The Land of Nod

I was shopping at Crate & Barrel online the other day, and inadvertently discovered their children's shop, The Land of Nod. I started exploring The Land of Nod, not only because it sounds like a place I'd like to live (wouldn't that be fun to put in your return address?!), but to see if maybe they had anything up on Pottery Barn Kids (besides the FANTASTICALLY FANTASTIC NAME)...and then I found *THIS*:

Not ONLY do they have a product called Storage-palooza (which combines two of my favorite things *ever* -- storage and paloozas), it will be delivered "lickety-split" in 5-7 days. Bedding boasts names like Twill Out, All Solar Systems Go, and THE BUCKAROO STOPS HERE (!). OH! the play on words, clichés, colloquialisms and pormanteaus! WHO gets to think of these names?! Because he or she or they is or are brilliant and I want to be their friend.

And don't even get me started on the prints and posters.

It's the perfect example of the power of words and creative freedom and imagination, because even though -- aesthetically speaking -- I like PB Kids products just as much, The Land of Nod is SO MUCH MORE FUN TO READ. And while PB Kids might deliver my stuff in 5-7 days too, wouldn't *you* rather have it delivered "lickety-split"? You SEE?!?!! Deep within those unassuming words exists the power to engage my sense of whimsy, tickle my clever bone, and make me willing to open my wallet and SPEND. (Do we really need *another* reason to teach more fine arts and creative writing in schools? Here's one: IT'S GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY.)

Arts advocating soapbox aside, I'm totally setting up a gift registry with The Land of Nod when I have kids, in addition to the Amazon.com wish list of children's books I've already started. Sure, I could get something similar for less from Target or Wal-Mart and no one would know the difference. But when playtime is over, and we're putting the blocks into the proper bin, I will giggle inside because it's not just a method to keep toys organized and tidy: it's storage-PALOOZA!