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!

Set-ups, Day 8: Halleluiah!

• Gear up for one last day of set-ups with a breakfast of fresh bran muffins and cottage cheese
• Plan outfits with layered clothing to combat freezing temperatures
• Arrive at set-up, tools in tow, and--on auto-pilot--begin tackling banister, mantles, and kugels
• Enjoy Diet Coke (served in lead crystal goblets) and lunch courtesy of another gracious client
• Clean up, bid goodbye and thank client, sink gratefully into heated seats and decide, spontaneously, to get pedicures!
• Go into partial trance while feet are pampered
• Laugh at Susan's midget foot in salon-provided flip-flop
• Cringe at having to walk to the car in frigid weather wearing said flip-flops
• Decide on one more brief shopping expedition, followed by late dinner at Baja Fresh
• Thank server for taking our order despite apparent imminent close
• Enjoy fine array of salsas and warm tortilla chips
• Attempt one last SP, hoping that blurry outcome disguises signs of aging and fatigue
• Drive home to pack Denise's purchases, sad that--though the week has been exhausting with a combined total of 135 man-hours--our sister time is over
  

Set-ups, Day 7: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (and women)

• Rejoice in not setting alarm the night previously; sleep until we wake up on our own

• Blog, relax, get ready for church
• Attempt self-portrait prior to departure for church; lament unavoidable presence of dark under-eye circles despite extra sleep
• Enjoy a quick nap after church, before making dinner
• Agree to take a quick trip to the store to tidy up after busy sale weekend
• Finally get around to front window re-vamp
• Sneak rare photo of Susan wearing athletic shoes

Set-ups, Day 6: Merry and Bright

• Enjoy quick breakfast of instant oatmeal with blueberries; hope there really is something to product's promises of staying power and heart health
• Layer clothing to fight biting wind-chill factor
• Remember to take daily self-portrait while lipstick is still fresh; lament what humidity does to hairdos
• Arrive at new client's home to begin set-up, grateful that she invested in beautiful, soft artificial cedar garlands which need little if any primping
• Wish that travel-sized hand cream in purse still had something left in it to soothe scratched hands (from primping countless scratchy garland throughout the week)
• Hang assorted kugels from dining room chandelier
• Call to reschedule afternoon set-up to allow for time to work in the store on one of the busiest days of the year
• Eat a quick lunch in the car on the way to the store
• Work in store until closing
• Head out to patiently-waiting client's house; hang kugels, decorate mantle, and generally work Christmas magic
• Express gratitude for array of tasty snacks provided by said client
• Load supplies into car, take deep breaths, and head to Kohl's for another round of Christmas shopping
• Wish for tub of hot water in which to soak aching feet

Set-ups, Day 5: Comfort and Joy

• Savor sleeping in until 7 a.m.!
• Head for only scheduled setup for the day, lamenting that we're only a team of two
• Call store to see if anyone is available to help; access denied, as store is WAY busy
• Unpack box after box of favorite things from Susan's store, purchased by client in years past
• Exclaim over beauty of tree!
• Break for lunch--a lovely catered affair on holiday china hosted by our gracious client, Lani
• Swoon over arugula salad with Craisins, walnuts, and blue cheese; salivate over dessert tray sporting a tempting array of lemon bars, pecan tassies, chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies, brownies, and cannolis
  
• Hope that climbing ladders multiple times daily counts as workout
• Love Lani for allowing us to take creative license in our work
• Comment on how inviting her house looks from the street
• Finish later than we thought; crack open a Coke Zero to prepare for evening of Christmas shopping
• Drag ourselves home around 11:15 p.m., shopping bounty in tow

Set-ups, Day 4: Over the River and Through the Woods

• Pick up newly-delivered greens at store to complete outdoor urns; head back to Princeton
• Arrive at set-up greeted by dozens of XL Rubbermaid tote bins with contents waiting to be unpacked, spruced, primped, hung, tied, embellished, and displayed
• Attempt to stifle mild panic at amount of work to be finished in allotted time
• Feel immense gratitude and relief for having highly competent team of six workers--especially JJ, who cheerfully fulfilled all assignments requiring climbing ladders to dizzying heights and all jobs involving hefting of live trees to second-story balconies
• Breathe a sigh of relief when client's 12' tree full of collector Radko and McKenzie Childs ornaments is up with only one minor casualty
• Express exasperation upon realization that hectic pace of the day preempted extensive photo documentation
• Feel happy that Shannon took time to snap a few photos of the outdoor urns
• 
  
• Leave client's house (Susan) just in time to breeze into Light the Lights! store event (leaving remaining team members behind to finish the job)
• Finish set-up with remaining team; stop on way back to store for a gourmet meal at Wawa deli
• Chuckle at missing Person alert posted at deli counter

Set-ups, Day 3: Oh the Weather Outside is Frightful

• Run back to get umbrellas after opening garage door to torrential downpour

• Stop at previous day's set-up to straighten allegedly leaning tree
• Take preemptive dose of Excedrin
• Arrive at first set-up; begin pressing garland ribbons while other team members tackle tree and banister garland assembly
• Make friends with stoic family member in dining room
• Admire handiwork before dashing off to next appointment
• Eat lunch in the car: delicious tuna salad on whole wheat
• Decorate elegant sitting room tree for long-time Black-eyed Susan devotee
• Express delight at mid-afternoon tea offered by above-mentioned thoughtful client and hope that double-dipped fine chocolate nuts provide needed energy for what is shaping up to be a long day
• Drive to Princeton, NJ to get a head start on outdoor urns; wish for warmer clothing options
• Gratefully sink into heated seats for 40 minute return drive home
• Unload van full of fresh floral and gear up for late-night project
• Take finished arrangements out to garage to await tomorrow's delivery
• Crawl into bed for a few hours' rest before starting all over again