« January 2013 | Main | March 2013 »
Here is what I love about having a store: 1. The customers, their projects and their stories. 2. Getting new stuff to put on the shelves
Today we got Gelli Plates back in, 12x12 Graphic 45 French Country and a bunch of Kelly Rae Roberts plus a few other odds and ends, cool odds and ends.
From the Berkeley Library in CA and Castle in the Air
I love these book sculptures.
Makes me want to try this. I especially like the entry arch in the top photo.
What do you think?
One of our favorite customers who we now call "friend", Randy Cecil, came in on his lunch hour for a little bit of Show & Tell for me. Do I need to say again how much I love Show & Tell? I didn't think so. Anyway, he and his wife, Peggy, have been playing with one of Graphic 45's boxes and the new French Country paper (both available at Small Studio). Here is the lovely result:
Such a nice project from every angle. Thank you, Randy, for sharing.
Hop on over to our web here and sign up for Ingrid Dijkers workshops on March 23-24th. We are so lucky to have Ingrid join us again this year. Her workshops last Fall were a big hit with everyone. Ingrid has a wonderful eye for the unusual and she is a very good teacher. Come play.
It was a beautiful day in Ohio today.
There is very little that is better than a chat with a good friend. I don't know what your criteria is for a good friend, but my list includes someone who laughs easily and who makes me feel good just to be in their presence. There are many more things, but my friend Michele Monet is a gem of a friend. Michele walked into my old store, Creative Block, one day right after we opened. We hit it off immediately, sharing our life stories and cementing our relationship right then and there. Michele designed the very first Stampers Anonymous stamps for me back in 1996. They were an immediate hit. Over the years, Michele, who is a professional photographer, has taken photos of our entire family. We have had many a long, long dinner together, never running out of things to talk about. She has a ready smile, quick laugh and she is tremendously talented in so many ways. She also designs my business cards, postcards and ads. They are always just what I want, but much better. Here is the latest ad she did for me.
I am so thankful for her friendship. I hope you have a friend like Michele.
So, what do you think this
and this
and this have in common?
They are each a part of a three day project John and I created on a wall in our classroom.
We pushed two of our tables together which have grid mats on them. Then we started laying out our collage wall.
This is the finished wall.
Maybe you would like to see it a little closer? Okay.
We had so much fun putting it together, searching for the thing that was the right color, size and accent. We think it looks so much better than our show banner that was up there before. What do you think?
New in the store today:
26113 Detroit Road
Westlake OH
Tue-Sat 10-5
Accepting Registrations for our fabulous Workshop Series
We received some new product designed by Kelly Rae Roberts. We have had her colorful products in before and they sell out quickly.
The boxes are as cool as the product.
Do you cloche? Cloches (or glass domes) are so much fun to play with, creating little vignettes of cool stuff. We sell a variety of different cloches.
Have a great day!
I have no idea how these drifts of ice are formed, but they are several feet tall. The Lake is endlessly entertaining.
I taught a little book class at Small Studio today. I haven't taught a class in years and i had forgotten how fun and rewarding it is to teach excited and creative students. Everyone's finished book was perfect and beautiful. I hope they enjoyed it as much as I did.
Thank you, students, for joining us today.
Our next store class is the 23rd of Feb. with Aimee who will be teaching a drawing class on Face Basics. There are still a few spaces left.
Our first Small studio Workshop is in March. Ingrid Dijkers will be teaching 2 one-day workshops. The first on Sat Mar23 is "The Wall", a graffiti book.
The 2nd workshop on Sun Mar24, is Journal Obscura.
Ingrid is a really good instructor and her classes are always popular here. Be sure to go to our website and fill out the registration for her workshops. While you are there check out our other wonderful instructors and sign up for those too. Registration is ongoing until the workshops are full.
I haven't been carded in years. Actually I have not been carded in decades, but last night we ran a few errands after dinner. There on an endcap was a very cool looking six pack of beer. I don't drink beer. In fact, I have never had a beer in my life. I just don't like the smell. But this beer came with cool graphics, cool bottles and super bottle caps. John occasionally has a beer and my son drinks beer when he visits, so I bought it. I took it up to the counter and was asked for my ID. I laughed and thanked the clerk.= for asking. John said that she wasn't kidding. I looked at her and she nodded. Seems she cannot sell spirits without swiping a driver's license. Good idea, but really I am definitely old enough to buy beer.
Batch 19 is a Coors product based on a pre-prohibition recipe. The bottles we bought do not look like this, but they are still interesting. We didn't see the big bottles, but apparently you can buy them.
