Poppy and Ivy

The Part Where I Admit the Old Place Sucked

So...I am on Day Number 4, first weekend day at the Fremont location.

No advertising, very little word-of-mouth, no mailers yet.

Without being prejudice, narrow minded or pig-headed I want to say that my new experience is WONDERFUL so far.

I am about on track dollar wise.

I do NOT have the same amount of foot traffic (expected to some point), but the quality is better.

So far, on the whole.....I can say quality verses quantity prevails.

And..Caffe Destino has killer House Coffee. LOVE that.....

Thank you to each and every one of you that came and gave me a shout out this week.....it is so much appreciated.

I cannot for a minute say that I have not been apprehensive about this move. But in may heart, I feel that I am in "my neighborhood" now...but it's still scary looking at the rent on this location verses the last location.

I love where I am now and that is what is getting me through! I haven't had any moments of panic or fear...yet!  I love my neighbors and my stretch of property. Life feels good!

Again...this IS the slowest retail month ever....so remind me of this post 30 days from now!!!!

And thank you...each of every one of you for your KIND words about my crazy parenting day last week. Inappropriate books, death  threats, my first week at the new location....you all made me feel better and so justified...whether you were 35 or 3500 miles away. Thank you!

May your weekend be filled with family, thrifty finds and arty moments!!!

Day One

Leave it to my husband and I. I pulled up at 10:50 yesterday, reached for my keys and the shop key wasn't there. My husband had made a drop there in the morning and kept the key. I saw my neighbor at Sofia pull up on her bike so I called out to her. She said "Yes...I have a key right here" and the search was on...it was NOT in it's regular place! So I jumped in the car to head downtown, then the neighbor called my cell and said "I found it!".

I pulled up, my cousins were standing there with flowers waiting for me. So I looked pretty putzy on DAY ONE.

I have to laugh...right?

The day was slow, but it was OKAY. I have so much to do there still. Any customers were friends or customers from the previous shop checking me out. That was a relief on a Wednesday!

My old cronies on Alberta are having a Super Duper Superbowl sale. It sounds HILARIOUS. It's at Kennedy School, Feb. 3 (is that Super Bowl Sunday? I don't have a calender nearby!) and we are basically having a big CLEARANCE of everything....product,, stuff from our back rooms...fixtures..all Cash Only, totally cheap.  Did I mention a cash bar with appetizers? I suggested that we DO have a TV playing the SuperBowl just in case. I could care less, but I hate the idea of missing the commercials!

I will have more detail on that here soon! I know Collage, Frock, Mabel & Zora, The Monkey & the Rat are involved.....I can find out and post more later. Isn't that funny?

Great day yesterday.. no scary window washers accosting me, no meth heads begging for money...just a lost key:) Not our month for keys I guess.

Have a great Thursday!

Things That Make Me Happy

I DID it....I finally figured out a plan for the new space. I fiddled around for about an hour and a half before I finally settled on a floor plan. Then I was on fire for about 2 hours, then I hit a HUGE wall.

My husband asked me one question about storage and my mind went blank--- I was thinking about dinner, the kids, my out-of-town in-laws having all the kids in an area they don't know well...it was like my mind turned into a TV with no reception. A buzzy feeling. A scratchy screen.

It hit me that I was not enjoying my in-laws....the very ones that I love the most. Who can say they have in-laws they enjoy that much? We were running ragged, NONE of us have slept well or for very long...who KNOWS when I will see them again?...it all hit me like a ton of bricks. And my kids go back to school Monday. I usually LOVE days off with them, and they feel more like hindrances in our cramped time frame and I HATE that feeling.

So, John and I decided to sit back a bit, ENJOY the family, play with them, talk with them, sleep in a  bit and NOT shoot for a Saturday opening. We are going to open Jan.9th....a soft opening with a BIG GRAND OPENING to follow Jan. 26th.

When I left tonight the store WAS coming together, but it felt good to have so many decisions made. A floor plan, a plan to enjoy the family before they fly out Saturday, a dinner plan, a plan for OUR kids to see us a bit before Monday.....life was good.

