OPENSKY AND THE REBIRTH OF THE CUTE LITTLE SHOP ON THE CORNER

A short while ago I had the pleasure of meeting Ted Rubin, Chief Social Marketing Officer for OpenSky.  OpenSky is new to me, and if it's new to you, here's a little info to bring you up-to-speed:

"We're OpenSky. We're all about the amazing feeling you get when someone you trust hooks you up with something you love. We're bringing humanity back to shopping. We're making shopping better.

Why?

Because navigating massive websites or fluorescent-lit chain stores can make the most upbeat person feel like a zombie. Plus, we realized that we learn about the stuff we really love from friends, blogs, or experts in magazines or books or on TV. So we thought: What if we could just shop directly from the people we already like and trust? Wouldn't that be better? We thought it might be. So we created OpenSky.

OpenSky is a new way to shop, buy, and sell...

...The OpenSky platform fuels connection.

We empower suppliers, sellers and shoppers to work together to get the right products to the right people."

SOUNDS PRETTY COOL, RIGHT?

What does this mean for me? For you?   Is the altruistic, free-lovin', tree-huggin' spirit of Rook No. 17 a thing of the past?  Nay!

Will my readers suddenly see a shift in my writing, and develop a sneaking suspicion that there's a sales pitch somewhere woven in?  

As you may already know, I launched Rook No. 17 as a way to share my original recipes, crafty little creations, inspirations and ideas for creative living, giving, and entertaining. A second impetus for the creation of Rook No. 17 was born out of my natural affinity for wanting to spread the words to friends and family when I found out about an idea, an item, or something new that I thought was simply too great to keep to myself. I liked that the blog platform allowed me to share my "finds" with a greater audience, and provided a way for me to establish my credibility and voice when making such recommendations. 

As such, I've shied away from doing product reviews (meaning no disrespect to bloggers who put their hearts into their wonderful review blogs). What I find exciting about Open Sky is that it establishes a very natural and organic feeling relationship between what I offer (recipes, crafts, and creative living ideas), and the small companies out there that supply some of the "ingredients". I'm pleased to be able to offer some of the very things I already own, use, and love to my readers (if they wish), in a way that is low-pressure, positive, and part of a collective spirit of commerce (rather than the old school style of hyperlinking to the "big box" entities online).

To kick off my OpenSky store, I've partnered with three suppliers:  Chronicle Books, Marx Foods, and The Meadow.  I was already a huge fan of all three prior to connecting with them through OpenSky.  Following is a product spotlight from each, just to give you an idea ~ a little amuse bouche, if you will.  If you'd like to see my full "menu", please visit HERE.

#1:  CHRONICLE BOOKS

"Inspired by the enduring magic and importance of books, our objective is to create and distribute exceptional publishing that's instantly recognizable for its spirit, creativity, and value."

This is my all-time, personal favorite from the Chronicle Books lineup (and I've been a huge fan of Chronicle for years)!  I grew up with Taro Gomi drawing books.  These unconventional coloring books give children an inspiration launch-point, and their imaginations take it from there!  Both of my girls have enjoyed Squiggles, Scribbles, and Doodles.  They make excellent gifts, since they encourage creativity and foster out-of-the-box thinking.

#2:  THE MEADOW

"The Meadow offers the largest selection of the best salts available anywhere in the world"

As many of you know, I'm a nerd for gourmet food items, particularly salts, cheeses, and other artisinally produced items.  One of my favorite salts (Gods gift to the hard-boiled-egg and the homemade caramel) is the light, flakey, and melt-in-your-mouth Fleur de Sel, which is including in this awesome sampler pack from The Meadow.

#3:  MARX FOODS

 I really admire these guys.

 I like what they sell and what they're all about.  

Here's a little about their business philosophy:  

"Did you know that the milk in the picture on most cereal boxes is actually Elmers glue? We think that’s disgusting. We took all the photos on our site…and, then, we ate the food. Or, rather, we savored it with a glass or two of wine (yes, our office is really fun to work in…especially on photo days!). But authentic photography is only part of it.  Authenticity guides our decisions about what products to sell, how to write about them, how we talk to you when you call with questions, and just about everything else. We also try as hard as possible to be transparent. We’ll give you as much information as possible about our foods so that you can make educated food purchasing decisions depending on your health goals and food politics." 

Dear Santa, I am going to be an extra-good girl this year because I really, really want this:  

The "Put Your Pantry on Steriods" sampler from Marx Foods (they're the great, family owned business that handed me the Reishi Mushroom recipe challenge) featuring "specialty pantry items that have a long shelf life, tremendous flavor, and a wide variety of applications...Flor de Sal (8.8 oz bag), Da Rosario Organic White Truffle Oil (8 oz bottle), Fennel Pollen (1 oz. tin), Aged Balsamic Vinegar (3.5 oz bottle), Saffron Threads (1 gram jar), Planifolia (aka "Bourbon") Vanilla Beans (1/4 lb. Bag), Dried Aji Panca Chilies (4 oz. Bag) and Dried Porcini Mushrooms (2 oz Bag)"