Raising A Glass to Friendship

We know you can see this glass....if you look close, there is some etching on this glass.

We sell these in the store and they are one of our

most favorite items.

Why?

Because of the story that goes behind them....

a tradition for friends

Isn't that sweet...

Glasses stored on the shelf for when a friend would stop by.

"un verre d'amitie"

A special glass just for you....

Today, on Valentine's Day

We'd like to raise our glass to you our friends!

Know that we'd gladly etch a glass to have on hand for each and every one of you!

Happy Valentine's Day!

~Karla & Karrie

Hot Products for a Cold January

This week we found some "Hot Products" in Home Decor in our email box.


Imagine our surprise when the first thing we see...is what we are expecting anytime this week! You know, that is the best feeling in the world - you order something months & months ago...and when time comes around - it's on the "Hot" list - yea!!



The next thing we see is so happy - we just had to show you!
With the grey sky of winter - its great to see a cheerful punch of color!
Last year we saw a lot of these colors coming about...and with Turquoise being the "color of the year" according to Pantone - we'll be seeing these bright colors more!

photo courtesy of Manual Woodworkers



The last thing that made us ooooohhh and aaaahhhh was this lamp...more like the shade made from burgundy, olive, beige and gold organza ribbons - isn't that fun? The lamp is hand painted,and, unfortunately, the lamp is $750.
photo courtesy of DB Sources




Well...we don't know about you - but that price isn't quite in the budget! So...we thought a bit, and figured that you could find your own base - preferably from a garage sale, junk store - what have you & "hand paint" it yourself (or spray-paint...however you like to paint.)
Then we make your own ribbon-covered lampshade like they did here.

There you go - a fab lamp...without the fab lamp price!

photo courtesy of Craftstylish

Orange You Glad It's Tuesday?

We sure are!
Every week we get a "what's hot in home decor" email....we've got to tell ya....it's been a real snoozer for the past couple of months - to the point that we really didn't want to open the email anymore, because there was nothing to offer!

Last week changed! Vibrant orange reached out to us & made us take notice!

Take this artwork - an eye catching peacock feather on an orange background, new from Leftbank Art - we loved the look of this!

These bottles from Creative Co-op are pretty & fun looking with their bright colors - sure to bring a bit of sunshine in your kitchen or bath!







At first glance we thought this was a votive of some sort - here, it turns out that it is a stool. Another interesting fact is that they are hand-made by Haitian artisans and imported by Stray Dog Designs.





Isn't this a great pillow? We love this twist on paisley and the colors of this! Sold by Rani Arabella, this 100% linen pillow is made in Italy - trust us, you don't want to know how much it is!!



This lamp from Bungalow 5 was the highlight of the email! Setting atop this hand-painted porcelain Cordova lamp is a silk shade in a light gray color. Love the color, the shape...mmmmm, yes - it was a good thing we didn't delete this email!





Full of roses, dahlias & orchids, this arrangement from Diane James Designs is sure to brighten a room! Of course, I will say that Karrie could make something that was much more interesting.....well, we will just have to use this as a inspiration picture instead!

Thanks for joining us for our orange-inspiration!!

OUI!

I can't tell you how much drool we had to clean up after getting a trade magazine this week. This picture stopped us right in our tracks. Isn't it fabulous? The article was talking about how French inspired furniture is becoming more popular, and that we'd be seeing more of it at the markets. "The lure of French design reigns again with exquisite period detail and an air of opulent elegance. Modern infusions provide wit and warmth (think animal and geometric prints), juxtaposed with lavish antique reproductions..."
I'll have to tell you this is as far as we got in the article, because we had to go back to the front page to look at this French chest. What do we love? The color, the distressed look, the shape and size.....there's nothing that we hate about it - other than the fact that it isn't in our homes!!

*Sigh*


Here's a lovely take on a library chair.....





.....and here's a beautiful reproduction of an 18th century French mirror. I have heard for two years now that gold will be making a comeback and we've been looking - we are starting to see it slowly sneak it's way back into the silver leaf and mirrored world!


Au Revoir!

Hot Products on a Cold, Cold Day

Well, it's a level three in Sandusky County this morning, no chance of getting the kids to school after all! (No chance in me getting to the store to get some much needed work done either!) So, I thought I'd get as much done in the office as I could.

When I opened up my email this morning, there was my weekly email showing me "Hot products in home accessories" Well, it is cold, and thought I'd open this baby up and see if it warmed my accessorizing senses (I am stuck in the house today...why not get some inspiration to move some things about?!!) After gazing at all that hot product, I knew I shouldn't keep it to myself, why there's other mothers out there, home with their children, telling them that they also are doing their work on the computer, and would need some quiet for a bit........so, I thought I'd share some pictures of the Hot Products (supposedly) that are in my email today to help your day along as well! Here we go!



"Springing to Life" was the caption for this ceramic vase - yours for only $40...how many would you like today?










"Sublime in lime"
Who thinks of these titles anyway? I want their job!
"Verdant bouquets of Victorian florals adorn this collection of tabletop offerings in a lime, black and white color scheme" $25-$50.
This gets me in to mood for spring - but, I can't say that there's a fire burning for any of these things - but, maybe for you????






"Sturdy stallion" "Intricate detailing in hues of cinnabar red and verde patina - $280" Although it's not my style, I rather like this guy, from an art perspective - he's pretty neat, although I don't see him on a "have-to-have" list for northwest Ohio.

"Taking shapes" This is pretty cool - I really like this one! "Open blocks create the base on this cocktail table." Even though this is contemporary looking table, I could see it in a traditional home - very interesting I think.