We emptied the Alberta store out completely tonight. We stood in the rain and looked in the window together. My husband said "You want to look inside one more time?"

I said "Why not?" and we walked through slowly.

He said "We made this space really cute. But really cute for SOMEONE else.....it's not our place".

I agree whole heartedly.

My heart was not BROKEN at the sight of the empty shop. There was a tug...but I am focused on the new space. It looked really cute...it did. We did a good job with what we had.

We might be on the wrong track. The new place might be a big mistake, but it sure feels so much better at this moment!!!!

Fingers crossed (again) ....and toes....and any other body part I can think of...

Things that made me happy...

*A floor plan

*My kids seeing me NOT ready to pull out my hair for ONE meal. We all seemed much calmer!

* a later opening than we expected

*finding out that I don't have to use a phone company that I HATE for the business line and that my stretch of neighbors all use Integra. It seems so small to anybody else...but I hate my current business phone company!!!!

*knowing that more of my new orders will most likely be there on the first day now that we chose a later opening date

* that I have time to get it JUST RIGHT at the store....make it feel like mine.

* that I had time for a nice walk tonight with the dog. I haven't walked her since "pre-back going out" time....first week of November!!!

It was so funny because I arbitrarily threw out a date of Jan. 5th for the first day to be open and after I did that my husband was determined to make the date happen for ME and I was determined to make it happen for HIM.

I think we seem much happier to be around now!

Happy Friday to you! I hope YOU get to enjoy your family & get to relax this week before schools (and life) get thrown at you!

Whirl Wind 2008

All the days are blurring together...is that bad?

I told my husband a story from "the other day" and he started laughing. He said "That was yesterday".

I stood firm. "No it wasn't".

"Yes...it WAS" he said.

"Really?...I think you are lying" I replied.

But it's ALL GOOD. Things are on track...going well.

"Little things" have slipped away from me. United States Postal Service change of address....seems important. Bank change of address...they might need that. Phone service....so picky.

Visa is set up at the new shop...always good. Of course...the phone service is important for Visa. Details. Guidelines. So much to remember.

Next set of out-of-town family hit tonight and we went to our favorite dinner spot....Thai Noon on Alberta. The service is ALWAYS amazing...and the food is OUT of this WORLD. It's so fresh and light...none of that weighty feeling. Mmmmmmmm....

Then my husband and his brother hit Alberta and then down to Fremont to move my 4,000 pound planters. The same planters that have taken SO much abuse on Alberta. Let's keep our fingers crossed that they fare better here! We certainly got some looks. Something about our truck being ON the sidewalk.  I am sure "There goes the neighborhood" went through SOME people's head!!!!!

The store is kind of surprising me. On one hand, it feels like "Can we REALLY do this in 3 days?" and then it will seem to be  going pretty smoothly in so many other ways! I love it!

My kids CRAMMED into the car...and yes, my daughter has a lampshade on her head! That's my girl!

The new shop is filling up! 6 car loads of "little stuff" today and three truckloads of furniture! My husband is going to sleep like a baby on Sunday! He hasn't stopped moving for 4 days!

My brother/sister- in- law got back into Portland today and it's her birthday. I made my first "from scratch" cupcakes ever! Cherry Coconut...ohhhh.....It was so easy...I was kind of ashamed I'd never done it before. They tasted so FRESH. And I made a scrapbook of our trip this last week to Black Butte for her. Not many pictures of the afore mentioned mother-in-law:)))))) Sister-in-law seemed okay with that.

Back to unpacking tomorrow. I had a LOVELY friend help me all day today. She did more than I could have asked for. I am so thankful to everyone who has helped...I feel like my words cannot convey how very thankful I am to them all.

Here are some more fun "setting up shop" pics!

And breaking down the old shop...

Oh boy...in looking at that photo, I have to laugh. That stuff is already gone. Packed. Buh-bye....and that shot is from this morning. WOW.

This explains the exhaustion thing I have going on.......

Mean Old Ladies Make Me Count the Days

Count me out of Christmas this year. I just can't get into the mood.  Every night I leave the shop, get home and make dinner, get the homework stuff started with the kids, listen to what my son CLAIMS is a flute being played for 15 minutes and after that, the idea of hitting a mall seems insane.  Oh...and it is usually closed once I am done with all that.

