Sitting Pretty

Tuesday, my friend Claudia and I traveled to visit my older daughter Whitney at school. A pilgrimage to give our seal of approval, on her room decor, (at her request).
In brutal heat and humidity we potted plants and trimmed curtains. It was HOT.She has her own room this year and spent months gathering just the right decor and furniture for the first place she calls her own. I did what was expected of a parent visiting school....lunch and goodies for the fridge. She is very pleased with the results and yes, Claudia and I did give it our seal of approval. This is a shot of her Ikea rug and a trunk she painted and collaged.
We all had a great day, we will remember it for a very long time....a day that ended with a good hug and a dash to the car air conditioner.

Cashing in at the Bank

The month of August is HiHo Home Market month at our local bank. What does that mean??? We get to have a table on display featuring items from the business. This is a shot of all the things I gathered for the display. Yup, Fall is on the way....you can stop by the Gardiner branch of Walden Savings Bank and take a look.

Country Business Included HiHo

Country Business Magazine included HiHo in an online spread named Dynamic Displays, and they said....

The ability to create eye-catching displays is one of the most important skills of successful retailers. From vintage baby-themed displays to light and bright bedrooms, our readers have a knack for putting together unique and inspiring displays. Here are some of the favorites from gift and home decor retailers across the country.

To see the site go to,

http://www.country-business.com/giftindustry/share/displayshare.aspx?id=8210

This is the shot they featured.

I'm grateful for the mention and was very excited tonight when I came across the article. Thanks to Susan Wagner and her staff.

A Book Signing At HiHo

On Sept. 12th and 13th, author Anna Jane Grossman will be joining in the fun at HiHo's Fifth Annual Tent Event. She will be signing first editions of Obsolete, her new book.

Obsolete is a wonderful collection of things gone by. Like many of the items we sell at HiHo, items that have lots of personality and make us smile. Anna Jane is not only an author, she is also the daughter of a friend, a part time Gardiner local, a customer and now part of the extended HiHo family. The publishers description:
Contains essays and entries on more than 100 alphabetized fading subjects, including Blind Dates, Mix Tapes, Getting Lost, Porn Magazines, Looking Old, Operators, Camera Film, Hitchhiking, Body Hair, Writing Letters, Basketball Players in Short Shorts, Privacy, Cash, and, yes, Books. This ode to obsolescence also includes 25 quirky pen-and-ink line illustrations to further help us remember exactly what we’re missing.

Bla, Bla, Bla...I don't know how they made this little treasure of a book sound so dry. I think it's light, smart, funny and I even laughed out load when sharing it with family. Be sure to stop by anytime to take a peek at the book, it's fresh off the press and we have copies. For signed copies be sure to visit Anna Jane the weekend of Sept. 12th &13th here at HiHo.

Home From NYIGF

Yup, the New York International Gift Fair. Where retailers go to buy from wholesalers. Friends and customers inquire about what I do when I am there....well, I walk and walk and walk. Over 4000 booths of merchandise on display at the Jacob Javits Center and at the Piers. I take tons of notes, and do, doodle drawings of products, displays and combinations of both. Have meetings with sales representatives, they tour the sales floor with me, while I place orders.I walk some more and collect catalogs to bring back to the shop for future buying and inspiration. All in all it's work, but a break from the shop. I usually spend at least one day with my pal Isabella and I did this time on Tuesday. I spent the overnights at my friend Vicki's downtown, thank goodness.
It will take me weeks to sort through the catalogs and notes, but they will motivate me easily for the next six months. Then it will be time to do it all over again.

Where Did The Time Go?

The summer has whizzed by and I haven't gotten a chance to visit so many of my blogging friends. In a world where everyone is busy, it seems I've failed at finding the time for blog surfing in the evenings, like I do other times of the year. (Believe me you are not the only one missing comments on your posts from me.) Life is good, all is well, although I think it will be a couple of weeks before I get out to visit. Please know I am missing you and thinking of you. I will continue to post at least twice a week. Heidi

Folded and Stacked

I have a thing for clean closets. I love the feeling one gets from knowing the sheets are folded and the towels are stacked. Linen closets are a display of work well done and serve as a place to showcase ones organization. I admit it, I sound nuts...I even organized my parents linen closet once, when visiting a few years back. My way of saying thanks for having us... So, it is not a surprise that when a reorder of quilted throws and pillows arrived this week, that I decided to turn a Hoosier into a linen closet of sorts. The throws are a great buy at $39.00 a piece and the pillows are only $14.00. This is a shot of the cutest bird cage/chandelier, it has a frosted glass bottom to throw light and two matching sconces. I was thrilled to win it at auction this past Monday. Have a wonderful weekend! Be sure to stop by soon, I'll be posting mid week about my adventures at the New York International Gift Show.