"Textural trophy" "Topped with an oatmeal colored loomed linen shade, the lamp features a hand-formed clay base with a splashed glaze - $329" This is an awesome lamp. I love the textures and shape of this - very fun!







"Chinoiserie chic" "A traditional Chinese rug, patterned after an antique. The saffron yellow Mandarin rug showcases soft, leafy vines winding around Chinese medallions and lotus blossoms with accents of porcelain blue and cinnabar - $899 for a 5x8"
I'm still not sure what I think of this rug. I like it, but it's too plain for me. I think in the right setting it could be fabulous.....it will have grow on me!






"Shell style"
"Beads from natural polished coconut shells embellish the pillows with natural abaca cases - $88-$118" I love anything from shells, coconuts and the like......in the right room, it can be refreshing - not practical mind you, but a nice look!



"Geometric looking glass"
"Pyramid designs finished in hand-rubbed mahogany red with burnished details and gold accents create the frame on this mirror."
I love this mirror - this heats up the day! I wish I had it for the home show this weekend - it would fit in perfectly! This company always has mirrors that I love!
What a way to end the Hot Products - now we're talking - at least I am, rambling on, not wanting to deal with the fact that I'm home with the kids.......trying to avoid crafts, and whatever else I have to come up with....yikes - LUNCH - I'd better go figure out what in the world we're having for lunch!!

When the Cat's away...

Hello! Thanks everyone for stopping while Karrie was on vacation! I had a lot of fun visiting with all of you! Those of you who came, know of my "projects" that I started last week while Karrie was gone, so I thought I'd share them with the rest of our readers. About a year and a half ago Karrie and I started painting the walls on the main floor. We finished this spring with the back half, but never finished up the stairs up the attic, so we got them done this week......this she wasn't surprised about! The big surprise was the floor in the back. We had painted it 9 years ago when we moved in, and it was in need of something. Last year I sketched out a design plan to re-vamp the back, and painting cobblestone on the floor was something that I always wanted to do, so...you guessed it!! Check out the pictures!

The first thing I did was to tape off some cobblestone looking stones. When I lifted the tape after painting, I was hoping that the worn floor beneath it would look like the grout.


















Next I took plastic grocery bags and scrunched them up and dabbed them into paint and "pounced" paint onto each stone. I had three colors, so I varied the paint from stone to stone.
















After it dried I removed the tape - and voila - c'est magnifique!






























By the way - Karrie loved it when she came in Saturday afternoon - and yes, she was very surprised!!




INDUSTRY NEWS
Every week I get emails from our design, home decor, and gift industries. They tell me everything (and more) I need to know about what's going on with everyone. Every week I think, "Gee, I should share this with our blog friends!" So, guess what, I'm going to start to let you know what's happening - so you can "be in the know" with everything.
First off, I am sad to let you know that Fenton Glass will "cease it's operations over the next few months." I couldn't believe it when I read this last Friday. Fenton has been around since 1905. I remember what a big deal it was to have a Fenton piece of anything! We carried a few lamps several years ago and did well with them. It's sad to see a company that's been in business for 100+ years go. Well, if you have some Fenton pieces - hold onto them!


Other news in the business world was that Restoration Hardware is reorganizing and will be eliminating 100 positions at their corporate offices. This sort of surprised me. I don't know about you but, when I get these magazines in the mail (especially Pottery Barn) I think, how can they afford sending out these magazines once, twice, even three times a month out to everyone????
Let me tell you that 2007 has been a big year for company closings and reorganizations in the home decor/design industries. Things have really been tough out there! I know locally we had some really neat shops close that I absolutely loved to shop at! Do me a favor, and tell all of your "fave" shops how much you love and appreciate their shops - everyone needs your support in this crazy economy this year!


Next, the New York Gift Fair was last week, and we always get to see what the "HOT" new "in" things are. Let me tell you something.....Karrie and I usually jump on these new trends, then they will sit in the store for two years until anyone in our area says "gee isn't that new and terrific!" So, we usually try to hold back, or ease a trend or color in with the "old, comfortable looks" everyone is familiar with.
I will tell you, however, that this is a trend that we will NOT jump on - check it out:
According to our email there were "recurrence of pink in many showrooms, very reminiscent of a western sunset or even the stucco homes that dot the landscape"
I think we will leave that "out west" look on the blog only!







You may love her or hate her, but Rachel Ray is everywhere! I don't watch her on
Food network very often, but I guess she always has this towel/oven mitt she throws over her shoulder.....well she calls it "Moppine" (and Italian/American term for towel). Well, there will be Moppine's in the store soon for all of you cooks out there. Ms. Ray is also having a bed and bath line. There will be New Jersey knit sheets in Stay-Brite tones, blankets in 8 colors and the "comfy sheet" - - - a moisture wicking sheet that also comes in a fitted sheet.



Guess who's back, and has still got it?!
My last bit of interest is that
Indiana Jones IV will be coming out in May 2008. Check out the link - it looks like a lot of fun!! Anyway, since Indiana Jones is such a big deal, JLA Home's youth division is linking up with Lucasfilm/Paramount for juvenile bedding, accessories, rugs, throws, and blankets. I guess there will be 4 or 5 different selections to choose from. So, if your looking to re-do little Johnny's room, hold off until Indie comes on the big screen, this will be bigger than "Pirates of The Caribbean" stuff that is everywhere for kids right now. The great part about this (unlike the Pirate theme), is that it will flow over into the home decor industry as well. Look for lots of trunks, and British colonial looks to come back, at least for a little bit!!

Well, I hope you all enjoyed the latest in the industry news, I thought you'd all like to hear what's happening and what's to be expected, and don't worry, there will be no pink chickens in the store, for a long time!!