I even got someone to watch the shop Thursday & Friday morning...then scheduled a pedicure and a visit to the back doctor.

But yesterday was fun. There were some good moment. 2 orders I wanted came. Ribbon and cards! About 19 Curly Girl images. LOVE Curly Girl! I took the box home and priced them last night. Wa-hooo....and all the ribbon is on the floor...double wa-hoo.

 

I had visits from fun people. Kim brought me great old wallpaper and a vintage typewriter! I love, love, love it. I want to type out all the price tags at the new store. And I will have room to MOVE around and a place to put it! And I had some lovely neighbors stop by for stocking stuffers. So fun.

Then she came in.

A MEAN old lady. She walked in, slammed the door behind her and the fun began. She yelled (yes...yelled) that she needed a furniture store...VINTAGE furniture and she KNEW there was one around. I told her I truly couldn't think of one and started to look it up on the walking map.

She said "NO...it was right here. The store that was here before you".

Me: 'That was a Plus-size clothing store".

She said "NO...the store that was here last month".

I said "I've been here for one year". I explained that when it's sunny and NOT blowing whipping rain around, I place smaller pieces of furniture out front..maybe she saw that?

Shopper lady: "Oh god NO...I don't know. But I guess I'll look around now that I am here".

She proceeded to knock things over, pick things up, curl her lip and say "okay...that's weird" and drop it like a hot potato. She then yelled "I am SO confused. What is old and what is new? Your store is too confusing to me!"

I just smiled. Really. I did.

You know the digital running boards with time? Like the popular "Remaining Days of Bush in Office"? In my head I saw 26 hours, 15 minutes and 32 seconds running in my head. That is how many retails hours I have left in this shop. That is what Mean Old Lady did to me within a mere 3 minutes of being in my store.

I was very nice. And I'd like to protect myself right now. This wasn't a  sweet old lady. There was no Kleenex stuffed up her sleeve, no little purse with the old clip hinge, no yummy vanilla smell, no little black winter coat that she's had since 1968 thank you very much, no scarf around her neck...no Vicks/Ben Gay smell even...this lady had Texas hair, attitude and was just MEAN. I tried to kill her with kindness...but she's had THAT wall built up for WAY too long.

I looked down & continued to "do an order". (Read In Style magazine).

She then put 5 atomic fireballs on the counter. And proudly announced "Well..THAT was all I could find that I wanted".

Really.

As she was leaving,  she turned and said "You know you sell Looking Good For Jesus Lip Balm? That's weird" with her face all screwed up.

Do we not ALL have thoughts in our heads about shops? Don't we all think a store maybe  isn't really us, but we look, smile and say "Good bye, have a nice day" over our shoulders? I can't believe that's just me.

I can safely say that unless a shop owner said something awful to ME first....I would never say half of what folks say to me. I am NOT new to retail. I am not being sensitive because it's my stuff. I remember people saying goofy things at my old place of business.....we'd all laugh...but people here just say WEIRD things to me!

There was another customer there the whole time. The Mean Old Lady exited the store as grandly as she had entered....if not with a bit more OOMPH now that she had stated her opinion about our Looking Good For Jesus Lip Balm. I was very quiet and watched the door. I turned to the customer and she was staring at me. We locked eyes and I said nothing. (You know that was difficult...right?). After a second she said "She was so rude...you handled that so nicely". I said "really?" and looked out towards Mean Old Lady wrestling with her umbrella and hitting her companion in the face (by accident) more than once. "I think I am really going to miss her" and the gal burst out laughing.

We continued to say that it all felt very weird. She was an odd person. I truly was waiting for Allen Funt to come out from the back room and tell me I was on Candid Camera. But it never happened.

I don't typically let people like that shake me....but I am just checked out right now. All eyes are on the new space, the new lay-out, a real ceiling that doesn't blow panels around during wind storms, a new front door that doesn't blow open when trucks drive by, a heating system that I don't have to keep items 6 feet away from.....yep. That's where my mind is at right now.

