Winter Market Day 7!

Our carts are definitely getting heavier, bulging with catalogs, samples and water bottles. There are strong young men posted at most stairways to help the likes of shoppers like us, but tomorrow only the diehards will be roaming the halls. No more manly help for us. Eek. 

We have a few key appointments tomorrow and then we pack up the rolling carts for home!

Exciting news for today! We met with our paint supplier, Amy Howard for a few new tips on using the newest introduction to the line, Lacquer Paint Pens! These will allow you to add pin striping details or completely personalized accents to your accent lacquer pieces! We are  working on our newest samples for the next booking of classes for all you DIY designers! The classes will be held at multiple times during the winter months. Watch for emails to announce the dates and paint finish options. Classes will be fun, educational and fulfilling. Come join us!    

 It's been a long week. Some fun. Some stress. Some tired feet. Some sleepless nights. Some exciting finds. Too many glittered rodents. Some inspirations. Some overload. Another Winter Market completed.  Too soon is will be time to get down to the business that is waiting in my retail store. Oh. My. 

Another Black-eyed Susan Christmas designed and ordered. Merry Christmas 2014!

*sigh*

Winter Market Day Six

This stage of our market work gets to be more of a challenge.....

*what shoes should I wear today?

*how many garlands have we bought?

*where is that list?

*why doesn't the elevator ever go down?

*where is the room key?

*why does the air conditioning have to be on in the showrooms?

*what's for breakfast? 

*why are there so many glittered rodents?

*furthermore...who is buying them?!

Even though there is a lot of everyday work to be done, the interest and stamina is fading. We were happy to have a bit of relief from Christmas order writing and here are a few of the distractions we found;

This happy room setting punctuated with pink!! Linda was singing, naturally! We walked one of the High Design temporary corridors and this cheered us. Watch for my article to be published in Local Living this month! Think pink.

Our next to last day is tomorrow...and yes, we are thinking of which of our shoes will take us through tomorrow...and the next day. 

*sigh*

Winter Market Day Five

We began our day with a great unexpected find that is exciting! The line was designed based around Downton Abbey, including the characters, set and costumes.
The showroom was set up to show merchandise from the "downstairs" life of the servants, as well as the "upstairs" life of the privileged .




So enchanting, these aprons and tea towels with the Downton monogram embroidered on it. We loved these. The merchandising was clever as well, note the kitchen utensils and crock of flour in the background! Just below is a portion of the "upstairs" collection, with pillows that have quotes from the dowager. I gave them a few of my own favorite quotes to consider!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

What a great merchandising plan, an easy to love collection of pillows, aprons and linens with the clever marketing tied into Downton Abbey. All are based on the story lines and quotes of the major characters. We were hooked immediately, and I think you will be too!!

The set and costume designers for Downton Abbey were consulted in the design of the product and their was even a cute jewelry line designed on the same premise.





Pictured here are linens to set your formal table with. Tablecloths, napkins and guest towels. Ironing required, naturally. Hopefully, you have your own "downstairs" staff to carry that out. Personally, I enjoy ironing fine linens!




"You'll soon get used to the way things are done here", one of a great collection of pillows we ordered. Can't wait! Linda's children chimed in one by one on Instagram that this one sounded like their mother speaking! Oh. Dear.




Cute staging for more tea towels...





The "upstairs" offering was staged like the formal library with volumes of fine leather bound books, velvet settee and phonograph.



The Butler's Pantry complete with chafing dishes and fine linens...





Linda posed in the "upstairs" parlor with another famous quote pillow, " What is a weekend?". One of our favorites was the pillow quote, " You'll soon get used to the way things are done here".




This is a sampling of some of the Downton inspired jewelry. Dainty and pretty, and the collection was designed with the collaboration of Downton Abbey's costume designer.





We also placed orders for the newest paper runners from one of our favorite vendors, Kitchen Papers. Our offerings will soon include custom monogrammed placemats and this new garden runner, perfect for a Bucks County summer.

