"Wilde" about Art!

Life imitates art far more than art imitates life.- Oscar Wilde

It's hard to believe we're already in the final month of the first quarter of 2013!  As I began to think of all March has to offer. . . March Madness, the Ides of March, St. Patrick's Day. . . Irish author Oscar Wilde came to mind.  I mean, let's face it, March is known for the wilder side of life, right?

Though he wasn't a painter or visual artist, Wilde was a leading proponent of the aesthetic movement, emphasizing the pursuit of beauty for its own sake.  Perhaps Wilde's greatest masterpiece, The Picture of Dorian Gray, is a cautionary tale about a beautiful young man who wishes that his portrait would age while he remains youthful, living a life of utter pleasure!

In the art of life, we all strive to create our own masterpiece.  By surrounding ourselves with objects of art and inspiration, we create our own aesthetic movement, and a colorful palette in the kitchen is a step in the right direction!  What pleasures will you wish for?  What culinary masterpiece will you create?  It's March. . . go Wilde!

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Phall Harvest for Your Home!

Setting the table with style is a PHAG Thanksgiving tradition! Sure, you can buy and use fall produce for an organic look, but you can also invest in pieces with glitz and flare that can be part of your decorating tradition year-after-year.

For starters, check out these amazing hand-crafted fabric pumpkins, featuring beaded details and recycled door pulls as stems.

If you have a large guest list, you can invest in these miniature metallic pumpkins small enough to accompany each place setting at the table, and a perfect take-home gift for your guests!

While we're in the spirit of a little fall shimmer, be sure and consider mercury glass- one of the key decor trends of the season. Check out this artfully sculpted mercury glass pumpkin, featuring shimmering metallic accents and a beautiful coiled glass stem. You can continue the mercury glass theme by using some acorn glass candle holders to add height to the table display. These holders feature a finial-style base with a sculpted acorn design. Each holds a single taper candle, and is crafted of beautiful golden mercury glass.

Whatever the style of your table, this Thanksgiving, let us all give thanks for our blessings and be kind to one another always!

HallowQUEEN FEARceness!

Halloween weekend is upon us, and we know what a DRAG the costume selection process can be, but why should YOU be the only thing to get dressed up?

This year, dress up your wine with a FEARce devilish stiletto wine holder- you have to admit, it's devilishly good looking. We're quite certain Derek Zoolander would agree!

While you're at it, pick your poison by dressing up your home with these potion apothecary jars, too much? Well, how about one of these miniature potion bottle openers? Choose from: "Coffin Drops," Eye of Newt," and "Venomous Vapors." Each bottle features a magnetic back for easy attachment to the fridge or decorative display.

Like a little year-round Halloween flare in your home? You'll bloody love this true blood bath mat and coordinating liquid shower gel. To complete the look, you can finish the room with a weather-sealed canvas featuring your favorite custom-created 8 x 10 art canvas.

Now get to it HallowQUEENS- WURRKKK!

Pick Your Poison!

Well known for our selection of unique and eclectic tabletop items, This pair of white porcelain salt & pepper shakers marked "Cocaine" and "Speed" is no exception. A hot pinch of these spices will surely have you addicted. Pick your poison!

And speaking of poison, also check out these amazing classic pharmacy urns, imprinted with the names of three deadly toxins: Belladonna, Arsenic, and Hemlock. Of course, you may opt to just store candy inside these food safe jars. After all, Halloween is just around the corner. See all of PHAG's frightful delights here!

Gardening that doesn't "Succulent!"

It's a win-win anytime you can find a creative way to reuse combined with bringing a little "life" inside your home or office. Our suggestion, upcycle an old container and fill it with a succulent plant. Succulents require little maintenance, so they're incredibly easy to take care of. They add a bit of charm to any space making great house plants (and gifts)!

The first step (and probably the most enjoyable) is to choose a container. Rather than a conventional pot, upcylce an old mug, vintage creamer, jar, or can to use as your planter. The options really are endless! If you like the look, but don't have any of these items handy- hit up a yard sale, or pick a charming tabletop piece from your favorite retailer. Either way, a non-traditional container will give the plant a unique and attractive home that looks good in the center of a table, on a desk, or a patio.

The next step is to get dirty. As we mentioned, caring for succulents couldn't be easier, so to plant them, no green thumb is required. Once you have selected your container(s), fill them with potting soil and place a succulent on top. When using succulent (echeveria) cuttings, they root easily, so it shouldn't take more than three weeks.

Finally, show your new plants a little TLC. You don't have to water succulents frequently (usually about one or two times per month). Be careful not to over water the plants since the water can't escape from the container. Succulents can live in these beautiful containers for a long while, just be certain to give them plenty of access to bright sunlight!