It's All Good.

I am still nowhere with Christmas presents. I am not even ATTENDING our family Christmas Day function. I am sending the kids & my Cooking Light green bean casserole with my parents. It's the ONLY day I have to pack the shop! AT ALL! I have to be out by December 31st and we have a 5 day trip planned...so my window for packing is December 24th, 25th and then about 4 hours of the 31st...and we ARE thinking of having our New Years Party !!!! With his family in town and all.

I am sure I will need champagne by that point:))))

My mantra for the next few days...again....It's All good.

 

I have the "faith" special order finished...I just have to tie it all onto a large ribbon to create the banner. I think it turned out well.

 

I added some old vintage cluster earrings  to the "a"...and some mica here and there.

And the fish tank from dinner group night is up and running. my daughter loves the thing so much. AS long as I don't have to touch a thing...all is good. No more things with heartbeats in this house!

And I have been trying to find the perfect blue for the new shop. I want a Tiffany Blue....or Robin Egg....but MAN...they can get really weird. I brought a Tiffany ring  ad with me to the paint store...and I still feel like I got nowhere!

And yes...I know that one strip is a bunch of greens....I have a little bathroom at the shop that I wanted to paint. A BATHROOM! A real bathroom! No more sharing with 5 large janitors and a balsa wood door! That I didn't get a kidney infection this year is amazing!!!!! LOL.....I have turned into a camel!

Happy Wednesday!

Last Thursday Info....

So much information for the local Portland Last Thursday folks!

I have my Tannenbaum DONE. It happened! It all came together!

Reason #413 I will be sad to leave Alberta Street.

They have so many fun, well managed events though-out the year. Built in EVENTS that you do not need to fuss over so much...the wonderful team at Art on Alberta & Lovely Kris at Keystone Mortgage arrange it all for you. Poor gal...she came in tonight from the pouring down rain, 36 degrees...chance of snow... carrying a huge bag full of twinkle lights and Tannenbaum Maps.  She is a doll and deserves the hugest shout-out EVER.

I wanted to run up and down the street and check out the "competition"...but it was too darn cold! I will just have to be happy with my tree and call it good.

But I must admit...the competitor in me certainly comes out in these events:)))))

I fluffed my ever popular typewriter key necklaces and even sent some off to Minnesota as special order Christmas gifts!

I made some more holiday flavored vignettes (again) but I am concerned by the local weather forecast that we might have a slow Last Thursday tomorrow night! I hope not... purely for sentimental reasons. I WILL miss Last Thursday and meeting so many fun folks from ALL over. I meet lovely locals and so many out-of-towners who have read about us in Sunset magazine or discovered us on-line.

I am off to make more birds because...well...I am a freak that way. I am so scared that someone will come in and buy 4 birds and my tree will look horrible.

You can say it....."geek, geek, geek".

That is what I am.

I hope I see you for Last Thursday. This is such a family friendly one. People vote for the top three trees, things simmer down on the drinking front...it's more of the people who are there for art. Back to it's original roots. I love that so much.

Happy Thursday!

Still floating a bit

I pulled up to my shop the last few days finding it hard to get into the Holiday spirit. I have worked retail for many moons....I know it's not your regular holiday burn out. I mean....I haven't even played Christmas CD's yet...and I LOVE my Christmas CD's!!!! It's my need for instant gratification kicking in. I want that new shop NOW!

I have been a fierce defender of my current location. I always saw the not-so-sexy aspects of my shop...but I held my ground. It was a great starting point. I have learned so many lessons at this shop. I will never be the community hand out person again! I get beggars all day long. All the same beggars...a rotating four.

Always the same old stories "I've been in the hospital and fell behind on my bills"...they MEAN they've been in jail and they need drug money now.  "I need $5 for a bus to Vancouver". Yeah...right.

Oh...those folks have made me bitter. And the last few days as I say "No", "Nope", "Don't think so"....I see less of them, but the best part of it is knowing I have learned my lesson. I have had a ROUGH last few days up there:))))) I can't help but smile when they leave...I am SO tired of them!!!! It takes all I have not to scream "I work 7 days a week....and so can you!!!!!"