Funny what catches one's interest.
Every time new product arrives, it requires a little dance of changing things around in the store to make room. I am not complaining. No, I am gloating. I love making new displays. That is, I love making new displays when I have an idea.
Today the Dylusion Sprays came and you are going to love the six new colors: Cherry Pie, Linen White, Dirty Martini, Calypso Teal, Funky Fuchsia and After Midnight. Have you watched the cute video of Dylusions Meets I Love Lucy?
We also got a shipment of new and restocked greeting cards.
We have a good selection of art supplies to support our workshops, but we also have an eclectic collection of things for your home and studio. Have a little browse around the store with me...
We are looking forward to seeing you here.
The Workshop Series is now online and we are taking registrations.
Folk Magazine arrived today. Along with Sweet Paul, this newish magazine is full of decor, recipes and crafts. Great photography abounds in both. We have a few copies of the new Uppercase still available. Uppercase is full of articles about art people and artsy stuff.
Another arrival today was a box of appealing little globes in 4 colors. They are about 5" in diameter and come with a little wooden ring to keep them from rolling off the shelf. Better hurry in and get yours before I take them home and keep them for myself.
A sweetly scented candle in a soft white pot would make a lovely gift for a friend. It comes in a nice box with this little plaque on the outside:
Small Studio has an ever changing selection of authentic vintage and antique items. One of my favorites is this tin box of British Pub dominoes.
The box is cool with interesting directions and the set is complete.
Have you noticed the Assemblage Boxes by Randy Cecil that are on display at Small Studio? Randy recently discovered an appreciation for Joseph Cornell's work and tried his hand at making a few boxes. He tells me that he has now made many and just cannot stop. It is fun to make art always.
Have you signed up for our upcoming February classes? Next Saturday I will be teaching a quick and easy book class and on the 23rd Aimee will be doing a quick and easy Basic Face class. Don't forget our wonderful workshop series with awesome instructors: Keith Lobue, Michael deMeng, Dan Essig, Ingrid Dijkers, Chris Cozen, Andrea Matus deMeng, Mary Beth Shaw and Julie Snidle and Carol Owen. Click here for Small Studio's website.
Tim's youngest just turned 11 and here are the usual suspects celebrating with him.
Happy Birthday!
I just want to go on record that Grandpa John picked out the card.
I woke up excited for the day to begin. Today was Small Studio's First Anniversary party. Hooray! I looked out the window and was dismayed to see heavy snowfall. Oh no.
This is what it looked like outside as we drove to the store. Note the large and lovely snowflakes.
This was the temperature:
I try to be positive about things. I was positive no one would show up.
I was so organized. The refreshment table was ready.
The craft table was ready.
Aimee arrived to help out for the day.
We waited. We made bets on how many people would show up. We made bets on how many people would Not show up.
But then our wonderful and loyal customers and friends began to wander in and they kept coming in right up until closing.
Some brought us gifts, yes gifts! Teri brought us helium balloons and Kathy brought us a plant. How unexpected and wonderful. Thank you both.
Everyone made Valentines, Small Studio style. There was much laughter. Here are photos of some of the hearts made today.
It kept snowing all day, but Ohioans are not intimidated by weather. We had a lovely anniversary and I think everyone had a good time. Thank you all for making my day.
I have owned one store or another since 1991. They have always been craft stores. When I married John almost eight years ago, i thought I was done with being a shopkeeper, but then i decided I had one more store in me. I missed the people, the show and tell, the displays, the buying, the planning, the workshops and being surrounded by creative people. Small Studio is different from my other stores. It is only half craft with the other half gifts and home decor. This has been fun for me since I love decorating and I love stuff. Now I have all the above perks plus stuff.
We are at the one year mark today. I opened Small Studio Feb 1 2012. I have learned quite a bit in the last year. Learning is so energizing. I have made many, many new friends and acquaintances. I have seen first hand how the economy has affected the shopper and the distributors. I have been amazed at how few people pay with cash anymore. I have been disappointed to find that 99% of the gift market is manufactured in China and almost as much of the craft market. I learned that gift stores are expected to start ordering Christmas about now. I have been reminded of how much I love having a store and planning events.
Tomorrow (Saturday) we will have our First Anniversary Party. I hope you will come and join us. We have put together some snacks and a fun little craft project and we will take 25% off all of your paper purchases. Come and give me a chance to tell you how much i appreciate your business and your friendship.
We have some new tapes for you and some new paper packs.
If you don't show up, what will I do with all the rosettes I made?