We had a productive if not too long day on our feet and had a little break from Christmas designing. Tomorrow it's back to Christmas orders for a good part of the day. *sigh*

I'll keep you updated on the Downton Abbey collection ship dates! We are loving it all!

Winter Market Day Four

There appears to be a mounting trend that we somehow have missed...it seems rodents and possibly foxes are the "new owl". Just take a look at the assortment we were inundated with today!








- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Anyone want theses foxes to guard your tree?





We also accepted that glitter really can go wrong.







Glittered branches, yes. Glittered boughs, yes. Glittered ornaments, yes. Even glittered shoes...but this is just wrong.

What we did find trending was beautiful gold ornaments and containers. Gold votives, pinecones, candlesticks and trays. And, gold jewelry is back, too!




There is also a trending towards pink, much to Linda's joy! We didn't order it because we don't think you will buy it, but sometime in the future when we open our jewelry store, we will deck the halls in pink!





We found a great new line of magnetic posting boards that can be customized and used from teen rooms to design offices to boy's dorms. So stylish!







(See that little herringbone one in the background?!)

Another great discovery, our Luminara flameless candles now come in tapers and two sizes of votives!! And, with remotes. One remote will work on all candles! My staff is going to love me during store opening and closing procedures. You're going to love it when we design a lantern for you filled with boughs, and interesting objects perfectly placed and you don't have to disturb it ! With your remote in hand, the design is preserved. Candle too high or too deep for your reach? The remote solves that problem. It was a good addition to a very successful product we currently carry.

Tomorrow we hope to do some more everyday buying mixed in with a bit more Christmas sourcing.

Stay tuned for more trend reports!

For now, I've got to make a shoe plan for tomorrow.

Day Three ....what can I say?!

A little disclaimer...realizing that I would be over my weight limit and carryon allowances, I elected to use one of several smaller devices instead of my laptop.  As you can see, I am having quite a time loading photos from my dropbox or....sooooo frustrating

Day four will take me back to my iPad,  but that also means I need to take my photos with that device. So here goes one more try...bear with me.

Two posted photos of assorted monograms and one photo of my "worst pick of the day". I think it was an organically inspired paper fox ornament. Pass.

Here's to an easier post tomorrow!

Another day of fridgid temps caused Linda and I to move quickly through the crowded halls towards our first stop, the jewelry Cash and Carry! It is always a welcomed distraction to take a break from Christmas planning to see the latest trends and colors. We are always greeted fondly vy our favorite vendors as we pile our bins with multiples of our favorite finds.

Trends of note; Statement earings, multiple colored jeweled necklaces, stacked bangles,  color co, or color. BIg and little! Momograms are in gold and silver or with pearl enhancements. 

WInter Market Day Three

Winter Market-Atlanta Days one and two!!

It's always a cruel joke when we come to the winter market in Atlanta and the weather is near sub-zero. What??!!

After a week long preparation for a fun party for Linda's daughter and her fiancé (wedding party before the actual wedding to be held in Provo, Utah), Linda and I headed to AtlAnta with our usual overload of shoes, boots and high maintenance girl stuff.

We barely had a day to breath after the party to gather our wits and start thinking Christmas again, yes, you heard me, Christmas for 2014. The crazy weather in the teens is about the only thing putting us in the Christmas spirit.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad 

Here is a photo of one of the floral centerpieces I desifned for rhe party.  Sitting amongst the silver and vintage serving pieces I brought to Charlotte for the gala!

The first few days of market are always filles with scouting,  planning and critiquing.  What did we buy too much of last year and what did customers ask for that we didn't have. We have a good idea for 2014 and I'll pay attention more tomorrow to find some interesting documentation.  

And I know that my followers are waiting ro see more photos of the event.I'll work on that too. 

As for tonight, we are hoping for temperatures that are above 15 tomorrow when we head out for another day of new finds.