Alaina Can Sew

If you shop at Rala, you probably know our manager, Alaina Smith. Well, wouldn't you know it, she's talented! We are so proud to announce that our lovely Alaina has her own fashion show with Knoxville Fashion Week on March 1st, 2012! (That's exactly 2 weeks, btw) It will be held in the underground of Latitude 35 at 6:30.

(Photo cred to Mr. Kurt Weiss)

Check out her bio on the Knoxville fashion week website, and grab up your ticket to the event before they're all gone! Congratulations, Alaina on your fabulous achievement!! May the fashion gods be in your favor!

http://knoxvillefashionweek.com/participants/alaina-smith/

Love to Love

Valentines Day is NEXT TUESDAY! Are you freaking out because I said that? Did you forget altogether? Sorry!! No need to get your panties in a wad. We've got plenty of cards and gifts to fill all of your V-Day needs.

These perfumes are vegan and handmade! They'd make a good treat for your lovie dove.

Of course, we always have your long-time fave, Tokyo Milk. Romantic packaging is just a plus.

If you're more of a jewelry giver, check out Erin Herb's one-of-a-kind jewelry line, RINjuel. We could not be more in love with her top notch, curious materials and her creative way of pairing colors and textures!

For the slightly less expensive jewelry option, check out local designer, Stacy Stewart. She makes her pieces out of scrabble letters!

For the extra "special" person in your life, one of these completely individual, delightfully goofy face mugs by Chad and Meghan Nelson should do the trick.

For a romantic Valentines Day getaway without the vomit-enducing plane ride or the exuberant cost of traveling, we have candles from Paddywax that will PUT YOU THERE. New York is a great choice for a vacation, but we also have travel packages (I mean candles) to Paris, Rome, and London.

Just need a card for your mom/boyfriend/girlfriend/ex/daughter/co-worker? We've got all kinds of cards for the big day of love. This one is naughty and delicious:

These are a bit more tame, but just as cute:

We love Valentines, because it's a holiday about showing the people you care most about that you love them. One big ol' shout out to Rala employees, managers, owners, and customers:

WE LOVE YOU!!!!!

Happy V-Day, y'all!

Like, Love, and Hate

Valentines day is only a month away. Do you have tokens for those you like, love, and hate? If not, let our newest employee Meghan McCrary help you out. Meghan's cards, magnets, and prints are made locally and clever as can be!

These postcards are perfect for giving and framing. They're also only $2.45 a piece.

Need something for your single friends? Try these sucker cards:

Want to forget Valentines day altogether and skip to the next available holiday? Meghan McCrary makes cards for every occasion. These magnets are so adorable, y'all!

Happy Valentines day / Anti-Valentines day!

Go, Brian, Go!

Local artist Brian Pittman is hard at work making us some new original pieces. Go Brian! Check out these new ones:

Did we mention that these are all free-hand drawings of non-existent cathedrals? Now that we have, feel free to drool. Come see us this January, and check out Brian's unique and impressive artwork. Believe us, they're even better in person!

See you soon!

The Best Kind of Dichotomy

J-Digs cards are thoughtful but naaauughty! Don't get us wrong, they're still okay for your extended family.

Whale card's inside: "That blows"

Blow me card's inside: picture of cake and "blow me"

Skittles card's inside: "You're my favorite"

Foot card's inside: "Get Toe Up"

Outside Inside

Go on, be literal! J-Digs says so.

Congrats to YOU!

There are plenty of reasons to say "Congratulations." Here are just a few reasons congrats can be in order.

Perfect for the girl or boy who needs a good shoulder pat.

Sometimes the congratulations is mutually understood. Word.

"Congrats on FINALLY getting married!"

We're so freakin' excited for you!!

Marriage, breakup, baby, or NO baby, congratulations are always a nice gesture. Come grab one of our many good job cards, and pat your self on the back for thinking of others. Congrats!

The Birds Are Nesting

If I were a bird, I would definitely decorate my nest with homey touches like buttons and other trinkets. Well, just because I'm a human, doesn't mean I'm not going to decorate! This handmade jewelry by local artist Stacy Stewart is perfect for nesting, err, decorating.

Prices range from $5.95 to $14.95 make these affordable and giftable, too!

These little earrings are made from tiny scrabble pieces! Tiny enough for a bird-sized scrabble tournament? I hope.

Stacy has even thought of the perfect way to communicate with your literate lovers (and vol lovers):

Tweet tweet!

Something Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue

We love local artist Wendy Williams, and it's not difficult to see why! Check out some of her NEWest work, here at Rala:

Love it? Check out some of her NEWest and BLUEst works:

It's a stretch to call it OLD, but these paintings have an aged feel (like wine and cheese, not like leftovers).

Need to BORROW some art advice, some good taste, or even a glance at Wendy's gorgeous paintings? Stop into Rala, and we'll fix ya up! Happy New Years!

Scotch for the Grownups, Hopscotch for the Kids

Check out our newest line at Rala! It's the only thing sexier than a glass of scotch and more adorable than hopscotch. It's Scotch and Hopscotch nail creme!

Scotch is for the adults, naturally. But seriously! Scotch is all natural and contains ZERO harsh chemicals. The glass bottles are made in Italy and are lead-free, and the brushes are handmade. Oo-lah-lah!

Scotch's little sister, Hopscotch, is completely kid friendly. The bottles are flat on the bottom and pyramid shaped, so they never tip. The brush is specially made for a kid's little bitty nails. They come in colors like "Ink a Bink a Bottle of Ink" and "Bubble Gum, Bubble Gum in a Dish."

Both Scotch and Hopscotch have top coats, too (and a bottom coat for Scotch). The Hopscotch's top coat has sparkles in it! We even carry Hopscotch's plant-based polish remover, so you can avoid those chemicals, too.

Did you know your nail bed is one of the most porous part of your body? Why put all those nasty chemicals on them? Instead, clean up, look fresh, and sit down to enjoy a nice bottle of Scotch. Cheers!