A Bit Bookish....

A great resource for visual presentation is the Pottery Barn series of decor style books. Created by the talented designers at PB, nearly every room in a home is covered - plus some. Most of the series is pictured above - it's my own collection - tho I have yet to grab the 'Kids Rooms' available at PB Kids stores. (Personally, I'm waiting for the 'Garages' book.... ;o) ) EDITED TO ADD: I just got in from shopping, and found the PB Kids book on sale for $14.99 - so I bought it! Hey, I have a grandson to decorate for!!!)
I've been building my collection gradually, and I received two more editions as Christmas gifts!

FABulous ideas for outdoor furniture, plants, tabletop, and event decor.

Innovative presentations for office supplies, furniture, and it will come in VERY handy when I undertake my own 'Office Makeover: Extreme Edition' next month. (Sans Ty & the Gang, darn it....hey, I helped YOU guys out when you were here in Washington!!!)

This was the first book in the series that I purchased, and I consider it one of the best for my purposes. Great ideas for merchandise/product displays of any type, as well as home decorating tips.

One of my favorite authors is Alexandra Stoddard.

I admire her innate design sense and infallible use of color, and I am inspired by her philosophy of design, decorating, and living. I have all of HER books, as well, and was excited to read in the January issue of Country Living magazine that Sandie's new book will be available soon. Here is the blurb from the mag:

I highly recommend a visit to her website www.alexandrastoddard.com.

image credits: Alexandra Stoddard photo and book photo/information from Country Living magazine, January 2007 issue.

Damage Control...

So, let's just say, somewhat hypothetically, that 'Acts of God' ruin your Holiday sales.
Record-breaking rainfall for a month, snow & ice shutting down the roads for days, historical windstorm knocks out power to the entire region and snarls traffic (EVERYTHING snarls traffic here...what is that all about?!!!), shuts down businesses, and keeps customers huddled at home under fifteen blankets to keep warm in their powerless abodes for a week.

Hypothetical, of course. There is no WAY all of that could happen to one area in a two-month span of time.
Unless you live in the Pacific Northwest.

So, amidst all of Nature's Rampage, retailers are expected to continue to sell the merchandise in their stores to keep the valuable fourth quarter numbers in the black.Easier said than done!
One local independent retailer, Molbaks, is running registers off of generators in order to stay open. The huge building is all greenhouses, heated by steam, so there is warmth and light and apparently, enough people who are willing to go out and find both. Plus shop in the process! But many others, like the wineries, are still in blackout. Generator power is minding the tanks and humidity systems, in order to save the wine. Sales are at an all-time low for this week of the year.

But what can you do? Throw out the spoiled food and wait for power. Slash prices to 50/75/80 percent off, and hope for the best. The same thing everyone ELSE is doing. I've been chatting with the buyer for the winery, who is none too happy with this nasty turn of events. She'll do the markdowns when the shop reopens, but then, I suggested something else....

Let's salvage all that we can and turn it into winter/spring displays. Like, for example, those ornaments above.....silver, with red felt dots. Some others in the collection say 'Love'. So they didn't sell....well, then let's make lemons into lemonade and create a big red Valentine's day display! Those ornaments will be heaped into a huge heart-shaped box I have, made to look like bon bons. And the red table, below, will fit right in:
So will the red cyclamen flowers and the linens with white snowflakes..
And some of these Seasons of Cannon Falls snowmen, below, are 'non-holiday specific', so I'll use them, too. It's still winter - they still work!!!! The newsprint snowflakes from the collection can hang from tree branches above.

The winery stocks a line of pottery in multiple colors year-round, and I'll pull the red pieces to round out the display.
Some of the white Vietri poettery with the lacy edges will work nicely, too. Then just add some fab Seattle Chocolates in Valentine's boxes, some red wine, a few red velvet wine bags, and you have a new look with almost all 'leftover' merchandise. It's a way to get more than clearance prices from things that didn't sell, keping your profit margin high.

Once I get the display installed, post-Holiday, I'll share a photo. But I thought that perhaps sharing a solution would be helpful right now. And even if you don't have to deal with a bad sales slump, sometimes products just don't move like you expect them to. Rethink them, restyle them, recombine them with other merchandise to create a whole new story. Don't think that the way they were displayed in the showroom is the ONLY way to merchandise them! Sometimes, your creativity can mean the difference between clearance and sell-out.

