Umbra has long been a Canadian design staple. I mean, we've all have our cute Garbo cans follow us from university to our first apartment and now in our own kitchen and bathroom and office.

Umbra has always had their finger on the consumer and environmental pulse, despite having been in the business for almost 30 years now.

Each year I find something that I really must have of theirs, and this year is no different. In fact, when their catalogue arrived at my door, I had so many page markers sticking out the top of the book that it looked like a peacock's tail and really, a bit ridiculous.

This year Umbra is offering a limited design collection that includes vases that are wrapped in Organic Peruvian cotton and recycled Sari silk from Nepal and "The recycled Sari Silk is part of a community outreach to help dis-advantaged women and their children. The cotteon is naturally coloured and grown without commerical pesticides, fertilizers or defoliants. Each covering is a one of a kind."

Did I mention that they only made 200 of them?

But that's okay, because I want to get my hands on the Lawrence Chu-designed jot, a journal and organizer that is simply perfect for making notes in my interviews, carrying my iPod of favourite songs and even my passport for my upcoming trip.

I will finally have a catch-all that will hold all of my many necessities and it doesn't have to look like a nerdy briefcase or something plastic that will fall apart after 3 meetings.

It doesn't say that it's a limited edition, but I have a feeling that once people see them, there won't be many left.

I'm heading out right now, just in case.