A little Sundance dreaming

Some of my favorite stores are often too pricey for my budget, but there is nothing wrong with a little online shopping, er, dreaming and catching a good sale. Here are a few of my favorite choices from the Sundance Catalog, founded by Robert Redford to promote the work of artisans and craftspeople while also encouraging green practices.

Enjoy some virtual shopping, though some of these prices may be worth taking out your wallet.

This red suitcase is divine, especially at $20 on sale. I can totally picture a modern day Little Red Riding Hood carrying her goodies in here. Or maybe you can use it for your own poetry in a suitcase. Even if it's just for organizing your travel souvenirs, this suitcase is worthy of doing more than gathering dust in the back of a closet with your other suitcases.

This would be great to hang in a kid's room, an office or even a fun family room or kitchen. Boring shopping lists would have new appeal. To-do lists would actually get items crossed off. Or you could use it to post your favorite snapshots. You get the picture. I have a thing for bulletin boards and maps so this metal board and star-magnet set, only $30 on sale, has me salivating.

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OK, I guess it's time to fess up. I'm a bit of an organizational junkie so these "by the numbers" hooks have me wanting to organize coats in the closet, or something more fun, like my kids' dress-up outfits. You get six hooks for $50 (half-off on sale) so it's a little pricey for hooks, but my kids could learn their numbers and learn to put their clothes away.

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Part card-catalog, part bookcase, these cabinets are similar to those that once housed upholsterers' supplies. The configuration above costs a whopping $3,500, but smaller versions can be had for as little as $795. If I didn't have so many bookcases already, I would save up my birthdays and Christmas gifts to get me one of these. No matter how many years it took!

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These typewriter font coasters are encased in solid glass so they could also serve a dual purpose as paperweights at your desk. Or grab a few to spell out your last name or a word with special significance. They cost $8 each, or $7 each for two or more.

This baby is a fully operational twin-reflex camera that was popular between the 1930s and 1950s, but the manufacturer has been perfecting it since then. Imagine carrying this around town, capturing all sorts of romantic shots. It's $130 and includes a universal tripod mount.

Once you're done with all that shopping, you will want to take a glass of lemonade and go outside to plan where you would put all your new things. How fun would it be to sit on this colorful bench cushion? Each is 76 inches long and $225, but the money benefits a good cause since they are made by a West African weaving collaborative as part of an Aid to Artisans project.

The Sundance Catalog items tend to have a vintage touch and are often unique to the store, which has a pretty interesting back story. You would think that with the backing of someone like Robert Redford, success would have been virtually guaranteed, but not so. Read all about it here.