My best to all area retailers struggling this year....hang in there. It really can't get any WORSE!!!!

Head Toward the Light.....

Deb's Daily Musings, Post-storm:
Today, the sun was shining. The sky was clear.
Last night, it was a crisp freezing winter night with a million stars twinkling above.
A lovely and welcome respite from the past week's devastating weather...

Thursday it was 'the Mother of all Windstorms' that nearly swept the NorthWest off to Siberia, along with torrential rain yet again to swell the rivers and bring hillsides crashing down.
Friday, it was the Big Freeze as temps dropped and power outages affected almost every county in the state.
Saturday it was gray and cloudy and still getting colder, the threat of SNOW hanging on the lips of every weatherman on the news. We all shuddered just thinking about it. 'White Christmas' has a lovely nostalgic tone to it, but not when you have been fighting the ravages of Mother Nature for two months straight. You want clear, dry, warm, CALM weather.Then there is the memory of the LAST snowstorm, which hit during rush hour on the Monday after Thanksgiving, when people were stuck on the roads for hours, even overnight, just trying to get home from work (Or the Seahawks game, for the diehard fans).

People still without power have started burning everything they own to keep warm....holding out hope that the PSE, PUD, SCL, and assorted other agencies will be able to get the lines replaced, the transformers repaired, and the grids operational again. FAST. It's getting there, bless the utility company's hearts (they are working non-stop) but there are still areas in blackout...about 200,00 households still.So many people without power and warmth....please keep them in your thoughts and prayers. While this might not be as horrific as Katrina or the Tsunami, it is awful for those families who are struggling to survive the cold and darkness. Especially at this time of year.

Just a note to anyone reading this: Remember this, and tell your loved ones:
DO NOT EVER BURN A BBQ FIRE (charcoal, etc.) IN YOUR HOME TO KEEP WARM. Carbon Minoxide poisoning results, and it kills. More people have been hospitalized here due to this than ever before...including babies.Hubby is a contractor, and he says that homes are built so airtight now, that there is no venting of toxic fumes. Even if you have a gas fireplace or burn a Prestolog, etc. in your fireplace, you should crack a window open to help vent the fumes.
DO NOT EVER LEAVE A BURNING CANDLE UNATTENDED. Fires result, and fires kill people. Get handcrank or 'shaker' flashlights to use in a blackout, not candles. And if you DO use candles, place them inside glass hurricanes or deep vases for safety.

Vintage Ornaments on Parade...

One of my residential clients has these AMAZING ornaments...they are vintage, made of velvet and felt and silk and rhinestones. Just incredible detail. Karen and I add them to her tree in 'stories' , color-coordinated groupings, so that they will stand out. There are groups of gold, white, yellow, peach, and two shades of green. Hanging them this way really makes a statement on the tree, too, rather than having them all spread out.

I love this one the most - look at the sweet little girl in the hot air balloon! The client's two year old daughter just adores it! (So we hung it low enough for her to SEE, but high enough that she can't TOUCH it!)

The story on these ornaments is that our client got them from her husbands' mom. Well, mom was there this year when we decorated, so we asked her to tell us the story - were they made by family members, handed down thru generations of women?

Nope! They were made by a group of women in West Seattle in the 1940's & '50's, and sold at Frederick & Nelsons' Department Store here. (I love it - enterprising women with a cottage industry back then!) Mom's MOM had bought them for herself, then handed them down to her daughter, and once her son married, she passed them on to his wife. What a lovely tradition!

I just thought I'd share these lovely treasures with you....

Vintage Tea Party Theme

Okay...the final theme. Finally! Thank you for being so patient with me.
I have been so busy, my head is spinning. Completed my last residential decorating installation yesterday, so now I can catch up with the blogs and my own holiday prep...and cleaning up the office here, which looks like Hurricane Deb swept thru on a rampage.