I don't for a moment believe that crime, drugs and trouble don't happen anywhere and everywhere..I have just learned the signs and had some rough lessons and that is good. 

So...I am still so happy. I almost can't believe this will all really happen. I had a busy weekend and had to place some orders to fill-in some areas and my mindset had to change a bit. Also very exciting. Shaking it up a bit is a good thing.

I left the shop to my husband and attended a wedding last night (my daughter Madeline's youth group leader...it was her daughter's wedding). Very pretty. I think I have fallen into a weird age  group ---I don't attend as many weddings! My group is all married up and we have been for 15 years PLUS! I went with Madeline and she left to attend the reception with some family friends and I went back to the shop to get my tree up for Last Thursday and move stuff around. It's Tannenbaum time! The tree is up...I thought my birds looked OKAY...but Kate came to save the DAY! She has been making bird ornaments and wall art! In the exact colors of my tree! No Tiki bird stuff from Kate.....it was all spot on.  She brought it later in the day so I lost my daylight for photos...I can take those tomorrow. Cute stuff...great ideas. She is so crafty.

Here are some Tannenbaum birds....my theme is "Christmas...It's for the Birds"----

Here are some birds "in progress"....

My little birds seem so sweet to me. But laundry and back to school called out even louder tonight. It's always so rough on the kids to get back into a schedule. They've had this entire week off of school! They were exhausted but kept tossing and turning until almost 11:45!!! Poor things. Every time I pulled my glue out to start on more birds I'd hear footsteps upstairs ...up getting more water, asking for chamomile tea or any of our natural stuff for bedtime. It's not going to be pretty tomorrow morning at 6:50am:)))

I did some new vignettes in the store. I had to pull out a lot of product to make room for new items and Christmas! It's taking over AND I placed 4 new orders last night!

 

Oh...my toes cannot handle it anymore. It's time for bedtime. We have been COLD here in the Pacific NW these last few days! Windy and biting cold. Brrrrrrrrr......I am shivering! I have socks, scarves and my HUSBAND'S sweatshirt on and I am still freezing. Inside! The heat is on 65!

Happy Monday! Hope you are somewhat cozy right now!

Signed, Sealed and Delivered

I signed a new lease today.

Yes....I.....did.

Okay. Yes my husband did. Someone had to watch the store!

I found it on Craig's List last Thursday, viewed it Monday and signed today. So much easier than the last debacle.

So all of you who gave me the sage advice "it fell through for a reason" (about the last location) while my little heart was broken....You were entirely right. I knew it in my gut. I really did.

I am moving off of Alberta Street and closer to my home. (Exciting!).

The kids only have to walk 13 blocks to this shop....STRAIGHT up the street we live on. (Perfect).

I have a coffee shop NEXT DOOR. (Angels are singing)

A wine bar NEXT DOOR. (Have I died and gone to Heaven?)

A New Orleans bistro and martini bar on the corner. Life is good. (Darn near Nirvana.)

I am very excited. I am in a fog. Really.

We gain possession the 15th of December. We will paint the new place (that's ALL it needs!!!!) and then paint the current location. My current landlord is a white walls kinda guy and the walls are currently poppy red. So THAT will need to be changed back.

Did I mention 7 out-of -town guests are coming on the 25th and we are headed to a ski resort for 5 days after we that? And then we host a New Years party for 75 folks? 

Hmmmm...something has got to go. Sadly...it will most likely be the party:)))))) Nuff said.

The current place is 650 sq. ft and 200 is stock room. The new place is 920 sq. feet.....all retail.

The current place has a false ceiling that blows all over on windy days or when big trucks drive by. The new place has 12 foot ceilings and sky lights in back.

The current bathroom is precarious at best. I "share" the back room with 5 janitors and it has a balsa wood door. Don't get me going on how cold the toilet seat is on winter days. My new bathroom is 10x10. White. Clean. Seats down.

The current place is dirt cheap...the new place is NOT.

Oh...the heart palpitations started again. :)))))

Remember my new mantra via Sweet Michelle.......*I am in perfect balance. I move forward in life with ease and with joy at every age". She gave me that mantra for my hip/back pain. I DO keep saying it. Thank you Michelle!

