to do that on the backs of hard working, talented artists whose work has been stolen. We started this company in deference to my Grandparents who were extremely talented artists in their day. We cannot, in good conscience, continue to work with a company who steals designs from artisans. It's just not right. We hope that Cody Foster acknowledges their transgressions, apologizes and pays the artists a royalty for any past shipments.  If they do, we will consider restoring their products to our site and resume our business relationship with them.  For now, though, you won't find their products on Orange and Pear.

Jennifer Hassell
Owner
www.orangeandpear.com

2014 is just around the corner!

It's hard to believe it's that time of year already, but we have our 2014 calendars in stock!  With a variety of beautiful designs from Snow & Graham, Paper Source, Rifle Paper Co., 1canoe2, Ecka and Pecka, we have something for everyone:  your mother-in-law, your child's teacher, your babysitter, yourself!  We have wall calendars, desk calendars, write-on calendars, oversized calendars - calendars of every shape and size that will appeal to everyone on your list.  Below is a sampling; we have many more online!

Rifle Paper Co. iPhone Cases

We found Rifle Paper Co. and were thrilled because it's a boutique stationery company that specializes in whimsical, hand-painted designs. Husband and wife team, Anna and Nathan Bond, founded Rifle in November 2009 and it is now one of the most exciting brands in stationery. Their vibrant, unique and colorful products appeal to all kinds of customers who appreciate both modern and timeless designs.

We love that Rifle Paper Co. is a small company and all their products are made in the US. Not to mention their use of FSC-certified paper stocks and environmentally responsible printing methods.  

We especially love their fabulous iPhone case designs and think they make a wonderful gift!  Available in 4/4S and 5 as well as in one additional design (pink ombre).  Which will you choose?

We LOVE Lotta Jansdotter's New Melamine Collection!

We have always been a fan of Lotta Jansdotter and her new melamine collection is simply divine! The patterns are perfectly simple in colors that fit with any decor. The shapes of the plates and bowls are unique and very organic. The collection is designed with the Scandinavian aesthetic that we love. You'll want to use these everyday, or for outdoor entertaining. If you were looking for a tasteful set of plates and tumblers for your kids, this collection is perfect!

The 5 reason why we love Leatherworks Minnesota!

The 5 reasons why we love Leatherworks Minnesota.

1. It's a family run company
2. The product is handmade in America.
3. The quality is amazing.
4. The prices are great.
5. Their stuff is just darn cool!

Perfect for Father's Day!

Tea Towel Love!

I love the new line called Studio Patro. The design aesthetic is amazing, the colors are muted and gorgeous. They are beautifully made (in America) and just get better with use. Use them to dry your dishes, wrap a baguette, protect your hands when holding a hot pan, wrap a bottle of wine, or to "decorate" your stove. We love objects that are beautifully designed and useful- they make perfect gifts! Watch this great video for some ideas!