This theme is all about nostalgia, memories, childlike wonderment.
Reminiscent of Grandma's kitchen (yes, I have a grandma theme going on in my life! and it SO reminds me of my Grandma Fritzie's kitchen that I hung out in as a kid), you can almost smell the sugar cookies in the oven when you look at the vintage linens, sweet treats, and fun accents.Family treasures & heirlooms are the focus - and no, that does not mean 'valuable' heirlooms. It means cooky cutters and embriodered tablecloths and handmade ornaments. The look I created is in the 'traditional' red, white and green (with the green kicked up to chartreuse, just because I can!) - and yet, it would look equally as sweet done in 'Shabby Chic' colors like pastel blues, pinks, silvers, and whites. Or try the uber-cool red, white, and aqua blue combination for a hip rendition! By adding in MORE colors, like maybe every conceiveable color in the rainbow, this look is perfect for a childs' room, playroom, or party.


Things to do with ornaments:
Well, yeah, sure, you can hang 'em on the TREE....but that limits you to a certain number. I mean, when the tree is FULL...you're done. But start filling up other containers, and you'll have an endless supply of decorating opportunities! Those yummy 'bon bon' ornaments above are simple to make and display: plastic resin ornaments (www.dollartree.com) get a pom pom hot-glued in front of the hook (hides it but you could still hang them) and then gets displayed in several ways: sit them in layered cupcake papers as I did, and fill up a cupcake stand or a baking tin; OR hot glue them onto the tops of REAL ice cream cones - those can be displayed on the tree (just hang from the ornamen'ts hook) or by sitting them into cute little sundae glasses at each place setting. Great favor! And unbreakable, so terrific for kids. This is a fun craft project for them, too. but get lo-temp hot glue.

Heaping bowls and candy dishes full of ornaments is a fabulous way to display ones that are heavy or broken - if the top is gone, no problem: flip it upside down. If part of the ornament is missing, nestle it among others to hide the damage. I have a few old bells that are really just half bells - no one knows it, tho! For big, tall vases, get more resin ornaments so they are lightweight, then pile them in there. Add lights for sparkle.

Or, take something that is not a 'holiday' item, and foof it up! My wire mannequin has become 'Miss Holly Daze' for the season, with vintage aprons, a garland 'boa', and some more resin ornaments as giant pom-pom trim under her apron. I filled her with lights and she now stands in the corner of my (very messy) office to cheer me up! Note the apron used as a chair cover in the first photo, too - great idea for a girls' tea.

Tabletop ideas....snug the flatware & napkin into miniature stockings. Works great for buffets or place settings, and is an idea that people go GA GA over every time I show it! That sweet cupcake pincushion favor is my version of Amy's cupcakes that she was selling last year...I DID ask her permission to copy it, I swear! (She doesn't have any on her site right now, but maybe in the future?!!!) I made mine in a teacup, and it's a lovely little goody for the girls to take home after you host a Christmas tea for them at your place. They also double as placemarkers. You could create dough ornaments that look like cookies, or give bags of a special blend of tea as favors, too, to coordinate with your theme. Just be ready for the 'How SWEET!!!!!' comments you'll get!

Wishing you all the merriest of holiday seasons...and whether you celebrate with a tree, a menorah, or something else, let's all remember that the reason for the season is LOVE...

Babies & Birdies!

First, the reason there have not been any recent posts from the Diva....

I've been busy becoming a GRANDMA!!!!
Let me introduce you to Troy, my daughters' son, who arrived on Wednesday night and was instantly greeted by a crowd of family and friends - all with cameras! The hospital called us 'the Paparazzi'! It was a joyous celebration of life and I am so blessed to have been in the delivery room with my daughter to hear his first cry, be there to hold him, and to hand him to his daddy to hold for the first time. This is truly the best gift I have ever been given!!! Thank you, Bethy.

okay okay I'll stop gushing.....

Now, as promised, installment two of the Holiday Hullaballoo: 'Bird in a Gilded Cage'

This design is all about opulence, glamour, and bringing nature into decor.
Gold, mossy greens, browns & bronzes make up the color palette - but you could certainly adjust them to fit your own surroundings. This idea of making your holiday decor match your existing home decor has so many benefits - you can use many items that aren't necessarily 'holiday' items, like putting the wreath and candles inside the giant birdcage (which I found for just 19.99 at Goodwill!); the continuation of colors makes spaces seem larger than if you interject new ones (like red in a room that is normally soft colors); and you aren't overcome by the 'holiday' feeling - it is a 'cozy-ing up' of your surroundings without overwhelming them.

