Treating Your #2s Like Number One

If ever there was a match made in Etsy heaven, it’s the combination of fresh, fun fabrics with pencil case practicality. Literally. And heaven knows it’s about time. Unless you were the one kid in elementary school savvy enough to bring a mechanical pencil to class, you know the chagrin of reaching into your backpack to find only a sad scattering of chipped, blunted, and cracked #2s at your disposal. You whittled them back to form with your thimble-sized sharpener, but what you really needed was a pencil case. Well, now’s the time to redeem yourself, with a fashion-forward twist. Allie of Alliebeans, perhaps in memoriam of those vexing childhood moments, but more likely in recognition of the basic needs of pencil-wielding artists all over the Etsyverse, has come through for us with a deliciously diverse and delightful gallery of pencil cases and other fabric accessories in retro-modern themes.

Now, lest one think we’ve lost our staples, we know Allie didn’t invent the pencil case. It’s just that it’s hard to imagine that anyone has ever taken more time to fine-tune the presentation of these items, not to mention that of the darling box pouches and wristlets that flesh out her collection. From the streamlined, classic cylindrical shapes she employs to the snappy intuition of designs like Tangerine Sprouts or Pig Silhouettes on Red, there’s a scheme for every sketcher, and the “flip side” of her products are just as pretty. The glee of a Chicken Dance, grace of an Autumn Breeze, and sense of completion in the Peapods with Green Herb Lining. The practicality of the Criss Cross coaster and the pizzazz of the Red Hippo Tissue Case. Whatever your pleasure, Alliebeans is there for you, and who knows? You just might get your first sample “on the house,” because the winner of today’s giveaway will receive the Keychain Pouch of his or her choice. To qualify, visit Alliebeans, then come back here to tell us about your favorite product. Tell us in a second post if you happen to subscribe to Wishing Willow, since our subscribers receive an extra entry in the contest. To post without a Google account, just click “anonymous.” Be sure to also leave your email address. The winner will be chosen randomly. Contest ends 11/7/08.

**We have a winner! blueviolet who said,"I like the Criss Cross Fabric Coaster - Green Hippo and Daisies set. Those are awfully cute."***