NYIGF

One of the great parts of going to the New York International Gift Fair is seeing all the items you would never own and the items you wish the shop had room for. Grand scale furniture, surprising fabrics and displays to die for. All these shots were taken at the Home Pier 94. It is against the rules to take photos on the showroom floors so good thing I found a camera loaded with pictures. Someone must have lost it after they took these pictures.............and I can't believe it showed up in my purse after I arrived home ;)) enjoy the inspiration.

A Wedding Gift?

It was BEAUTIFUL day in the Hudson Valley today, Chelsea's wedding day. HiHo is only a 35 minute drive from all of her festivities. Made me think....I wonder what the Bride & Groom would be receiving as gifts?

I Googled, "top 10 wedding gifts" and was completely uninspired. Some big box store lists came up and boring mentions like framing the invite, really? Now a days it is so expensive to have a wedding, if you are invited to one you are a close friend or family member, right? You should know what the taste of the new couple is. What their hobbies and preferred pass times are, basically what makes them tick.

Some say you should be sure to give a gift that at the very least covers the cost of your dinner....eeek, glad I wasn't invited.

Some of my favorite HiHo selected gifts that I have given in the past....a vintage Pyrex mixing bowl set, a set of vintage etched wine glasses, his and hers matching knit throws and even a vintage wine rack.

Not that I am an expert in this area but I tend to believe giving something that in the years to come they will remember as a gift from you, is the way to go.

What would you give the happy couple?

Grandpa's House

My Dad's home has a strong sense of style and I had never viewed it that way before. He is an artist and continues to work in his studio on canvases in oil {even in his 80's}. Landscapes mostly.

This past week Mr. HiHo and I took the kids and our daughter's boyfriend to visit...their grandparents. Their house in the city of Buffalo and the cottage in Canada. I took lots of vacation pictures of all of us having summer time fun and many are wonderful flattering shots of family...these are NOT those shots, sorry guys. These photos are the best shots of just a few of the paintings hanging in both homes. They have people in the photos to show the scale of the works and how they relate to the living space.This is Cory seated at the cottage with one of a series of light house paintings done about four years ago. Grandma was serving up a picnic dinner featuring the largest bowl of macaroni salad ever made, with a panting done of the cottage gardens most recently. Mr. HiHo enjoys his morning cup of coffee in front of a hay field painted in the 1960's.Everett lounging under a mixed media piece named the Delicatessen Window.This is one of my favorites and has always hung in my parents homes. Humphrey seems to like it too. I have always said surround yourself with the things you love and your house will become a home. As a child and young adult my parents homes always seemed unfinished, in need of decorating, I was wrong. Dad's art defines the spaces and makes it home. Break the rules and be passionate!

Changing It Up

The Summer is slipping away and it shows in the amount of merchandise that has left the building. Summer color palettes are fading away and neutrals are staring to take over. Often changes in the shop layout are planned moves , however sometimes auction purchases dictate we move things before I even come up with a plan. I can't sell something if I don't get it off the truck. This is a dining set I purchased without space to display it in. Then I decided the best place was the front room where the hose display with pale chairs and the green table were featured was/is the best place to show off this large set.The table and chairs spent a few days just inside the door while I plotted a plan. The plan began with emptying the spot, which always means moving thirty items before the new display can begin. Here you see the loan library even had to be moved to make room. That's me on the ladder again.

All in all, a successful move, nothing broken, everything found a new home and it still looks a little bit like Summer.

Face Book or Crack Book

I'm asked all the time about my schedule, it's always been the number one question asked of me by customers and friends alike. However recently another question has moved into the top slot. "How do you know how to use face book for your business?" and that's followed by "How much time do you spend on face book?"

I didn't know how to use it and I spent way too much time learning about it....meaning exploring late into the night on the computer; reading, posting, deleting, and asking questions. My fascination with it, {my husband would say my obsession with it } comes from the fact that I believe we have not scratched the surface of it's potential for small businesses. I think it's so very exciting that HiHo is able to be part of a conversation anytime and anywhere. Like creating a great visual display in the shop and sharing it with hundreds of people, sharing happenings, meeting new friends and visiting new places. OK, I admit it, I'm obsessed.

I writing this blog post on the eve before the first World Wide Social Media Day, yup a new excuse to gather with others and talk about my latest obsession. SweetPea&Co is hosting a local celebration at the Gunk Haus. New ideas, more people to cross promote with and the exploring continues. Did I answer the question??? hmmm, I'm still learning, I'm self taught and way to much time ;)

A Love Note

My tradition of writing a blog post for the men in my life on Father's Day continues.
I made the mistake of jumping back on the blog and reading what I wrote for the last two years on Father's day and now I'm feeling defeated. What could I possibly say that I haven't said already?
Isn't it crazy how the world looks at our parents? They see knowledgeable adults with a sum of accomplishments. We are even one of their accomplishments. When I see my Dad, he's my Dad. The guy who draws on the program at church, made sure my bike was in working order every Spring, likes a chunk of torn bread rather than a slice and knows whether you put cold water or hot water in the kettle before you bring it to a boil. Not important stuff, things that others would not see or care about, but what a child sees when looking at a parent.
My children would share similar endearments about their Dad. I'm sure each different but just as important to them as mine are to me. Who knows what they would say about Grandpa?
On this Father's Day I want to say, I'm very lucky to have a Dad that calls me even though I find little time to call him, a Dad that creates beautiful artwork and makes me smile when I do share a moment with him. Living a distance away but right here at the same time....I love you Dad.
I'm blessed that I have a husband that is my partner in raising our children { the teen years will be over soon} He has a great ability to see inside each of our children's hearts...I love you Richard.
On this Father's Day I wish for you a day of celebration with the men in your life ....may the men's worldly accomplishments be dwarfed by the love they receive by their children.

It's My Home and I'll Decorate If I Want To!

What is the right height to hang artwork in my home? Is there an standard preferred walking space I should have between my couch and the coffee table? How low should I hang a ceiling fixture?

What did people do before Google??

Should the average home owner be referring to the "experts" when it comes to home decor in their own homes? I don't know....how tall are you? Whats the size of the artwork? Do you walk with a cane and how big is the room? Will you be dining under the light fixture?

When one googles for home decor rules, be forewarned that your specific needs might mean adjusting the experts advise to fit your home and your own sense of style.

If your going to look for advise, look in your own back yard. Have a discussion with a real person. Most importantly don't take the advise if you don't like the way it looks. Remember you may keep changing things until you do like it.

I hate the idea of "Home Decorated by Google" in the text below the photo of your living room.....it's your home and decorate it the way you want it!