While this look is glitzy, you could take the whole outdoors theme another direction - use burlap, twigs, pinecones, rustic birdhouses, bark balls, and snowflakes, and a color scheme of greens, browns, and whites - maybe bronze or silver, too - and you've got a NorthWoods look. (Without the ubiquitious red & black hunters' plaid!) Or, maybe you like the Mediterranean idea but not the birds - substitute bunches of grapes, wine glasses, wine bottle ornaments, grapevines twisitng thru the tree, and some rich burgundian colors, and you've got a wine theme worthy of Bacchus!

This is the 'cagelet' tree topper I created to illustrate the theme, with credit and my undying thanks for permission to lift the idea going to Alicia at Posie. Hers are ever more detailled with vintage treasures, so check them out. I love using atypical things on tops of trees - those spiky glass toppers look so much better displayed on candlesticks (slide the ornament over a thin taper candle for stability) PLUS that way you can use more than one of them!!! Stars and Angels are fine, but sometimes you just want something spectacular. A ready-made cage or hat or birdhouse would have worked perfectly here, as well. I've used small lamps and even chandeliers as toppers - just use wire to suspend them for above for safety.


I made a few ornaments to illustrate the concept of using large-scale items to fill up a tree.This is a great way to make an impact AND get your decorating done faster! Cluster ornaments in groups of threes (using pipe cleaners to fasten them together and to the tree) or create 'bouquets' of silk or dried flowers, berried stems, and tie it up with ribbon - then simply lay it on a branch. This is a way to prepare things in quantity ahead of time - something we simply have to do for corporate and retail installations, in order to maximize our time. You can prep while watching all of those Christmas specials on tv!!!

The birdhouses are simply made paper boxes, using sheet music. (Jingle Bells!) That hole in front isn't real - I drew it on with a marker. And I shoved a toothpick in as a perch. We'll call this one 'Fast, CHEEP, and Easy'....ugh......sorry. The cones are made from gold embossed & foiled florist paper (it reversed to a gorgeous green and I had intended to use that too - but it didn't show up against the tree) and I added a drippy beaded trim at the top edge (which barely shows in the photo). The trim was pre-made for use on lampshades, etc. And then I plopped one big huge hydrangea blossom into each cone. Easy-peasy, as Amy would say! A yarn 'handle' is used to hang them from a branch as they are not too heavy. You could easily substitute a silk flower or even fake snow as filler for these.

You'll also see some silky sheer fabric swathed thru the tree in that photo - everyone asks how to do this. Fabric or fat ribbon needs to be about 12 to 18 inches wide, and as long as you can handle - several yards. Fold the fabric in thirds width-wise so the edges don't show, then TWIST it losely. Start at the top (after lights!) and swirl it in a diagonal pattern down the tree. (Not straight across - your tree will look short and fat. Same principle as dressing yourself applies here! Think TALL and Slender!) Tuck it in, pouf it out, make it MOVE like flowing water as it drapes....you need to keep it from being tight, stiff, and laying across the surface of the tree for it to look opulent. Get lights behind it so it glimmers (chiffon and georgette are perfect for this). And have enough so that you can continue to swirl it UNDER the tree as a skirt...a lovely finish, especially if you nestle some lights under it. You can use ribbon along with fabric, too - either add the ribbon the same way in the spaces BETWEEN the fabric, or loop the ribbon around the fabric. Use ribbon that is about 3 or 4 inches wide to keep it 'fluid' in appearance - keep it twisting, turning, and swirling all the way down the tree.

I'll post the final photos of theme three in the next few days...right now, I'm off to daughters' house to get in some baby cuddlin' time! ;o)

White Christmas

As promised: Theme Decor Ideas! Theme One: 'White Christmas' (Thank you, Mr. Bing)

This one is SOOOOOOOO easy...it is based on the concept of a cocktail party, very chic, very simple, very Cosmopolitan (pun intended!). That being said, you can easily remove the references to alcohol and use other items, changing the focus but keeping the sleek, modern vibe. This design is all about using things you have already, things that you may not think of as 'decorations' - but with a twist and a flourish, they are!

