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...

Emotional Reflection

It's getting harder and harder to find the time to blog, or maybe to find the time to to collect my thoughts.
It has been a week of emotions, the loss of a friend and mentor,Barney, hit me hard. I pulled myself together and filled the week with meetings.
The Main Street Gang is diligently conducting business, rallying towards the Cupcake Festival. The Town Planning Board, was reviewing plans for an additional building on our road. The Business Association, showcased a panel of guests, including the counties tourism director. All have been time consuming, but some what necessary to attend.
A week of emotions or a week of avoiding my feelings? I am blessed to have a full life, and I was caught off guard by the news of my friend Barney's passing. ( I'm pooling up writing this) I should not have been, we all knew his time was ending. It is fitting that I spent time avoiding tears this week with meetings, he spent years standing up for neighbors, the town and ideals in meetings for decades. I thought he taught me a lot about communicating and representing, in the role of being an officer in our towns business association, and he did. It wasn't until his passing that I realized he represented the best things in all our lives. He shared his love of family, of friends, of community and was passionate about life. He was a man who gave back and gave back. Most of all Barney taught me, the little stuff doesn't matter, it's enough to know you don't agree and just walk away. A lesson that took me nearly fifty years. This would have made Barney laugh, he had a great laugh. Rest in peace my friend.

Five Years and Pondering

I have never been one of those people who are disappointed in birthdays. You know, the friend that had a list of things, that when they got to a certain age, they were going to have done. The friend that is disappointed with their birthday and upset about what they haven't gotten done on the list. Not me, I never have had a list of that type. I was fine at 30 and 40 and even 50. So what happened to me last week? This five year thing really threw me for a loop. Then I realized, I had made a list, in my head, but never the less I had made a list. A list of where I would be with HiHo when we were five years in. Let me share some of my list, we would have sidewalks, a speed limit through town, a number of other businesses would be promoting the Gardiner Hamlet, and most importantly money wouldn't be a worry. WHAT WAS I THINKING. Silly right? If you noticed many of the things on my list are beyond my control.
My list, if I really needed to have one, should have been more like this....create relationships with customers, give back to the community, challenge my creative side, explore new channels of promoting, expand product selection, develop the HiHo brand. Right? I wouldn't have been so disappointed.
So much accomplished and so silly of me to let emotions blurry my real goals.Five years and HiHo is just fine....and me too.

This Week's Tuesday Project

Tuesdays HiHo is closed, but I still work. Today's project has been in the works in my head for months. It was, and is, pretty exciting that so much of the project came together today. I had decided to use an old china cupboard to make a display fixture for the shop. We have jewelry arriving soon and I need a place to showcase it. The idea; upholster the back of the cupboard with panels. Making the padding a nice place to pin and display necklaces and such.

Hmmm, what color, I need boards cut, maybe use Velcro, could even make a stage like setting by draping fabric on each side of the cupboard. Need a place for Hazel the dress form. Oh, what about those old hand rails, they might work?

Last night, was the trip to the fabric store, almost successful, got the panel fabric but not the drape fabric. Then decided to look at tablecloths, shower curtains and any other option that might work. Wahla! Ralph Lauren tablecloths, not only matched Hazel and the panel fabric but felt like it would work in HiHo.

Not yet complete, but a good amount done for one day. I will be sure to post, when this new area is featuring our newest product line ;)

Add a Bookcase to Your Mix

The most requested piece of furniture here at HiHo , is a bookcase. Luckily, Saturday night I bought this great bookcase. I bought a number of other treasures too, but those will have to wait. I spent a good amount of the morning hours, making a place for the new previously loved bookcase.

Followed by unpacking a sweet collection of planters, most of them McCoy pottery. They are displayed on the shelves and featured with an assortment of local books.

Don't you just love it when things just put themselves together?

We have two other bookcases at this time for sale, a medium sized red one and a small white one. Both charming and sturdy. Stop by and take a look, adding a bookcase to your furniture mix is never a bad idea.

Signs of Spring

..hmmm, what are my signs of Spring, you know things that happen every year at this time, that remind you Winter is over.

The first is the window redo that usually without fail has me hunting for the silk forsythias and a dash of green.

There are wonderful things, like loading the truck late at night with auction purchases in a muddy parking lot, (but it is over 50 degrees.) The pooling of rain water in front of the shop and Humphrey refusing to go out in the rain. Customers in search of outdoor iron furniture, potting containers and treats for the garden.

The Middle School helps mark the coming of Spring in our house, it was Guys and Dolls this year, nothing like watching kids do their best, while singing, dancing and getting that direct look from your own child. (You were wonderful Everett) Later this week the High School musical, will surely give me that undeniable feeling that Spring break is here.(break a leg Aubrey)

The gathering of merchandise that compliments the Annual Gardiner Cupcake Festival, has begun here at HiHo. Meetings with the Main Street Gang are more frequent and productive,reviewing all the details for the day, May 8th, this year.

My favorite every day sign of Spring, is having the shop door open, being able to put almost anything outside and seeing all the other doors open in the hamlet. Life is good in the Spring!!

Hazel's First Day At Work

Oh, what fun. Recieved the first shipment of incoming jewerly today. Such a little box, but with big treasure.

Hazel, our new vintage dress form, named by a fan of our facebook page. Had her first day of work today, sporting these charming charms. Most are double sided and all are lots of fun. Their vintage graphics make them a perfect fit for HiHo.

Each one, brings to mind another friend....a great gift.