Monday, September 6, 2010

It's September?

Really school starts tomorrow, the Summer is over? I guess it shouldn't be a surprise to me, I've been moving around fall merchandise for weeks. I'm done writing orders for Christmas and we did have the opportunity to turn off the air conditioning yesterday.
Signs of the impending Fall season are everywhere, none as clear as my big yellow folder marked 'Tent Event". I've mentioned my list making before, a folder just means I have so many lists for this annual event they need to be filed.
Gearing up for the Tent Event pushes my organizational abilities to the limits. We need a lot more vintage inventory, vendors, music, drawings{I always need drawings}, tents, staff, signage, ads....well you get the picture. I'm all over the place...
We have stepped up our buying pace, frequenting auctions and using Tuesdays for road trips and picking. We are optimistic about the fourth quarter and you can't sell things unless you have things to sell, right?
Choosing vendors to spend the weekend with us, is like wanting to have a party for 24 and you only have room for 8. Who to invite? Who is available? Who has local products that complement HiHo? Who would be part of the right mix? Who should be seated next to who?
I'm happy to report, we have the loveliest eclectic group of people coming to set up their wares at the event this year. A few who join us every year and some first timers, but all are ready to put their best foot forward and shine this weekend.
Like always live music will be performed by my dear friends, Don Sparks and Mike Rice, they are so talented. I'm grateful they agreed to host the music tent both days. Musical friends from around the Hudson Valley will be joining them. Sooo, cool!
My small random sketches of possible displays under the tent are filling up my notebook fast. Seems every time I draw a vignette around a piece of furniture, I sell it and have to come up with another plan. I good problem, but it does have me wanting to hoard furniture in the office until the weekend. This is not my office but it is close ;)
The tents have been ordered for weeks. Thank goodness for a great local tent company.
Did I say staff before? Yes, my children are wonderful shop slaves ;)) bless them, and I do love the ladies that work for me. However I hired a personal assistant this past week that will start this week.....HOORAY...{I'm jumping up and down} just two days a week but I'm so excited. I will introduce her on the blog soon. Maybe she can help me at the house too ;)
Signage, still need to take care of this....maybe my assistant can help with this, hehehe.
The ads are done and gee it feels good to know they are.
To add a little more adventure to the week, the front of the building is getting a fresh coat of paint by Friday.
All and all, it does feel like September is here. I'm hoping the planning for the next thing coming up the pike doesn't have me missing out on living in the moment. I guess not, because I have great memories of this Summer. Although school starting tomorrow for the kids did sneak up on me. Hope you join us at, HiHo's Sixth Annual tent Event this Saturday and Sunday.