The photo above shows a variety of ideas, and they all started with household items. The glass and silver/aluminum barware, vases, and serving pieces all act as decor items. By adding a bit of greenery, some snowflakes (or Sno-Wonder!) and a minimum of ornaments, it becomes a low-cost, low-energy way to celebrate for a night or a whole season. My own holiday decor this year will be an expansion on this slinky theme! (With some chartreuse green added, of course....)

So, if you DO go with the cocktail party idea, haul out all of your shakers and shot glasses, champagne saucers & flutes, martini & wine glasses. No, I'm not advocating a go-for-broke binge, I'm helping you set the stage for decorating! Some of those glasses, and ice buckets, too, will look FABulous filled with ornaments. Simple silver, white, and clear balls. Grab 'em by the dozens for pennies at Wally's or Ksmart or Tar-jay. Or the dollar store, for unbreakable resin ones. (Good when you mix drinks, friends, and decor!) Heap them in there. The martini glass shown above has some silver tinsel in it to create a 'nest' (yes,m that's a theme with me!) to snuggle a vintage ornament in. Show off a few special ornaments by doing this - the champagne 'saucer' shown has a gorgeous silver bird-in a crystal ball ornbament sitting in it. Gather them on a tabletop, a mantel, a bookshelf. Easy, instant sparkle.

Black and white photos evoke vintage style AND Hollywood glamour - get some old movie stills of Cary and Bing and Frank and Fred, all tuxedo-ed and dapper, along with winter scenes. Hang them and prop them and scatter them around. If you will have placecards, try using silver-toned aluminum plant stakes, as shown above. Or simply a name on a card, tucked into a wire spiral in a clear glass bottle. You could add a chic white tulip or freesia flower, too. In that glass fishbowl above, you'll see some round clear ornaments - that aren't ornaments at all. They are the glass 'floating rings' that are made to hold blooms up above the water to float them. Pile cool items like this (and those big C-9 light bulbs too!) into clear bowls & vases for more sparkle. OR.....

Twist some wire around them, and hang them as ornaments. Test tubes/florist tubes work really well for this, too, and enable you to have live flowers on your tree or hanging from your chandeliers.Easy, fast, simple! You can actually hang drink glasses on a tree, too - same concept. But really, with this modern look, you don't NEED a tree....

Unless it's one of those cool aluminum ones with a color wheel! ;o)

The Diva Does Woodinville!

I'm just too darned busy to do a proper blog post right now, so this will have to do...

Here's a photo of 'the Diva' in action last Saturday at the Willows Lodge 'Girlfriends Weekend' event, and the three decor displays I created. It was a blast, the women who attended kept me busy for a loooooong time after my presentation, answering questions and helping them with their own decorating dilemmas. I PROMISE that next week, I'll show photos and share tips for all three themes.I have so many fun ideas and time-saving tips for you! ('But first', as they would say on tv - and I just HATE that phrase, sounds like something quite unpleasant!- I have to host a family dinner and then decorate for a few more clients!)

Until then, Happy Thanksgiving!

USPS is TRENDY?????!

Have you seen the new Holiday marketing campaign from the United States Postal Service? It came in the mail yesterday, and I swear it nearly knocked me out of my chair...it's TRENDY, for heavens' sake! Since when is a government agency in tune with popular culture? Check this out:

Yes, you saw that right.....the HOT seasonal color scheme of red, lime green, and aqua blue...AND it's SCRAPPED! Talk about grabbing onto a wave and riding it for all it is worth. SOMEBODY down at USPS headquarters is a marketing genius, that's for sure. This mailer went out to residential customers....and with over 70% of the population scrappin' away, they are sure to win raves for this. I have to say, normally I'd recycle something like this - straight into the bin, that is. But THIS one...it's going on my inspiration board, just because it's so appealing to look at.

Every surface of the fold-out brochure is cute cute cute, filled with ideas and inspiration. I don't know who designed it (I'm not a 'scrapper', so I know very few 'names' in the biz, but I am a collage fiend!) but they did a fabulous job. It reminds me of the old Rudolph and Frosty animated specials, for some reason...a nostalgic vibe.

Oh, and it has some pretty handy info on mail deadlines & guidelines, too.... ;o)

Just a quick post to report that somehow I managed to do it right, and my web site is now live at it's new host.
Praise be to the Techno-Gods!!!! Now I just can't wait to have time to update it....maybe February?

