So we had a little water damage in the shop... well it was more than just a little but I am trying not to be overly dramatic! I must say that until you are a shop owner you have no idea what they/ we go through. As you know the shop was fully gutted and rebuilt and it's more than a little disheartening to see it slumped and dripping. The good news? (even though the shop is badly lite because of the shorted out tracks and there are buckets sitting on the floor collecting water) we had a very good day yesterday. You gotta love New Yorkers~ nothing will slow them down!

So my new Cherub bowl is in the shop and filled with "Stop Talking" cards. I must admit it looks great, it is just hideous enough to spark my interest.

I goofed up and didn't take a picture of this before it's makeover but use your imagination as to the colorful detail that was adorning this vessel. It's amazing what a can of white spray paint can yield.... Next post I'll show it in it's new place of honor!

In last Tuesday's NY Times there was an article detailing the amount of small businesses going out of business in NYC. The article made me so sad. We are loosing our specialness, not only NYC but the U.S. as a whole. How many chain stores can the world handle? who shops in them? I don't and quite frankly I don't know anyone who does. When was the last time you popped into a Pottery Barn, Gap, or.... (ad your own chain here)? as far as I am concerned there is nothing in them that is special enough for me to take out my wallet. And lets not forget the VAST amount of banks and T Mobile shops that have scavenged the carcases of the fallen small entrepreneurs.
I know I am biased, I do own 2 specialty shops and my wholesale business's survival depends on small shops, but really what makes NY special? Certainly not a shop you can find in Baltimore/ Boise/ Baton Rouge , ect....
Wake up landlords, you are cutting your own throats by undercutting the value of the city to line your own greedy pockets.. it will come back to bite you in the you know what!!!!!

Back from Atlanta and am happy about that. The good thing about the Atlanta show is that it's Holiday merch heaven. We were excited to formulate what the vision will be for Q4 and it should be interesting. It seems so weird to do Holiday when I am sweating and looking forward to some pool time this weekend.
Anyway I am back and getting into the groove~

What the.....

We installed a new window last night. This time there is more in the window and it took a lot longer to get it just so. People are always asking " what's with all the birds?" Well, it's just in the air, what's not to like? (except for pigeons) So come on in and see " what the flock is going on in here!"

So we had a great 4th out in the country and now back to work. We leave for a trade show this week with a duel mission, sell wholesale and buy for Q4. Having a wholesale business and 2 retail shops to nurture has really added an extra layer to our lives. Our eyes are always pealed for the new thing, the unexpected and saleable~ not always compatible traits! Any suggestions?

Update. Noodle is going to be fine, they still don't know what was wrong but he is doing much better and should be able to come home tonight.
This has made me think about how much we depend on him for our sanity. We work and work and without that little nose poking me on the calf to get a hug or go for a walk, I am afraid we would just keep on working. It poses the question; when is enough?