ahhhh spring

Thought I would share an early bloomer from my garden with all you northeners. I hope you can dig out of all that snow really soon and enjoy some blooms of your own.

my house was full of rings and charms and pretty birds

Most people purchase music online and never venture into a store to actually buy a CD but I have to admit this is one I wanted to physically, not just virtually, own.  I have now listened to it so much that my three year old is singing Gone, gone, gone.  

Where do I begin?  I think I can thank my older brother for properly introducing me to Led Zeppelin and the film Oh Brother for introducing me to Alison Kraus.  Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined what magic the duo could create.  If I were more tech savvy I would have it playing for your listening pleasure.  My suggestion?  Go to itunes and have a listen for yourself.  

Beyond the Pale, BH&G Feature

Last October I participated in the Savannah College of Art & Design Alumni Design Show House. I am just getting around to sharing it with you because Better Homes and Gardens Magazine photographed it and until it was published I thought it wise not to show any of the images of the space. So now that it is on the news stands I couldn't wait to give you a peek.

This is the cover and the first page of the three page feature. The pictures that follow were taken by me or Anthony Masterson Photography. Enjoy.

New Shop Girl

Look at these great products by my new shop girl Liz Koomler, a SCAD Fibers Graduate. You can find her products at Stiches by Liz on Etsy.

Katie Runnels

My friend Katie was recently interviewed on a blog by Artsy Mama. It is such a nice piece I thought you all should read it as well. You can also get a peak at some of her terrific designs. Enjoy.

In Love

I found this artist through another blog and I can't get enough of her work. Take a look. Lyndie Dourthe.

New Goodies

Lots of new goodies to share with everyone. Bunnies, chickies and birdies oh my.

We also have a new collection of jewelry, frames and magnets all made with very vintage looking parts. Typewriter keys, enamel tins, beads and faux bakelite findings.

A new collection of keepsake boxes, magic wands, signs and wands for friend, bride and baby. Delightful.

Fibers Open Studio

This is one of my favorite events hosted by the fibers department at The Savannah College of Art and Design. If you are in Savannah and your into handmade, I suggest you stop by.

happy valentines day

xoxo all around

almost famous

I spent last week decorating the store for Easter and the house for Christmas. Why you ask? Is this some strange retail ritual? Not really. I had the amazing opportunity to have my house photographed for one of my favorite magazines, Country Home. I can not share any photos with you except this little one I took myself. It is only February but I am wishing for December so I can see my house grace the pages of Country Home once and for all. You see, I have been longing to be featured in this magazine as long as I have had a shop. I have produced projects for CH and BH&G and the house was in BH&G in 2004 but I can't express how much I wanted to be in this particular publication. I am a big fan of the magazine. I have been a reader ever since it started.
We wrapped the shoot yesterday and I dismantled the holiday decor last night. Two long days of wrapping presents, tree decorating, stocking hanging, bed making, fluffing, landscaping, flower arranging, garland hanging, packing, unpacking, packing again and posing (yes-they took family pictures too, yikes.) Oh the glamorous life of a shop owner/photo stylist. I forgot to mention I got to style the shoot myself! An especially exciting endeavor because I got to work with the talented photographer Reed Davis. I am crossing my fingers that I get the opportunity to work with him again. Check out his site to see his fantastic pictures.

Urban Outfitters in Savannah

Yes, I know it has been a rumor around town for some time now but I got an email today confirming the lease had been signed. What could that big retailer want with our little town but it seems they want 11,150 sq. feet of it. The space is only a block from my shop at 219-221 West Broughton Street. I am a little nervous at what that might mean for me but optimistic that it will bring more customers to the street that have not discovered me yet. That sounds strange to many of you that have been shopping with me for years but I still (8 years into owning my store) get the question "are you new here?" I guess I was too tucked away in my old location. So I usually reply "no but I must be new to you. " So what can I say? I must embrace the big chain and be glad I signed on to Broughton Street when I did.

shop pics

Spring, no way!

Yes it is true. We are already receiving unbelievable sums of Spring inventory. The boxes started arriving the week after Christmas. Welcome to retail. You are never living in the current season. I have to admit it is nice to see the new things and it has been fun doing new displays with them. I am most excited about all the Jennifer Murphy Easter goodies. I typically don't put it out in February but Easter comes so early this year I plan to. I will add pictures as the displays come together. Enjoy.

shopping woes

I went to the gift show in Atlanta last week and as always I stopped at a few of my favorite haunts on the way up. Typically I find unbelievable sums of goodies to take back to the shop but at my first stop I sadly walked a little bag to my vehicle and traveled on down the road. My second stop was just outside Atlanta and once again a little bag was produced. What was going on? Don't the junking spirits know that I was about to enter gift show hell and I needed some vintage treasures to get me through the torture that lay ahead? Apparently not because my last stop produced nothing. Things weren't looking good. I knew this would be a rough show and I was right.

When I tell customers about the gift show they swoon and say "that must be so much fun." My response is "think of the worst store in your town and remember that they shop there as well." If you consider looking at bronze sculptures of dolphins and naked ladies "fun" than this show is for you. Yes, there are plenty of beautiful things or I wouldn't go but it is not an easy undertaking. I suppose people come in the store and assume that it is all presented in a neat package just for me when I go to market. I often dream of this occurring however the truth is I search 3 buildings, eighteen floors each and many thousands of showrooms to find the intriguing merchandise I sell in the store. So, for sanity purposes I kept the image of the little patchwork pig I bought on the way to Atlanta on my mind at all times.