Columbia Holiday Decor

This year we totally redesigned the decor for Columbia, buying new elements that reflect the crisp, clean, contemporary style of the new corporate logo. It's a refreshing change from heavy, dark colors, warm colors! We incorporated silver, white, tan, sage green, and bronze for a wintry look. Fresh and simply elegant, the tree, wreaths, garlands, and swags welcome guests and employees alike.

The tree was an 'issue'...for years, there has been a twelve foot tall tree just inside the entrance door, in front of a window. (It used to be fourteen feet - but they cut the top off of it at some point so it would fit. So it always looked like it was growing up into the second floor. Lovely.) With a circumference of about eight feet, that tree not only stuck out into the walkway, but also blocked any and all daylight coming in the window. (And here in the Northwest, that isn't much this time of year!) It also had a broken stand, which meant we had to wire the trunk to hooks in the walls to make sure it never fell on an unsuspecting visitor. SOOOOOO much fun. Anyway, we bit the bullet and bought a new tree, and relocated it's position to beside the fireplace. This pairs with the mantel garland and creates a gorgeous photo opportunity for guests. They are already having employees shoot their picutes in front of it, to use for Holiday greeting cards.

Now, buying a new tree should be no big deal...but it was.
First, the vendor sold out, so they called and told us we couldn't get the one we ordered. So, we had to go back to the showroom and choose another. Shorter. Tree. UGH. Two feet shorter. And THAT is why, dear reader, the photo above shows the tree sitting on a stand. It is a fab box that my handy carpenter hubby built and we painted to match the shop wall color. It holds the tree stand securely AND gives it that nice added boost of two and a half feet that makes for a stately pine. Perfect solution. To date, and to my knowledge, only six or seven employees have vocally mourned the passing of the big monstous tree. It sits ignored in the corner of the cellar storage area. I just tell them all it's 'cellar holiday decor', the easy way.


Some close ups of the tree decor... The silver stag ornament is a direct reference to the new logo, which features the cupola of the winery and the weathervane on top. Which, amazingly enough, is a stag. Funny how that works out!

Tickin' Away....

The Bangles said "Time, Time, Time...Tickin' away from me...."
Tim McGraw sings "Tickin' Away"... and every day I find myself looking at the clock more often than the day before.

This is NOT how I want to spend my holiday season!!!

So, major mind adjustment today, as I get down to the nitty gritty of designing the setups for my upcoming Holiday Decorating seminar. My new mantra: Time is irrelevant. I am seeking FLOW, that mystical mindset of the etherworld where time, space, limitations, and properties of the tangible do not exist. Today, I will enter into my chosen work with the attitude that I am a channel through which ideas and inspiration will flow from the ultimate Creator. I don't have to 'come up with' anything! I just have to let myself see the possibilities that already exist.

It's quite simple, really: I just need to let the stress go and focus on the fun!

As I work on my themed setups, here's a look back at last years' presentation:

Copper, Persimmon, and Chocolate Brown for fall
(the chocolate-scented candle I used is sitting beside my bed to ensure sweet dreams each night!)


Shabby Chic comes to Thanksgiving dinner, with creamy whites, gold, and sparkle.
A Diva Christmas, with hot pink, cranberry, red, and feather boas!
Hannukah at Tiffany's, with traditional silver, crystal, and blue.

This year I am focusing on three styles:
Contemporary (chic silver, white, crystal - and maybe some very mod black)
Traditional (red, white, green with a Christmas Teaparty theme)
Antique (browns, greens, golds, with an outdoor theme and NeSts!)

So, I am off to pull out boxes, rummage thru decor accessories, and create some very messy mayhem in the process. It'll be fun...

'Cause like I always say, "It's not called disWORK, it's called DisPLAY!" ;o)

Columbia Christmas Displays

Felt a a bit like one of Saint Nick's Elves this past week!

I spent all week at Columbia Winery, installing brand new holiday decor elements and all of the new merchandise displays in the retail shop. (Many thanks to my crew: Assistants Karen & Beth, Lisa & Janel!) A new tree & ornaments, new garlands, arrangements, wreaths, & festoons spiffed up the facility with a fresh feel. We finally ditched the old decor that I had been 'making do' with for years!!! The new decor is stunning, and a perfect complement to the new brand image of Columbia, which focuses on the Northwest heritage of the wines. It's evident in the stags' head ornaments, woodsy elements, and natural colors as seen on the recently launched wine bottle labels below...

