6 Trees Later...

Day two...it seems like it's been a week already! We have 6 trees designed and completed. The store looks like complete chaos with tabletops and mantles cleared off for new looks. Because the stock room is so full of holiday merchandise, we can't put everyday merchandise away just yet. It's everywhere! This may look like fun, but I feel differently I assure you.

I documented some of our progress and my employees into some "action shots". No one was very cooperative! I have a great team filling in many blanks this year and trying to get the hang of my mojo.

Anne and myself trimming the silver/charcoal tree...a personal favorite! (Photos of tree later...)

New Christmas team member this year and cutest person ever! Anne, such a find!

Patti-we couldn't do this without her. She is the behind the scenes person, Connie's right hand person in pricing and organizing everything! I mean EVERYTHING. Here she is trying to untangle the ornament hooks, a totally frustrating task. Ugh. Thanks, Patti!

The condition of the retail space-work in progress.

More of the same. Oh. My. Well, the empty boxes look promising!

Shannon, the most energetic member of the team...(we just slip her a few Swedish Fish to get on a high for a few more hours of work!) She headed up the orange and lime tree. You'll love this one!

Mary Carol, newest team member. Okay, she is an admitted part time model. Wow. Style, merchandising sensibility and model all together...is that really fair?

Shannon decided to wear a "velcro sweater" as my sister would deem it.

Mary Carol at work...

Patti, prepping ornaments for us to hang. Gotta love that girl!

Shannon found this favorite of mine and I simply must quote her. I laughed out loud.

"I'm just going to say, If I were a Kugel, I would want to be this one!"

 

 So funny. But I think she's right! Who wouldn't want to be a pure orange Kugel with polka dots?!

Need I say why I hired this one?! (Mary Carol) We speak the same language.

Stylish Connie working at her desk. In between ringing sales, directing deliveries and solving crisis, she found time to work on the payroll. Thank heavens, someone keeps the company running.

Closeup of silver and graphite tree. So pretty!

This tree is a beauty. Sophisticated. Striking. Stylish. 

 

 

Love. This.

 

When the "night shift" (looks strangely like the "day shift"...) took over, we were prompted to pose for this photo to demonstrate our feelings about moving 6-7 very large, very heavy pieces of furniture from the front of the store the the rear....and all over! I don't think this was in the job description! Shannon, my son Ryan (the muscles behind the work), and Anne. That's me, behind the camera.

 

 

 

 That's it for day two. I'm counting on new energy for day three. For all of us...stop by to see the action for yourselves. It will amaze you and perhaps scare you just a bit. It's all magic.

It's the Most Wonderful Time...

I know, I've been missing in action for quite some time.

Too much to do. Too many design projects.

But, believe it or not, it's "that time of the year" again!

So much to do.
So much to prep.
So much to unpack.
SOOOOOOO much!

So, stay tuned. I'll be giving you progress reports with plenty of inspirational pictures and entertaining stories. It's always a busy, crazy time of the year, and at the same time-exciting!

Come along for the ride.

A full week of style!

Well, here we are at Market in Atlanta!

The January market is always interesting as well as full of long, long days being on our feet basically all day. And when I say all day, I mean from 8:30am to 8:30 or 9:00pm!

This market each January is spent designing and purchasing the 2009 Black-eyed Susan Christmas offerings. Yes, I said Christmas! Although the trees are not even totally down yet from this year (oops, last years!) stories, we are planning and finding the most interesting inventory at the market.

Each day we are here, I will post at the end of the day the most "interesting" thing that we find! When I say interesting, it could mean really frightening, really cool, really silly, perfectly fabulous, or, well, you get the picture! Tune in each day for a preview of what we are spending our days doing.....come along for the ride, I think you'll be entertained!

Let me know which ones you like. We'll be looking for your comments and encouragement. Merry Christmas, 2009! Somehow, we always get into the spirit one more time......