Chickin Feed Girls

It is not often that this jaded retailer can say I have found something truly original but I have and I want to share it with you. Chickinfeed.

I got an email from a girl claiming to have a product that I might be interested in. Before you go and say "how cool" I should tell you I get a lot of these sorts of emails. So I skeptically typed in their web address and I was so pleased that I emailed the girl (Amy) back to thank her and compliment the company on such a great product.

I went to the Atlanta Gift Show last week and met two of the creators in person (Amy and Leslie). It was a pleasure to chat with them and see the products in person. I pledged to help them with any publicity I could so this post is my first attempt. I also shared them with my friend at Decor8 in the hopes that she will blog about them as well.

I love a good story and good people so I hope all my friends in retail out there look them up and place orders like I plan to. FYI they will be on Rachel Ray on Friday so tune in.

all eyes ahead

As we start the new year I can't help but share these pictures of my little boy on his first bicycle ride. I couldn't believe my eyes when he hopped on and just started riding. I stood there with happy and sad tears in my eyes clicking away with the camera. It got me thinking of the past and the future.

Here's to a new year for everyone. Let's all hop on our bikes and get going.

SALE

It is a misrable wet and cold day today so I thought some good news might cheer up the my regular visitors. Our holiday sale begins today. All decorations are 25% off.

After Christmas they will be 50% off.

Santa are you coming?

A wish to all my friends in blog/web land for a happy and safe holiday and to all my friends in retail a prosperous one as well. And lastly to my pals in the magazine world, even though you are probably knee deep in spring layouts and photo shoots I hope you can manage a single day for you and your families to celebrate the current season.

xoxo

Where is She?

So I suppose most of you thought I fell off the face of the earth but life has been very busy around these parts.

Since my last post one of my employees got married and moved to San Francisco, the other two move to Philadelphia, I did a design show house for SCAD, produced & styled two photo shoots for Better Homes and Gardens, decorated the store for the holidays and held an open house. I am a little tired so I hope you will understand why the blog has been on the back burner. I promise to be better in the coming months because I have a lot to share with you.

xoxo

My Little Houses

In retail you get used to ordering merchandise in the off season. You order Holiday items in January and Spring items in July. So when I am asked to produce projects for the various magazines I do freelance work for it comes easy. I made these cute little house this past winter for Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Crafts magazine (on news stands through December).

If you are interested in making some of your own little houses the templates appear in the back of the magazine and we are selling the embellishment kits at the store. There is an assortment of vintage and new holiday decorations (glass balls, bottle brush trees, plastic deer, snowmen for example) in the kits. It is priced at $25. Give us a ring if you have questions or would like to order one. The kits will be ready in about 3 weeks.

Shop # (912)201-0015

Adorn Magazine Feature

Yeah! @home is featured in the fall issue of Adorn Magazine. It is a great shopping story about some of the best spots for creatives to visit while in Savannah written by Amy Nieto a former SCAD student and regular customer of mine. Many thanks to Amy for including us with such a stellar group of businesses.

I just got my copy in the mail so I don't know if it is on the news stands. I checked the website as well and it looks like it hasn't been posted there yet. Keep checking I think it is a great story.

Website drama

Many of you know that I have been trying for some time to get a website up and running. Well the latest is that my web designer left town after graduating from SCAD and appears to have moved on as well. I am so disappointed because it was looking so cute. I will hopefully find someone who can help me finish it if I could just get my files from him. Please be patient.

SCAD Dorm Makeover

What an honor. I have been asked to decorate a dorm room for the Savannah College of Art and Design. I guess you could call it the model dorm room. It is the one that prospective students tour while visiting the college. I wasn't sure I was interested until I saw the bleak environment in which these art students were expected to live in and be creative.

The admissions department wanted to show these students the potential for their rooms and that is where I come in. I have big plans and will post after pictures when it is finished. So please check back.

Back in the Day Bakery

One of my favorite places in town, Back in the Day Bakery,
was recently featured in the New York Times 36 hours
in Savannah article. The husband and wife team, Cheryl
and Griff Day, have had much success in their almost
5 year run in Savannah. I am a huge fan and regular
contributor to their success and I have the curves to
prove it. As I get older time seems to scoot by. I
remember when they first opened in an up and coming
area known at the Starland District. Their bakery holds
the anchor spot and I believe has been a big part of the
revitalization of the area. I didn't know Griff too well
but I fondly called him the gentle giant back then.
He didn't talk too much and he still doesn't I just know
him better now. Cheryl has a good heart, joyful spirit
and great humor. I couldn't be happier for them. All
of this comes around at a good time because sadly Cheryl lost
her sister this time last year. I know that she has had
a tough year because if anyone would have
reveled in her successes it would have been her sister.

On the road

As the summer drags along here in Savannah I find
myself actually excited about attending the upcoming
trade shows. As a retailer it might come as a great
surprise that I do not love to go to market. My
background is in the antique business so the thrill of
the hunt is one that keeps me up the night before
an estate sale or keeps my eyes wide open during a
long car ride to an antique fair. When you have the
opportunity to order a hundred of something your
enthusiasm wears a little thin. That is not to say that
I don't like the things I find and order for my shop,
I just prefer the adrenalin rush that comes with the
unknown. So back to my original thought about
being excited. I think it is because we have been in
the new location for about nine months now and I
feel really confident about the direction the store
is taking. Each time we have moved the shop it has
felt like we were starting from scratch. So with this
buying trip I hope to find many unique treasures to
fill the store for the upcoming season. I plan to do
some junkin along the way as well.

Post soon.