The 'new' Columbia is contemporary Northwest style, and the products in the shop really are perfect.The front display features dichroic glass art on hammered copper tables, with overhanging mossy branches dripping bronze glass ornaments. Very 'woodsy' in feel and a perfect entrance to the winery. The second photo shows the back approach of one of the front displays - it features Vietri pottery in brown and white glazes, with leaf-embossed brown linen and pinecone candles. An elegant Northwest winter scene.

I've got loads more photos to share soon. First, I have to complete the transfer of the web site to the new host...

Mind Reader????

This afternoon I browsed thru my 'short list' of fave blogs. Made up of some retailers, crafters, photographers, and designers. As I did, I found a post that made me sit back, nod my head in agreement, and nearly look over my shoulder to see if the writer was watching me. She so accurately described some of the thoughts and feelings I am dealing with, it was eerie. Read it for yourself: go and check out Alicia's post today at posie gets cozy (It's titled 'Martha, Anna, Ina')

For those of you who are 'fluent' in the blog world, you may already know Alicia. If you aren't familiar with her, once you get a look at her delicious blog, you'll be a returning guest! This woman, hailing from Portland, Oregon, is a font of creativity and imagination. She never fails to inspire me. Her good friend, Amy Powers of Inspire Company, is the same darling kind of girl - whimsical, innovative, and 'real'. I admire them both so much!

Alicia's post today is about overmarketing and authenticity. I won't attempt to rehash it, it's THAT good. The comments that follow it (38 at last count) are like opening a floodgate into the hearts & minds of consumers and artisans alike. I was shocked to discover that this feeling I have been having consistently for months is appearing in other people's minds as well!!!

What I want to add to it is this question:
As it relates to merchandising your products in your stores - whatever it is that you sell - can you read that post and those 38 comments, and come up with a way to present your goods in a NEW way, a way that whispers, gently, softly and graciously, inviting your customers to investigate? Can you create a connection between your busines and your customer, and rather than thrusting more and more and more AT them, find a way to OFFER them something wonderful that will meet a need, make life better, solve a problem? Can you rethink what 'selling' is, and approach it as 'sharing'? Can you help customers focus on a products' attributes, rather than a name brand or a logo or a marketing campaign??? Can we support local artisans and writers and chefs?

In other words, can we all stop with the hawking and pushing and strong-arming sales tactics this Holiday season, and become caring, helpful, knowledgeable resources with a smile on our face and true integrity in our hearts?

CAN we stop the Grinch of mass merchandising from ruining the holidays, please???
Yeah, I AM biting the hand that feeds me. I just think there is a better way than the tried and true. I respect Paco, but it's NOT all about the science of sales. After reading those comments on Alicia's blog, I know I am not alone in feeling this way. Share your thoughts with me, please.....

A Helping Hand....

Big Goings-On around Diva Central, let me tell you...
The Holiday Hullaballoo begins on Monday at Columbia Winery, so I'm in full prep mode this week.
I am also plotting and planning the total (and yes, extreme) makeover of my office, to accomodate some product development that needs to go on here after the Holiday rush is done in early December.

And to make the chaos complete, the guy who hosts my web site on his private server is shutting it down on Monday....my poor little web site will be homeless if I don't get my tuckus in gear. I accomplished part of the big move today, and will get some 'live' assistance tomorrow morning to complete the transfer from one server to another. God help me, I hope whomever it is who calls me is a patient soul.....the Diva is technologically disenfranchised, remember.

Would appreciate all prayers, thoughts, wishes, and crossed fingers you can spare over the next few days!!
(The blog won't be affected and if you need to contact me, just leave a comment here...)

That illustration reminds me of DD#1, the massage therapist.
Boy, I could really use one about now. And every day for the next month and a half.
It's just the flights to San Antonio that would be a problem..... ;o)

What's Your 'Imagination Quotient'?

