Honey Of A Weekend

I know this weekend is Super Bowl weekend....but next weekend is more important in the land of HiHo. Every year we celebrate Valentines Day with Melinda Widmark from the honey farm. We sell her honey year round, but we have a weekend of tastings....sorta a tasting of honey with your sweety...or sweety your such a honey....or a sweet time with honey...I could go on but I know you want me to stop:)

Yes, we do a room over in a yellow/honey palette and we get in related honey gift items. But most importantly we share the weekend with our small town community reminiscing of days gone by at the old Widmark Honey Farm.

A new addition to the event this year is, tea provided by The Village Tea Room and Bakery of New Paltz. The owner Agnes has generously offered to bring the tea and one of her famous Honey Cakes (made with Widmark Honey) to be on display all weekend....available through special orders.The images are of Mary Lake Thompson flour sack towels we will have in the shop for sale by Honey of a Weekend.

three days or three daze

Just got back from three very full days at the New York International Gift Fair. I write about the experience every six months. I pack up travel to the city and throw myself into days of picking and choosing new products for the upcoming seasons. Thousands of vendors showcasing hundreds of products and all to be viewed while navigating through more middle aged woman than you will ever see in your entire life time. Yes I'm back, home and happy. At the shop and content. However how do I answer the question every customer asks? " Was the show fun?" "Did you have a good time?".....really, they must perceive the trip as the ultimate shopping binge. Clearly they have never walked the average of 15 miles a day lugging bags of catalogs in search of inspiration. OK,OK, there is the moment when you do find a product, a look, the perfect missing piece for a theme planned for the future....when the weight of the bags disappear, the crowds don't exist and you are in a retail daze. Then you wake up and start requesting all the information you need to know. We ask.."What's your minimum opening order, your shipping costs, quantities on this item, where is your company based, when will it be available." Then we walk away shaking our heads in disbelief, that anyone would buy five hundred dollars in sea salt...even if they were packaged in great vintage looking bottles.

Lets see, the best moments of this years show....Meeting up with Whitney, as she exited the social media seminar, leaping with excitement over her new wealth of knowledge.

Taking in the grand scale furniture and displays at the pier.

Riding the "party" bus from the Javits Center to the permanent showrooms at 7W. Sorry, no pictures the black lights and disco ball kept me from taking a photo of the group of ladies singing to "sock hop" music while the two large screen TVs ran reruns of old westerns.

Finding and reading the text on the charms, we finally ordered and having Isabella's expert opinion while choosing jewelry. (couldn't find a shot of the charms we ordered but you get the idea)

One on one time with a sales representative for over two hours, ordering Christmas goods, and we sealed the deal with a hug.

Hot bath Sunday night, at a friends place in the city.

The moment after I figured out two new favorite lines, one textiles, one soaps and tea towels, mix and match perfectly.

Susan's ability to crack herself up....always makes me laugh.

Realizing the jewelry we fell in love with, Isabella approves and is made in upstate NY.

I'm sure I will reflect on the days in a daze for weeks....all in all , Yes I had fun.

Humphrey's Birthday Special

I run at full speed 95% of the time and that means I forget to do things from time to time. I had plans to order a beautiful selection of dog themed books for the shop. A collection of books , in honor of Humphrey's birthday {my Yorkie}. However this past Sunday I relized , I had missed out on ordering them in time for delivery by his birthday. That brings me to HiHo's hero of the week, Amy, my book rep, she put together a wonderful order of books with me. She arrived in the snow, Sunday afternoon and made it happen.
The books arrived today, everyone I selected, BRAVO, Amy!!!! Each one more beautiful than the next and with a vintage flare.
The Best Dog In The World, is a book we sold through the holiday season and couldn't keep on the shelf.
Shaggy Muses, has short stories of dogs that inspired writers the likes of , Virgina Woolf.
The list goes on....and in the spirit of a Birthday Party Weekend each one of these books is 10% off all weekend.
We have never discounted new arrivals before like this, but then again Humphrey has never been seven before. Be sure to stop by for a cupcake this weekend....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

The Lights are On

The light of my life turns me on....whoops, I mean the windows at HiHo are now illuminated. Mr. HiHo spent two/three days lighting up my world, and the front of HiHo. Didn't I say it all starts at the windows?

Once the Christmas lights came down it was clear we were going to have to do something about outdoor night lighting for the building.

Supplies were purchased, the weather was suppose to be in the high 30's to 40's, the time was now. Of course the project was more of a project than planned, (what one isn't?) the one day projected installation turned into three.

The days were cooler than the weather channel had said, lots of wind yesterday, and the 40's were never in the picture.

However HiHo looks amazing at night, just like Mr. HiHo says "just like Macy's" HA!

Yup, Mr. HiHo once again lite up my life....love you honey, thanks :)

Transitional or is it Just Everyday

It all starts in the windows....what will you find inside? This time of year is known as "transitional" in the land of retailers. Big box stores are compelled to push last seasons merchandise out the doors, claiming deep discounts. However we know it's still winter, who are they fooling. I'm not ready to buy tee shirts yet or the leftover- shop worn sweaters from Christmas. I'm sure you're not either. I say feature true blue products....you know the ones we need. It's cold, dry, grey and everyone deserves better.
That's why I have been working now just as hard, if not harder than I did preparing for the holiday season. Some how it seems more challenging than ever to reinvent the shop for the new year.
It's hard to resist the urge to proclaim Spring....It's sorta like when the big box stores proclaim Christmas before Halloween.
I have restrained myself and I'm celebrating winter in the colors and textiles of the season. What better way to do this than to showcase are Classic HiHo products???

Just like in your home we have taken down the holiday decorations and we are not getting the Easter baskets out.
Yes, it's sad packing the holiday away until next year, but there is something about a stripped clean house. You know, uncluttered, feeling refreshed....a true blue simplified version of home. Transitional?...no it's called, calm and embracing the season. It's why so many love this time of year.

Heidi's Hint

Now presenting a new one each week.....on HiHo's facebook page, become a fan!

Just click on the button in the side bar.

A Good Tired

I'm now working everyday from ten in the morning to eight at night. Now I know very often I work hours longer than that running the shop and then going to auction....not to mention pick up and drop off of kids, meals, laundry and just boring must dos. However, it's the time a year that the doors are open at HiHo for ten hours everyday. A special time of year.... yeah, yeah, Merry Christmas and all that, but the only time of year that I leave displays to sit for weeks. Not one room in transition, not one room being flipped or refreshed, just sell, sell, sell. Longer visits with customers and the feeling of a well planned project completed , at last. Some how the thought of working the shop for ten hours is not overwhelming and is energizing. It's the last weekend before Christmas, snow is pending, the stock levels are diminishing, customers are weary, I am just a good tired and ready to do it again tomorrow.