Jeanine came by the shop this weekend to say her goodbyes (at least to the shop) and she did a lovely blog post with tons of pictures.  Go straight to Chippy Shabby to see this great post as well as her blog about everything else!  Her holiday vignettes are always inspiring and she never forgets to post her antiquing junkets leaving us all drooling.  We still have TONS of great stuff in the shop and everything is 50% off!  Robes, clothes, vintage, frames, soaps, bedding and all kinds of fixtures.  We'll be there Thursday through Sunday, 10 to 5.

Today, Happiness and a Full Heart... Getting Back to it.

Was today fun or what?!

I finished the decorating late yesterday afternoon, looked at it pleased, but wary.   Every year I wonder if anyone is going to show up to this "Winter Wonderland" shin dig.  This may have been our most successful one yet.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

This season has been a bit... I don't know... off, weird, stressful, burned out.  Knowing that we are closing has not exactly been a motivator for me to be the shop keeper I know I can be, and have been. I have just been off/down this season.

 But today, that was fun.  It felt like old times at Viva.

I spent the week with the doors closed, tunes cranked and merchandise to display however my heart desired, and I was back.

I remembered what is was like to flirt with the older gentlemen so their wives could shop in peace, engage in chit chat with people checking out only to learn about so many interesting lives (and the stories we hear!).  To watch Carol engage, roam through the shop and hear her yacking it up with customers while putting things back into place.  Sharing wildlife stories (from the beginning we have had more than our fair share).  To see and listen to the regulars, knowing their stories and all to eager to see them and catch up... It's all gold to me.

Not long ago I read an article about soul restoration and re-claiming your life.  The exercise was a six week course on getting back to yourself... your soul.  The woman who wrote it was rising and shining straight up the corporate ladder, yet felt no joy or excitement about what she was doing... no dear and magic moments were happening in her life.  

The course basically walks you back to the simplicity of who you are at the core.

You know what her soul restoration was?  To be surrounded by loved ones.  To talk.  To share time with girlfriends.  To make art.  To spend time with her husband and children.  To laugh.

These were the things closest to her heart, that made her thrive and be happy... to soar!

For all to be well with the world.

Is she rich?  No.  Is she in rich?  Yes.

Not to say climbing the corporate ladder is wrong, for some it's exactly right.

This  has made me think more than anything lately.  I have been lost for a couple of years, stressed with the things in life that happen to us all, and have been on a scary path letting my anxiety get the best of me.

Realizing that for my heart to thrive and be at it's happiest, I need to be around people.   To laugh. To work on a project as a team.  To have a team full of excitement engaging in the same goal, even if the goal is to just help someone in the simplest of ways or style the hell out of an event.  To say things to uplift, and let others uplift me!  To be alone at times.  To let my heart light shine.  I looked people in the eye today, made jokes, and just got back to being me (which has been gone for a while).

Am I going to have a big bank account with these things?  No.

Am I going to be rich?  Yes.

With all the stress and pressure society puts on, and expects from us, who'd have thought that just being who you are, at the simplest level would actually bring you to being the happiest person you have JUST WANTED TO BE, and basically thrive!

That being said, tomorrow is a different day.  Almost everything is priced to move.  The crowd will gather and chaos could possibly ensue!  I am more than excited to engage in the activity.

Let's just all have a good time, laugh, high five and love each other.

Sweetest of dreams, and may all of us peel away the nonsense of pressures and stresses that hold no meaning, turning it into a day of pure sweetness and fun.

xoxo,

Angie

Winter Wonderland Sat... Oh My Heart.

As of yesterday, the shop took a magical turn for me.

Knowing the closing is coming and new adventures await, my heart has not been in

the right spot for decorating one last show... and truly this entire season has been a bit of a creative dry spell for me (an overall, slight sadness). 

Yesterday morning I finished the last of the pricing and unpacking and was finally onto display work.  Because we're consolidating and opening an entire room for In a Haystack to join us, the magic hit again.

One little display... it's small, but as I stood back and looked I remembered what I'm good at.

I'm not bragging, and trust me being able to arrange things is not high on the list of making a good living... however it's authentic to me... and you have your authentic self as well.

It's been a long time since I woke up early, ready for work with an excitement and a lightness in my heart.

I'm on my way in again, will crank up the tunes and get to it!

Hope to see you Sat and Sunday... and please say hello!

 Angie

ps.  if you follow this blog, stay tuned... we're about to get busy!

Winter Wonderland, And How The "Closing" is Gonna Go Down.

Winter Wonderland... our final show.

Saturday, October 20th at 10am sharp.

It's a little tricky putting on a great show and trying to close a shop all at the same time.  But we really, really wanted to share one last creative hurrah before we closed the doors for good.

That being said, we will be transforming the shop into holiday loveliness.

We have invited In a Haystack to take over one entire room... retro, vintage holiday goodness.

The rest of the shop will be my own take on Winter Wonderland and we have wonderful ideas!

 

What you don't want to miss is the NEXT day.

We're moving it out... the big clearance sale!

While all your purchases will be 20% off, on the 21st of Oct., the entire store will be reduced 20% to 50% off... and our fixtures that have NEVER been for sale will be!

Don't worry, our holiday items will not be marked down more than 20%, after the show and we will not be reordering so get it while it lasts!

Trying to stay upbeat with no  crying as we share with you this last show.

Hope to see you there.