Like a a lot of hapless guys in Milwaukee, I mourned the closing of local craft dynamo Faythe Levine's Paper Boat Boutique and Gallery which shuttered its doors in May 2009.
Since it's opening I had made a habit of knocking out last minute shopping for the women in my life at the Bay View shop every holiday season. The unique handmade gifts Faythe stocked made it look like I had scoured the earth for the perfect screen printed calendars, one-of-a-kind trinkets and beautiful greeting cards, when in fact I had rolled out of bed in a panic the week before Christmas and popped into her shop on my way back from Jimmy John's.
So after severely disappointing my mom, sister and gal pals during the 2009 holiday gift giving season, I was happy to hear about Faythe's new pop-up shop, conveniently located just a few blocks south of the old space within her boyfriend Aaron Polansky's Sky High skate shop, 2501 S. Howell Ave..
I popped in yesterday during the afternoon drizzle and was really impressed with some of the stuff she has in stock. Some of my favorites included:former Milwaukeean Evan Ross Murphy's kaleidoscopic woodcuts, handmade scarves and baskets from Bali, a collection of ceramic owls and totems, and "Lend Us Your Everything" a gorgeous handmade zine by Sofia Arnold whose mural adorns the new shop.
I didn't buy anything just yet, and it will probably have to wait until I pick up these killer brown leather shoes I spotted in the skate shop on the way in, but I am definitely excited to have my one-stop lady friendly gift spot back.