The ART of Entertaining!

At PHAG, we take entertaining seriously. We understand that doing it well is. . . well, an art form!

Since 2004, our tarnish-free alloy painter's palette serving tray has consistently been a best seller. Now, we're pleased to showcase an expansion of the collection to include 7 amazing colors! To create these new products, our best-selling metal base has been coated with a beautiful, food-safe porcelain glaze. The result is a colorful artist's palette offering the beauty and feel of porcelain, with much greater durability. Each palette also includes a tarnish-free, silver alloy serving knife.

Take a peek at some of the amazing new colors including: Robin's Egg, Citrus, and Vert. Now get ready to get creative, 'cause it's Friday, and you've got some entertaining to do!

Crystal Clear Philadelphia!

Though our web store makes our products available to customers throughout the globe, at PHAG we're very proud of our Philadelphia roots! Our BRAND NEW collection of crystal rocks glasses pay homage to some of the finest design and architecture the City of Brotherly Love has to offer. Designed and etched, here in the USA, our Philadelphia rocks glasses are made entirely of lead-free crystal, imported from Europe's most environmentally advanced mill. In deference to our loyal customers, and the environment, all designs are laser etched using no chemicals, dyes, sprays, or additives.

The Series 1 set includes four designs inspired by famous Philadelphia landmarks and architecture including: City Hall, Strawberry Mansion Bridge, The Wannamaker Organ, and Suburban Station.

The Series 2 set includes four designs inspired by famous Philadelphia landmarks and architecture including: The PSFS Building, Philly's cobblestone pavement, The Cira Centre, and The Kimmel Center.

So, here's to Philadelphia, the birthplace of our Nation, and a city PHAG is proud to call home!

Join the Fight, Eat Out Tonight!

It's the 21st Anniversary of Dining Out for Life in Philadelphia!

TODAY, Thursday, April 28, 2011, over 200 restaurants across the Delaware Valley will be participating in Dining Out for Life, a one-day event benefiting Action AIDS, a Philadelphia organization that assists thousands of men, women, and children living with, or affected by, HIV/AIDS. For one night only, all participating restaurants will donate 33% of the cost of your meal to the fight against HIV/AIDS.

You can click here for a list of participating restaurants. Please support these amazing restaurants throughout our community, not just tonight, but throughout the year! They truly make a difference, and you can too, by simply going out to eat! So grab your significant other, a family member, a friend, or all of the above and head out tonight to dine charity style.

STOP! Cherry Time

We know that everybody uses plates, but the same old plates aren't for everybody, so once again, enter PHAG. In 2009, we introduced our customers to the first of its kind, an inked dish collection featuring the exclusive irezumi artwork of famed Sunset Strip tattoo artist, Paul Timman. Sure, he's inked art for Drew Barrymore, Tommy Lee, Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg, and Angelina Jolie, to name a few, and now he's inked dishes, just for you!

Today we celebrate the arrival of Cherry Blossom season, and more importantly, the cloud of pink it presents for all to enjoy! If you haven't heard, you can bring the beauty of those blossoms from the outdoors- right to your table, with the Cherry Ink collection of dishware, from Paul Timman's collection, available at PHAG's on-line store. The Cherry Ink collection uses the sumi style of Japanese Tattooing, a delicate painterly style where soft edges replace black outlines. Each piece of porcelain in the collection is tattooed using an in-glaze process that is both microwave and dishwasher safe.

In all, you can now choose from four collections of tattooed dinnerware, including the latest addition to the line, Tattoo Lotus. Serving pieces are also available in both the Irezumi and Cherry Blossom Designs. Come on, isn't it time you proudly presented your cherry for all to enjoy? That's the latest dish.

Fun in the Kitschen!

Whether you spend a great deal of time in your kitchen, or you’re just looking for an economical update in your home, kitchens are among the most fun and affordable rooms to add a pinch of pop and a dash of flash! shopphag.com is here to help (we’re good like that) with an awesome assortment of functional fun stuff, which is kind of our specialty.

Are you a DIYer? Well, make your next party painfully amusing by displaying our voodoo-it-yourself toothpick holder ! Perfect for finger food, emergency hexes, and jump-starting the good times.

Have you been searching round and round for a high-quality Wheel of Death Knife Set? We thought so! shopphag.com is pleased to offer this novel knife set, bringing a ‘unique spin’ on the knife block while maintaining the highest standard of quality. A hand-crafted wood block is stocked with five stainless steel knives, each of which is protected from damage, while protecting you and your family, with individual sheaths.

Have your cake and eat it in style with a little help from shopphag.com. There are dozens of other delightful kitchen accessories in store for you. Find your favorites, and get ready for a fun and funky update.