Christmas Decorating in June

It's June, but yes I spent part of the morning in HiHo's Christmas room. I must be the only person in the Hudson Valley that can say- I was decorating a Christmas tree this morning. Funny how it doesn't matter what time of year it is, that room always puts me in the mood for a little Bing.... It was a nice break from the routine of the day, which is always needed on Thursdays. We are open until 7:30 in the evening on Thursdays, the long day helps give me time to prepare the shop for the weekend and give those who prefer shopping after work the opportunity to stop by.

HiHo Christmas Room-Everett in 2006

HA! Someone just gave me a shout out from the Christmas room....funny how moving things around usually turns into new interest ;) gotta go!!

Pouring Productivity or Wine?

Rained in sheets today, some braved a good soak and stopped in.

I put the finishing touches on the shopping categories for the online market pages. Debated the number of items for each page and the groupings of like merchandise. Now I need to decide on titles, and write the text for the unexciting pages, like returns, shipping and the privacy policy. This rainy unpredictable day was productive. We are closer to HiHo's online Home Market launch.

Time for a glass of wine. I have to come up with those titles....

In a Groove?

Do any of us really know when we are at our best ? When the best of us shines? My Dad would say he's in a groove....well it was the 70's the last time I heard him say that. Is it a rhythm we pace ourselves to, that helps us get our day to day activities done, or is it a side tracked time/moment when the creating happens? I don't know about everybody else, but lately some of my best/shining moments have been alone. A light bulb moment, a redirect, an idea that can take me in a direction; to create. An energizing surge that motivates. Not a exceptional event, it may be as little as more lighting over your desk, and you realize it's a happier place to work. While driving to work with the radio off, you notice more of the landscape. Lets just say I've been keeping my head down and working hard.

Am I in a groove right now? I don't know, if it's not a groove it's highly motivated place moving in the direction of HiHo growth. I have been working diligently, collecting graphics, ideas, text and merchandise for our new online shopping pages. Aggressively using social media in the preparation of the launch of online shopping at HiHo. I also have been able to ignore my surroundings and stay working in one direction for long time spans...unheard of for me ;) Ha! I just read this back, maybe I'm not in a groove, maybe I'm just growing up? Nah!!

Ready, Set, Wait

Chomping at the bit to open the screen porch....arrange the furniture bring out the indoor plants and take in the view of the yard from my favorite vantage point.....

The pollen here in upstate NY is coating everything this week. This time each year I'm sure it's the worst season for allergies ever. We have huge, HUGE pine trees surrounding our home and clouds of pollen swirl in the wind and coat our cars and force us to keep windows closed :( It also keeps us from opening our screen porch, we wait until the trees have bloomed, so the green coating of dust doesn't have to be reckoned with in our indoor/outdoor space. Maybe next week ;)

We don't wait at the shop, we have made everything summer there. Bright colors, great furnishings for indoor/outdoor spaces and plenty of Salt Water Taffy.

Now is the time to buy some treats for your outdoor space....before everyone else starts grabbing up the goodies, and the green dust settles ;)

CAMPY?

-something so outrageously artificial, affected, inappropriate, or out-of-date as to be considered amusing - a style or mode of personal or creative expression that is absurdly exaggerated and often fuses elements of high and popular culture. REALLY? I thought it just meant that something was sooo tacky it was great, hmmm. Like plastic Christmas wreaths from the 50's or color palates of the 70's. The word *campy* popped into my head while I was installing new window displays this week....a camping theme, of course.

From the inside looking out, this window sets the mood for a fun weekend of camping. The large Ralph Lauren tray, has the classic vintage look of a old tavern advertising tray. A couple of broken cinder blocks, rocks and sticks from the parking lot, found their way into these windows.....works when camping ;)

In the mood for a smore yet??

A Completed Project

HOORAY!! Isn't grand when you complete a project and you can move on? I was reminded recently by a Face-book fan, that I never posted finished photos of the Tuesday's Project Post. The jewelry display area is done...

NEXT!

Ideas,Deadlines & Plans...Oh My

The days seem long and then stop short, the days run into each other and then the week arrives at Friday.....how does this happen? Over and over I am always running behind, never enough time to execute the the ideas, plans and displays in my head. Oh yeah, the drawings are on scrap sheets of paper, small notebooks, in my bag, tucked under the counter, even on the backs of auction bid numbers. It seems like it has been weeks since I have had order to the creative process. Maybe there has been and I'm over looking it?
My friend Isabella says, if you plant the seed, water it , take care of it and love it, the only thing it can do is grow.
She is a fellow retailer and this is her way of referring to our businesses. It has made me realize I'm still watering and loving my business, and probably always will. If I look at each potential project that I'm mulling over in my head, in this manner, completing anyone of them seems unobtainable.
For example; sure I have plans to create *fabulousness* for the Gardiner Cupcake Festival, will it be the way it is in my head? No, but I'm planting the seed, I have even watered it a lot, it's growing....however, in directions I haven't planned for. Unforeseen changes, new inspirations and time restraints have me feeling the days slipping away and now the realization of time running out. The dead line is less than a week away. The reality check please.
Time to edit the scraps of drawings done by a dreamer into the work of a shop owner. Yes, onto the transition from tidbits of ideas to a finished project. The challenge, convincing myself it's a creative process and not work.
Unobtainable, not really, just busy growing...Ah, HA, love it and it will grow, thanks, Izzi...