And I will keep saying that....as I hobble sideways down the street in agony each day:)))))

I can do it!!!!!!

Right?

Happy Saturday of your Thanksgiving Weekend!!!

PS...Highly recommend going to see "Enchanted" with Amy Adams & Patrick Dempsey no matter what your age. I am a goof...I recognize that...but I laughed quite a bit and plan on seeing it when it comes to Kennedy School EVERY NIGHT it runs. You think I'm kidding...don't you?

What a day....

Well...I passed my credit report, background report and my current landlord raved about me....but I did NOT get the new building. A current tenant also wanted it and his card trumped mine.

I was very sad.

I also woke up in agony. I couldn't stand, roll over...it was the worst pain I have had since the beginning. I called around, e-mailed around and finally got an appointment with an alternative medicine group that was recommended to me.

I had my first acupuncture  ever (WOW!) , muscle work (double wow) and a partial adjustment. She just couldn't "get in there".

As much pain as I was in, my experience at this place could not have been better. I was so comfortable, they were so kind....they explained every move they made...but I am still pretty sore. They said I would be....they DID kind of work me over. The deep muscle work really helped.

I basically have tight bootie muscles. Not like a tall, blond volleyball player, but like a short, overworked mom. LOL......

I had a scary recommendation by the acupuncturist  ("you need to  get a PAP smear ASAP". Those words DO scare a lady)....but I do have faith in alternative medicine.

They tried everything for about 2 hours to get me comfortable, get my back adjusted, massage & deep muscle rub my way into comfort...but my back did not agree with them.

They DID try.......

It really has been a rough day. I am just exhausted. I feel like I have so many decisions to make for the shop....and physically. Man....when it rains, it pours.

And to top it all off....at one point the acupuncurtist had about 25 needles into my hip and I was laying on my side---back to her...eyes closed. The lights were down...I was feeling good. She touched my hip gently and said "My needles also tell me you work too hard...you do too much".

I know my eyes filled with tears. I thought of every flip comment I could....I wanted so badly to make it a light moment but I couldn't. That part of my brain was depleted.

I think I barely squeaked out "Oh...those needles have big mouths". 

In the words of  Scarlett O"Hara.....tomorrow is another day.

Those words are another thing I am a firm believer in........

Happy Thursday to you all....

The Waiting is the Hardest Part

Mr. Could-Be-My-New-Landlord is taking his own sweet time.

And I do mean sweet.

No really...I mean TIME.

 

There were some weird moments Tuesday (we are taking over the lease for a family that have been through some rough times recently...cancer, the death of a close family friend...all bad. They are DONE). Landlord doesn't like the way we all want to take care of it (assuming verses subletting it),  yet he has no real answer for any of us. So, I suppose therein lies the TIME part.

I imagine he is trying to think it through.....I am really trying to be upbeat and NOT presume he is just trying to annoy the hell out of my current landlord, myself, a local business map company that is awaiting my new address.......I am hoping he wants it just right.

A girl can dream:)))))

He said "I'll let you know by the end of the week". That would be tomorrow, but I am not holding my breath. I just feel badly for my current landlord who just wants to know if he has me for another year or not. He's a simple guy...doesn't ask much...just wants a yes or no.

I cannot believe the KIND advertisers, bank people, printers....lots of Holiday items of business... that are patiently waiting for the answer of whether I have a new address or not! They have all been kind cheerleaders!

I have placed some very fun orders for my Christmas Theme. On Alberta we have Tannenbaum Madness every year. My theme is "Christmas: It's for the Birds" and I will have trees showcasing bird related items. Lots of sparkle, feathers, eggs (of course!!!)...etc. I am excited.

Back to being busy over my glitter birds. I will have to show & tell...they are turning out quite lovely--even if I do say so myself.

My back is making some noise the last 2 hours...I might have to call it a night. JUST when I was on a roll!

I hear there are some KILLER estate sales around here tomorrow. I have some addresses ready. I haven't done that for awhile! Happy Friday to you!