My True Love Gave to Me...

It's getting more and more difficult to keep the retail showroom looking spectacular! Low inventory...I mean lower and lower and lower. I guess I shouldn't complain, but just say'in...you know how I feel about "my stuff"!

The end of the fall/holiday event menu is nearing. We had a successful "On a Silver Tray" event last Thursday. Lots of cool ideas and demonstrations. Between sales from that night and our busy Saturday, things are dwindling.

Check out this example from my class...champagne ornaments, tinsel trees, and an assortment of candlesticks. I had a great assortment of vintage mirrors an silver trays that I transformed into my platform. Some were colorful, some neutral, and all had a bit of glitter!




This week, and for the next 12 Days of Christmas, I will be offering special discounts that will be enticing for fans of Black-eyed Susan! Watch your email for a different offer in a certain category each day! While inventory levels are waning, some of my personal favorites are still for the taking! I'll be on hand to help create the vision and be your personal shopper.

I'm looking forward to seeing you!

End of an Era *sigh*

Saturday, March 20, 2010. A rather emotional day. Our last day of business in Yardley, Pa.

After 18 years of retail in Yardley, we closed the door at the 1 South Main location, and it wasn't without a tear or two.

I made my famous homemade brownies for all my visitors and set off for my last day of business at the flagship location, not looking forward to the emotions of the day. While I am certainly looking forward to more space, I have tender feelings and sentimental memories of my Yardley location. I'll miss my windows!

The day was filled with visits from many of our best and most loyal customers dropping by to wish us well and see the Yardley store "just one more time". Just one of many fine friends, Barbara (a visitor nearly every day...and I'm not kidding!) Actually, we think Barbara could start her own Black-eyed Susan should we need a satellite store!

Towards the end of the day, it was looking pretty bleak I must admit. I mean, after all, have you ever seen my star mantle look like this before?!



Here's a rather motley crew of assorted mirrors and lonely clocks, all without purpose or design. Sad, sad, sad, Very sad, sad. (That's a little "Jan talk"). But that's how I felt too.

Joanne and I shed a little tear together as we looked around at the bleak state of the store in the final hour and played a little "remember when"...she left and I was left to lock the back door. I felt a bit like I look in this self-portrait! (I think a bit of lipstick would have been in order, what was I thinking?!)

Driving out of the parking lot, this sign on my former retail/turned studio brought another tear to my eye...goodbye, Yardley. Thanks to all my darling, loyal clients who loved the Yardley store as much as I.

And now I have to concentrate on "The Best is Yet to Come"! See you soon in Buckingham.

Christmas Farewell

Having been away for the Holidays in the Rocky Mountains, I returned to find a rather bleak and baron sight at Black-eyed Susan. The trees are bare, some gone altogether. The lovely glitter from frosty glass ornaments is fading away, no more extra large sugar pine cones, and instead of reunions of Santas grouped about, several lonely ones can be found set in odd places by shoppers who have decided not to take them home. The glamour that we have lived with for the past three months is diminished to a hidden treasure, here and there, found by myself as I walk through the store taking an emotional inventory of the Season.

That being said, it's been a good season. Thanks to our darling customers who come in time and time again for "one more icicle" or "another three yards of green satin ribbon", we've come to another year end with success.

On the way home from Salt Lake City, I found this quote in the December Sky magazine . I like it.

December IS........

.....a month of feasting, a month of tenderness toward

family, a month of generosity toward friends and colleagues.

December is a month of harmony in holiday songs listened

to and even sung, a month of peace and prayers for it, a

month lit with both candles and inspiration.

So while the fabulous style of the Season is gone, the warm thoughts and lingering memories of glad tidings and joy are still here for the taking. Happy New Year, dear friends.

......and there's a lot more style coming in the next few weeks. Come see the magic.