OUT OF CONTROL

Like a roller coaster, life is moving fast and I'm unable to anticipate the next curve.

I have always loved a thrilling ride, I grew up riding a coaster named the Comet,( these first two photos are of the Comet). Every Summer we would visit Crystal Beach, Canada and take the ride. Hands held over ours heads and screaming. Thing is, it was a planned ride.

In the past two weeks the turns have been the kind that hurt your neck and I wasn't aware I was going for a ride. You know your screaming/laughing loving it and then you realize it didn't hurt when you were younger. First thing that happened was fantastic news for the shop...(I have to keep it a secret until the end of September, but I'm warning you it's big). I got so excited it made my head hurt all afternoon. The town is moving forward with sidewalk infrastructure and Main Street is being resurfaced the first week of October. I still can wiggle in my seat over that news. Signage for Main Street is being placed on the outskirts of town to direct traffic....doesn't sound like much, believe me it's a gigantic leap for the town. HiHo's Fifth Tent Event is coming together beautifully.

POW!! an inverted tube and I'm hanging upside down holding on and not liking the ride. Yup one of my kids took me off of the old wooden Roller Coaster I'm used to and buckled me into a super sonic upside down make me sick ride. I'm glad to report even the high speed deluxe coasters slow down and stop.

I have a girlfriend who is a mother of three great kids, like me. (It always helps to have a friend in the same boat). Her quote..."Kids Are Over Rated". Makes me laugh every time. I say..." I'm just along for the ride"....as I rub my neck.

A Pink Saturday @ IKEA on Tuesday

Exhausted and happy, Claudia and I, after a trip to IKEA that seemed like it would never end. Even Aubrey was fading after two and a half hours...not sure what the giant straw hat was for in the plant area, but it was fun.

With school right around the corner my eldest daughter, Whitney is preparing for her own room at college this year. She has a clear idea of the decor for her room. First and foremost it's not a HiHo look.

Modern with lots of color and bold graphics. These are all examples of rugs she would be thrilled to be taking with her to school.

With energy levels high, her younger sister Aubrey, good friend Claudia and I marched into IKEA Tuesday afternoon.We started with lunch....I had the Swedish Meatballs. A must when visiting IKEA. We then entered the maze of arrows, Whitney's list in hand and optimistic. Two hours later in the rug department....well lets just say, we still needed to go to the lamps at that point.Good thing we all brought our sense of humor. Whitney was genuinely happy with all her purchases, it truly was a productive shopping trip. With the added bonus of staying within her budget. This is a shot of me before the Swedish Meatballs wore off. I'm wearing my super new pink Crocs ( a gift from my daughter Whitney) and I'm holding the rug she choose for a door mat in her dorm room.

A long day and we topped it off with a Trader Joe's snack. I will be up for another trip to IKEA with the girls, but lets wait until next year....and keep it under three hours next time.

Be sure to join Beverly and friends for more Pink Saturday fun, just click on the I Love Pink button in my side bar.

HAPPY PINK!

CHARMING

A few of the sweetest pieces I've gotten at auction in a while. A Young Couple. A set of three small collages, signed Gigi.Wooden Horse and Cart. They are all nothing, if not charming!

Two For You and Two For Me

The story behind the photo panels in the HiHo parking lot. Yes, I painted them , but they are not really mine....

In 1995 Mr. HiHo was working at a TV station that was giving their new's set a makeover. He mentioned the amount of waste from the breakdown of the old set. At the time I was on the Gardiner Day Committee. I requested two of the stage floor panels, so I might paint them for photo panels. I thought they would be a nice addition to the once a year event. They took me about a week of painting...I did so when naps were happening and before the school bus arrived each day. I have always loved them, although they received a luke warm reception from the committee. They are stored in the garage at the park and if the weather is pleasant and someone thinks of it they are put on display for four hours once a year.

sorry, it's taking me a while to get to the point....

In May when we ( the Main Street Gang) planned the Cupcake Festival, I became an Indian Giver. I had every intention of using them for one day and then putting them back in the garage at the park. Then it seemed people were enjoying them ....hmmm, I will leave them up for a couple of weeks. Now it has been month's, and a lot of rain too. Well now I might as well wait until after the Tent Event weekend and then touch them up and put them back in the garage right???? Anyway they were a gift from our family to the town and HiHo has them in the parking lot on loan. They will be returned on the 15th of September...if it's a pleasant day and I think of it.(I'm so bad)

My name is Heidi and I'm an Indian Giver.