This appeared in a recent issue of Better Homes & Gardens magazine...it's a quiz for parents to take that will assist them in helping their kids develop creative skills by determining a childs' 'Imagination Quotient'. WHOA! What a concept! It's sponsored by Crayola, the ultimate creative tool. I tried to access the quiz at the link they gave (www.bhg.com/crayola) , but it's not working. You can go to this page at Crayola and download a PDF file that is a printable book of creative ideas for kids. I should say, they intend it to be for kids. Why on Earth should we adults not get to have some of the fun, too?? Download it, print it, and open up your mind!!!

Creativity and Imagination...these are highly underrated skills once we leave the kindergarten classroom. (Remember Robert Fuhlgum's book, "All I Ever Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten"?!) But they are important and valuable throughout our lives - and in business.Without creative thinking skills, coping mechanisms, and expressive outlets, we'll go stark raving mad in a world like ours. Without the ability to imagine a new product, industry goes stagnant. Without the ability to express ideas and concepts in written words or drawings or animation, communication grinds to a halt. Without respect for the time, knowledge, ability, and effort it requires to perform creative tasks, less and less people pursue careers in the creative arts.

How do you rate YOUR 'Imagination Quotient'? Are you up there at the Disney "Imagineers' end, letting your ability to visualize and create and think innovatively serve you in many facets of your business? Or are you stuck at the bottom, in Never Never Land - never never have time to even THINK about being creative, too busy with the busy-ness of business? Or are you somewhere in the middle of the two: you know you have the ability to think creatively, to imagine new ways to do things, but you second-guess your sanity when you do something out of the box and then a shall we say 'creatively challenged' person questions your innovation? What about the people around you - your family, employees? Do you value THEIR creative ideas?

Creativity, Imagination, Wonder, Exploration are all tools in our arsenals as former children. We just need to rummage around and figure out where we left them on the road to adulthood. And when we do find them, we need to give ourselves permission to use them to enhance our lives and the lives of those around us. Especially the KIDS around us. They need examples of brave souls who value the individuality and imagination inside of everyone.
As my friend Steph says, "There's a little artist inside all of us....we just need to remember where we put her!"

Besides, a world without creativity sounds like a dismal reality show to me.
One I would watch even less than RockStar SuperNova (LUKKAS????) or Project Runway (JEFFREY?????).
Yipes.

DivaDeb's Top Ten Holiday Ornament DisPLAY Ideas

1. Turn a fan trellis (wood or wire) upside down – voila! A Christmas tree! Hang ornaments in between the supports.
2. Use wire wreath forms horizontally in graduated sizes to create a hanging ‘tree’ shape. Dangle ornaments and ribbons from both the outside and inside edges – even lights!
3. Fill tall glass vases and wide bowls with unbreakable ornaments (fabric, wood, resin) for a contemporary look.
4. Bring nature in: Big bare branches can sweep down from the ceiling to hold an array of twirling items. Paint black for Halloween, then flock white for Christmas & winter seasons!
5. Hang wire wreath forms on the wall in a line, then display ornaments of one color on each – create a rainbow! Great way to top a wall of hooks with ornaments on it.
6. Get Sweet! Pop pastel or bright ornaments into cupcake tins with paper liners, sundae and candy dishes, and even into real ice cream cones propped up in a juice glass! Try ice cream tubs, egg cartons, jewelry boxes…think outside the proverbial ornament box.
7. Fill up a real sink – or bathtub! – with white poly batting, then nestle clear, white, and iridescent balls on top like bubbles! ‘Float’ a few above using fishing line. (Great way to highlight bath gift items)
8. Old windows and French doors, sans glass panes, can be hinged together to form a freestanding screen. Hang ornaments in each pane with ribbon. This forms a great backdrop for a vignette.
9. Don’t forget to use NON-ornaments on your trees, wreaths, tabletops, and mantel displays: teacups, plates, purses, books, toys, garden supplies, sachets, art, lamps, etc. Inspire your customers to use their personality to decorate!
10. Tree toppers are best displayed on mantels or in centerpieces – slip them into tall glass cylinder vases or slide them over a taper candle in a candlestick for stability. And on trees, use unique things like chandeliers, angel wings, giant snowflakes, etc. as toppers!

DivaDeb and DisPLAY are registered trademarks of Debi Ward Kennedy /2005.