Vote for our window!

In order to set the mood for the Decatur Beach Party on June 18, the city is sponsoring a window decorating contest with a beach theme.  So– what is the Beach Party?  Live music, dancing on the square and 60 tons of sand– sound like a good time?  You know that Decatur knows how to party!

Our entry for the Window Decorating Contest?  We have composed a global sunbather above, complete with an Indian paper mache head, thangka
hands and feet and a hand-made paper fan from Thailand.  She is sipping a strawberry drink from an antique lassi cup, enjoying some French Caribbean music and reading Flight of the Mermaid under a Mexican sun.

A number of businesses all over downtown Decatur have entered.  Come on over and take a stroll around to view the windows and vote for your favorite!  To vote for Mingei’s window, text “Dec mingei” to  80672 .  Only one vote per hour from each number!  You can vote until June 18, when it is time for the  Decatur Beach Party!

How are you using your Mingei treasures?

Gail Goodwin's house is full of textiles and other gorgeous pieces from her travels with her husband Clark, supplemented by items she has picked up at Mingei.

Calling all customers!  Every day things leave the store and go into your wonderful homes or find their way into other homes as gifts.  Sometimes you tell us about the wonderful, unique ways you are using the dewali oil lamps, old buttermilk pots or cannon balls you acquired at Mingei.  Occasionally,  you sent pictures or an invitation so we can see for ourselves the creative and functional way you are using your “artifactual”  Mingei finds!

Here’s your chance to be featured on the Mingei blog.  Please send us your photos of Mingei items in context, and write us a little about what you have done and maybe how you were inspired.  The first one will be posted directly!

Thanks in advance!

Mingei bites. Mingei flicks. Mingei reads.

There are far too many little sticky notes behind the counter, full of all of your suggestions.  Rather than keep all your ethnic eatery,  restaurant, foreign film and  book recommendations to ourselves (or worse, have them get stuck to the back of the bank statement and get lost in a manila folder forever), we decided to make a place for them on our blog.  Look to the right side under “Community”, and you’ll see the pages awaiting your contributions!

Pete the Cat hanging out close by

A well-known blue hat has been hanging out right by our store for the last week or so.  This very blue fellow, a creation of local artist James Dean, has a permanent table now at the Yogurt Tap, and is constantly consuming yogurt and Javamonkey espresso (our  neighbor on the other side).  We just wish he would come on into Mingei.  We have some scarves that would look really good on him.

And, in his honor–come into Mingei and say “DeCATur” at check out to get 15% off any non-book item in the store that is not from Thailand, Laos or Burma.  Our sea shipment will be here soon and we need to make some room!

Watch our facebook fan page for tomorrow’s secret password!  This game will continue through Friday.

Who is there while we are here

While we are traveling, four wonderful people are keeping Mingei open and running.  We are deeply grateful to Joe Davich, Alice Domby, Gail Goodwin and Stephanie Jolluck.  Please drop in and get to know them.  Thanks!